DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the Applicant Election filed on 03/05/2026.
Currently, claims 1-20 are pending in the application. Currently, claims 9-10 and 15-18 are withdrawn.
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 Species I (Fig. 4), Species A1 (Fig. 11), and Species B1 (Fig. 13) in the reply filed on 03/05/2026 is acknowledged. Claims 15-18 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a non-selected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Further, claims 9-10 do not read on the elected Species and are withdrawn by the Examiner. Claims 9-10 read on Species IV, corresponding to Fig. 10. Claims 1-8, 11-14, and 19-20 are examined in this Office action.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 08/22/2023 and 06/02/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the Examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “at most three pixel driving circuits of the pixels are arranged between two adjacent first wirings of the plurality of first wirings” (see claim 6) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). As shown in Fig. 2, there are more than three pixel driving circuits 101 located in-between the first wirings 212 and 211. Further, claim 13 requires the shielding part to be on a same layer as the first electrode but it appears that the shielding part 5 is overlapping and above the first electrode 61 in Fig. 11.No new matter should be entered.
The drawings are objected to because they do not appear to include all of the reference characters corresponding to elements within the claims. For example, the first and second wirings labeled as (A) in claim 2 and the second wirings labeled as (B) and (C) in claims 4 and 5 respectively are not appropriately labeled as such in the figures.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection(s) to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
The claims are objected to because they include reference characters which are not enclosed within parentheses. Reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description of the drawings and used in conjunction with the recitation of the same element or group of elements in the claims should be enclosed within parentheses so as to avoid confusion with other numbers or characters which may appear in the claims. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informality:
In claim 2, “the fracture end of one the at least one (A)” should read “the fracture end of one of the least one (A)”.
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.
Claims 13-14 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 13 recites the limitation “the first electrode and the at least one shielding part are arranged in a same layer, wherein the first electrode of the first light-emitting sub-element does not overlap with the fracture end of the one of the at least one second wiring in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel ”. It is unclear what this limitation means as it appears that the shielding part 5 is overlapping and above the first electrode 61 in Fig. 11 (also see drawing objection above). Further, it appears that a portion of the first electrode 61 overlaps the fracture end of wiring 22. Therefore, the claim has an indefinite scope. For the purpose of examination, this limitation will be interpreted as written in claim 13.
Claim 14 is also rejected under 112(b) as it depends on base claim 13.
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 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 1-6, 12, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over CHO et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0035496) in view of ZHANG et al. (Foreign Pub. No. CN 112328116 A, English translation attached).
Regarding independent claim 1, Cho teaches a display panel (Fig. 1), having a display region (Fig. 1, DA, ¶ [0061]) and comprising:
pixels (¶ [0061] teaches a plurality of pixels in display area DA) located in the display region;
first signal lines (Fig. 2, DL, ¶ [0069]) located in the display region and electrically connected to the pixels;
wirings (Fig. 5, DM + DP, ¶ [0072]), wherein at least part of one of the wirings is located in the display region (Figs. 2 & 5), the wirings comprise at least one first wiring (Fig. 5, DM, ¶ [0077]) and at least one second wiring (Fig. 5, DP, ¶ [0072]), one of the at least one first wiring is electrically connected to one of the first signal lines (¶ [0077]), and each of the at least one second wiring is insulated from the at least one first wiring (Fig. 5, dummy lines DP are not in contact with DM1 ); one of the at least one second wiring has a fracture end (Fig. 5, end of DP2 corresponding to gap G2, ¶ [0097]) located in the display region, and one of the at least one first wiring is located on a side of the fracture end away from one of the at least one second wiring (Fig. 5, end of DM2 corresponding to gap G2).
However, Cho does not explicitly teach at least one shielding part, wherein in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the display panel, the at least one shielding part is located at a side of the wirings close to a light-exiting side of the display panel, and one of the at least one shielding part overlaps with the fracture end.
However, Zhang is a pertinent art that teaches at least one shielding part (Fig. 3A, 13, ¶ [0053]), wherein in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the display panel , the at least one shielding part is located at a side of the wirings (Fig. 3A, 121, ¶ [0047]) close to a light-exiting side of the display panel (Fig. 3A, ¶ [0046] teaches that light from outside the device Z impacts the shielding part 15 before the break in the line 13. Therefore, it would be obvious that shielding part 15 is on a light exiting surface of the display), and one of the at least one shielding part overlaps with the fracture end (Fig. 3A, 13, ¶ [0046]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Cho’s device to further comprise shielding portions corresponding to the space overlapping Cho’s gaps according to the teaching of Zhang (Fig. 3A) in order to improve display brightness uniformity (Zhang ¶¶ [0005] & [0046]-[0047]).
Regarding claim 2, Cho modified by Zhang teaches the display panel according to claim 1, and Cho modified by Zhang teaches that the at least one first wiring (Cho Fig. 5, DM, ¶ [0077]) comprises at least one (A) first wiring (Cho Fig. 5, DM2, ¶ [0077]), wherein a fracture end (Cho Fig. 5, end of DM2 corresponding to gap G2) of one (A) first wiring of the at least one (A) first wiring is located in the display region (Cho Fig. 1, DA, ¶ [0061]);
the second wiring comprises a (A) second wiring (Cho Fig. 5, DP2, ¶ [0072]), the fracture end (Cho Fig. 5, end of DP2 corresponding to gap G2, ¶ [0097]) of one the at least one (A) second wiring is opposite to the fracture end of the (A) first wiring; and
the at least one shielding part (Zhang Fig. 3A, 13, ¶ [0053]) comprises a first shielding part (Cho modified by Zhang’s shielding part corresponding to Cho’s gap G2), wherein in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel, the first shielding part covers the fracture end of the (A) first wiring and the fracture end of the (A) second wiring (Zhang’s shielding part 13 in Fig. 3A covers both of the fracture ends of the corresponding wire 121. Therefore, Cho modified by Zhang’s device would have a shielding part corresponding to both ends of Cho’s gap G2).
Regarding claim 3, Cho modified by Zhang teaches the display panel according to claim 2, and Cho teaches that each of the pixels (¶ [0061] teaches a plurality of pixels in display area DA) comprises a pixel driving circuit (¶¶ [0004] & [0061] teaches that Cho’s pixels includes pixel circuits) and a light-emitting element (Fig. 11, 172, ¶ [0106]) that are electrically connected to each other (¶¶ [0004] & [0061]); and the at least one (A) first wiring (Fig. 5, DM, ¶ [0077]) comprises a plurality of (A) first wirings (Fig. 2, DM, ¶ [0077]), and at least five pixel driving circuits of the pixels are arranged between two adjacent (A) first wirings of the plurality of (A) first wirings (Fig. 2, ¶ [0069] teaches that pixels receive data signals through lines DM. Cho’s lines DM are located in the display area DA (see Fig. 2). Therefore, it would be obvious that there would be at least five pixels and their corresponding pixel circuit in-between at least two adjacent DM lines in Fig. 2 in order to display an image corresponding to the data signals received from Cho’s lines DM).
Regarding claim 4, Cho modified by Zhang teaches the display panel according to claim 2, and Cho modified by Zhang teaches that one of the at least one (A) first wiring (Cho Fig. 5, top DM2, ¶ [0077]) has a corner (Cho Fig. 5, top right corner of top DM2);
the at least one second wiring (Cho Fig. 5, DP2, ¶ [0072]) further comprises a (B) second wiring (Cho Fig. 5, top right DP2, ¶ [0072]) located at a side of the corner away from one of the at least one (A) second wiring (Cho Fig. 5, top right DP2 is at a side of the top right corner of the top DP2 away from DP2); and
the at least one shielding part (Zhang Fig. 3A, 13, ¶ [0053]) further comprises a second shielding part (It would be obvious that Cho modified by Zhang would have shielding parts corresponding to the gaps in-between Cho’s lines in order to improve brightness uniformity), wherein in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel (Zhang Fig. 3A, ¶ [0046] teaches that light from outside the device Z impacts the shielding part 15 before the break in the line 13. Therefore, it would be obvious that shielding part 15 is on a light exiting surface of the display), the second shielding part covers a fracture end of the (B) second wiring close to the (A) first wiring (Zhang’s shielding part 13 in Fig. 3A covers both of the fracture ends of the corresponding wire 121. Therefore, Cho modified by Zhang’s device would have shielding parts corresponding to both ends of Cho’s gaps separating their lines).
Regarding claim 5, Cho modified by Zhang teaches the display panel according to claim 2, and Cho modified by Zhang teaches that the at least one second wiring (Cho Fig. 5, DP, ¶ [0072]) further comprises at least one (C) second wiring (Cho Fig. 5, top right DP1, ¶ [0072]), a fracture end of one (C) second wiring of the at least one C second wiring ends at a position of one first wiring (Cho Fig. 5, portion of top right DP1 ends at a position that is not aligned with a corner portion of the top DM2) of the at least one first wiring (Cho Fig. 5, top DM2, ¶ [0077]) adjacent to the (C) second wiring and at a non-corner of the one first wiring (Cho Fig. 5, portion of top right DP1 ends at a position that is not aligned with a corner portion of the top DM2); and
the at least one shielding part (Zhang Fig. 3A, 13, ¶ [0053]) further comprises a third shielding part (It would be obvious that Cho modified by Zhang would have shielding parts corresponding to the gaps in-between Cho’s lines in order to improve brightness uniformity), wherein in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel (Zhang Fig. 3A, ¶ [0046] teaches that light from outside the device Z impacts the shielding part 15 before the break in the line 13. Therefore, it would be obvious that shielding part 15 is on a light exiting surface of the display), the third shielding part at least covers a fracture end of the (C) second wiring (Zhang’s shielding part 13 in Fig. 3A covers both of the fracture ends of the corresponding wire 121. Therefore, Cho modified by Zhang’s device would have shielding parts corresponding to both ends of Cho’s gaps separating their lines).
Regarding claim 6, Cho modified by Zhang teaches the display panel according to claim 5, and Cho teaches that each of the pixels (¶ [0061] teaches a plurality of pixels in display area DA) comprises a pixel driving circuit (¶¶ [0004] & [0061] teaches that Cho’s pixels includes pixel circuits) and a light-emitting element (Fig. 11, 172, ¶ [0106]) that are electrically connected to each other, and the at least one first wiring comprises a plurality of first wirings (Fig. 2, DM, ¶ [0077]); and at most three pixel driving circuits (Fig. 2, ¶ [0069] teaches that pixels receive data signals through lines DM. Cho’s lines DM are located in the display area DA (see Fig. 2). It would be obvious to adjust the number of pixels in-between adjacent lines DM depending on a desired resolution) of the pixels are arranged between two adjacent first wirings of the plurality of first wirings.
Regarding claim 12, Cho modified by Zhang teaches the display panel according to claim 1, and Cho modified by Zhang teaches that each of the pixels (Cho ¶ [0061] teaches a plurality of pixels in display area DA) comprises a pixel driving circuit (Cho ¶¶ [0004] & [0061] teaches that Cho’s pixels includes pixel circuits) and a light-emitting element (Cho Fig. 11, 172, ¶ [0106]) that are electrically connected to each other, the light-emitting element comprises a first electrode (Cho Fig. 10, ANO, ¶ [0104]), the first electrode and the at least one shielding part are arranged in a same layer (Zhang ¶ [0048] teaches that shielding part 15 can be metal. Cho ¶ [0125] teaches that their anode electrodes can be metal. It would be obvious to have Cho modified by Zhang’s shielding part and anode electrode be in a same layer in order to reduce manufacturing costs); and/or
the display panel comprises a touch electrode, and the touch electrode and the at least one shielding part are arranged in a same layer (the Examiner notes that this option is not required by the claim).
Regarding claim 19, Cho modified by Zhang teaches the display panel according to claim 12, and Cho teaches that one of the at least one first wiring (Fig. 5, DM, ¶ [0077]) comprises a first connecting sub-line (Fig. 5, DM1, ¶ [0077]) and a second connecting sub-line (Fig. 5, DM2, ¶ [0077]) that are electrically connected to each other, wherein an extension direction of the first connecting sub-line and an extension direction of the second connecting sub-line intersect each other (Fig. 5); and in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel, the second connecting sub-line overlaps with a center of the first electrode, and/or the first connecting sub-line is staggered from the first electrode (Figs. 2 & 5, ¶ [0077] teaches that Cho’s lines DM1 and DM2 are in the display area. ¶¶ [0061] & [0104] teaches that Cho’s pixels and corresponding anode electrodes are in the display area. Therefore, it would be obvious that Cho’s line DM1 would either overlap with a center of Cho’s anode electrode or would not overlap (i.e. be staggered from) a center of Cho’s anode electrode. Therefore, Cho modified by Zhang would fulfill at least one of the options required by this claim).
Regarding independent claim 20, Cho teaches a display device (Fig. 1, ¶ [0029]) comprising a display panel (Fig. 1), wherein the display panel has a display region (Fig. 1, DA, ¶ [0061]) and comprises:
pixels (¶ [0061] teaches a plurality of pixels in display area DA) located in the display region;
first signal lines (Fig. 2, DL, ¶ [0069]) located in the display region and electrically connected to the pixels;
wirings (Fig. 5, DM + DP, ¶ [0072]), wherein at least part of one of the wirings is located in the display region (Figs. 2 & 5), the wirings comprise at least one first wiring (Fig. 5, DM, ¶ [0077]) and at least one second wiring (Fig. 5, DP, ¶ [0072]), one of the at least one first wiring is electrically connected to one of the first signal lines (¶ [0077]), and each of the at least one second wiring is insulated from the at least one first wiring (Fig. 5, dummy lines DP are not in contact with DM1 ); one of the at least one second wiring has a fracture end (Fig. 5, end of DP2 corresponding to gap G2, ¶ [0097]) located in the display region, and one of the at least one first wiring is located on a side of the fracture end away from one of the at least one second wiring (Fig. 5, end of DM2 corresponding to gap G2).
However, Cho does not explicitly teach at least one shielding part, wherein in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the display panel, the at least one shielding part is located at a side of the wirings close to a light-exiting side of the display panel, and one of the at least one shielding part overlaps with the fracture end.
However, Zhang is a pertinent art that teaches at least one shielding part (Fig. 3A, 13, ¶ [0053]), wherein in a direction perpendicular to a plane of the display panel , the at least one shielding part is located at a side of the wirings (Fig. 3A, 121, ¶ [0047]) close to a light-exiting side of the display panel (Fig. 3A, ¶ [0046] teaches that light from outside the device Z impacts the shielding part 15 before the break in the line 13. Therefore, it would be obvious that shielding part 15 is on a light exiting surface of the display), and one of the at least one shielding part overlaps with the fracture end (Fig. 3A, 13, ¶ [0046]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Cho’s device to further comprise shielding portions corresponding to the space overlapping Cho’s gaps according to the teaching of Zhang (Fig. 3A) in order to improve display brightness uniformity (Zhang ¶¶ [0005] & [0046]-[0047]).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over CHO et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0035496) in view of ZHANG et al. (Foreign Pub. No. CN 112328116 A, English translation attached) and further in view of FENG et al. (US Pub. No. 2024/0395830).
Regarding claim 7, Cho modified by Zhang teaches the display panel according to claim 5, and Cho modified by Zhang teaches that the at least one (C) second wiring (Cho Fig. 5, DP, ¶ [0072]) comprises a plurality of (C) second wirings (Cho Fig. 5, top right DP1 + top right DP2, ¶ [0072]), the third shielding part (Zhang’s shielding part 13 in Fig. 3A covers both of the fracture ends of the corresponding wire 121. Therefore, Cho modified by Zhang’s device would have shielding parts corresponding to both ends of Cho’s gaps separating their lines) is electrically connected (Zhang Fig. 3B teaches that Zhang’s shielding part can be electrically connected to at least one end of a wire. Metal layers connected two different wires are known in the art (as evidence, see Fig. 13, 432, ¶ [0093] of prior art Feng). Therefore, it would be obvious to modify Cho modified by Zhang’s shielding part to be electrically connected to Cho’s wires DP1 and DP2 depending on a need to route electrical signals) to two adjacent (C) second wirings of the plurality of (C) second wirings that are respectively located at two sides (Cho Fig. 5, portion of top right DP1 and portion of top right DP2 are located at two sides of top DM2) of one of the at least one first wiring (Cho Fig. 5, top DM2, ¶ [0077]).
Claims 8 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over CHO et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0035496) in view of ZHANG et al. (Foreign Pub. No. CN 112328116 A, English translation attached) and further in view of SHIM et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0066436).
Regarding claim 8, Cho modified by Zhang teaches the display panel according to claim 1, and Cho teaches a non-display region (Fig. 1, NDA, ¶ [0061]), wherein the at least one first wiring (Fig. 5, DM, ¶ [0077]) comprises at least one (B) first wiring (Figs. 2 & 5, DM1, ¶ [0077]).
However, Cho modified by Zhang does not explicitly teach that two fracture ends of one of the at least one (B) first wiring are located in the non-display region.
However, Shim is a pertinent art that teaches that two fracture ends (Fig. 3, ends of wiring 200 in PA, ¶ [0070]) of one of the at least one (B) first wiring (Fig. 3, 200, ¶ [0070]) are located in the non-display region (Fig. 3, PA, ¶ [0070]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Cho’s wires to have fracture ends outside of the display area according to the teaching of Shim (Fig. 3) in order to receive signals from other electrical connections (Shim ¶ [0070]).
Regarding claim 11, Cho modified by Zhang modified by Shim teaches the display panel according to claim 8, and Cho teaches that the at least one first wiring (Fig. 5, DM, ¶ [0077]) comprises a plurality of (A) first wirings (Fig. 5, DM2, ¶ [0077]), wherein a fracture end of one of the plurality of A first wirings (Fig. 5, end of DM2 corresponding to G2) is located in the display region (Fig. 1, DA, ¶ [0061]);
the at least one B first wirings (Figs. 2 & 5, DM1, ¶ [0077])comprises a plurality of B first wirings (Figs. 2 & 5, DM1, ¶ [0077]); and
at least one of the plurality of B first wirings is arranged between two adjacent A first wirings of the plurality of A first wirings, and/or at least one A first wiring of the plurality of A first wirings is arranged between two adjacent B first wirings of the plurality of B first wirings (Fig. 5, DM2 is in-between two DM1. Cho teaches at least one option required by this claim).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim (claim 12), but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims pending the drawing objections and 112(b) rejections above.
The following is an examiner' s statement of reasons for allowance: The closest prior art known to the Examiner is listed on the PTO 892 forms of record.
With respect to dependent claim 13, the cited prior art does not anticipate or make obvious, inter alia, the step of: “the first electrode and the at least one shielding part are arranged in a same layer, the display region comprises a first region, and the fracture end of the one of the at least one second wiring is located in the first region; and the light-emitting element comprises a first light-emitting sub-element located in the first region, wherein the first electrode of the first light-emitting sub-element does not overlap with the fracture end of the one of the at least one second wiring in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the display panel, and one of the at least one shielding part is connected to the first electrode of the first light-emitting sub-element.”
Claim 14 is dependent on claim 13.
Cited Prior Art
The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant.
Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply.
Conclusion
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/R.P.S./
Examiner, Art Unit 2813
/STEVEN B GAUTHIER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2813
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