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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al (US PG Pub. No. 2023/0411568).
Regarding Claim 1, .Lee discloses, at least in figure 11 (figure 11 is upside down from applicant’s claims, please adjust): A display panel (title) comprising at least one light-emitting unit package (abstract), wherein the at least one light-emitting unit package comprises: a transparent substrate (OC, ¶ [0229], lists transparent materials such as silica); a light shielding layer (BNK2, ¶ [0207], black pigment) disposed on a first side (top) of the transparent substrate (OC), the light shielding layer (BNK2) comprises a plurality of first openings (SPXL1), a plurality of second openings (SPXL2), and a plurality of third openings (SPXL3)(¶ [0092]); a quantum dot layer (QD,¶ [0090]) disposed on the first side (top) of the transparent substrate (OC), the quantum dot layer (QD) comprises a plurality of first quantum dot units (QD1) and a plurality of second quantum dot units (QD2), each of the plurality of first quantum dot units (QD1) is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality (this is a display device with thousands of sub-pixels) of first openings (SPXL1); and each of the plurality of second quantum dot units (QD2) is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of second openings (SPXL2); a light-emitting unit layer (LD, ¶ [0090]) disposed on one side of the quantum dot layer (QD) away from the transparent substrate (OC), the light-emitting unit layer (LD) comprises a plurality (two of each shown in fig. 11) of first light-emitting units (LD left), a plurality of second light-emitting units (LD center), and a plurality of third light-emitting units (LD right) with a same light-emitting color (¶ [0092]), each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (LD left), each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (LD center), and each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (LD right) are disposed corresponding to each of the plurality of first openings (SPXL1), each of the plurality of second openings (SPXL2), and each of the plurality of third openings (SPXL3), respectively.
Regarding Claim 10, Lee discloses in figure 10: wherein the light-emitting unit (LD) package further comprises an insulating layer (VIA, ¶ [0176], siO2 is an insulating material) disposed on one side (bottom)of the light-emitting unit layer (LD) away from the transparent substrate (top sub, see fig. 11) (OC), and a wiring layer (PCL. ¶ [0087]) disposed on one side of the insulating layer (VIA) away from the transparent substrate (OC), wherein the insulating layer (VIA) is provided with at least one hole at a position corresponding to each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (figure 10 shows only one sub-pixel; each of the 3 sub-pixels of fig. 11 would have a contact hole as shown in fig. 10), at least one hole at a position corresponding to each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (LD center), and at least one hole at a position corresponding to each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (LD right), and the wiring layer comprises a plurality of electrode units (ALE1-3, ¶ [0140]) each of the plurality of electrode units (ALE1-3( is electrically connected to each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (LD left), each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (LD center), or each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (LD right) through the at least one hole (¶[0142])
Regarding Claim 11, Lee (568) discloses in figure 11: wherein the display panel (PNL) further comprises a driving substrate (PCL, ¶ [0087]), the at least one light-emitting unit package (LD) is disposed on one side of the driving substrate (PCL) in an array (¶ [0159]), they include multiple electrodes and transistors in an orderly fashion (array)), and the transparent substrate (OC) is disposed on one side of the light-emitting unit layer (LD) away from the driving substrate (PCL).
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Claim(s) 1 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al (US PG Pub. No. 2023/0240098).
Regarding Claim 1, Lee (098) discloses, at least in figure 10 (fig. 10 is upside down from applicant’s claims, please adjust so 600 is on the bottom), A display panel (1,¶ [0183]) comprising at least one light-emitting unit package (¶ [0184], line 1), wherein the at least one light-emitting unit package comprises: a transparent substrate (600, ¶ [0114], light goes through it); a light shielding layer (500, ¶ [0072], opaque black resin) disposed on a first side (top) of the transparent substrate (600), the light shielding layer (500) comprises a plurality of first openings (OP1), a plurality of second openings (OP2), and a plurality (this is a display device with thousands of sub-pixels) of third openings (OP3)(¶ [0073]); a quantum dot layer (561/563/565, ¶ [0073]) disposed on the first side (top) of the transparent substrate (600), the quantum dot layer comprises a plurality of first quantum dot units (561) and a plurality of second quantum dot units (563), each of the plurality of first quantum dot units (561) is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of first openings (OP1); and each of the plurality of second quantum dot units (563) is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of second openings (OP2); a light-emitting unit layer (EA, ¶ [0198]) disposed on one side of the quantum dot layer (561/563/565) away from the transparent substrate (600), the light-emitting unit layer (EA) comprises a plurality of first light-emitting units (EA1), a plurality of second light-emitting units (EA2,¶ [0199]), and a plurality of third light-emitting units (EA3, ¶ [0200]) with a same light-emitting color (¶ [0092], all blue) each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (EA1), each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (EA2), and each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (EA3) are disposed corresponding to each of the plurality of first openings (OP1), each of the plurality of second openings (OP2), and each of the plurality of third openings (OP3), respectively.
Regarding Claim 12, Lee (098) discloses in figure 10: (figure 10 is upside down from applicant’s claims, please adjust) a display device (title) comprising a display panel (¶ [0025]), the display panel comprises at least one light-emitting unit package ([0003]), wherein the at least one light-emitting unit package comprises: a transparent substrate (600); a light shielding layer (500) disposed on a first side of the transparent substrate (600), the light shielding layer (500) comprises a plurality of first openings (OP1), a plurality of second openings (OP2), and a plurality of third openings (OP3); a quantum dot layer (561/563/565) disposed on a first side of the transparent substrate (600), the quantum dot layer (561/563/565) comprises a plurality of first quantum dot units and a plurality of second quantum dot units (¶ [0073]), each of the plurality of first quantum dot units (in 561) is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of first openings (OP1); and each of the plurality of second quantum dot unit (563) is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of second openings (OP2); a light-emitting unit layer (EA) disposed on one side of the quantum dot layer (561/563/565) away from the transparent substrate (600), the light-emitting unit layer (EA) comprises a plurality of first light-emitting units (EA1), a plurality of second light-emitting units (EA2), and a plurality of third light-emitting units (EA3, ¶ [0198]) with a same light-emitting color (¶ [0068]),
each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (EA1), each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (EA2), and each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (EA3) are disposed corresponding to each of the plurality of first openings (OP1), each of the plurality of second openings (OP2), and each of the plurality of third openings (OP3), respectively.
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.
Claim(s) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (568) in view of Baeck et al (US PG Pub. No. 2024/0063347).
Regarding Claim 8, Lee (568) fails to disclose: wherein one side of each of the plurality of first quantum dot units (QD1) away from the transparent substrate (OC) and one side of each of the plurality of second quantum dot units (QD2) away from the transparent substrate (OC) are convex.
Baeck teaches, in figure 9c, first and second quantum dot layers (610 and 620, ¶ [0078]) that are curved
In paragraph [0187] Baeck discloses that the shape of the top surface, concave or convex depends on the amount of material sprayed on (convex not shown).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide a convex upper surface of the quantum dot layers of Lee, as taught by Baeck, when6 a larger amount of material is sprayed on.
Claim(s) 2, 5, 9, 13, 16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (098).
Regarding Claim 2, Lee (098) discloses in figure 10: wherein the light-emitting unit package further comprises: a color filter layer (583, ¶ [123) ) disposed between the transparent substrate (600, ¶ [0093], light is emitted thru it) and the quantum dot layer ((561/563/565)), the color filter layer (583) comprises a plurality of first color filter units (583, extreme left) and a plurality of second color filter units (second from left), each of the plurality (each sub-pixel has one) of first color filter units (583 [0091]) is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of first openings (OP1), and each of the plurality of second color filter units ((583, 2nd from left)) is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of second openings (OP2); and a transparent (light has to go thru it) adhesive layer (400, ¶ [0071], epoxy6) disposed on one side (top) of the quantum dot layer (561/563/565) away from the transparent substrate (600), the transparent adhesive layer (400) comprises a plurality of first transparent adhesive units, a plurality of second transparent adhesive units and a plurality of third transparent adhesive units, each of the plurality of first transparent adhesive units is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of first openings (OP1), each of the plurality of second transparent adhesive units is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of second openings (OP2), each of the plurality of third transparent adhesive units is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of third openings (OP3), and the light-emitting unit layer (EA) is disposed on one side of the transparent adhesive layer (400) away from the transparent substrate (600) and is fixedly connected with the light shielding layer (500) through the transparent adhesive layer(400). (Paragraph [0182] discloses that layer 595 may be omitted. In such case, the adhesive layer would be in direct contact with light shielding layer (500).
Lee (098) fails to disclose first, second and third adhesive units (it is one continuous layer). However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to divide the adhesive layer into three parts, one for each opening, as claimed, since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Nerwin v. Erlichman, 168 USPQ 177, 179.
Regarding Claim 5, Lee discloses in claim 2 above: wherein the color filter layer (583) further comprises a plurality of third color filter units (583, 3rd from left), each of the plurality of third color filter units is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of third openings (OP3) and is disposed between each of the plurality of third transparent adhesive units (400) and the transparent substrate (600).
Regarding Claim 9,Lee discloses in figure 10: wherein a distance between a surface (top) of the transparent adhesive layer (400)away from the transparent substrate (600) and the transparent substrate (600) is a first distance, and a distance between a surface (bottom) of the light shielding layer (500) away from the transparent substrate (600) and the transparent substrate (600) is a second distance; wherein, the first distance is equal to the second distance (Lee098 discloses in paragraph 176 that layer 595 can be omitted; in such case, the distances are the same).
, and each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (EA-1), each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (EA-2), and each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (EA-3) are disposed outside each of the plurality of first openings (OP1), each of the plurality of second openings (OP2), and each of the plurality of third openings (OP3), respectively;
or, the first distance is less than the second distance, a portion of each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (LD left) is disposed in each of the plurality of first openings (OP1), and a remaining portion of each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (LD left) is disposed outside each of the plurality of first openings (OP1); a portion of each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (LD center) is disposed in each of the plurality of second openings (OP2), and a remaining portion of each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (LD center) is disposed outside each of the plurality of second openings (OP2); and a portion of each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (LD right) is disposed in each of the plurality of third openings (OP3), and a remaining portion of each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (LD right) is disposed outside each of the plurality of third openings (OP3);
(this is considered to be applicable, only if the first distance is less than the second distance, the distances are the same).
or, the first distance is less than the second distance, each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (LD left) is disposed in each of the plurality of first openings (OP1), each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (LD center) is disposed in each of the plurality of second openings (OP2), and each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (LD right) is disposed in each of the plurality of third openings (OP3).
(this is considered to be applicable, only if the first distance is less than the second distance, the distances are the same).
Regarding Claim 13, Lee (098) discloses in figure 10: wherein the light-emitting unit package further comprises: a color filter layer (581/583, [0123]) disposed between the transparent substrate (600) and the quantum dot layer (561/563/565) the color filter layer (581/583) comprises a plurality (this is a display panel with thousands of sub-pixels needing color filters) of first color filter units (581) and a plurality of second color filter units (583) each of the plurality of first color filter units (581) is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of first openings (OP1), and each of the plurality of second color filter units (583)) is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of second openings (OP2); and a transparent adhesive layer (400) disposed on one side (bottom) of the quantum dot layer (561/563/565) away from the transparent substrate (600), , and the light-emitting unit layer (EA) is disposed on one side of the transparent adhesive layer (400) away from the transparent substrate (600) and is fixedly connected with the light shielding layer through the transparent adhesive layer. (Paragraph [0182] discloses that layer 595 may be omitted. In such case, the adhesive layer would be in direct contact with light shielding layer (500).)
the transparent adhesive layer comprises a plurality of first transparent adhesive units, a plurality of second transparent adhesive units and a plurality of third transparent adhesive units, each of the plurality of first transparent adhesive units is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of first openings , each of the plurality of second transparent adhesive units is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of second openings , each of the plurality of third transparent adhesive units is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of third openings.
Lee (098) fails to disclose first, second and third adhesive units (it is one continuous layer).
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to divide the adhesive layer into three parts, one for each opening, as claimed, since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Nerwin v. Erlichman, 168 USPQ 177, 179.
Regarding Claim 16, Lee (098) discloses: wherein the color filter layer (583) further comprises a plurality of third color filter units (583), each of the plurality of third color filter units (583) is correspondingly disposed in each of the plurality of third openings (OP3) and is disposed between each of the plurality (for each pixel of the thousands of pixels) of third transparent adhesive units (as in claim 13) and the transparent substrate (600).
Regarding Claim 20, Lee discloses in figure 10: wherein a distance between a surface (top) of the transparent adhesive layer (400) away from the transparent substrate (600) and the transparent substrate (600) is a first distance, and a distance between a surface (bottom) of the light shielding layer (500) away from the transparent substrate (600) and the transparent substrate (600) is a second distance; wherein, the first distance is equal to the second distance (Paragraph ¶ [0176] discloses that layer (595) may be omitted. In such case the distances would be the same and each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (EA-1), each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (EA-2), and each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (EA-3) are disposed outside each of the plurality of first openings (OP1), each of the plurality of second openings (OP2), and each of the plurality of third openings (OP3), respectively;
or, the first distance is less than the second distance, a portion of each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (LD left) is disposed in each of the plurality of first openings (OP1), and a remaining portion of each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (LD left) is disposed outside each of the plurality of first openings (OP1); a portion of each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (LD center) is disposed in each of the plurality of second openings (OP2), and a remaining portion of each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (LD center) is disposed outside each of the plurality of second openings (OP2); and a portion of each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (LD right) is disposed in each of the plurality of third openings (OP3), and a remaining portion of each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (LD right) is disposed outside each of the plurality of third openings (OP3);
(this is considered to be applicable, only if the first distance is less than the second distance, the distances are the same).
or, the first distance is less than the second distance, each of the plurality of first light-emitting units (LD left) is disposed in each of the plurality of first openings (OP1), each of the plurality of second light-emitting units (LD center) is disposed in each of the plurality of second openings (OP2), and each of the plurality of third light-emitting units (LD right) is disposed in each of the plurality of third openings (OP3).
(this is considered to be applicable, only if the first distance is less than the second distance; the distances are the same)
Claim(s) 3 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (098) in view of Dong et al (US PG Pub. No. 2020/0335575).
Regarding Claim 3, Lee (098) fails to disclose: wherein the transparent adhesive layer (400) comprises a base material, and a material of the base material is hot melt adhesive.
Dong teaches, in an OLED (¶ [0003]) using a hot melt adhesive for fixing (¶ [0147]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use a holt melt adhesive for fixing in the device of Lee, as suggested by Dong, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice, In re Leshin,125USPQ 416.
Regarding Claim 14, Lee (098) fails to disclose: wherein the transparent adhesive layer (400) comprises a base material, and a material of the base material is hot melt adhesive.
Dong teaches, in an OLED (¶ [0003]) using a hot melt adhesive for fixing (¶ [0147]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use a holt melt adhesive for fixing in the device of Lee, as suggested by Dong, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice, In re Leshin,125USPQ 416.
Claim(s) 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (098) in view of Dong (575) and further in view of Yang (US PG Pub. No 2020/0203320).
Regarding Claim 4, Lee (098) fails to disclose: wherein the transparent adhesive layer further comprises light scattering particles doped in the base material.
Yang teaches using light scattering particles in an adhesive layer so that light is dispersed uniformly (¶ [0034], since light is passing thru it, it is transparent).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to place light scattering particles in the adhesive layer of Lee (098), as taught by Yang, so that light is dispersed uniformly.
Claim(s) 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (098) in view of Baek (347).
Regarding Claim 19, Lee (098) fails to disclose: wherein one side of each of the plurality of first quantum dot units (561) and one side of each of the plurality of second quantum dot units (563) away from the transparent substrate (600) are convex.
Baeck teaches, in figure 9c, first and second quantum dot layers (610 and 620, ¶ [0078]) that are curved.
In paragraph [0187] Baeck discloses that the shape of the top surface, concave or convex depends on the amount of material sprayed on (convex not shown).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to provide a convex upper surface of the quantum dot layers of Lee, as taught by Baeck, when a larger amount of material is sprayed on.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7, 15 and 17-18 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.
Regarding Claims 6 and 17, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in Claims 6 and 17, and specifically comprising the limitation of “each of the plurality of lens units is disposed between each of the plurality of third transparent adhesive units and each of the plurality of third color filter units, wherein one side of each of the plurality of lens units away from the transparent substrate is convex” including the remaining limitations.
Claims 7 and 18 are allowable, at least, because of their dependencies on claims 6 and 17, respectively.
Regarding Claim 15, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in Claim 15, and specifically comprising the limitation of “wherein the transparent adhesive layer further comprises light scattering particles doped in the base material” including the remaining limitations
Examiner Note: The base is “holt melt adhesive”, see claim 14.
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/DONALD L RALEIGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875