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 under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the functional layer (12) covers the cathode layer (11) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show the functional layer 12 covers the cathode layer 11 as described in the specification in ¶ [107]. Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). 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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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 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 9-10 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 9 recites the limitation "the auxiliary electrode" in page 3, line 14. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For examination purpose it’s assumed the claim is referring to the first auxiliary layer.
Claim 10 is rejecter for the reasons given on claim 9 and its dependency status upon claim 9
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.
Claims 1, 8, 11 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Guo et al. (CN 114361226 A, cited by Applicant), Guo hereinafter.
Examiner’s note
The following rejection is based on a foreign reference CN 114361226 A. For examination purpose reference is been made to a copy of a machine translation of the applied reference, which is hereby provided.
Regarding claim 1, Guo discloses a display panel, comprising: an array substrate (10, ¶ [66], fig. 2); a pixel definition layer (40, ¶ [68]) disposed on the array substrate (10), wherein the pixel definition layer (40) comprises a plurality of pixel openings (410) and a plurality of grooves (420, ¶ [79], fig. 2); a light emitting device layer comprising an anode layer (310, ¶ [81]) disposed on the array substrate (10), light emitting units disposed in the pixel openings (410), a functional layer (50, ¶ [78]) disposed on the light emitting units, and a cathode layer (60) disposed on the functional layer (50); and an auxiliary electrode (20, ¶ [77]) corresponding to the grooves (420); wherein the auxiliary electrode (20) comprises a first auxiliary layer (210, ¶ [77]) disposed in the same layer as the anode layer (310) (see fig. 2), a side wall of the first auxiliary layer (210) is spaced apart from side walls of the grooves (420) to form a first opening (see fig. 2), the functional layer (50) is disconnected at the first opening (see fig. 2), and the cathode layer (60) covers the first opening and is electrically connected to the side wall of the first auxiliary layer (210).
Regarding claim 8, Guo discloses that the auxiliary electrode (20) further comprises a second auxiliary layer (230, ¶ [77], fig. 2), the second auxiliary layer (230) is disposed in contact with the first auxiliary layer (210), and the second auxiliary layer (230) is disposed in the same layer as at least one metal layer (of the anode 310, ¶ [67], fig. 2) in the array substrate (10).
Regarding claim 11, Guo discloses a mobile terminal, comprising: a display panel (¶ [66]), comprising: an array substrate (10, ¶ [66], fig. 2); a pixel definition layer (40, ¶ [68]) disposed on the array substrate (10), wherein the pixel definition layer (40) comprises a plurality of pixel openings (410) and a plurality of grooves (420, ¶ [79], fig. 2); a light emitting device layer comprising an anode layer (310, ¶ [81]) disposed on the array substrate (10), light emitting units disposed in the pixel openings (410), a functional layer (50, ¶ [78]) disposed on the light emitting units, and a cathode layer (60) disposed on the functional layer (50); and an auxiliary electrode (20, ¶ [77]) corresponding to the grooves (420); wherein the auxiliary electrode (20) comprises a first auxiliary layer (210, ¶ [77]) disposed in the same layer as the anode layer (310) (see fig. 2), a side wall of the first auxiliary layer (210) is spaced apart from side walls of the grooves (420) to form a first opening (see fig. 2), the functional layer (50) is disconnected at the first opening (see fig. 2), and the cathode layer (60) covers the first opening and is electrically connected to the side wall of the first auxiliary layer (210).
Regarding claim 20, Guo discloses that the auxiliary electrode (20) further comprises a second auxiliary layer (230, ¶ [77], fig. 2), the second auxiliary layer (230) is disposed in contact with the first auxiliary layer (210), and the second auxiliary layer (230) is disposed in the same layer as at least one metal layer (of the anode 310, ¶ [67], fig. 2) in the array substrate (10).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu et al. (CN 115275047 A), Wu hereinafter.
Examiner’s note
The following rejection is based on a foreign reference CN 115275047 A. For examination purpose reference is been made to a copy of a machine translation of the applied reference, which is hereby provided.
Regarding claim 9, Wu discloses a method of manufacturing a display panel, comprising: providing a substrate (110, ¶ [52], fig. 1) and forming a light shielding layer (121, ¶ [73], fig. 4) and a first metal part (¶ [88] discloses that the material of the light shielding layer 121 comprises one of molybdenum, titanium, copper, manganese or metal alloy) on the substrate; forming a buffer layer (122, ¶ [89]) on the light shielding layer (121) and forming a semiconductor layer (123, ¶ [90], fig. 4) on the buffer layer (122); forming a gate insulating layer (124, ¶ [90]) on the semiconductor layer (123) and forming a gate (125) on the gate insulating layer (124); forming an interlayer insulating layer (126, ¶ [92]) on the gate (125) and using a preset process to form a plurality of through holes (contact holes, ¶ [92] denoted hereinafter as CH), wherein the through holes (CH) penetrate the interlayer insulating layer (126) and expose the light shielding layer (121) and the first metal part (see fig. 4); forming a source-drain layer (127, ¶ [92], fig 4) and a second metal part (¶ [93] discloses that layer 127 is made of one of molybdenum, titanium, copper, manganese or a metal alloy) on the interlayer insulating layer (126), wherein the source-drain layer (127) and the second metal part fill a plurality of the through holes (CH) (see fig. 4); forming a passivation layer (130, ¶ [94], fig. 5) on the source-drain layer (127) and using the preset process to open an opening (see fig. 5) on the passivation layer (130) corresponding to the source-drain layer (127) and the second metal part to expose the source-drain layer (127) and the second metal part (see fig. 5); forming a connection part (154, ¶ [63]) and a third metal part (1511, fig. 6) in the opening on the passivation layer (130); forming a planarization layer (140, ¶ [63], fig. 1) on the connection part (154) and the third metal part (1511) and using the preset process to open an opening on the planarization layer (140) corresponding to the connection part (154) and the third metal part (1511) to expose the connection part (154) and the third metal part (1511) (the opening on the planarization layer (140) exposes the connection part (154) and the third metal part (1511) to the auxiliary electrode 128, fig. 1); forming an anode layer (155, ¶ [55], fig. 1) and a first auxiliary layer (1531, ¶ [63]) on the planarization layer (140); forming a pixel definition layer (160, ¶ [74], fig. 1) on the anode layer (155) and the first auxiliary layer (1531), forming a plurality of pixel openings (PO, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below) and a plurality of grooves (G, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below) on the pixel definition layer (160), forming light emitting units in the pixel openings (PO), wherein the grooves (G) correspond to the first auxiliary layer (1531); as best understood by the Examiner; and the side wall (1541, see fig. 1) of the first auxiliary layer (1531) is spaced apart from side walls of the grooves (G) to form a first opening (O1, hereinafter as denoted on the figure below); forming a functional layer (170, ¶ [75], fig. 1) on the pixel definition layer (160), wherein the functional layer (170) is disconnected at the first opening (O1); and forming a cathode layer (180, ¶ [74], fig. 1) on the functional layer (170), wherein the cathode layer (180) covers the first opening (O1) and is electrically connected to the side wall (1541) of the first auxiliary layer (1531) (see fig. 1).
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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.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Wu et al. (CN 115275047 A), Wu hereinafter.
Regarding claim 10, Wu discloses the method according to claim 9.
However, Wu is silent about using inkjet printing to form the light emitting units.
It is considered within the capabilities of one skilled in the art to use inkjet printing to form the light emitting units as an obvious matter of design engineering since such process is well known in the art.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing of the claimed invention to use inkjet printing as an obvious matter of design engineering, since such process is well known in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-7 and 12-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if at least one the limitations indicated below were included in the base claim.
Regarding claim 2, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 2, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the grooves are disposed in an overlapping area of the first pixel definition layer and the second pixel definition layer, and each of the grooves is disposed between the two blue sub-pixels.
Regarding claim 3, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 3, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the grooves are disposed in an overlapping area of the first pixel definition layer and the second pixel definition layer, and each of the grooves are disposed between each of the red sub-pixels and each of the green sub-pixels.
Regarding claim 4, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 4, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to an end of the second conductive layer protrudes from the side wall of the first auxiliary layer, and the end of the second conductive layer is in contact with the cathode layer.
Regarding claim 5, the claim is allowable for the reasons given in claim 4 because of their dependency status from claim 4.
Regarding claim 6, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 6, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the functional layer covers the cathode layer.
Regarding claim 7, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 7, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to in a top view direction of the display panel, a shape of the first auxiliary layer comprises a circle or a polygon.
Regarding claim 12, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 12, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the grooves are disposed in an overlapping area of the first pixel definition layer and the second pixel definition layer, and each of the grooves is disposed between the two blue sub-pixels.
Regarding claim 13, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 13, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the grooves are disposed in an overlapping area of the first pixel definition layer and the second pixel definition layer, and each of the grooves are disposed between each of the red sub-pixels and each of the green sub-pixels.
Regarding claims 14-15, the claims are allowable for the reasons given in claim 13 because of their dependency status from claim 13.
Regarding claim 16, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 16, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to an end of the second conductive layer protrudes from the side wall of the first auxiliary layer, and the end of the second conductive layer is in contact with the cathode layer.
Regarding claim 17, the claim is allowable for the reasons given in claim 16 because of their dependency status from claim 16.
Regarding claim 18, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 18, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to the functional layer covers the cathode layer.
Regarding claim 19, the references of Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim 19, and specifically comprising the limitation directed to in a top view direction of the display panel, a shape of the first auxiliary layer comprises a circle or a polygon.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE M. DIAZ whose telephone number is (571)272-9822. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-4:00.
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/JOSE M DIAZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/ANNE M HINES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875