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 .
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. For example, a more descriptive title could be, “DISPLAY APPARATUS WITH INSULATING PIXEL SEPARATION LAYERS BURIED IN TRENCHES OF DIFFERENT INSULATING LAYER”.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 1-14 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102((a)(1) as being anticipated by Park et al. (US 2019/0148476 A1; hereinafter, “Park”).
Regarding claims 1-14, 19 and 20:
re claim 1, Park discloses a display apparatus comprising:
a substrate 110 (Fig. 10 and [0050]) defining a first area (Fig. 5, area comprising PX1 and PX2) and a second area (Fig. 5, area comprising PX3 and PX4), the first area comprising a plurality of first pixel areas (PX1, PX2 in Fig. 5) arranged in a first direction (horizontal) and a second direction (vertical, i.e., all elements in Fig 5 have 2-dimensions) and a plurality of first separation areas GR (in the vertical direction in Fig. 5) disposed between first pixel areas (PX1, PX2 in Fig. 5) of the plurality of first pixel areas disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction (horizontal), and the second area comprising a plurality of second pixel areas (PX3, PX4 in Fig. 5) arranged in the first direction (horizontal) and the second direction (vertical);
a first insulating layer 114 (Fig. 10 and [0085]) disposed on the substrate 110 and having a plurality of first trenches GR (the top horizontal GR in Fig. 5, and note Fig. 10 with [0083]) and a plurality of second trenches GR (the bottom horizontal GR in Fig. 5), the plurality of first trenches being arranged in the first direction (horizontal) and corresponding to boundaries between first pixel areas (PX1, PX2 in Fig. 5) of the plurality of first pixel areas arranged in the first direction and the plurality of first separation areas, the plurality of second trenches being arranged in the first direction (horizontal) and corresponding to boundaries between second pixel areas (PX3, PX4 in Fig. 5) of the plurality of second pixel areas arranged in the first direction;
a plurality of first separation layers 161 (Figs. 5, 10 and [0083]) buried in the plurality of first trenches GR and including a material (organic, [0083]) that is different from a material of the first insulating layer 114 (inorganic, [0085]); and
a plurality of second separation layers 161 (Figs. 5, 10 and [0083]) buried in the plurality of second trenches GR and including a material (organic, [0083]) that is different from the material of the first insulating layer 114 (inorganic, [0085]);
re clam 2, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first length of each of the plurality of first pixel areas (PX1, PX2 in Fig. 5) in the first direction (horizontal) is substantially equal to a second length of each of the plurality of second pixel areas (PX3, PX4 in Fig. 5) in the first direction (horizontal), and wherein a third length (a width of GR in the vertical direction in Fig. 5) of each of the plurality of first separation areas in the first direction (horizontal) is less than the first length (i.e., a horizontal width of PX1, PX2 in Fig. 5);
re clam 3, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first interval between some first separation layers (e.g., a combined width of PX1 and PX2) disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of first separation layers is substantially equal to a second interval between second separation layers (e.g., a combined width of PX3 and PX4) disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of second separation layers, and
wherein a third interval between other first separation layers (e.g., a width of PX1) disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of first separation layers is less than the first interval (e.g., a combined width of PX1 and PX2);
re clam 4, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein first pixel areas (PX1, PX2 in Fig. 5) arranged in the first direction (horizontal) among the plurality of first pixel areas and the plurality of first separation areas GR are alternately arranged in the first direction (Fig. 5), and
wherein second pixel areas (PX3, PX4 in Fig. 5) arranged in the first direction among the plurality of second pixel areas are disposed adjacent to each other, and second pixel areas (PX3, PX4 in Fig. 5) arranged in the second direction among the plurality of second pixel areas are spaced apart from each other (although not shown in Fig. 5, subsequent pixels, e.g., PX5, PX6, that will be below PX3 and PX4 are considered to be part of the second pixel area, wherein the plurality of second pixel areas, e.g., PX3-PX6, are spaced apart in the vertical direction);
re clam 5, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first area further comprises a plurality of second separation areas (i.e., in Fig. 5, the vertical GR between PX1 and PX2 ) disposed between first pixel areas (PX1, PX2 in Fig. 5) adjacent to each other in the second direction (vertical) among the plurality of first pixel areas,
the second area further comprises a plurality of third separation areas (i.e., in Fig. 5, the vertical GR between PX3 and PX4) disposed between second pixel areas (PX3, PX4 in Fig. 5) disposed adjacent to each other in the second direction (vertical) among the plurality of second pixel areas,
the first insulating layer 114 (Fig. 10) further has a plurality of third trenches (i.e., in Fig. 5, the vertical GR between PX1 and PX2 ) and a plurality of fourth trenches (i.e., in Fig. 5, the vertical GR between PX3 and PX4), the plurality of third trenches being arranged in the second direction (vertical) and corresponding to boundaries between the first pixel areas arranged in the second direction among the plurality of first pixel areas and the plurality of second separation
areas, and the plurality of fourth trenches being arranged in the second direction and corresponding to boundaries between the second pixel areas arranged in the second
direction among the plurality of second pixel areas and the plurality of third separation
areas, and the display apparatus further comprises:
a plurality of third separation layers 161 (Figs. 5 and 10) buried in the plurality of third trenches GR and including a material (organic, [0083]) that is different from a material of the first insulating layer 114 (inorganic, [0085]);
and a plurality of fourth separation layers 161 (Figs. 5 and 10) buried in the plurality of fourth trenches GR and including a material (organic, [0083]) that is different from the material of the first insulating layer 114 (inorganic, [0085]);
re clam 6, the display apparatus of claim 5, wherein a first length of each of the plurality of first pixel areas (e.g., horizontal lengths PX1, PX2 in Fig. 5) in the first direction (horizontal) is substantially equal to a second length of each of the plurality of second pixel areas (PX3, PX4 in Fig. 5) in the first direction,
a third length of each of the plurality of first separation areas (i.e., a third length is a horizontal width of the vertical GR between PX1 and PX2 in Fig. 5) in the first direction is less than the first length of each of the plurality of first pixel areas in the first direction (i.e., a width of GR, located between PX1 and PX2, is less than a length of each of PX1 and PX2),
a fourth length (e.g., vertical lengths of PX1, PX2 in Fig. 5) of each of the plurality of first pixel areas in the second direction is substantially equal to a fifth length (e.g., vertical lengths of PX3, PX4 in Fig. 5) of each of the plurality of second pixel areas in the second direction,
a sixth length of each of the plurality of second separation areas (i.e., a sixth length is a horizontal width of the vertical GR between PX3 and PX4 in Fig. 5) in the second direction is less than the fourth length of each of the plurality of first pixel areas in the second direction (i.e., a horizontal width of GR, located between PX3 and PX4, is less than vertical lengths of PX1, PX2 in Fig. 5), and
a seventh length of each of the plurality of third separation areas (i.e., in Fig. 5, the third separation areas are the vertical GR between PX3 and PX4, wherein a seventh length is a horizontal width of the vertical GR) in the second direction is substantially equal to the sixth length of each of the plurality of second separation areas in the second direction (i.e., Fig. 5 shows the width of GR in the vertical direction remains constant);
re clam 7, the display apparatus of claim 5, wherein a first interval between some first separation layers (e.g., a combined width of PX1 and PX2) disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of first separation layers is substantially equal to a second interval between second separation layers (e.g., a combined width of PX3 and PX4) disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of second separation layers, and
a third interval between other first separation layers (e.g., a width of PX1) disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of first separation layers is less than the first interval (e.g., a combined width of PX1 and PX2),
a fourth interval between some third separation layers 161 (in the vertical GR between PX1 and PX2 in Fig. 5 ) disposed adjacent to each other in the second direction among the plurality of third separation layers is substantially equal to a fifth interval between some fourth separation layers disposed adjacent to each other in the second direction among the plurality of fourth separation layers (i.e., in Fig. 5, the pixel areas are equally arranged in a matrix; accordingly, a fourth interval is substantially equal to a fifth interval),
a sixth interval between other third separation layers disposed adjacent to each other in the second direction among the plurality of third separation layers is less than the fourth interval (i.e., a sixth interval can be readily chosen as desired such that it is less than the fourth interval), and
a seventh interval between other fourth separation layers disposed adjacent to each other in the second direction among the plurality of fourth separation layers is substantially equal to the sixth interval (i.e., a seventh interval can be readily chosen as desired such that it is substantially equal to the sixth interval);
re clam 8, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first thickness of each of the plurality of first separation layers in a thickness direction of the substrate is greater than a second thickness of each of the plurality of second separation layers in the thickness direction of the substrate (a first thickness can be readily chosen as desired such that it is greater than a chosen second thickness, i.e., there is no limitations as to what portion(s) may be chosen for each of the first and second thicknesses);
re clam 9, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of first areas and a plurality of second areas are provided, and wherein the plurality of first areas and the plurality of second areas are alternately arranged in the first direction (i.e., there are numerous rows and columns of pixel areas arranged in a matrix, therefore, one can readily choose a plurality of first areas and a plurality of second areas alternately arranged in the first, horizontal direction in Fig. 5);
re clam 10, the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of first pixel circuits (e.g., T1/Cst in Fig. 10) disposed on some second pixel areas among the plurality of second pixel areas;
a plurality of second pixel circuits (e.g., T1/Cst in Fig. 10) disposed on other second pixel areas among the plurality of second pixel areas;
a plurality of first display elements (e.g., OLED in Fig. 10) disposed on the first area and electrically connected to the plurality of first pixel circuits; (NOTE: The comma before the semicolon should be deleted) and
a plurality of second display elements (e.g., OLED in Fig. 10) disposed on the second area and electrically connected to the plurality of second pixel circuits, (NOTE: The second comma should be deleted)
wherein a first interval between first display elements disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of first display elements is substantially equal to a second interval between second display elements disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of second display elements (i.e., in Fig. 5, the interval between PX1/PX2 is substantially equal to the interval between PX3/PX4);
re clam 11, the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of conductive patterns C2 (Fig. 10 and [00127]) disposed between the substrate 110 and the plurality of first separation layers 161 and in contact with the plurality of first separation layers 161 (i.e., C2 is in contact with 161 through element 140; and note that a diagonal line can be drawn from the top of 161 to the substrate 110 such that the diagonal line passes through C2; accordingly, C2 is between 110 and 161);
re clam 12, the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of semiconductor patterns (e.g., A1 in Fig. 10 and [0110]) disposed between the substrate 110 and the plurality of first separation layers 161 and in (at least thermal) contact with the plurality of first separation layers 161;
re clam 13, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first thickness of each of the plurality of first separation layers in a thickness direction of the substrate is substantially equal to a second thickness of each of the plurality of second separation layers in the thickness direction of the substrate (a thickness of 161 in Fig. 10 is the same around the pixel areas, see Fig. 5);
re clam 14, the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of first pixel circuits (e.g., T1/Cst in Fig. 10) disposed on the plurality of second pixel areas;
a plurality of second pixel circuits (e.g., T1/Cst in Fig. 10) disposed on the plurality of second pixel areas;
a plurality of first display elements (e.g., OLED in Fig. 10) disposed on the first area and electrically connected to the plurality of first pixel circuits; and
a plurality of second display elements (e.g., OLED in Fig. 10) disposed on the second area and electrically connected to the plurality of second pixel circuits,
wherein a first interval between first display elements disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of first display elements is substantially equal to a second interval between second display elements disposed adjacent to each other in the first direction among the plurality of second display elements (i.e., in Fig. 5, the interval between PX1/PX2 is substantially equal to the interval between PX3/PX4);
re clam 19, the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first insulating layer 114 (inorganic, [0085]) includes an inorganic material, the plurality of first separation layers 161 (organic, [0083]) include an organic material and the plurality of second separation layers 161 (organic, [0083]) include an organic material; and
re clam 20, the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
a conductive layer 140 (Fig. 10 and [0083]) disposed on the first insulating layer 114; and
a second insulating layer 115 [0102] disposed on the conductive layer 140 and integral with the plurality of first separation layers 161 and the plurality of second separation layers 161 (e.g., 140 and 161 are integrated into the display apparatus).
Therefore, Park anticipates claims 1-14, 19 and 20.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-18 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 15-18 are allowed primarily because the prior art of record cannot anticipate or render obvious the limitations in claim 15 (when combined with claim 1), and claims 16-18 depend from claim 15.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references listed on the attached PTO-892 disclose display apparatuses with separation layers or bending areas with slits, wherein the display apparatuses have some similarity to the display of the current invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEX H MALSAWMA whose telephone number is (571)272-1903. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (4-12 Hours, between 5:30AM-10PM).
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/LEX H MALSAWMA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2892