DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/28/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I in the reply filed on 6/17/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 15 and 25 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/17/2026.
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 2-14 and 18-24 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 2 recites the limitation “the other side of the edge of the display area” in lines 7-8 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 2 recites the limitation “the other side of the hole area” in line 8 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “the edge of each of the anode electrodes” in line 5 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “the first common layer” (singular form) in line 20 of the claim, which is indefinite and unclear, because the claim previously introduces “first common layers” (plural form) in line 9 of the claim, and thus it is unclear which specific “first common layer” element is being referenced in the limitation “the first common layer” in line 20 of the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “the light emitting layer” (singular form) in line 20 of the claim, which is indefinite and unclear, because the claim previously introduces “light emitting layers” (plural form) in line 10 of the claim, and thus it is unclear which specific “light emitting layer” element is being referenced in the limitation “the light emitting layer” in line 20 of the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “the anode electrode” (singular form) in line 21 of the claim, which is indefinite and unclear, because the claim previously introduces “anode electrodes” (plural form) in line 3 of the claim, and thus it is unclear which specific “anode electrode” element is being referenced in the limitation “the anode electrode” in line 21 of the claim.
Claim 11 recites the limitation “the side surface of the main layer” in line 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 18 recites the limitation “the other side of the edge of the display area” in line 6 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 18 recites the limitation “the other side of the hole area” in line 7 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation “the edge of each of the anode electrodes” in line 4 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation “the side surface of the cathode connection electrode” in lines 16-17 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation “the first common layer” (singular form) in line 19 of the claim, which is indefinite and unclear, because the claim previously introduces “first common layers” (plural form) in line 8 of the claim, and thus it is unclear which specific “first common layer” element is being referenced in the limitation “the first common layer” in line 19 of the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation “the light emitting layer” (singular form) in line 19 of the claim, which is indefinite and unclear, because the claim previously introduces “light emitting layers” (plural form) in line 9 of the claim, and thus it is unclear which specific “light emitting layer” element is being referenced in the limitation “the light emitting layer” in line 19 of the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation “the anode electrode” (singular form) in line 20 of the claim, which is indefinite and unclear, because the claim previously introduces “anode electrodes” (plural form) in line 2 of the claim, and thus it is unclear which specific “anode electrode” element is being referenced in the limitation “the anode electrode” in line 20 of the claim.
Claim 23 recites the limitation “the side surface of the main layer” in line 6 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 23 recites the limitation “the main layer” in line 6 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 24 recites the limitation “the first sealing layer” in line 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Note the dependent claims 3-14 and 19-24 necessarily inherit the indefiniteness of the claims on which they depend.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 16-17 are allowed.
Regarding independent claim 1, Figures 1-11A of Yang et al. (US 2024/0188359 A1, hereinafter “Yang”) disclose a display device, comprising:
a substrate 10 (“substrate”- ¶0042) including a display area DA (“display area”- ¶0041) in which emission areas (i.e., pixels- ¶0115) are disposed, a non-display area proximate to the display area DA, a hole area TA (“light-transmitting area”- ¶0041, which includes a hole 11) at least partially surrounded by the display area DA, and a hole peripheral area disposed between the hole area TA and the display area DA;
a circuit layer 13 (“circuit portion”- ¶0042) disposed on the substrate 10;
a light emitting element layer 15 (“light-emitting element portion”- ¶0042) disposed on the circuit layer 13 and including light emitting elements disposed within the emission areas (¶0115);
a through hole 11 (“first opening”- ¶0054) disposed on the hole area and passing through the substrate 10; and
sealing auxiliary units ST1-ST3 (“protruding” pattern(s)- ¶0134) disposed in the hole peripheral area and at least partially surrounding an edge of the hole area TA,
wherein the circuit layer 13 comprises:
pixel drivers (i.e., transistors- ¶0045) electrically connected to the light emitting elements; and
data lines DL (“data lines”- ¶0150) transmitting data signals to the pixel drivers (¶0044).
Yang does not expressly disclose wherein hole intersection data lines, among the data lines, cross the hole area and the hole peripheral area, and each of the hole intersection data lines include a hole bypass unit disposed in the hole peripheral area, and wherein the hole bypass unit of the hole intersection data lines overlap the sealing auxiliary units.
Thus, regarding independent claim 1, the claim is allowed, because the prior art of record including Yang, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including, but not limited to, “wherein hole intersection data lines, among the data lines, cross the hole area and the hole peripheral area, and each of the hole intersection data lines include a hole bypass unit disposed in the hole peripheral area” and “wherein the hole bypass unit of the hole intersection data lines overlap the sealing auxiliary units”.
Regarding independent claim 16, Figures 1-11B of Yang disclose a display device, comprising:
a substrate 10 (“substrate”- ¶0042) including a display area DA (“display area”- ¶0041) in which emission areas (i.e., pixels- ¶0115) are disposed, a non-display area at least partially surrounding the display area DA, a hole area TA (“light-transmitting area”- ¶0041, which includes a hole 11) at least partially surrounded by the display area DA, and a hole peripheral area disposed between the hole area TA and the display area DA;
a circuit layer 13 (“circuit portion”- ¶0042) disposed on the substrate 10;
a light emitting element layer 15 (“light-emitting element portion”- ¶0042) disposed on the circuit layer 13 and including light emitting elements disposed within the emission areas (¶0115);
a through hole 11 (“first opening”- ¶0054) disposed on the hole area TA and passing through the substrate 10; and
sealing auxiliary units ST1-ST3 (“protruding” pattern(s)- ¶0134) disposed in the hole peripheral area, at least partially surrounding an edge of the hole area TA, and stacked in an undercut structure,
wherein the circuit layer 13 comprises:
pixel drivers (i.e., transistors- ¶0045) electrically connected to the light emitting elements;
data lines DL (“data lines”- ¶0150, including GP1) transmitting data signals to the pixel drivers (¶0044);
a via layer TE1 (“through electrode”- ¶0151) covering the data lines DL; and
an auxiliary insulating layer 110 (“planarization layer”- ¶0111) disposed in the hole peripheral area, covering the via layer TE1.
Yang does not expressly disclose the sealing auxiliary units including metal layers, the auxiliary insulating layer including an inorganic insulating material, wherein the data lines include hole intersection data lines crossing the hole area and the hole peripheral area, wherein each of the hole intersection data lines include a hole bypass unit disposed in the hole peripheral area, and wherein the sealing auxiliary units are disposed on the auxiliary insulating layer and overlap the hole bypass units of the hole intersection data lines.
Thus, regarding independent claim 16, the claim is allowed, because the prior art of record including Yang, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including, but not limited to, “sealing auxiliary units… including metal layers”, “the auxiliary insulating layer… including an inorganic insulating material”, “wherein the data lines include hole intersection data lines crossing the hole area and the hole peripheral area”, “wherein each of the hole intersection data lines include a hole bypass unit disposed in the hole peripheral area”, and “wherein the sealing auxiliary units are disposed on the auxiliary insulating layer and overlap the hole bypass units of the hole intersection data lines”.
Claim 17 is allowed as being dependent on allowed claim 16.
Claims 2-14 and 18-24 (which depend from allowed claims 1 and 16, respectively) would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Cho et al. (US 2024/0215388 A1), which discloses a display device comprising sealing auxiliary units surrounding a through hole.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAY C CHANG whose telephone number is (571)272-6132. The examiner can normally be reached Mon- Fri 12pm-10pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eliseo Ramos-Feliciano can be reached at (571)-272-7925. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAY C CHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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