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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments in regard to claim 1 filed 03/17/2026 have been fully considered and are persuasive. However, a new rejection has been made in view of Yun et al. (US 20220085125 A1; hereinafter “Yun”) in view of Shim et al. (US 2020/0144342 A1; hereinafter “Shim”) and Yamazaki et al. (US 2012/0205675 A1; hereinafter “Yamazaki”).
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 15 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C 103 rejection of claim 15 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 11-14 and 17-20 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C ---112(b) rejection of claims 11-14 and 17-20 has been withdrawn.
Examiner acknowledges the title of the invention has been changed and is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. Therefore the specification objection has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the drawing objection have been fully considered and are persuasive. The drawing objection has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 and 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yun et al. (US 20220085125 A1; hereinafter “Yun”), and further in view of Shim et al. (US 2020/0144342 A1; hereinafter “Shim”) and Yamazaki et al. (US 2012/0205675 A1; hereinafter “Yamazaki”).
In regard to claim 1, Yun teaches a light emitting display device (a display panel PN) (Fig. 7 and paragraph 45), comprising:
a first light emitting electrode (a first electrode 231) positioned on a substrate (a substrate 110) (Fig. 8 and paragraphs 49 and 151); a pixel defining film (a bank 214) including:
a groove (the portion of the bank that is removed containing an organic layer pattern 232a) (Fig. 8 and paragraph 153), the groove having an undercut structure (the bank 214 is further removed by a predetermined distance inwardly from lower ends of the exposed side surfaces of the bank 214, whereby an undercut UC can be formed) (Fig. 8 and paragraph 54), and
an opening (an opening OP) exposing a portion of the first light emitting electrode (Fig. 8 and paragraph 116);
a separator positioned (an organic layer 232a) within the groove of the pixel defining film and including a side wall having a reverse tapered structure (the organic layer 232 is shown within the portion of the bank that is removed in Fig. 8) (Fig. 8 and paragraph 153;
a light emitting layer (an organic layer 232 ) positioned in the opening of the pixel defining film (Fig. 8 and paragraph 153); and a second light emitting electrode (second electrode 233) separated by the separator (the second electrode pattern 233a are not connected to an organic layer 232 and a second electrode 233 and are disconnected therefrom) (Fig. 8 and paragraph 153).
Yun doesn’t explicitly teach the undercut structure including a sidewall that is not in contact with another layer, and the separator positioned within the groove of the pixel defining film and including a side wall having a reverse tapered structure.
Lee teaches a light emitting display device (an electroluminescent display apparatus) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 16), wherein an undercut structure including a sidewall that is not in contact with another layer (the side wall of an undercut UC of bank 400 is shown not contacting another layer in Fig. 3) (Fig. 3 and paragraph 80).
It would’ve been obvious to one skilled in the art to combine the teachings of Yun with the teachings of Shim to have the undercut structure including a sidewall that is not in contact with another layer since this layout allows a portions of components to be disconnected easily as taught by Lee (paragraph 80).
Yamazaki teaches a light emitting display device (a light-emitting device as shown in Fig. 1) (Fig. 1 and paragraph 19), a separator (a separation layer 116a) positioned within groove of a pixel defining film (the grooves in partitions 114a, 114b, 114g, and 114h) and including a side wall having a reverse tapered structure (separation layers 116a, 116b, and 116d each have an inverse tapered shape) (Fig. 2A, Fig. 2B and paragraphs 63-64).
It would’ve been obvious to one skilled in the art to combine the teachings of Yun with the teachings Yamazaki to have the separator positioned within the groove of the pixel defining film and including a side wall having a reverse tapered structure since this structure aids in forming and separating layers within the device as taught by Yamazaki (paragraph 64).
In regard to claim 3, Yun teaches wherein a lower surface of the separator is positioned on an inner surface of the groove (the organic layer 232a is shown contacting the bottom of the groove in Fig. 8).
In regard to claim 4, wherein an upper surface (the top surface of the partitions 114a, 114b, 114g, and 114h adjacent to the electrode layers) of the pixel defining film and the side wall having the reverse tapered structure of the separator are separated from each other (the top surface of the partitions 114 adjacent to the electrode layers are shown separated from the reverse tapered sides walls of the spacers 116 in Yamazaki Fig. 2B).
In regard to claim 5, Yun teaches an upper inorganic film (a first encapsulation layer 150a)positioned on the upper surface of the pixel defining film (first encapsulation layer 150a can be formed of an inorganic material) (Fig. 8 and paragraph 127).
Claim Objections
Claims 6-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
In regard to claim 6, Yun is considered a close prior art of record. However Yun fails to teach wherein the upper inorganic film is not positioned in the groove. Yun teaches the inorganic layer within the device is necessary to be in the area mapped as the groove.
Claim 7 is objected to due to depending on claim 6.
In regard to claim 8, Yun is considered a close prior art of record. However, Yun fails to teach a first gate insulating film positioned on the semiconductor layer; a gate electrode positioned on the first gate insulating film; an interlayer insulating film covering the gate electrode. Yun teaches a bottom gate structure where the gate electrode is under the semiconductor layer.
Claims 9-14 are objected to due to depending on claim 8.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-21 are allowed.
The following is the Office's statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 15, the prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or suggest:
“a semiconductor layer positioned on a substrate; a first gate insulating film positioned on the semiconductor layer; a gate electrode positioned on the first gate insulating film”
Yun is considered a close prior art of record. However, Yun fails to teach a first gate insulating film positioned on the semiconductor layer; a gate electrode positioned on the first gate insulating film; an interlayer insulating film covering the gate electrode. Yun teaches a bottom gate structure where the gate electrode is under the semiconductor layer.
Claims 16-21 are allowed due to depending on claim 15.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 SEYON ALI-SIMAH PUNCHBEDDELL whose telephone number is (571)270-0078. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur: 7:30AM-3:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sue Purvis 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.
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/SEYON ALI-SIMAH PUNCHBEDDELL/ Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/SUE A PURVIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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