DETAILED ACTION
Priority Claim
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
IDS
All references provided in the IDS have been considered.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (Claims 1-10) in the reply filed on 03/29/2026 is acknowledged. Examiner notes the withdrawal of Claims 11-20.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 7, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Choi (US 20220393135 A1).
Re: Independent Claim 1, Choi discloses:
A display device (Choi, display device; Fig. 4, element DD) comprising:
a display panel (Choi, display panel; Fig. 4, element DP) comprising a light emitting element layer (Choi, display element layer; Fig. 4, element DP-ED, ¶ [0083]);
a light converting panel (Choi, light control panel; Fig.4, element OP) on the display panel; and
a filling layer (Choi, filling layer; Fig. 4, element FML, ¶ [0065]) between the display panel and the light converting panel,
wherein the light converting panel comprises:
a light control layer (Choi, light control layer, color filter layer; Fig. 4, elements CCL and CFL, respectively, make up a light control layer) comprising a division pattern (Choi, partition pattern, Fig. 4, elements BMP), and a plurality of light controllers (Choi, light control portions; Fig.4, elements CCP1, CCP2, CCP3, collectively make up the plurality of light controllers) spaced apart from each other by the division pattern; and
a cure control layer (Choi, barrier layer; Fig. 4, element CAP) below the division pattern.
Re: Dependent Claim 2, Choi disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Choi further discloses:
wherein the division pattern (Choi, partition pattern, Fig. 4, elements BMP), and the cure control layer (Choi, barrier layer; Fig. 4, element CAP) overlap each other in a plan view (Choi, Fig. 4, top-down view).
Re: Dependent Claim 4, Choi disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Choi further discloses:
wherein the cure control layer (Choi, barrier layer; Fig. 4, element CAP) comprises a cure retardant material (Choi, ¶ [0116 - 0117]).
Re: Dependent Claim 7, Choi disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Choi further discloses:
wherein the cure control layer (Choi, barrier layer; Fig. 4, element CAP) has a top surface (Choi, Fig. 4, the uppermost surface of CAP can be a top surface) adjacent to the division pattern (Choi, partition pattern, filter; Fig. 4, elements BMP and CF1, respectively, make up a division pattern), and a bottom surface (Choi, Fig. 4, the lowermost surface of CAP can be a bottom surface) adjacent to the filling layer (Choi, filling layer; Fig. 4, element FML, ¶ [0065]),
wherein the bottom surface of the cure control layer comprises an unevenness (Choi, Fig. 4, element CAP is not a straight layer, so therefore has unevenness).
Re: Dependent Claim 9, Choi disclose(s) all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Choi further discloses:
wherein the cure control layer (Choi, barrier layer; Fig. 4, element CAP) comprises a cure retardant material (Choi, ¶ [0116 - 0117]), and
the cure control layer has a top surface (Choi, Fig. 4, the uppermost surface of CAP can be a top surface) adjacent to the division pattern (Choi, partition pattern, Fig. 4, elements BMP), and a bottom surface (Choi, Fig. 4, the lowermost surface of CAP can be a bottom surface) adjacent to the filling layer (Choi, filling layer; Fig. 4, element FML, ¶ [0065]),
wherein the bottom surface of the cure control layer comprises an unevenness (Choi, Fig. 4, element CAP is not a straight layer, so therefore has unevenness).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of AIA 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 of this title, 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.
Claim 3 is rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi (US 20220393135 A1) in view of Chao (US 9947893 B2) and in further view of Kim (US 11342525 B2).
Re: Dependent Claim 3, Choi discloses all the limitations of claim 1 on which this claim depends. Choi further discloses:
wherein the filling layer comprises: a filled portion (Choi, ¶ [0075] states "filling layer FML filled in", which can be considered a filled portion) overlapping the plurality of light controllers (Choi, light control portions; Fig.4, elements CCP1, CCP2, CCP3, collectively make up the plurality of light controllers) in a plan view (Choi, Fig. 4, top-down view);
and the division pattern (Choi, partition pattern, Fig. 4, elements BMP),
Choi does not explicitly disclose:
and a void overlapping the division pattern in the plan view, wherein the filled portion has a refractive index greater than that of the void.
Chao discloses:
a filling layer (Chao, frit; Fig. 9, element 30)
and a void (Chao, voids; Fig. 9, elements 33a - 33c and 34a-34c, can be considered a void) overlapping the division pattern (Chao, openings; Fig. 9, elements 711-713 and 831-833, can be considered the division pattern) in the plan view,
Choi discloses a filling layer, a filled portion, a plurality of light controllers, and a division pattern. Choi does not explicitly disclose a void in the filing layer such that the void overlaps the division pattern in the plan view. Chao discloses the use of voids in a display device for better device performance (Chao, Col. 4, lines 41-50). Choi and Chao disclose elements and configurations for a display and are therefore analogous art. It would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) before the effective filing date to include the filing layer of Chao with the overlapping voids and division pattern in plan view, for the benefit of relieving stress within the display device (Chao, Col. 4, lines 41-50).
Choi, as modified by Chao, does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the filled portion has a refractive index greater than that of the void.
Kim discloses:
a filling layer (Kim, filling pattern layer; Fig. 4, element 40)
and
wherein the filled portion (Kim, first pattern portion; Fig. 4, element 70a) has a refractive index greater than that of the void (Kim, second pattern portion; Fig. 4, element 70b, Cols. 6-7, lines 57-4).
Choi, as modified by Chao, does not explicitly disclose that the filled portion has a refractive index greater than that of the void. Kim discloses a void in the filing portion of the filling layer for use in a display device. More specifically, Kim discloses that the void may be an air layer as a mean of guiding light through the display device (Kim, Cols. 20 - 21, lines 45-15). Choi, Chao and Kim disclose components and configurations of display devices and are therefore analogous art. It would be obvious to a POSITA before the effective filing date to make the void of Choi, as modified by Chao, of air, such that the refractive index is lower than the filling portion, for the known benefit of guiding light (Kim, Cols. 20-21, lines 45-15).
Claims 5-6 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi (US 20220393135 A1) in view of Chao (US 9947893 B2).
Re: Dependent Claim 5, Choi discloses all the limitations of claim 4 on which this claim depends. Choi further discloses:
wherein the filling layer comprises: a filled portion (Choi, ¶ [0075] states "filling layer FML filled in", which can be considered a filled portion) overlapping the plurality of light controllers (Choi, light control portions; Fig.4, elements CCP1, CCP2, CCP3, collectively make up the plurality of light controllers) in a plan view (Choi, Fig. 4, top-down view);
Choi does not explicitly disclose:
and a void overlapping the division pattern in the plan view, wherein the void has a shape having a curvature on a cross section.
Chao discloses:
a filling layer (Chao, frit; Fig. 4, element 30)
and a void (Chao, voids; Fig. 4, element 31a, 31b) overlapping the division pattern (Chao, opening; Fig. 4, element 11) in the plan view, wherein the void has a shape having a curvature on a cross section (Chao, Fig. 4 shows the void having an oval shape, which has a curve on a cross section).
Choi discloses a filling layer, a filled portion, and a plurality of light controllers. Choi does not explicitly disclose a void in the filing layer such that the void overlaps the division pattern in the plan view and has an oval shape on a cross section. Chao discloses the use of voids in a display device for better device performance (Chao, Col. 4, lines 41-50). Choi and Chao disclose elements and configurations for a display and are therefore analogous art. It would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) before the effective filing date to include the filing layer of Chao with the overlapping voids, with the curved shape, and division pattern in plan view, arriving at the invention as claimed, for the benefit of relieving stress within the display device (Chao, Col. 4, lines 41-50).
Re: Dependent Claim 6, Choi discloses all the limitations of claim 4 on which this claim depends. Choi further discloses:
wherein the filling layer comprises: a filled portion (Choi, ¶ [0075] states "filling layer FML filled in", which can be considered a filled portion) overlapping the plurality of light controllers (Choi, light control portions; Fig.4, elements CCP1, CCP2, CCP3, collectively make up the plurality of light controllers) in a plan view (Choi, Fig. 4, top-down view);
Choi does not explicitly disclose:
and a void overlapping the division pattern in the plan view, wherein the void has an oval shape on a cross section.
Chao discloses:
a filling layer (Chao, frit; Fig. 4, element 30)
and a void (Chao, voids; Fig. 4, element 31a, 31b) overlapping the division pattern (Chao, opening; Fig. 4, element 11) in the plan view, wherein the void has an oval shape on a cross section (Chao, Fig. 4).
Choi discloses a filling layer, a filled portion, and a plurality of light controllers. Choi does not explicitly disclose a void in the filing layer such that the void overlaps the division pattern in the plan view and has an oval shape on a cross section. Chao discloses the use of voids in a display device for better device performance (Chao, Col. 4, lines 41-50). Choi and Chao disclose elements and configurations for a display and are therefore analogous art. It would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) before the effective filing date to include the filing layer of Chao with the overlapping voids, with the oval shape, and division pattern in plan view, arriving at the invention as claimed, for the benefit of relieving stress within the display device (Chao, Col. 4, lines 41-50).
Claims 8 and 10 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi (US 20220393135 A1) in view of Yamazaki (US 20240065035 A1).
Re: Dependent Claim 8, Choi discloses all the limitations of claim 7 on which this claim depends. Choi further discloses:
wherein the filling layer comprises: a filled portion (Choi, ¶ [0075] states "filling layer FML filled in", which can be considered a filled portion) overlapping the plurality of light controllers (Choi, light control portions; Fig.4, elements CCP1, CCP2, CCP3, collectively make up the plurality of light controllers) in a plan view (Choi, Fig. 4, top-down view);
Choi does not explicitly disclose:
and a void overlapping the division pattern in the plan view,
wherein the void has a top surface adjacent to the cure control layer, and a bottom surface adjacent to the display panel,
wherein the top surface of the void has an area less than that of the bottom surface of the void in the plan view.
Yamazaki discloses:
a void (Yamazaki, gap; Fig. 1A, element 40) overlapping the division pattern (Yamazaki, light-blocking layer; Fig. 1A, element 49) in the plan view,
wherein the void has a top surface (Yamazaki, top most portion of the void, Fig. 1A) adjacent to the cure control layer (Yamazaki, protective layer; Fig. 1A, element 43) and a bottom surface (Yamazaki, bottom most portion of the void, Fig. 1A) adjacent to the display panel (Yamazaki, Figs. 2B and Fig. 3A),
wherein the top surface of the void has an area less than that of the bottom surface of the void in the plan view.
Choi discloses a filling layer and a filling porting overlapping the plurality of controllers in a plan view, but Choi does not disclose the filling layer to have a void that overlaps the division pattern and has the top surface adjacent to the cure control layer and the bottom surface adjacent to the display panel. Yamazaki discloses the use of a void in a display device where the void has a top surface adjacent to a cure control layer, a bottom surface adjacent to the display panel and the top surface of the void has an area less than that of the bottom surface in the void in the plan view. It would be obvious to a POSITA before the effective filing date to include the void as disclosed by Yamazaki, to the filling layer of Choi, arriving at the invention as claimed, for the benefit of preventing electrical connections and short circuits, thereby increasing the reliability of the display device (Yamazaki, ¶ [0094]).
Re: Dependent Claim 10, Choi discloses all the limitations of claim 9 on which this claim depends. Choi further discloses:
wherein the filling layer comprises: a filled portion (Choi, ¶ [0075] states "filling layer FML filled in", which can be considered a filled portion) overlapping the plurality of light controllers (Choi, light control portions; Fig.4, elements CCP1, CCP2, CCP3, collectively make up the plurality of light controllers) in a plan view (Choi, Fig. 4, top-down view);
Choi does not explicitly disclose:
and a void overlapping the division pattern in the plan view,
wherein the void has a top surface adjacent to the cure control layer, and a bottom surface adjacent to the display panel,
wherein the top surface of the void has an area less than that of the bottom surface of the void in the plan view.
Yamazaki discloses:
and a void (Yamazaki, gap; Fig. 1A, element 40) overlapping the division pattern (Yamazaki, light-blocking layer; Fig. 1A, element 49) in the plan view,
wherein the void has a top surface (Yamazaki, top most portion of the void, Fig. 1A) adjacent to the cure control layer (Yamazaki, protective layer; Fig. 1A, element 43) and a bottom surface (Yamazaki, bottom most portion of the void, Fig. 1A) adjacent to the display panel (Yamazaki, Figs. 2B and Fig. 3A),
wherein the top surface of the void has an area less than that of the bottom surface of the void in the plan view.
Choi discloses a filling layer and a filling porting overlapping the plurality of controllers in a plan view, but Choi does not disclose the filling layer to have a void that overlaps the division pattern and has the top surface adjacent to the cure control layer and the bottom surface adjacent to the display panel. Yamazaki discloses the use of a void in a display device where the void has a top surface adjacent to a cure control layer, a bottom surface adjacent to the display panel and the top surface of the void has an area less than that of the bottom surface in the void in the plan view. It would be obvious to a POSITA before the effective filing date to include the void as disclosed by Yamazaki, to the filling layer of Choi, arriving at the invention as claimed, for the benefit of preventing electrical connections and short circuits, thereby increasing the reliability of the display device (Yamazaki, ¶ [0094]).
Prior art made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to current application disclosure.
Kim (US 20230209960 A1) discloses a display device with a display panel and a filling layer and a light emitting element layer.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NIMARTA KAUR CHOWDHARY whose telephone number is (571)272-7679. The examiner can normally be reached usually Monday - Thursday, 6:45 AM - 4:45 PM (EST).
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/NIMARTA KAUR CHOWDHARY/ Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/Leonard Chang/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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