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 .
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 20-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek et al. (US. Pub: 2021/0135166 A1~ hereinafter “Baek”) in view of Kim et al. (US. Pub: 2022/0199715 A1~hereinafter “Kim”).
Regarding claim 1, Baek discloses (in at least fig. 11) a display device, comprising: a substrate (1110) divided into a plurality of sub pixels (see at least fig. 11), each sub pixel including an emission area (see fig. 11); a planarization layer (1140) disposed on the substrate and including a concave portion (1143; [0146]) having the emission area (see fig. 11); an anode (750) including the concave portion to be disposed on the planarization layer; a light emitting unit (OLED) disposed on the anode of the emission area (see fig. 11); a bank (1180) disposed on the anode and the planarization layer excluding the emission area, a cathode (770) disposed on the light emitting unit and the planarization layer; an encapsulation unit (990; [0112]) disposed on the cathode.
Baek does not expressly disclose a lens disposed on the encapsulation unit corresponding to the emission area; a planarization layer disposed on the lens; and a first light shielding layer disposed on the planarization layer.
Kim in the same field of endeavor discloses (in at least fig. 2) a lens (610) disposed on the encapsulation unit (550) corresponding to the emission area (EA); a planarization layer (620) disposed on the lens; and a first light shielding layer (710) disposed on the planarization layer (620) so that all the light of each pixel area (PA) in which the travelling direction is restricted by the touch structure may pass through the lens in the corresponding pixel area ([0058]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display device of Baek with the teachings of Kim so that all the light of each pixel area (PA) in which the travelling direction is restricted by the touch structure may pass through the lens in the corresponding pixel area, and to improve the contrast of the display device.
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses (in at least fig. 2) the first light shielding layer (710) absorbs and blocks ultraviolet rays.
Regarding claim 3, Baek as modified by Kim does not expressly disclose the first light shielding layer includes benzophenone derivatives, xantone derivatives, triazine derivatives, salicylate derivatives, benzotriazole derivatives, or hydroxyflavone derivatives as material which do not emit light, but discharges heat when the ultraviolet rays are absorbed.
However, Kim discloses (in at least fig. 2) the display device comprises a black matrix layer (710; [0060]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use one of the cited materials to form the black matrix of Kim, since it has been held that the selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use supported a prima facie obviousness determination.
Regarding claim 4, Baek discloses (in at least fig. 11) the planarization layer (1140) further includes a peripheral portion enclosing the concave portion and located in a vicinity of the concave portion (see at least fig. 11).
Regarding claim 5, Baek discloses (in at least fig. 11) the concave portion includes a flat portion and an inclined portion extending from the flat portion.
Regarding claim 6, Baek discloses (in at least fig. 11) the anode (750) includes: a first area disposed on the planarization unit in an area overlapping the concave portion (see fig. 11); and a second area extending from the first area to be disposed on the inclined portion in the area overlapping the concave portion (see fig. 11).
Regarding claim 7, Baek discloses (in at least fig. 11) the anode (750) further includes a third area extending from the second area to be disposed on the peripheral portion of the planarization layer (see at least fig. 11), and the third area overlaps the peripheral portion the planarization layer (see at least fig. 11).
Regarding claim 20, Baek discloses (in at least fig. 11) a display device, comprising: a substrate (1110) including an active area having a plurality of sub pixels and a non-active area being adjacent to the active area (see fig. 11); a thin film transistor (TR) disposed in the active area of the substrate; a light emitting diode (760) disposed in the active area of the substrate to be electrically connected to the thin film transistor, the light emitting diode (760) including at least one emission area (OLED) in one sub pixel among the plurality of sub pixels (see fig. 11).
Baek does not expressly disclose a lens disposed on the light emitting diode so as to overlap the at least one emission area, wherein the lens includes a center area covering at least one emission area and a peripheral area enclosing the center area and having an ultraviolet (UV) shielding layer disposed to overlap the peripheral area.
Kim discloses (in at least fig. 2) a display device comprised of, in part, a lens (610) disposed on the light emitting diode so as to overlap the at least one emission area (see fig. 2), wherein the lens (610) includes a center area cover at least one emission area and a peripheral area enclosing the center area and having an ultraviolet (UV) shielding layer (710) disposed the peripheral area so that all the light of each pixel area (PA) in which the travelling direction is restricted by the touch structure may pass through the lens in the corresponding pixel area ([0058]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the display device of Baek with the teachings of Kim so that all the light of each pixel area (PA) in which the travelling direction is restricted by the touch structure may pass through the lens in the corresponding pixel area, and to improve the contrast of the display device.
Regarding claim 21, Kim discloses (in at least fig. 2) one sub pixel, among the plurality of sub pixels (see fig. 2), has a first emission area and a second emission area disposed along an outline of the first emission area (see fig. 2), the one sub pixel is separated from another sub pixel by a first non-emission area (see fig. 2), the first emission area and the second emission area are separated by a second non-emission area (NEA), and the UV shielding layer (710) overlaps at least one emission area and at least one of the first non-emission area and the second non-emission area.
Regarding claim 22, Kim discloses (in at least fig. 2) an encapsulation layer (550) disposed between the lens (610) and the light emitting diode (OLED) to encapsulate the light emitting diode; and a touch electrode (500) having an opening area so as to correspond to each sub pixel (see fig. 2), wherein the lens (610) is disposed in the opening area.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-19 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELMITO BREVAL whose telephone number is (571)270-3099. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th~ 7:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James R. 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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ELMITO BREVAL
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/ELMITO BREVAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875