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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
1. Applicant's election, without traverse, of claims 1, 7, and 8 in the “Response to Restriction Requirement” filed on 06/10/2026 is acknowledged and entered by the Examiner.
This office action consider claims 1-11 pending for prosecution, wherein claims 2-6 and 9-11 are withdrawn from further consideration, and claims 1, 7, and 8 are presented for examination.
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.
Notes: when present, semicolon separated fields within the parenthesis (; ;) represent, for example, as (100; Fig 3A; [0063]) = (element 100; Figure No. 3A; Paragraph No. [0063]). For brevity, the texts “Element”, “Figure No.” and “Paragraph No.” shall be excluded, though; additional clarification notes may be added within each field. The number of fields may be fewer or more than three indicated above. These conventions are used throughout this document.
2. Claims 1 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kasai et al. (US 20200209462 A1; hereinafter Kasai).
Regarding claim 1, Kasai teaches a display panel (see the entire document, specifically Fig. 19B; [0002+], and as cited below), comprising (see alternative rejections for claim 1 below):
a substrate (33; Fig. 19B; [0144]);
a plurality of display units (11; Fig. 19B; [0144-0145]), disposed over the substrate (33; Fig. 19B; [0144]);
an encapsulation layer (15; Fig. 19B; [0145]), disposed over the substrate (33; Fig. 19B; [0144]) and between the plurality of display units (11; Fig. 19B; [0144]); and
a block strip (30; Fig. 19B; [0144]), disposed between the encapsulation layer (15; Fig. 19B; [0145]) and the substrate (33; Fig. 19B; [0144]), and extending along an edge of the substrate (33; Fig. 19B; [0144]).
Applicant should also note that the recitation of “a display panel” has not been given patentable weight because it has been held that a preamble is denied the effect of a limitation where the claim is drawn to a structure and the portion of the claim following the preamble is a self-contained description of the structure not depending for completeness upon the introductory clause. Kropa v. Robie, 88 USPQ 478 (CCPA 1951).
Regarding claim 7, Kasai teaches all of the features of claim 1.
Kasai further teaches wherein a side surface of the substrate (33; Fig. 19B; [0144]), a side surface of the block strip (30; Fig. 19B; [0144]), and a side surface of the encapsulation layer (15; Fig. 19B; [0145]) are substantially aligned with each other.
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.
Notes: when present, semicolon separated fields within the parenthesis (; ;) represent, for example, as (100; Fig 3A; [0063]) = (element 100; Figure No. 3A; Paragraph No. [0063]). For brevity, the texts “Element”, “Figure No.” and “Paragraph No.” shall be excluded, though; additional clarification notes may be added within each field. The number of fields may be fewer or more than three indicated above. These conventions are used throughout this document.
3. Claims 1 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Donofrio et al. (US 20120193649 A1; hereinafter Donofrio).
Regarding claim 1, Donofrio teaches a display panel (see the entire document, specifically Fig. 1+; [0002+], and as cited below), comprising (see alternative rejections for claim 1 above and below):
a substrate (188; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0080]);
a plurality of display units (100; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0080, 0145]), disposed over the substrate (188; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0080]);
an encapsulation layer (140’; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0145]), disposed over the substrate (188; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0080]) and between the plurality of display units (100; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0080, 0145]); and
a block strip (160; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0070, 0080, 0141]), disposed between the encapsulation layer (140’; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0145]) and the substrate (188; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0080]), and extending along an edge of the substrate (188; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0080]).
Applicant should also note that the recitation of “a display panel” has not been given patentable weight because it has been held that a preamble is denied the effect of a limitation where the claim is drawn to a structure and the portion of the claim following the preamble is a self-contained description of the structure not depending for completeness upon the introductory clause. Kropa v. Robie, 88 USPQ 478 (CCPA 1951).
Regarding claim 7, Donofrio teaches all of the features of claim 1.
Donofrio further teaches wherein a side surface of the substrate (188; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0080]), a side surface of the block strip (160; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0070, 0080, 0141]), and a side surface of the encapsulation layer (140’; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0145]) are substantially aligned with each other.
Regarding claim 8, Donofrio teaches all of the features of claim 7.
Donofrio further comprising: a sealing layer (190; Fig. 19; [0145]) covering the side surface of the substrate (188; Fig. 19; [0080]), the side surface of the block strip (160; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0070, 0080, 0141]), and the side surface of the encapsulation layer (140’; Fig. 19 in view of Figs. 14C, 18; [0145]).
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.
Notes: when present, semicolon separated fields within the parenthesis (; ;) represent, for example, as (100; Fig 3A; [0063]) = (element 100; Figure No. 3A; Paragraph No. [0063]). For brevity, the texts “Element”, “Figure No.” and “Paragraph No.” shall be excluded, though; additional clarification notes may be added within each field. The number of fields may be fewer or more than three indicated above. These conventions are used throughout this document.
4. Claims 1 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamada et al. (US 20130037842 A1; hereinafter Yamada).
Regarding claim 1, Yamada teaches a display panel (see the entire document, specifically Fig. 1(a)+; [0002+], and as cited below), comprising (see alternative rejections for claim 1 above):
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a substrate (Substrate; see Annotated Fig. 19, above; [0264]);
a plurality of display units (204; Fig. 19; [0264]), disposed over the substrate (Substrate; see Annotated Fig. 19, above; [0264]);
an encapsulation layer (108; Fig. 19; [0264]), disposed over the substrate (Substrate; see Annotated Fig. 19, above; [0264]) and between the plurality of display units (204; Fig. 19; [0264]); and
a block strip (202d; Fig. 19; [0266, 0270]), disposed between the encapsulation layer (108; Fig. 19; [0264]) and the substrate (Substrate; see Annotated Fig. 19, above; [0264]), and extending along an edge of the substrate (Substrate; see Annotated Fig. 19, above; [0264]).
Applicant should also note that the recitation of “a display panel” has not been given patentable weight because it has been held that a preamble is denied the effect of a limitation where the claim is drawn to a structure and the portion of the claim following the preamble is a self-contained description of the structure not depending for completeness upon the introductory clause. Kropa v. Robie, 88 USPQ 478 (CCPA 1951).
Regarding claim 7, Yamada teaches all of the features of claim 1.
Yamada further teaches wherein a side surface of the substrate (Substrate; see Annotated Fig. 19, above; [0264]), a side surface of the block strip (202d; Fig. 19; [0266, 0270]), and a side surface of the encapsulation layer (108; Fig. 19; [0264]) are substantially aligned with each other.
Regarding claim 8, Yamada teaches all of the features of claim 7.
Yamada further comprising: a sealing layer (Sealing Layer; see Annotated Fig. 19, above; [0264]) covering the side surface of the substrate (Substrate; see Annotated Fig. 19, above; [0264]), the side surface of the block strip (202d; Fig. 19; [0266, 0270]), and the side surface of the encapsulation layer (108; Fig. 19; [0264]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Omar Mojaddedi whose telephone number is 313-446-6582. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m..
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/OMAR F MOJADDEDI/Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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