DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
2. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
3. Claim(s) 1, 6-12, 15-16, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by BYUN et al., US 2021/0083012 A1.
Claim 1. BYUN et al., disclose a display device (such as the one in fig. 8), comprising:
-a substrate (item 100) which includes a display area (item DA) including an optical area and a normal area and a non-display area (item NDA);
-a plurality of light emitting diodes (item OLED 210/220/230) disposed on the substrate in the display area;
-an encapsulation layer (item 310) disposed to cover the plurality of light emitting diodes;
-a touch sensing layer (item TU) disposed on the encapsulation layer and including a touch line (item CTL1);
-a passivation layer (item 420) disposed to cover the touch line;
-and an organic layer (item 450, fig. 8, [0118]) which is disposed cover the touch sensing layer and the passivation layer and is in contact with the encapsulation layer.
Claim 15. BYUN et al., disclose a method for manufacturing a display device (such as the steps in fig. 8), comprising:
-disposing a plurality of light emitting diodes (item OLED 210/220/230) on a substrate (item 100), the substrate comprising a display area (item DA) including an optical area and a normal area and a non-display area (NDA), and the plurality of light emitting diodes being disposed in the display area (as seen in fig. 8);
-disposing an encapsulation layer (item 310) so as to cover the plurality of light emitting diodes;
-disposing a touch sensing layer (item TU [on the encapsulation layer, the touch sensing layer comprising a touch line (item CTL1);
-disposing a passivation layer (item 420) to cover the touch line;
-and disposing an organic layer (item 450) so as to cover the touch sensing layer and the passivation layer, the organic layer being in contact with the encapsulation layer (this limitation would read through [0118] wherein is disclosed an organic layer 450 described below may directly contact an upper surface 410A of the first insulating layer 410 via the first opening OP1 defined in the second insulating layer 420).
Claim 6. BYUN et al., disclose the display device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the organic layer is in direct contact with the encapsulation layer (as seen in fig. 8, item 450 is in physical contact with item TFE).
Claim 7. BYUN et al., disclose the display device according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensing layer has an open area (item OP1) in the optical area.
Claim 8. BYUN et al., disclose the display device according to claim 1, wherein the organic layer is disposed to cover a side surface of the touch line (as seen in the structure of fig. 8).
Claim 9. BYUN et al., disclose the display device according to claim 1, wherein an open area (item OP2) of the passivation layer and an open area (item OP1) of the touch sensing layer at least partially overlap.
Claim 10. BYUN et al., disclose the display device according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensing layer includes: a touch buffer film (item 410) disposed on the encapsulation layer, wherein the touch line which is disposed on the touch buffer film and includes a touch sensor metal (item CTL1) and a bridge metal (item CTL2); and a touch interlayer insulating film (item 420) disposed between the touch sensor metal and the bridge metal.
Claim 12. BYUN et al., disclose the display device according to claim 11, wherein the organic layer is disposed on the passivation layer with the same material as the second encapsulation layer. (this limitation would read through [0118] wherein is disclosed the organic layer 450 includes inorganic particles, a refractive index of the organic layer 450 may be increased. In an exemplary embodiment, the second insulating layer 420 may have a first refractive index).
Claims 11, 16. BYUN et al., disclose the method according to claims 1, 15, wherein the encapsulation layer (item TFE) includes: a first encapsulation layer (item 310) including an inorganic material; a second encapsulation layer (item 320) including an organic material; and a third encapsulation layer (item 330) including an inorganic material, and the third encapsulation layer has an open area which overlaps at least one of an open area of the passivation layer and an open area of the touch sensing layer (as seen in the structure of fig. 8).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
5. Claim(s) 2-5, 14, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BYUN et al., US 2021/0083012 A1.
Claims 2-5, 14. BYUN et al., disclose the display device according to claim 1, above.
BYUN et al., appear to not specify all the details to the limitation of wherein, in the optical area, a portion of the encapsulation layer has a thickness in an area in which the touch line is disposed larger than that of an area in which the touch line is not disposed; and wherein the encapsulation layer has a thickness in an area in which the touch line is disposed in the optical area equal to that in an area in which the touch line is disposed in the normal area; wherein the encapsulation layer has a step in the optical area; wherein the passivation layer has an open area in the optical area.
However, [0157] of BYUN et al., indicate a first insulating layer and a second insulating layer of a functional layer disposed on a thin film encapsulation layer may be used, and accordingly, processes may be simplified by decreasing the number of layers. Also, as the number of layers decreases, optical functions until light emitted from a display element is visible to an external user, for example, transmittance of the display apparatus itself, may be improved.
To improve or control a display device, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to have in the optical area, a portion of the encapsulation layer has a thickness in an area in which the touch line is disposed larger than that of an area in which the touch line is not disposed.
6. Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BYUN et al., US 2021/0083012 A1, in view of ROH et al., US 2022/0263050 A1.
Claim 13. BYUN et al., disclose the display device according to claim 1, above.
BYUN et al., appear to not specify the display device further comprising a polarization layer disposed on the organic layer. However, fig. 3, [0066] of ROH et al., indicate that the display device 1 according to an embodiment may include a display panel 100 and a polarization member 200 disposed above the display panel 100.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to modify the display device of BYUN et al., with the polarization layer as taught by ROH et al., for controlling light passage to create visible, high-contrast images, as they manage the light emitted by backlights. Polarizers help manage the light output, which can be designed to improve the brightness of the screen.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILNER JEAN BAPTISTE whose telephone number is (571)270-7394. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 8:00-6:00.
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/W.J/Examiner, Art Unit 2899 /DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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