DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species I (FIG. 3), encompassing claims 1 and 3-12, in the reply filed on 5/4/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there is no serious search and examination burden, and the species are not mutually exclusive because of common features present. This is not found persuasive. The various species arrangement position and structure of layers in the openings are distinct among each of the species. Based on the current record, these are not obvious variants. Furthermore, search and examination of the species would require different text search queries pertaining to the layering structure and arrangement with respect to the openings.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claims 2 and 13-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 5/4/2026.
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.
Claims 1, 3-5, and 7-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. US 2023/0050210 A1 (Lee).
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In re claim 1, Lee discloses (e.g. FIGs. 5-6 & 12-13) a display apparatus comprising:
a first insulating layer 207 disposed on a substrate 100 and comprising:
an opening (opening in layer 207 in region IA,OA) filled with an organic material 320 (filling in part of the opening in region IA,OA, organic encapsulation ¶ 134); and
a first-first insulating portion (portion of 207 in PW1,PW2) arranged inside the opening (in region IA, OA);
a second insulating layer 211 disposed on the first insulating layer 207 and comprising:
a first-first through-hole (opening in layer 211 in region IA,OA) filled with the organic material 320 and connected to the opening (opening extends through layers 211 and 207); and
a first-second insulating portion (portion of 211 in PW1,PW2) arranged inside the first-first through-hole (in region IA, OA);
a third insulating layer 213 disposed on the second insulating layer 211 and comprising a first-second through-hole (opening in layer 213 in region IA,OA) filled with the organic material 320 and connected to the first-first through-hole (opening extends through layers 213, 211 and 207);
a target (any one of 230a,230b,209,210 in PW1,PW2) arranged between the first-first insulating portion 207 and the first-second insulating portion 211 and arranged inside the first-first through-hole (first-first through-hole correspond to opening in layer 211 spanning the entirety of region IA and OA; thus, any of the portion 230b,209,210 in region IA is arranged inside the first-first through-hole); and
a shield portion (no specific “shield portion” claimed that would distinguish over any portion above layer 213 in PW1,PW2 that provide physical shield, e.g. any of 215,217,220op,310) disposed on the second insulating layer 211 or the third insulating layer 213 and overlapping the target 230a,230b,209,210 (in PW1,PW2) in a plan view.
In re claim 3, Lee discloses (e.g. FIG. 6) wherein, in the plan view, at least a portion of the target 230a,230b,209,210 (in PW1,PW2) is covered by the shield portion (any portion 215,217,220op,310 above layer 213 in PW1,PW2.
In re claim 4, Lee discloses (e.g. FIG. 6) wherein, in the plan view, an area of the target 230a,230b,209,210 (in PW1,PW2) is less than an area of the shield portion (e.g. 220op,310 teaches “shield portion” that has a greater area than the target corresponding to portion of 230a,230b,209,210 in PW1,PW2).
In re claim 5, Lee discloses (e.g. FIG. 6) further comprising:
a first semiconductor layer A3,
wherein the first semiconductor layer A3 and the target (portion of 230a,230b in PW1,PW2) are arranged on a same layer and comprise a same material (¶ 176).
In re claim 7, Lee discloses (e.g. FIG. 6) wherein a side surface of the target (e.g. sidewall of the portion of 209,210 in PW1,PW2) and an upper surface of the target (e.g. top of the portion of 209,210 in PW1,PW2) are covered by the first-second insulating portion (portion of 211 in PW1,PW2).
In re claim 8, Lee discloses (e.g. FIGs. 6 & 12) further comprising:
a first gate layer G3A disposed on a first semiconductor layer A3 and spaced apart from the first semiconductor layer (spaced by 207); and
a second gate layer G3B disposed on the first gate layer G3A and spaced apart from the first gate layer (spaced by 207,A3 and 209).
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In re claim 9, in an alternative interpretation of Lee as shown in annotated FIG. 14 above, the shield portion correspond to the portion of metal layer 241 directly on gate insulating layer 209 in PW1,PW2. As such, Lee discloses wherein the shield portion (241 in PW1,PW2) and the second gate layer G3B (directly on gate insulating layer 209) are arranged on a same layer and comprise a same material (¶ 242).
In re claim 10, Lee discloses (e.g. FIG. 6 & 12) further comprising:
a fourth insulating layer 215 disposed on the third insulating layer 213 and comprising a first-third through-hole (opening in layer 214 in region IA,OA) filled with the organic material 320 and connected to the first-second through-hole (opening extends through layers 215 and 213).
In re claim 11, Lee discloses (e.g. FIGs. 6 & 12) wherein
the third insulating layer 213 comprises a first-third insulating portion (portion of 213 in PW1,PW2) arranged inside the first-second through-hole (opening in layer 213 in region IA,OA), and
the shield portion (portion of 215 in PW1,PW2) is disposed on the first-third insulating portion (portion of 213 in PW1,PW2) and arranged inside the first-third through-hole (opening in layer 214 in region IA,OA).
In re claim 12, in an alternative interpretation of Lee, the organic material may include 320 and 222op, both organic (¶ 134,155). As such, Lee discloses (e.g. FIG. 6) wherein a side surface and an upper surface of the shield portion (portion of 215,217 in PW1,PW2) are covered by the organic material 222op+320.
Claims 1, 3-4, 6, and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park et al. US 2019/0214600 A1 (Park).
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In re claim 1, Park discloses (e.g. FIGs. 2-6) a display apparatus comprising:
a first insulating layer 1a disposed on a substrate 200 and comprising:
an opening (opening in layer 1a in region NA1) filled with an organic material 2b (¶ 75); and
a first-first insulating portion (portion of 1a in NA1) arranged inside the opening;
a second insulating layer 1b+1c disposed on the first insulating layer 1a and comprising:
a first-first through-hole (hole in layer 1b,1c in region NA1) filled with the organic material 2b and connected to the opening (opening in 1a); and
a first-second insulating portion (portion of 1c in NA1) arranged inside the first-first through-hole;
a third insulating layer 1d disposed on the second insulating layer 1c and comprising a first-second through-hole (hole in layer 1d in region AN1) filled with the organic material 2b and connected to the first-first through-hole (opening in 1c);
a target 1b arranged between the first-first insulating portion 1a and the first-second insulating portion 1c and arranged inside the first-first through-hole (first-first through-hole correspond to opening in layer 1b spanning the entirety of region NA1; thus, a portion target 1b region NA1 is arranged inside the first-first through-hole); and
a shield portion (portion of PAL above 1d in region NA1; no specific “shield portion” claimed that would distinguish over PAL that provides physical shielding) disposed on the second insulating layer 1c or the third insulating layer 1d and overlapping the target 1b in a plan view.
In re claim 3, Park discloses (e.g. FIG. 5) wherein, in the plan view, at least a portion of the target 1b is covered by the shield portion PAL.
In re claim 4, Park discloses (e.g. FIG. 5) wherein, in the plan view, an area of the target (a select small area of 1b) is less than an area of the shield portion (a select larger area of PAL). No specific “area” has been claimed that would distinguish over any select area of the Park’s target 1b and shield portion PAL that meets the claimed relationship.
In re claim 6, Park discloses (e.g. FIG. 5) wherein an inner surface of the opening, an inner surface of the first-first through-hole, and an inner surface of the first-second through-hole (openings/holes in layers 1a,1b,1c,1d in region NA1) constitute a continuous surface with each other (see FIG. 5 annotated above).
In re claim 10, Park discloses (e.g. FIG. 5) further comprising:
a fourth insulating layer PAL (outside NA1) disposed on the third insulating layer 1d and comprising a first-third through-hole (opening in PAL in region NA1) filled with the organic material 2b and connected to the first-second through-hole (connects with opening in 1d).
In re claim 11, Park discloses (e.g. FIG. 5) wherein
the third insulating layer 1d comprises a first-third insulating portion (portion of 1d in region NA1) arranged inside the first-second through-hole (hole in layer 1d in region NA1), and
the shield portion (PAL in region NA1) is disposed on the first-third insulating portion (portion of 1d in NA1) and arranged inside the first-third through-hole hole in PAL in region NA1).
In re claim 12, Park discloses (e.g. FIG. 5) wherein a side surface and an upper surface of the shield portion PAL (in region NA1) are covered by the organic material 2b.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YU CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7881. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9AM-5PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, WILLIAM KRAIG can be reached on 5712728660. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YU CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896
YU CHEN
Examiner
Art Unit 2896
Prosecution Insights