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 of claims 1-4, 7-11 & 15-20 in the reply filed on 05/22/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 7-8, 10 & 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by SUN et al. (CN 114242913 – cited in the IDS submitted on September 28, 2024).
Regarding claim 1, SUN teaches a display panel, comprising:
a light-emitting device layer 12 comprising light-emitting layers 121 and pixel definition layers 122 (Fig. 1-7c, particularly see Fig. 7c); and
a light extraction layer located on a light exit side of each of the light-emitting layers 12, the light extraction layer comprising a plurality of microlenses 15 and a planarization layer 16 (Fig. 1-7c);
wherein each of the plurality of microlenses has a first refractive index n1, the planarization layer has a second refractive index n2, and n1 < n2 (see Fig. 6c and associated text);
the planarization layer 16 completely covers a light exit side of each of the plurality of microlenses 15, and a surface of each of the plurality of microlenses 15 facing the light-emitting device layer 12 is exposed from the planarization layer 16 (Fig. 1-7c); and
in a first direction, a projection of each of the plurality of microlenses 15 on a first plane where the light-emitting device layer 12 is located at least partially overlaps a projection of one of the pixel definition layers 122 on the first plane, where the first direction is a thickness direction of the light-emitting device layer 15 (Fig. 1-7c, particularly see Fig. 7c).
Regarding claim 2, SUN teaches the display panel according to claim 1, wherein an orthographic projection of the planarization layer 16 on a second plane where a cross section of the display panel is located covers at least part of an orthographic projection of each of the plurality of microlenses 15 on the second plane (Fig. 1-7c).
Regarding claim 3, SUN teaches the display panel according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of microlenses 15 has a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other in the first direction, the second surface facing one of the pixel definition layers 122; and in a second direction, the first surface has a first dimension L1 and the second surface has a second dimension L2, and L1 < L2, where the second direction is a lateral direction of the light-emitting device layer (Fig. 7c).
Regarding claim 7, SUN teaches the display panel according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of microlenses 15 comprises an inorganic material, and the inorganic material comprises at least one of epoxy resin, acrylic, SiO2 or SiON (Fig. 6a and associated text).
Regarding claim 8, SUN teaches the display panel according to claim 1, wherein the planarization layer comprises at least one of an organic material or an organic-inorganic hybrid material (Fig. 6c and associated text).
Regarding claim 10, SUN teaches the display panel according to claim 2, wherein the orthographic projection of the planarization layer 16 on the second plane completely covers the orthographic projection of each of the plurality of microlenses 15 on the second plane (Fig. 7c).
Regarding claim 11, SUN teaches the display panel according to claim 10, further comprising: an encapsulation layer 13 located between the light-emitting device layer 12 and the light extraction layer (Fig. 7c).
Regarding claim 17, SUN teaches the display panel according to claim 1, further comprising: a drive circuit layer 11 located on a side of the light-emitting device layer 12 away from the light extraction layer; and a substrate 10 located on a side of the drive circuit layer away from the light-emitting device layer (Fig. 7c).
Regarding claim 18, SUN teaches a display apparatus, comprising a display panel;
wherein the display panel comprises:
a light-emitting device layer 12 comprising light-emitting layers 121 and pixel definition layers 122 (Fig. 1-7c, particularly see Fig. 7c); and
a light extraction layer located on a light exit side of each of the light-emitting layers 121, the light extraction layer comprising a plurality of microlenses 15 and a planarization layer 16;
wherein each of the plurality of microlenses 15 has a first refractive index n1, the planarization layer 16 has a second refractive index n2, and n1 < n2 (see Fig. 6c and associated text);
the planarization layer 16 completely covers a light exit side of each of the plurality of microlenses 15, and a surface of each of the plurality of microlenses 15 facing the light-emitting device layer 12 is exposed from the planarization layer 16; and
in a first direction, a projection of each of the plurality of microlenses 15 on a first plane where the light-emitting device layer 12 is located at least partially overlaps a projection of one of the pixel definition layers 122 on the first plane, where the first direction is a thickness direction of the light-emitting device layer 12 (Fig. 1-7c, particularly see Fig. 7c).
Regarding claim 19, SUN teaches the display panel according to claim 18, wherein an orthographic projection of the planarization layer 16 on a second plane where a cross section of the display panel is located covers at least part of an orthographic projection of each of the plurality of microlenses 15 on the second plane (Fig. 1-7c).
Regarding claim 20, SUN teaches the display panel according to claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of microlenses 15 has a first surface and a second surface that are opposite to each other in the first direction, the second surface facing one of the pixel definition layers 122; and in a second direction, the first surface has a first dimension L1 and the second surface has a second dimension L2, and L1 < L2, where the second direction is a lateral direction of the light-emitting device layer (Fig. 7c).
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.
Claims 4 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUN as applied to claim 1 above,
Regarding claim 4, SUN teaches the display panel according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of microlenses 15 further has a third surface connected between the first surface and the second surface; and an included angle α exists between the third surface and the second surface, each of the light-emitting layers has a maximum light exit angle β, 0°< α < 90°, and 90°≤ (α + β) (because the structural features are met, SUN’s device is capable of having said light exit angle. Notwithstanding, it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or working ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233. Furthermore, it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Regarding claim 9, SUN teaches the display panel according to claim 1, wherein 1.3 ≤ n1 ≤ 1.6, and 1.5 ≤ n2 ≤ 1.9 (Fig. 1-7c and associated text). Notwithstanding, it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or working ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233. Furthermore, it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Claims 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUN as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of ZHANG et al. (US Pub. 2024/0276764).
Regarding claim 15, while SUN teaches the display panel according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting device layer 12 is disposed on a side of each of the light-emitting layers 121 facing the light extraction layer to cover the light-emitting layers 12 and contact the pixel definition layers 122; however, SUN is silent on wherein the light emitting device layer comprises a first electrode layer. However, ZHANG discloses in Fig. 1 a display panel comprising a light emitting device layer 3 that further comprises a first electrode layer 13. This has the advantages of improving light utilization, brightness conversion, and color purity while reducing leakage. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to modify the invention of SUN with the light emitting device layer, as taught by ZHANG, so as to obtain an improved display panel.
Regarding claim 16, the combination of SUN and ZHANG teaches the display panel according to claim 15, wherein the light-emitting device layer 12/3 further comprises a second electrode layer 11 disposed on a side of each of the light-emitting layers away from the light extraction layer (SUN’s Fig. 7c and ZHANG’s Fig. 1).
Conclusion
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/TIMOR KARIMY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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