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 .
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 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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-16 in the reply filed on 3/23/26 is acknowledged.
Claims 17-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/23/26.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 8 and 16 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.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 10-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin et al., US Publication No. 2020/0343315.
Lin anticipates:
1. A display device comprising (see fig. 12; also see figs. 2 and 11):
a substrate (110);
a plurality of pixel electrodes (130) which are disposed above the substrate;
a first insulating layer (PDS) in which a first opening (e.g. opening in PDS) is defined and which is disposed on a pixel electrode of the plurality of pixel electrodes;
an auxiliary electrode (AE) which is disposed on the first insulating layer;
an intermediate layer (132) which is disposed on the pixel electrode and includes a light-emitting layer disposed within the first opening;
a common electrode (134) which is disposed on the intermediate layer; and
a first encapsulating layer (140) which is disposed above the common electrode,
wherein an end portion of the common electrode (134) contacts a side surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE) and is electrically connected to the side surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE), and an end portion (e.g. lower end portions disposed in the openings of PDS) of the first encapsulating layer (140) is disposed at the side surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE) and is disposed lower than an upper surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE). See Lin at para. [0001] – [0067], figs. 1-15.
1. A display device comprising (see fig. 15):
a substrate (110);
a plurality of pixel electrodes (130) which are disposed above the substrate;
a first insulating layer (PDS) in which a first opening (e.g. opening in PDS) is defined and which is disposed on a pixel electrode of the plurality of pixel electrodes;
an auxiliary electrode (AE) which is disposed on the first insulating layer;
an intermediate layer (132) which is disposed on the pixel electrode and includes a light-emitting layer disposed within the first opening;
a common electrode (134) which is disposed on the intermediate layer; and
a first encapsulating layer (140) which is disposed above the common electrode,
wherein an end portion of the common electrode (134) contacts (e.g. through intervening layers) a side surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE) and is electrically connected (e.g. through 620) to the side surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE), and an end portion (e.g. side end portion) of the first encapsulating layer (140) is disposed at the side surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE) and is disposed lower than an upper surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE). See Lin at para. [0001] – [0067], figs. 1-15.
2. The display device of claim 1, further comprising a second encapsulating layer (150) disposed on the first encapsulating layer and the auxiliary electrode,
wherein the second encapsulating layer (150) contacts (e.g. through intervening layers) the upper surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE), fig. 12.
3. The display device of claim 2, wherein the second encapsulating layer (150) contacts (e.g. through intervening layers) a corner portion of the upper surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE), fig. 12.
4. The display device of claim 2, further comprising a third encapsulating layer (210) disposed on the second encapsulating layer,
wherein at least one of the first encapsulating layer (140) and the second encapsulating layer (150) comprises an inorganic material, and the third encapsulating layer comprises an organic material, para. [0052], [0059].
5. The display device of claim 2, wherein the first encapsulating layer comprises an inorganic material, and the second encapsulating layer comprises an organic material, para. [0059].
6. The display device of claim 1, wherein a second opening (e.g. opening between AE) corresponding to the first opening (e.g. opening in PDS) is defined in the auxiliary electrode, and a width of the common electrode (134) disposed within the second opening is greater than a width of the intermediate layer (132) disposed within the second opening, fig. 12, also see figs. 1, 5 and 7.
10. The display device of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary electrode (AE) forms a mesh shape at a display area where the plurality of pixel electrodes is disposed, figs. 1 and 5.
11. A display device comprising (see figs. 12, also see figs. 2 and 15):
a substrate (110);
a plurality of pixel electrodes (130) which are disposed above the substrate;
a first insulating layer (PDS) in which a first opening (e.g. opening in PDS) is defined and which is disposed on a pixel electrode of the plurality of pixel electrodes;
an auxiliary electrode (AE) which is disposed on the first insulating layer;
an intermediate layer (132) which is disposed on the pixel electrode and includes a light-emitting layer disposed within the first opening;
a common electrode (134) which is disposed on the intermediate layer;
a first encapsulating layer (140) which is disposed above the common electrode; and
a second encapsulating layer (150) disposed on the first encapsulating layer and the auxiliary electrode,
wherein an end portion of the common electrode (134) contacts a side surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE) and is electrically connected to the side surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE), and the second encapsulating layer (150) covers the first encapsulating layer (140) and contacts (e.g. through intervening layers) a corner portion of an upper surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE). See Lin at para. [0001] – [0067], figs. 1-15.
12. The display device of claim 11, wherein the second encapsulating layer (150) includes a portion disposed on the upper surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE) and a portion disposed on the first encapsulating layer (140), fig. 12.
Regarding claim 13:
Lin teaches the limitations as applied to claim 4 above.
Regarding claim 14:
Lin teaches the limitations as applied to claim 5 above.
Regarding claim 15:
Lin teaches the limitations as applied to claim 6 above.
Claim(s) 1 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin et al., US Publication No. 2020/0343315.
In an alternative interpretation-
Lin anticipates:
1. A display device comprising (see fig. 12):
a substrate (110);
a plurality of pixel electrodes (130) which are disposed above the substrate;
a first insulating layer (PDS) in which a first opening (e.g. opening in PDS) is defined and which is disposed on a pixel electrode of the plurality of pixel electrodes;
an auxiliary electrode (AE) which is disposed on the first insulating layer;
an intermediate layer (132) which is disposed on the pixel electrode and includes a light-emitting layer disposed within the first opening;
a common electrode (134) which is disposed on the intermediate layer; and
a first encapsulating layer (150) which is disposed above the common electrode,
wherein an end portion of the common electrode (134) contacts a side surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE) and is electrically connected to the side surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE), and an end portion (e.g. lower end portions disposed in the openings of PDS) of the first encapsulating layer (150) is disposed at the side surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE) and is disposed lower than an upper surface of the auxiliary electrode (AE);
further comprising a capping layer (140) disposed between the common electrode (134) and the first encapsulating layer (150). See Lin at para. [0001] – [0067], figs. 1-15.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michele Fan whose telephone number is 571-270-7401. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 7:30 am to 4 pm.
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/Michele Fan/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
20 May 2026
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