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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response, received 3/26/2026, has been entered.
Claims 1-5 and 8-12 are elected for examination, and claims 6-7 and 13-17 are withdrawn from consideration.
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 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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-5 and 8-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Choung et al. (US Pub. No. 2022/0077251 A1), hereafter referred to as Choung.
As to claim 1, Choung discloses a display device ([0021]) comprising:
a rib (fig 2, 126) including an aperture (fig 1C, aperture 124a) and an upper surface (upper surface of 126);
a partition (fig 2, 110) arranged on the upper surface of the rib (upper surface of 126);
a first electrode (104) overlapping with the aperture (124a);
an organic layer (112) including a first end portion located on the upper surface (fig 2, end of 112 on upper surface of 126), and covering the first electrode (104);
a second electrode (114) including a second end portion located on the upper surface (end of 114 on upper surface of 126), and covering the organic layer (112);
a first inorganic layer (202; [0033]) arranged on the rib (126); and
a second inorganic layer (116; [0034]) covering the partition (110), the second electrode (114), and the first inorganic layer (202),
wherein at least a part of the first inorganic layer (202) is located between the first end portion (end of 112 on upper surface of 126) and the partition (110) and is in contact with the second inorganic layer (116).
As to claim 2, Choung discloses the display device of claim 1 (paragraphs above),
wherein the second end portion (end portion of 114) is located between the first end portion (end portion of 112) and the first inorganic layer (202).
As to claim 3, Choung discloses the display device of claim 1 (paragraphs above),
wherein the partition (110) is in contact with the upper surface of the rib (upper surface of 126), and
the first inorganic layer (202) is located between the first end portion (end portion of 112) and the partition (110).
As to claim 4, Choung discloses the display device of claim 3 (paragraphs above),
wherein the first inorganic layer (202) has a frame shape surrounding the aperture in plan view (fig 1C, shows the surrounding of aperture 124A).
As to claim 5, Choung discloses the display device of claim 1 (paragraphs above),
wherein the partition (110) is arranged on the first inorganic layer (202).
As to claim 8, Choung discloses the display device of claim 1 (paragraphs above),
wherein the partition (110) includes a first portion having a first width (110B), and
a second portion having a second width (110A) smaller than the first width (width of 110B), and
the second portion (110A) is located between the first portion (110B) and the rib (126).
As to claim 9, Choung discloses the display device of claim 1 (paragraphs above),
a power supply line (222) arranged on the rib (126),
wherein the second electrode (114) is in contact with the power supply line (222).
As to claim 10, Choung discloses the display device of claim 9 (paragraphs above),
wherein the power supply line (222) is located between the first inorganic layer (202) and the first end portion (end portion of 112), on the upper surface of the rib (upper surface of 126).
As to claim 11, Choung discloses the display device of claim 10 (paragraphs above),
wherein the power supply line (222) has a frame shape surrounding the aperture in plan view (aperture 124A).
As to claim 12, Choung discloses the display device of claim 9 (paragraphs above),
wherein the first inorganic layer (202) covers a part of the power supply line (222).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/26/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argued that the assistant cathode 202 of Choung is not in contact with the encapsulation layer 116 because there is a cathode 114 therebetween.
Examiner disagrees because figure 2 of Choung shows that the assistant cathode 202 is in contact with the encapsulation layer 116 with only cathode 114 therebetween. The claim does not specify direct physical contact or direct electrical contact or direct thermal contact.
Pertinent Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 12,120,938B2; and US 2012/0228603A1.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHAUN M CAMPBELL whose telephone number is (571)270-3830. The examiner can normally be reached on MWFS: 7:30-6pm Thurs 1-2pm.
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, Purvis, Sue can be reached at (571)272-1236. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SHAUN M CAMPBELL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893 4/10/2026
Prosecution Insights