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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “30” has been used to designate both sub-pixel columns (see ¶ [0044]) and driving chips (see ¶ [0071]). 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 to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 4 and 6 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 4 depends upon independent claim 1 and recites second and third directions. It appears claim 4 should be dependent upon claim 2, which recites a first direction. The term “extend” in line 3 of claim 4 should be in its plural form—i.e., extends. Appropriate correction is required.
The term “comprise” in line 1 of claim 6 should be in its plural form—i.e., comprises. Appropriate correction is required.
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 6-8 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 6 recites “a first-type sub-pixel column” and “a second-type sub-pixel column” in the second line of the claim. The addition of the word "type" extends the scope so as to render the claim indefinite, since it is unclear what “type” is intended to convey (MPEP § 2173.05(III)(E)).
Claims 7-8 are similar, and thus, also deemed indefinite.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chen (US 2016/0351092).
Regarding independent claim 1, Chen teaches a display panel comprising a plurality of sub-pixel units (Fig. 16, Element 112; ¶ [0025]), wherein the sub-pixel units comprises a first sub-pixel unit (Fig. 16, Element 112B; ¶ [0025]) and a second sub-pixel unit (Fig. 16, Element 112A; ¶ [0025]); the first sub-pixel unit is provided with a main electrode (Fig. 16, Element 122; ¶ [0031]) and n spare electrodes (Fig. 16, Element 126; ¶ [0032]); the second sub-pixel unit is provided with a main electrode (122) and m spare electrodes (126); n<m, n and m are integers.
Regarding claim 2, Chen teaches a display area (Fig. 8, Element 101; ¶ [0025]) and a non-display area (Fig. 8; area outside of pixel regions 101), wherein along a first direction, a shortest distance between the first sub-pixel unit and the non-display area is smaller than a shortest distance between the second sub-pixel unit and the non-display area, the first direction is a direction from the display area to the non-display area (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 3, Chen teaches the first sub-pixel unit located between the second sub-pixel unit and the non-display area along the first direction (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 4, Chen teaches the display panel comprising a plurality of sub-pixel columns each comprising a plurality of sub-pixels, the plurality of sub-pixel columns extending along a second direction and are arranged in a third direction, and the second direction and the third direction intersect (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 5, Chen teaches at least one of the plurality of sub-pixel columns comprising the first sub-pixel unit and the second sub-pixel unit (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 6, Chen teaches the plurality of sub-pixel columns comprise a first-type sub-pixel column and a second-type sub-pixel column, the first-type sub-pixel column comprises a plurality of the first sub-pixel units, and the second-type sub-pixel column comprises a plurality of the second sub-pixel units (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 7, Chen teaches a display area (Fig. 8, Element 101; ¶ [0025]) and a non-display area (Fig. 8; area outside of pixel regions 101), wherein at least k first-type sub-pixel columns are located between the non-display area and the second type of sub-pixel columns, k≥2, k is an integer (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 8, Chen teaches a display area (Fig. 8, Element 101; ¶ [0025]) and a non-display area (Fig. 8; area outside of pixel regions 101), wherein along the third direction, a shortest distance between the first-type sub-pixel column and the non-display area is shorter than the shortest distance between the second-type sub-pixel column and the non-display area (Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 9, Chen teaches the first sub-pixel unit provided with one spare electrode, the second sub-pixel unit provided with two spare electrodes (Fig. 15).
Regarding claim 10, Chen teaches the main electrode and the two spare electrodes provided for the second sub-pixel unit arranged along the first direction, and the two spare electrodes located on two sides of the main electrode (Fig. 15).
Regarding claim 11, Chen teaches the spare electrode provided for the first sub-pixel unit located on a side of the main electrode away from the non-display area (Fig. 15).
Regarding claim 12, Chen teaches a repaired light-emitting unit placed on the spare electrode on the side, away from the non-display area, of the main electrode provided for at least one of the sub-pixel units (¶ [0041]).
Regarding claim 13, Chen teaches a plurality of repaired light-emitting units placed on a plurality of spare electrodes on a same side of the main electrodes provided for at least a part of the sub-pixel units in a same sub-pixel column (Fig. 16).
Regarding claim 14, Chen teaches a plurality of transferring stamp partitions (Fig. 8), and at least one of the plurality of transferring stamp partitions comprises a plurality of the first sub-pixel units and a plurality of the second sub-pixel units, a shortest distance between the first sub-pixel units and an adjacent transferring stamp partition is greater than a shortest distance between the second sub-pixel units and an adjacent transferring stamp partition.
Regarding claim 15, Chen teaches a blue light-emitting unit or a green light-emitting unit placed on the main electrode provided for the first sub-pixel unit, and a red light-emitting unit placed on the main electrode provided for the second sub-pixel unit (¶ [0025]).
Regarding claim 16, Chen teaches a red light-emitting unit placed on the main electrode provided for the first sub-pixel unit, and a blue light-emitting unit or a green light-emitting unit placed on the main electrode provided for the second sub-pixel unit, a size of the red light-emitting unit is larger than a size of the blue emitting unit or the green emitting unit (¶ [0025]).
Regarding claim 17, Chen teaches a number of the first sub-pixel unit being less than or equal to a number of the second sub-pixel unit; or a number of the second sub-pixel unit is less than a number of the first sub-pixel unit (Fig. 16).
Regarding claim 18, Chen teaches the first sub-pixel unit and the second sub-pixel unit sharing a spare electrode (Fig. 16).
Regarding independent claim 19, Chen teaches a display device comprising a display panel, wherein the display panel comprises a plurality of sub-pixel units (Fig. 16, Element 112; ¶ [0025]), wherein the sub-pixel units comprises a first sub-pixel unit (Fig. 16, Element 112B; ¶ [0025]) and a second sub-pixel unit (Fig. 16, Element 112A; ¶ [0025]); the first sub-pixel unit is provided with a main electrode (Fig. 16, Element 122; ¶ [0031]) and n spare electrodes (Fig. 16, Element 126; ¶ [0032]); the second sub-pixel unit is provided with a main electrode (122) and m spare electrodes (126); n<m, n and m are integers.
Regarding claim 20, Chen teaches a driving chip, a distance between the first sub-pixel unit and the driving chip smaller than a distance between the second sub-pixel unit and the driving chip (Fig. 16; ¶ [0026]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Liu (US 11,532,775) teaches a display panel with second sub-pixel including second driving unit. Lai (US 10,354,981) teaches a display with compensated light emitting devices. Bibl (US 8,791,474) teaches a light emitting diode display with redundancy scheme.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kevin Quarterman whose telephone number is (571)272-2461. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Greece can be reached at (571) 272-3711. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Kevin Quarterman/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875 17 April 2026
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