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 Invention I (encompassing claims 1-17) in the reply filed on 5/18/26 is acknowledged. Claims 18-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 2/16/24. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the passivation layer" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purposes of examination, the examiner interprets “a protective layer” in line 2 of claim 2 as - - a passivation layer - - to resolve the lack of antecedent basis. However, appropriate correction and/or clarification is requested. Claims 3-8 depend on claim 2.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the passivation layer" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 3 depends on claim 2. For the purposes of examination, the examiner interprets “a protective layer” in line 2 of claim 2 as - - a passivation layer - - to resolve the lack of antecedent basis. However, appropriate correction and/or clarification is requested.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the passivation layer" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 4 depends on claim 2. For the purposes of examination, the examiner interprets “a protective layer” in line 2 of claim 2 as - - a passivation layer - - to resolve the lack of antecedent basis. However, appropriate correction and/or clarification is requested. Claims 5-7 depend on claim 4.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the passivation layer" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 5 depends on claim 4, which itself depends on claim 2. For the purposes of examination, the examiner interprets “a protective layer” in line 2 of claim 2 as - - a passivation layer - - to resolve the lack of antecedent basis. However, appropriate correction and/or clarification is requested. Claims 6-7 depend on claim 5.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 9-17 are allowed.
Claim 1 contains allowable subject matter because of the limitation the separator disconnects the portions of the light emitting auxiliary layer; the electrostatic element unit includes a first voltage line electrically connected to the scan driver and a plurality of electrostatic elements electrically connected to the first voltage line; a plurality of contact holes overlaps the first voltage line located in the electrostatic element unit; and, an insulating layer is located in the contact holes in combination with the other elements of the claim. Claim 9 depends on claim 1.
Claim 10 contains allowable subject matter because of the limitation of an electrostatic element positioned on the peripheral area and a first voltage line, and a second voltage line electrically connected to the electrostatic element; a passivation layer positioned on the transistor, the first voltage line, and the second voltage line, the pixel insulating layer is positioned between adjacent pixel electrodes among the plurality of pixel electrodes and includes a concave separator, and the passivation layer has a contact hole positioned on the first voltage line in the peripheral area in combination with the other elements of the claim. Claims 11-17 depend on claim 10.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Baek et al. (U.S. 2022/0173351 A1) and Choung et al. (U.S. 2015/0014658 A1).
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/REEMA PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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