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 Amendment
The amendment filed by the Applicant on 4/15/26 is acknowledged.
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 1-2, 5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aomori (JP 2017161604 A) in view of Nishizawa (JP 2000100345 A) and further in view of Ito (US 20150338705 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Aomori teaches a display panel (at least Fig.1,6C,9 and 16), comprising: a carrier 110 having a patterned region (divisions, partitions that are pixels) that is disposed on a surface of the carrier and corresponds to a plurality of sub-pixel structures (see in Aomori: The partition wall 130 divides the plurality of lower electrodes 121 and the plurality of light emitting units 122 for each sub-pixel); an encapsulation material layer (binder 31 in Figure 1 and disclosed in Aomori: The wavelength conversion layer 30 includes a binder 31 and a plurality of phosphor particles 32 dispersed inside the binder 31 ) disposed on a portion of the patterned region; and a first color conversion layer disposed on the portion of the encapsulation material layer and comprises a plurality of first color conversion capsules that are configured to convert a light-emitting color of the sub-pixel structures into a first light-emitting color.
(see in Aomori: The wavelength conversion layer 30 includes a wavelength conversion layer 30R that absorbs excitation light, converts it into red light, and emits it, and a wavelength conversion layer 30G that absorbs excitation light, converts it into green light, and emits it. The wavelength conversion layer 30R includes a red phosphor 32R. The wavelength conversion layer 30G includes a green phosphor 32G).
Aomori teaches the below configurations
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but does not explicitly teach: the encapsulation material layer also comprises a cured (the limitation of Cured is drawn to the method of making the device and therefore does not have patentable weight) adhesive (all materials are considered to have adhesive properties to some extent) photoresist material, wherein the first color conversion capsules wherein the first color conversion capsules are stacked in the encapsulation material layer and closely adjacent to each other, partial surfaces of some of the first color conversion capsules are exposed from the encapsulation material layer, while others of the first color conversion capsules are fully embedded within the encapsulation material layer.
Nishizawa teaches a display device with phosphors of various colors (Abstract) wherein: the encapsulation material layer also comprises a cured (the limitation of Cured is drawn to the method of making the device and therefore does not have patentable weight) adhesive (all materials are considered to have adhesive properties to some extent) photosensitive material (see in Nishizawa: Next, zirconium oxide microparticles are mixed with a photosensitive slurry in which green phosphor particles are dispersed in a solvent to prepare a phosphor slurry; also see: As the fine particles, fine particles such as titanium oxide or zirconium oxide having a grain size of about 0.5 μm are used, these fine particles are mixed with the phosphor particles), wherein the first color conversion capsules wherein the first color conversion capsules are stacked in the encapsulation material layer and closely adjacent to each other (See Fig.1), partial surfaces of some of the first color conversion capsules are exposed from the encapsulation material layer, while others of the first color conversion capsules are fully embedded within the encapsulation material layer.
Although Nishizawa does not explicitly teach a photoresist material, however, Aomori teaches well known photoresist steps applicable to formation of any layer for the light emitting device, see in Aomori: The photosensitive resin film 50A can be formed using a known positive photoresist. Here, as the photosensitive resin film 50A, a film obtained by forming a positive photoresist TGMR-950 (manufactured by Tokyo Ohka Kogyo Co., Ltd.) with a film thickness of about 10 μm by spin coating is used
Further even more, Nishizawa teaches the same materials such as both the Titanium oxide along with the phosphor particles, whereas the photoresist is drawn to the method of making the device, and it It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to expose partial surfaces of the first color conversion capsules from the encapsulation material layer, as disclosed in Nishizawa, in the device of Aomori in order to improve the light extraction efficiency (see Abstract in Nishizawa).
Aomori in view of Nishizawa does not teach each of the first color conversion capsules comprises quantum dots.
Itou teaches the color conversion capsules comprises quantum dots ([0046]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use quantum dot wavelength conversion material, as disclosed in Itou, in the device of Aomori in view of Nishizawa in order to improve the transparency ([0046] in Itou).
Regarding claim 2, Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou teaches a display panel, wherein the encapsulation material layer is also disposed on another portion of the patterned region, and the display panel further comprises: a second color conversion layer disposed on the another portion of the encapsulation material layer and comprises a plurality of second color conversion capsules that are configured to convert the light-emitting color of the sub-pixel structures into a second light-emitting color; wherein partial surfaces of some of the second color conversion capsules are exposed from the encapsulation material layer (from the combined teachings of Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou ; Also see in elements 30R and 30G in Aomori wherein: wavelength conversion layer 30 includes a wavelength conversion layer 30R that absorbs excitation light, converts it into red light, and emits it, and a wavelength conversion layer 30G that absorbs excitation light, converts it into green light, and emits it. The wavelength conversion layer 30R includes a red phosphor 32R. The wavelength conversion layer 30G includes a green phosphor 32G).
Regarding claim 5, Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou teaches a display panel, wherein the first color conversion capsules are adhered and fixed to a side of the encapsulation material layer that is separate from the carrier (the materials as claimed are disclosed in the prior art, and also all such binders/encapsulants that hold phosphor particles are considered to have some degree of adhesion property).
Regarding claim 7, Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou teaches a display panel, further comprising: a light-absorbing layer disposed on the carrier and surrounding the patterned region, wherein the light-absorbing layer separates the sub-pixel structures on the surface of the carrier (see in Aomori in Fig.11: The seed layer 21 can be made of, for example, a mixture obtained by mixing Pd fine particles serving as a catalyst for electroless plating with a resin material such as a photosensitive resin or polyimide. Such a mixture may be mixed with a color material such as carbon black, a dye, or a pigment.).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou and further in view of Ikeda (US 20210098663 A1, cited previously)
Regarding claim 3, Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou teaches the first light-emitting color is different from the second light-emitting color (from teachings of Aomori in:
The wavelength conversion layer 30 includes a wavelength conversion layer 30R that absorbs excitation light, converts it into red light, and emits it, and a wavelength conversion layer 30G that absorbs excitation light, converts it into green light, and emits it. The wavelength conversion layer 30R includes a red phosphor 32R. The wavelength conversion layer 30G includes a green phosphor 32G;
but is silent regarding a volume of each of the second color conversion capsules is larger than a volume of each of the first color conversion capsules.
Ikeda teaches a light emitting device wherein:
[0077] Similar to in the second embodiment, in the light emitting device 4 of the fourth embodiment, the first light emitting element 21 and the third light emitting element 23 to emit blue light may have volumes greater than volumes of the second light emitting element 22 and the fourth light emitting element 24 to emit green light.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to use the volumes, as disclosed in Ikeda, in the device of Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou in order to compensate for the blue light absorbed by the wavelength converting members ([0074] in Ikeda).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou and further in view of Kim (US 20190025655 A1,cited previously )
Regarding claim 8, Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou teaches the invention set forth in claim 1 above, but is silent regarding a thickness direction of the carrier, a height of the first color conversion layer is less than or equal to a height of the light-absorbing layer.
Kim teaches a display device (Fig.11) wherein a thickness direction of the carrier, a height of the first color conversion layer 230a is less than or equal to a height of the light-absorbing layer (220a in Fig.11 and [0155] in Kim: The display device having the light-blocking partition 220a) and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to use the material as disclosed in Kim, in the device of Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou, in order to prevent crosstalk between the pixels (which is a well-known technique in the art).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou and further in view of Yoshida (US 20140021503 A1, cited previously)
Regarding claim 9, Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou teaches the invention set forth in claim 1 above, but is silent regarding the first color conversion capsules comprise polystyrene, ethylene polymer, acrylic resin, silicon oxide resin, carbonate, a mixture thereof, or a copolymer thereof.
Yoshida discloses: Furthermore, a surface of the quantum dot phosphor is coated with an acrylic resin film or a silicon oxide, to thereby suppress the deterioration in quantum dot phosphors due to photo-oxidation and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to use the material as disclosed in Yoshida, in the device of Aomori in view of Nishizawa and Itou, in order to prevent deterioration of the phosphor quantum dots.
Other art
Cited previously
US 20210398959 A1 [0003] In display panels of the prior art, after transferring micro LED chips on thin-film transistor (TFT) substrates, color filter layers are formed thereon. Color filter layers need to be formed with black retaining walls or black matrices by a yellow light process to prevent crosstalk between sub-pixels.
US 20230143818 A1,
US 20120082777 A1 discloses: [0005] It is publicly known that a surface of the phosphor particle is not entirely covered with the binding agent and the surface of the phosphor particle is partially exposed.
Response to Arguments
The arguments filed by the Applicant on 4/15/26 is acknowledged. However, they are moot in light of new grounds of rejection for the amended claims.
Further regarding the recitation of “photoresist”, in a product (and not a method claim), it is respectfully noted that:
After the product is formed using a photoresist material, the final outcome does not retain the bulk chemical or mechanical properties of the original photoresist material. Therefore, when a product is claimed, the photoresist material used to form the product does not become relevant, as it is not a method claim, and as it is a product claim.
Furthermore, other prior art that teach the partial exposure of the phosphor particles from the encapsulant are:
US 20180216800 A1
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JP 2013197259 A:
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US 20120200218 A1:
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US 6812636 B2:
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US 2243828 A:
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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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Fatima Farokhrooz whose telephone number is (571)-272-6043. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday- Friday, 9 am - 5 pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s Supervisor, James Greece can be reached on (571) 272-3711.
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/Fatima N Farokhrooz/
Examiner, Art Unit 2875
Prosecution Insights