DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-20 in the reply filed on 6/15/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 21-24 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/15/2026.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 5, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by KR 1020160127197, of record by Applicant.
Regarding independent claim 1, KR 1020160127197 teaches in figure 5 and the corresponding text a display panel (110) comprising: a base layer (401); a pixel definition layer (between banks 450) which is disposed on the base layer and through which a light- emitting opening (no number, but between 450) is defined; a barrier wall (510a-c and 515a-c) which is disposed on the pixel definition layer and in which a barrier wall opening corresponding to the light-emitting opening is defined, the barrier wall comprising: a first barrier wall layer (510a-c) disposed on the pixel definition layer and defining a first area of the barrier wall opening; and a second barrier wall layer (515a-c) disposed on the first barrier wall layer, comprising an organic material (photoresist), and defining a second area of the barrier wall opening; and a light-emitting element (440, 470, 480) disposed in the barrier wall opening and comprising an anode (440), an intermediate layer (470), and a cathode (480) which contacts the barrier wall.
Regarding dependent claim 2, KR 1020160127197 teaches the second barrier wall layer comprises a light absorbing material (negative photoresist).
Regarding dependent claim 5, KR 1020160127197 teaches an inner side surface of the second barrier wall layer, which defines the second area, is disposed closer to a center of the anode than an inner side surface of the first barrier wall layer, which defines the first area, is to the center of the anode in a cross-section.
Regarding dependent claim 6, KR 1020160127197 teaches the barrier wall has an undercut shape, and the cathode contacts an inner side surface of the first barrier wall layer, which defines the barrier wall opening.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 3, 4, and 7-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KR 1020160127197, of record by Applicant in view of Shim et al. (US 2022/0140014)
Regarding dependent claim 3, KR 1020160127197 teaches all of the claimed limitations except for the second barrier wall layer comprises: a first sub-layer having a first refractive index; and a second sub-layer disposed on the first sub-layer and having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index.
Further regarding claim 3, Shim et al (‘014) teaches in figure 10 and the corresponding text a display device comprised of, in part, the second barrier wall layer comprises: a first sub-layer (104) having a first refractive index; and a second sub-layer (105) disposed on the first sub-layer and having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index for the purpose of reducing the amount of reflective light.
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the barrier wall reflective sub-layers of Shim in the display of KR 1020160127197 for the purpose of reducing the amount of reflective light.
Regarding claim 4, the claimed index of refraction falls within the refractive difference (greater than or equal to 0.3) of Shim et al.
The reason for combining is the same as for claim 3 above.
Regarding dependent claim 7, KR 1020160127197 teaches all of the claimed limitations except for a third barrier wall layer disposed between the first barrier wall layer and the second barrier wall layer, comprising an inorganic material, and defining the second area.
Further regarding claim 7, Shim et al (‘014) teaches in figure 10 and the corresponding text a display device comprised of, in part, a third barrier wall layer (104) disposed between the first barrier wall layer (102) and the second barrier wall layer (105), comprising an inorganic material, and defining the second area for the purpose of reducing the amount of reflective light.
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the barrier walls of Shim in the display of KR 1020160127197 for the purpose of reducing the amount of reflective light.
Regarding dependent claim 8, Shim et al. (‘014) teaches an inner side surface of the third barrier wall layer, which defines the second area, is aligned with an inner side surface of the second barrier wall layer, which defines the second area.
The reason for combining is the same as for claim 7 above.
Regarding dependent claim 9, Shim et al. (‘014) teaches the second barrier wall layer has a refractive index different from a refractive index of the third barrier wall layer.
The reason for combining is the same as for claim 7 above.
Regarding dependent claim 10, Shim et al. (‘014) teaches the second barrier wall layer covers an upper surface of the third barrier wall layer.
The reason for combining is the same as for claim 7 above.
Regarding independent claim 11, KR 1020160127197 teaches in figure 5 and the corresponding text a display panel (110) comprising: a base layer (401); a pixel definition layer (between banks 450) which his disposed on the base layer and through which a light-emitting opening is defined; a barrier wall (510 and 515) which is disposed on the pixel definition layer and through which a barrier wall opening corresponding to the light-emitting opening is defined, the barrier wall comprising: a first barrier wall layer (510a-c)) disposed on the pixel definition layer and defining a first area of the barrier wall opening; and a second barrier wall layer (515a-c) disposed on the first barrier wall layer, defining a second area of the barrier wall opening, and a light-emitting element disposed in the barrier wall opening and comprising an anode (480), an intermediate layer (470), and a cathode (440) which contacts the barrier wall.
KR 1020160127197 does not teach a first sub-layer having a first refractive index and a second sub-layer disposed on the first sub-layer and having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index.
Further regarding claim 11, Shim et al (‘014) teaches in figure 10 and the corresponding text a display device comprised of, in part, the second barrier wall layer comprises: a first sub-layer (104) having a first refractive index; and a second sub-layer (105) disposed on the first sub-layer and having a second refractive index different from the first refractive index for the purpose of reducing the amount of reflective light.
Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the barrier wall reflective sub-layers of Shim in the display of KR 1020160127197 for the purpose of reducing the amount of reflective light.
Regarding dependent claim 12, KR 1020160127197 teaches the second barrier wall layer comprises a light absorbing material (negative photoresist).
Regarding dependent claim 13, KR 1020160127197 teaches the second barrier wall layer comprises an organic material.
Regarding claim 14, the claimed index of refraction falls within the refractive difference (greater than or equal to 0.3) of Shim et al.
The reason for combining is the same as for claim 11 above.
Regarding dependent claim 15, KR 1020160127197 teaches an inner side surface of the second barrier wall layer, which defines the second area, is disposed closer to a center of the anode than an inner side surface of the first barrier wall layer, which defines the first area, is to the center of the anode in a cross-section.
Regarding dependent claim 16, KR 1020160127197 teaches the barrier wall has an undercut shape, and the cathode contacts an inner side surface of the first barrier wall layer, which defines the barrier wall opening.
Regarding claim 17, Shim et al (‘014) teaches the barrier wall further comprises a third barrier wall layer disposed between the first barrier wall layer and the second barrier wall layer, comprising an inorganic material, and defining the second area.
The reason for combining is the same as for claim 11 above.
Regarding claim 18, Shim et al (‘014) teaches an inner side surface of the third barrier wall layer, which defines the second area, is aligned with an inner side surface of the second barrier wall layer, which defines the second area.
The reason for combining is the same as for claim 11 above.
Regarding claim 19, Shim et al (‘014) teaches the second barrier wall layer has a refractive index different from a refractive index of the third barrier wall layer.
The reason for combining is the same as for claim 11 above.
Regarding claim 20, Shim et al (‘014) teaches the second barrier wall layer covers an upper surface of the third barrier wall layer.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH L WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-2465. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6:30 AM- 5:00 PM.
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JOSEPH L. WILLIAMS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/JOSEPH L WILLIAMS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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