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, with traverse, of group Species 1 (fig 1 disclosed in [0032+]) , sub-species 1.g (fig 11, [0048+]): claims 1-5, 7-10, 12-14, 16 and 18 in ”Response to Election / Restriction Filed - 04/16/2026”, is acknowledged.
Applicant’s traversal arguments, in “Remarks - 10/24/2025 - Applicant Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment”, on the ground, inter alia, that “Examiner did not establish a serious search and/or examination burden”, has been fully considered, but are not persuasive.
In the last office action, the species were identified from the distinct embodiments narrated by applicant in instant disclosure (figures, specification), nothing was invented by the examiner. The sub-species identified from different figures as well and each of those is characterized by a distinct limitation; so valid candidate for restriction requirement. When selected from applicant’s specified distinct embodiment, a piecewise further explanation is required.
The species 1-5 and subspecies were independent or distinct because they were different in design as shown in the figures and detailed in the specification. In addition, these species were not obvious variants of each other based on the current record.
Applicant were required under 35 U.S.C. 121 to elect a single disclosed species, or a single grouping of patentably indistinct species, for prosecution on the merits to which the claims shall be restricted if no generic claim is finally held to be allowable.
There is certainly serious search and/or examination burden for the patentably distinct species as set forth in the requirement because at least they have a separate status in the art based upon their separate inventive efforts; and/or they have different search queries based upon their different elements or limitations.
Therefore, applicant’s traversal argument is not persuasive. The requirement is still deemed proper , and is therefore made FINAL, and thus the required provisional election (see MPEP § 818.03(b)) becomes an election without traverse.
In view of the above, this office action considers claims 1-20 pending for prosecution, of which, non-elected claims 6, 11, 15, 17, 19, and 20 a are withdrawn, and elected claims 1-5, 7-10, 12-14, 16 and 18 are examined on their merits.
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
Notes: when present, semicolon separated fields within the parenthesis (; ;) represent, for example, as (100; Fig 9; [0131]) = (element 100; Figure No. 9; Paragraph No. [0131]). For brevity, the texts “Element”, “Figure No.” and “Paragraph No.” shall be excluded, though; additional clarification notes may be added within each field. The number of fields may be fewer or more than three indicated above. The primary reference citation may not be preceded by the inventor tag, wherein the other reference citation will carry inventor tag. These conventions are used throughout this document.
Claims 1-5, 7-10,14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (2) as being anticipated by AN; Chiwook et al. (US 20200350516 A1); hereinafter An’518.
Regarding claim 1. An’518 teaches a display panel (10’; Fig;10; [0137+]), comprising (see the entire document; Figs 7-11 along with other relevant figs (of 1-6, 12-18), paragraphs [117+]) that refers back; specifically, and as cited below):
a substrate (100; Fig 9; [0131], first cited in Fig 2; [0059]),
a light-emitting layer (200; Figs 7-8; [0118+]), located on one side of the substrate (100), and comprising a plurality of light-emitting units (200 over A1; fig 8; depicted plurality of 200 over A1in Figs 7-8) arranged at intervals (with space A2 in fig 8);
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An’518 Fig 7 An’518 Fig 7
a plurality of pixel definition blocks (A2; detailed in Fig 6; [0111) as pixel-defining film that defines a pixel by having the first opening OP1 through which a part of the pixel electrode 211 is exposed), each of the pixel definition blocks arranged between adjacent light-emitting units (OLED 200 (0118] over A1 in Fig 8);
a low refractive index film layer (410 of 400; Figs 7-8; [0123-0124]) arranged on a side of the light-emitting layer (200) away from the substrate (100) and comprising a plurality of microstructures (450, 410’ labelled as light extraction pattern [0127]); and
a high refractive index film layer (430 of 400) arranged on the side of the light-emitting layer (200) away from the substrate (100); wherein
at least a part of surfaces of the microstructures (450) is covered (depicted in Fig 8) by the high refractive index film layer (430);
orthographic projections of the microstructures (450) on the light-emitting layer (200) cover the light-emitting units (200 over A1) in corresponding locations; and
a plurality of total internal reflection interfaces are formed (characterized by [0133] total reflection at an interface between the first refractive layer 410 that is a low refractive layer and the second refractive layer 430 that is a high refractive layer,) between the microstructures (450 over A1) and the high refractive index film layer (430).
Regarding claim 2, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 1, further teaches, wherein each of the microstructures (450, 410, labelled as light extraction pattern; Fig 8; [0127]) comprises
a first protrusion (450) whose orthographic projection falls within an area of one light-emitting unit (200 over A1), and a second protrusion (410) whose orthographic projection falls within an area of the pixel definition block (A2), and
the second protrusion (410) is arranged (depicted in Fig 8) at a periphery of the first protrusion (450) and surrounds the first protrusion (450).
Regarding claim 3, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 2, further teaches, wherein the orthographic projections of the first protrusion (450) and the second protrusion (410) on the substrate (100) include (a straight line segment and/or) a curved line segment (depicted in Fig 8).
Regarding claim 4, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 3, further teaches, wherein the orthographic projection of the second protrusion (410) on the substrate (100) comprises one closed polygon or one closed arc (depicted in Fig 8; [0128]); and/or the orthographic projection of the first protrusion (450) on the substrate (100) comprises at least one selected from a closed polygon, a closed arc (depicted in Fig 8; [0128]) , and a strip structure.
Regarding claim 5, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 3, further teaches, wherein the orthographic projection of the first protrusion (450) on the substrate (100) comprises one or a plurality of strip structures, and the plurality of the strip structures are arranged parallel (depicted in Fig 7, 13b) to each other.
Regarding claim 7, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 5, further teaches, wherein the plurality of strip structures (of 410,450) are arranged at intervals (Fig 7; [0152]: FIG. 16, the light extraction pattern 450 may be spaced apart by a predetermined (or set) interval from a side surface of the first refractive layer 410 surrounding the second opening OP2, and may have a closed loop shape that makes a continuous round along an edge of the second opening OP2) in a direction perpendicular to a length extension direction of the strip structures.
Regarding claim 8, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 3, further teaches, wherein the orthographic projection of the first protrusion on the substrate comprises a plurality of strip structures (Fig 7; [0152]: FIG. 16, the light extraction pattern 450 may be spaced apart by a predetermined (or set) interval from a side surface of the first refractive layer 410 surrounding the second opening OP2, and may have a closed loop shape that makes a continuous round along an edge of the second opening OP2), and at least a part of the plurality of strip structures are arranged to intersect with each other.
Regarding claim 9, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 8, further teaches, wherein (Figs 11, 13B; [0144-0145]) the plurality of strip structures intersect to form an intersection point.
Regarding claim 10, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 8, further teaches, wherein (Figs 11, 13B, [0144-0145]) the plurality of strip structures intersect to form a plurality of intersection points, and the number of the intersection points is greater than the number of the strip structures.
Regarding claim 14, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 1, further teaches, wherein the microstructures (450,410; Fig 8) comprise a plurality of protrusions (450,410) defining a depression between adjacent protrusions, the depression penetrates the low refractive index film (450) layer in a stacking direction, and the low refractive index film layer around the depression is the protrusions (450) in the microstructures; wherein the high refractive index film layer (430)f ills the depression, and the high refractive index film layer and the low refractive index film layer ([0133]) form the total internal reflection interfaces at sidewalls of the depression.
Regarding claim 16, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 14, further teaches, wherein the low refractive index film layer (400 compring 410, 450}) is stacked on one side of the light-emitting layer (200) away from the substrate (100); the high refractive index film layer (330) covers a surface of the low refractive index film layer (410) away from the substrate (100) and fills the depression; or the high refractive index film layer (430) is flush with the low refractive index film layer (410) and only fills the depression.
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 of this title, 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 12-13 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over AN; Chiwook et al. (US 20200350516 A1); hereinafter An’518.
Regarding claim 12, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 2, further teaches, wherein the maximum width (W3; Fig 8) of a vertical cross section of the first protrusion (450) in a direction perpendicular to a stacking direction
But, An’518 does not expressly disclose, the maximum width (W3; Fig 8) is greater than or equal to 0.5 microns and less than or equal to 5 micron.
However, An’518 further discloses (Fig 13, [0144]), 0144] Referring to FIG. 13B, the first sensing electrodes 510 and the second sensing electrodes 520 may have substantially diamond shapes. The first sensing electrode 510 may have a grid structure (or a lattice structure) having a plurality of holes 510H. The hole 510H may be formed to overlap the first area A1 of a pixel. Likewise, the second sensing electrode 520 may have a grid structure (or a lattice structure) having a plurality of holes 520H. The hole 520H may be formed to overlap the first area A1 of a pixel. The holes 510H and 520H may have different sizes. Line widths of lattice lines may be several micrometers. implying some of the value within the range of claimed greater than or equal to 0.5 microns and less than or equal to 5 micron.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to configure the maximum width (W3; Fig 8) is greater than or equal to 0.5 microns and less than or equal to 5 micron, thereafter, claimed limitation is not patentable over An’518, since this configuration is a natural design choice from the same reference.
Regarding claim 13, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 2, further teaches, wherein a distance in a direction perpendicular to a stacking direction between an edge at a side adjacent to the substrate (100) of the second protrusion (410) and an edge at a side adjacent to the substrate of the pixel definition block (A2; detailed in Fig 6; [0111) as pixel-defining film that defines a pixel by having the first opening OP1 through which a part of the pixel electrode 211 is exposed), corresponding to the second protrusion (410).
But, An’518 does not expressly disclose, the distance the second protrusion (410 over A2) is greater than or equal to 0.5 microns and less than or equal to 5 microns.
However, An’518 further discloses (Fig 13, [0144]), 0144] Referring to FIG. 13B, the first sensing electrodes 510 and the second sensing electrodes 520 may have substantially diamond shapes. The first sensing electrode 510 may have a grid structure (or a lattice structure) having a plurality of holes 510H. The hole 510H may be formed to overlap the first area A1 of a pixel. Likewise, the second sensing electrode 520 may have a grid structure (or a lattice structure) having a plurality of holes 520H. The hole 520H may be formed to overlap the first area A1 of a pixel. The holes 510H and 520H may have different sizes. Line widths of lattice lines may be several micrometers. implying some of the value within the range of claimed greater than or equal to 0.5 microns and less than or equal to 5 micron.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to configure thedistance is greater than or equal to 0.5 microns and less than or equal to 5 micron, thereafter, claimed limitation is not patentable over An’518, since this configuration is a natural design choice from the same reference.
Regarding claim 18, An’518 as applied to the display panel according to claim 14, further teaches, wherein (Fig 16; [0152, 0180]) the sidewalls of the depression are flat surfaces, and an angle between the sidewalls of the depression and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the stacking direction is greater than or equal to a critical angle of total internal reflection and less than 90°; or the sidewalls of the depression are arc surfaces (depicted in Fig 8; [0128]), the sidewalls of the depression comprise first tangent lines tangent to the sidewalls, and an angle between at least a part of the first tangent lines and a horizontal direction perpendicular to the stacking direction is greater than or equal to a critical angle of total internal reflection and less than 90° (obvious from [Fig 16; 0152]: total reflection at an interface between the first refractive layer 410 that is a low refractive layer and the second refractive layer 430 that is a high refractive layer, forward extraction efficiency may be improved and front visibility may be improved).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOAZZAM HOSSAIN whose telephone number is (571)270-7960. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8:30AM - 6:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julio J. Maldonado can be reached on 571-272-1864. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MOAZZAM HOSSAIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
May 6, 2026
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