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 .
Status of the Claims
Claims 1-3, 5-8, and 12-20 are pending in the application and are currently being examined. Claims 4 and 9-11 have been withdrawn per the 7/6/2026 restriction election (see below).
Election/Restrictions
Claim 4 and 9-11 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 7/6/2026.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 1/25/2026 is being considered by the examiner.
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 § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-8, and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho et al. (US 20220020833 A1, hereafter Cho) further in view of Kim et al. (US 20190288234 A1, hereafter Kim).
Regarding claim 1, Fig. 5 of Cho teaches a display device comprising:
a substrate (100, [0072]) including a display area (DA, [0072]), a first non-display area (SPA1, [0123]) surrounding the display area (DA), a second non-display area (see annotated Fig. 5) surrounding the first non-display area (SPA1), and a third non-display area (see annotated Fig. 5) including a bank area (see annotated Fig. 5) spaced apart from the first non-display area (SPA1) with the second non-display area interposed therebetween and an inorganic layer area (see annotated Fig. 5) disposed between the second non-display area and the bank area (DAM1);
a data line (DL, [0074]) disposed in the display area on the substrate (100) and extending in a first direction (y-direction in Fig. 5);
a protruding member (DAM3, [0134]) disposed in the second non-display area on the substrate (100) and including an organic material (118D contains an organic material, [0139] states 118D can comprise the same material as 118 and [0113] states 118 may comprise an organic material);
a bank (DAM1, [0134]) disposed in the bank area on the substrate (100) and spaced apart from the protruding member;
a transfer line part (see annotated Fig. 3) disposed on the substrate (100), overlapping the inorganic layer area, and including first transfer lines (FW1, [0127]) extending in a second direction (x-direction in Fig. 5, as the transfer lines have some width) intersecting the first direction (y-direction) and second transfer lines (FW2, [0127]) disposed parallel to the first transfer lines (FW1) and extending in the second direction (x-direction in Fig. 5, as the transfer lines have some width); and
a power line (11, [0076]) disposed in the first to third non-display areas on the substrate (100) and including a sub power line (11) extending in the first direction.
Cho fails to teach a branch protruding from one side of the sub power line and having a first edge and a second edge entirely overlapped with the transfer line part in a plan view.
However, Kim teaches a similar display device in which the power lines (10, [0054]) have protruding branches (12E, [0107], Fig. 5) protruding. While not depicted as over the transfer line part, the protrusions are formed to delay flow of organic encapsulation material in the region the protrusions are formed [0111]. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the powerline of Cho to include protrusions as taught by Kim over the transfer lines in order to slow the flow of an organic encapsulation layer in that region of the device.
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Regarding claim 2, Cho in view of Kim teach the display device of claim 1. Cho in view of Kim do not explicitly teach wherein the branch protrudes from the one side of the sub power line such that the first edge and the second edge extend parallel to the first transfer lines and the second transfer lines. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would find the rearrangement of the protrusions form over the dam structures to parallel and over the transfer lines as the protrusions are formed to delay the flow of an organic encapsulation material in the region of the protrusions ([0111] of Kim). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the protrusions of Cho in view of Kim to move the branch (protrusions) to one side of the sub power line such that the first edge and the second edge extend parallel to the first transfer lines and the second transfer lines (also see MPEP 2144.04).
Regarding claim 3, Cho in view of Kim teach the display device of claim 1. Cho in view of Kim do not explicitly teach wherein the first edge and the second edge have a straight-line shape extending parallel to the first transfer lines and the second transfer lines. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would find the rearrangement of the protrusions form over the dam structures to parallel and over the transfer lines as the protrusions are formed to delay the flow of an organic encapsulation material in the region of the protrusions ([0111] of Kim). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the protrusions of Cho in view of Kim to move the branch (protrusions) to result in the first edge and the second edge have a straight-line shape extending parallel to the first transfer lines and the second transfer lines (also see MPEP 2144.04).
Regarding claim 5, Cho in view of Kim teach the display device of claim 1. Cho in view of Kim do not explicitly teach wherein the first edge entirely overlaps with one of the second transfer lines in a plan view and the second edge entirely overlaps with another one of the second transfer lines in a plan view. However, one of ordinary skill would be able to reach such a size through routine optimization. As the protrusions are formed to delay the flow of an organic encapsulation material in the region of the protrusions ([0111] of Kim), the changing of the width of said protrusions would further tune the delay of the flow. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the protrusions of Cho in view of Kim to adjust the thickness of the protrusions such that the first edge entirely overlaps with one of the second transfer lines in a plan view and the second edge entirely overlaps with another one of the second transfer lines in a plan view. (also see MPEP 2144.05).
Regarding claim 6, Cho in view of Kim teach the display device of claim 1. Cho in view of Kim do not explicitly teach wherein the second direction is a direction which obliquely intersects the first direction. However, one of ordinary skill would notice that the trace lines of Kim have a region extending in a second direction obliquely intersecting the first direction (see annotated Fig. 3). One would be motivated to shift that entire region to be aligned with the powerline in order to make a smaller display device, as the straight section of the trace lines (see annotated Fig. 3) would be shortened. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Cho in view of Kim to shift the location of the trace lines such that the second direction is a direction which obliquely intersects the first direction (also see MPEP 2144.04).
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Regarding claim 7, Cho in view of Kim teach the display device of claim 1. Cho further teaches in Fig. 5 wherein the first transfer lines (FW2, [0127]) and the second transfer lines (FW2, [0127]) are alternately arranged.
Regarding claim 8, Cho in view of Kim teach the display device of claim 1. Cho further teaches in Fig. 5 wherein a layer on which the first transfer lines (FW1, [0127]) are disposed is different from a layer on which the second transfer lines (FW1, [0127]) are disposed.
Regarding claim 12, Regarding claim 8, Cho in view of Kim teach the display device of claim 1. Cho further teaches in Fig. 5 the display device of claim 1, further comprising:
a pixel electrode (P of Fig. 3, [0073]) disposed in the display area (DA, [0072]);
a light emitting layer (222, [0114]) disposed on the pixel electrode (P);
a common electrode (223, [0109]) disposed on the light emitting layer (222);
a first inorganic encapsulation layer (310, [0120]) disposed on the common electrode (223);
an organic encapsulation layer (320, [0120]) disposed on the first inorganic encapsulation layer (310); and
a second inorganic encapsulation layer (330, [0120]) disposed on the organic encapsulation layer (320), and
wherein the first inorganic encapsulation layer (310) and the second inorganic encapsulation layer (330) directly contact each other in the inorganic layer area (see annotated Fig. 5).
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Regarding claim 16, Fig. 5 of Cho teaches a display device comprising:
a substrate (100, [0072]) including a display area (DA, [0072]) and a non-display area (PA, [0072]) surrounding the display area (DA);
a data line (DL, [0074]) disposed in the display area (DA) on the substrate (100) and extending in a first direction (y-direction in Fig. 3);
a transfer line part (see annotated Fig. 3) disposed in the non-display area (PA) on the substrate (100), connected to the data line (DL), and including first transfer lines (FW1, [0127]) extending in a second direction (x-direction in Fig. 3, as the transfer lines have some width) intersecting the first direction (y-direction) and second transfer lines (FW2, [0127]) disposed parallel to the first transfer lines (FW1) and extending in the second direction (x-direction in Fig. 3, as the transfer lines have some width); and
a power line (11, [0076]) disposed in the non-display areas (PA) on the substrate (100) and including a sub power line (11) extending in the first direction (y-direction).
Cho fails to teach a branch protruding from one side of the sub power line and having a first edge and a second edge entirely overlapped with the transfer line part in a plan view.
However, Kim teaches a similar display device in which the power lines (10, [0054]) have protruding branches (12E, [0107], Fig. 5) protruding. While not depicted as over the transfer line part, the protrusions are formed to delay flow of organic encapsulation material in the region the protrusions are formed [0111]. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the powerline of Cho to include protrusions as taught by Kim over the transfer lines in order to slow the flow of an organic encapsulation layer in that region of the device.
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Regarding claim 17, Cho in view of Kim teach the display device of claim 16. Cho in view of Kim do not explicitly teach wherein the branch protrudes from the one side of the sub power line such that the first edge and the second edge extend parallel to the first transfer lines and the second transfer lines. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would find the rearrangement of the protrusions form over the dam structures to parallel and over the transfer lines as the protrusions are formed to delay the flow of an organic encapsulation material in the region of the protrusions ([0111] of Kim). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the protrusions of Cho in view of Kim to move the branch (protrusions) to one side of the sub power line such that the first edge and the second edge extend parallel to the first transfer lines and the second transfer lines (also see MPEP 2144.04).
Regarding claim 18, Cho in view of Kim teach the display device of claim 16. Cho in view of Kim do not explicitly teach wherein the first edge and the second edge have a straight-line shape extending parallel to the first transfer lines and the second transfer lines. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would find the rearrangement of the protrusions form over the dam structures to parallel and over the transfer lines as the protrusions are formed to delay the flow of an organic encapsulation material in the region of the protrusions ([0111] of Kim). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the protrusions of Cho in view of Kim to move the branch (protrusions) to result in the first edge and the second edge have a straight-line shape extending parallel to the first transfer lines and the second transfer lines (also see MPEP 2144.04).
Regarding claim 19, Cho in view of Kim teach the display device of claim 16. Cho in view of Kim do not explicitly teach wherein the second direction is a direction which obliquely intersects the first direction. However, one of ordinary skill would notice that the trace lines of Kim have a region extending in a second direction obliquely intersecting the first direction (see annotated Fig. 3). One would be motivated to shift that entire region to be aligned with the powerline in order to make a smaller display device, as the straight section of the trace lines (see annotated Fig. 3) would be shortened. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Cho in view of Kim to shift the location of the trace lines such that the second direction is a direction which obliquely intersects the first direction (also see MPEP 2144.04).
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Regarding claim 20, Cho in view of Kim teach the display device of claim 16. Cho further teaches in Fig. 5 wherein the first transfer lines (FW2, [0127]) and the second transfer lines (FW2, [0127]) are alternately arranged.
Claim(s) 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho in view of Kim as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Dong et al. (US 2025/0081811 A1, hereafter Dong).
Regarding claim 13, Cho in view of Kim teach the display device of claim 12. Cho in view of Kim fail to teach wherein the substrate further includes a peripheral area surrounded by the display area and an opening area surrounded by the peripheral area, and
wherein the peripheral area includes a disconnection area in which the common electrode is disconnected.
However, Fig. 2 of Dong teaches a similar display device in which the substrate (10, [0064]) includes a peripheral area (BB, [0063]) surrounded by the display area (AA, [0063]) and an opening area (01, [0063]) surrounded by the peripheral area (BB), and
wherein the peripheral area (BB) includes a disconnection area in which the common electrode (here data lines are comparable, [0063]) is disconnected ([0063] describes that wires need to bypass the through hole indicating they are disconnected in the through hole area). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Cho in view of Kim to include a peripheral area surrounded by the display area and an opening area surrounded by the peripheral area in order to put an electronic device such as a camera in the display device.
Regarding claim 14, Cho in view of Kim in view of Dong teach the display device of claim 13. Fig. 3 of Dong further teaches an electronic module (camera, [0063]) overlapping the opening area (01, [0063]) in a plan view.
Regarding claim 14, Cho in view of Kim in view of Dong teach the display device of claim 13. Figs. 3 and 4 of Dong further teach wherein a dam (05, [0063]) is disposed in the peripheral area (BB, [0063]), and the disconnection area (part where lines 07, [0063], do not exist) is located on both sides of the dam (05) (Dong teaches the wires must bypass the opening [0063] and a spacer (06, [0063]) exists between the dam 05 and the wires 07). While Dong is silent on the material of dam 05, meaning Dong is silent on a Dam including an organic material, one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to form the dam 05 in a similar fashion to the dams in the non-display area of Cho, as the dams are already known in the device. Cho teaches the dams (DAM1-2) to comprise organic materials (116 comprises an organic material in [0108]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Du et al. (US 20220344616 A1) teaches a display device with a power line comprising different angles.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMMANTHA K SALAZ whose telephone number is (571)272-2484. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00am-5:00pm.
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/SAMMANTHA K SALAZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2892
/ERIC W JONES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2892
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