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 .
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.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. (US 9,954,0431).
Regarding claim 12, Park (e.g. figs. 1 and 5a; col. 1/ll. 35-64) teaches a display device.
PNG
media_image1.png
465
507
media_image1.png
Greyscale
The device display comprises:
a driving voltage line L1 and a first electrode BS disposed on a substrate SUB;
a semiconductor disposed on the substrate and overlapping the first electrode (ST);
and an electrode layer (SS, SG, SD) overlapping the semiconductor, the electrode layer comprising a drain electrode, a gate electrode, and a source electrode;
PNG
media_image2.png
85
109
media_image2.png
Greyscale
wherein the semiconductor includes a source region, a drain region, and a channel region (TFT ST);
the source region, the drain region, and the channel region are disposed above and overlap the first electrode SUB in a direction perpendicular to the substrate;
the first electrode and the semiconductor are connected through the source electrode BS;
PNG
media_image3.png
150
242
media_image3.png
Greyscale
the first electrode is disposed between the substrate and the semiconductor;
and the first electrode and the driving voltage line are disposed in a same layer.
Regarding the claim limitation of “simultaneously formed by the same process”, it is considered a “product by process limitation” [MPEP 2113]. The limitation that the first electrode and the driving voltage line are “simultaneously formed by the same process” is interpreted as requiring that these elements are formed from the same conductive layer and share a common structural level. This result in a structure in which the first electrode and the driving voltage line are coplanar features. Park discloses conducive elements corresponding to the first electrode and driving voltage line disposed in a same layer, as evidenced by their coplanar arrangement (col. 9/ll. 13-35).
Moreover, Park teaches that the conductive elements may be formed of the same material (col. 9/ll. 13-35). It would have been obvious to form the first electrode and the driving voltage line form a same conductive layer using a common deposition and patterning process, since elements formed from the same material are routinely fabricated in a single layer to reduce process complexity and the number of photolithography steps.
Conclusion
Attached is a copy and a translation of KR-10-2015-0189675[US 9,954,043, priority document}.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEONARDO ANDUJAR whose telephone number is (571)272-1912. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 10 AM to 8 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Patricia L Engle can be reached at (571)272-6660. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Leonardo Andujar/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3991 CRU
Conferees:
/LEE E SANDERSON/Reexamination Specialist, Art Unit 3991
/Patricia L Engle/SPRS, Art Unit 3991
1 The reference is relied upon as prior art as of at least its U.S. filing date. The Examiner notes that the reference may be entitle to an earlier foreign priority date under 35 U.S.C 119, provided that the relied upon subject matter is disclosed in the prior application [MPEP 2163.03].
Prosecution Insights