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 .
Claim Status
Previous action: claims 1-10, 13, 15-21, and 24 rejected, claim 22 withdrawn
Present action: claims 1-6, 8-10, 13, and 15-21 rejected, claim 22 withdrawn
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.
Rejection Note: Italicized and struck through claim limitations indicate limitations that are not explicitly disclosed in the primary reference, but disclosed in the secondary reference(s).
Claim(s) 1, 4, 15, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Jang (US 2019/0221779) in view of Cho (US 2022/0059805) in view of Lu (US 2021/0397806).
Regarding claim 1.
Jang teaches
Jang teaches:
A display panel, comprising:
a driving backplane (fig 7:130,110; [para 0057]);
a light-emitting layer (fig 7:212; [para 0070]), provided on a side of the driving backplane (fig 7:130,110; [para 0057]) and comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements (fig 7:210; [para 0070]);
a light-condensing layer (fig 7:OL1,OL2; [para 0109]), provided on a side of the light-emitting layer (fig 7:212; [para 0070]) away from the driving backplane (fig 7:130,110; [para 0057]) and having a plurality of micro-lenses (fig 7:LOP; [para 0109]), one of the light-emitting elements (fig 7:210; [para 0070]) being provided to correspond to at least one of the micro-lenses (fig 7:LOP; [para 0109]) in a direction perpendicular to the driving backplane (fig 7:130,110; [para 0057]);
and a light-filtering layer (fig 7:520; [para 0117]), covering the light-condensing layer (fig 7:OL1,OL2; [para 0109]) and comprising a plurality of light-filtering parts (fig 7:520; [para 0117]), one of the light-filtering parts (fig 7:520; [para 0117]) being provided to correspond to one of the light-emitting elements (fig 7:210; [para 0070]) in the direction perpendicular to the driving backplane (fig 7:130,110; [para 0057]), and the light-filtering part (fig 7:520; [para 0117]) covering at least one of the micro-lenses (fig 7:LOP; [para 0109]), wherein a refractive index of each of the light-filtering parts (fig 7:520; [para 0110]) is greater than a refractive index of the light-condensing layer (fig 7:OL1,OL2; [para 0110]), and the micro-lens (fig 7:LOP; [para 0109]) is configured to converge at least a portion of light emitted by a corresponding light-emitting element (fig 7:210; [para 0070]);
wherein the display panel further comprises a touch layer (fig 7:te1,te2; [para 0106]), provided on the side of the light- emitting layer (fig 7:212; [para 0070]) away from the driving backplane (fig 7:130,110; [para 0057]), wherein the touch layer (fig 7:te1,te2; [para 0106])
wherein the electrode layer (fig 7:TE2; [para 0109]) is a mesh structure having a plurality of mesh holes (fig 4b,7; [para 0103]), each of the mesh holes (fig 4b,7; [para 0103]) is surrounded by a plurality of electrode wires (fig 5,7:TE2; [para 0109]), and adjacent mesh holes (fig 4b,7; [para 0103]) share at least one of the electrode wires (fig 5,7:TE2; [para 0109]), .
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Jang does not teach a connection layer
Cho teaches:
a connection layer, comprising a plurality of connection units (fig 5:CP1,CP2; [para 0091]);
an isolation layer (fig 7:403; [para 0125]), covering the connection layer (fig 5:CP1,CP2; [para 0091]);
and an electrode layer (fig 7:CTL2; [para 0125]), provided on a surface of the isolation layer (fig 7:403; [para 0125]) away from the driving backplane (fig 7:210,100; [para 0099]), and comprising a plurality of first touch electrodes (fig 7:CTL2; [para 0125]) extending in a row direction (fig 5:X; [para 0090]) and spaced apart in a column direction (fig 5:Y; [para 0090]), and a plurality of electrode unit groups (fig 5:sp2; [para 0090]) extending in the column direction (fig 5:Y; [para 0090]) and distributed in the row direction (fig 5:X; [para 0090]), wherein each of the electrode unit groups (fig 5:sp2; [para 0090]) comprises a plurality of electrode units (fig 5:sp2; [para 0090]) distributed in the column direction (fig 5:Y; [para 0090]), two adjacent electrode units (fig 5:sp2; [para 0090]) in the same electrode unit group are connected by one of the connection units (fig 5:CP2; [para 0091]), and the same electrode unit group and the connection units connected to the same electrode unit group form a second touch electrode
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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 touch layer, comprising the components of a touch layer in order for the display to be sensitive touch input (paragraph 72).
Jang does not teach a gap between adjacent light filtering parts.
Lu teaches:
wherein any two adjacent light-filtering parts (fig 5,6:520[0042]) are spaced apart from each other through a gap (fig 5,6), and a width of each of the electrode wires (fig 5,6:910[0067]) is smaller than a distance between the any two adjacent light-filtering parts (fig 5,6:520[0042]), so that an orthographic projection (fig 5) of a light-filtering part (fig 5,6:520[0042]) on the driving backplane (fig 6:200[0027]) is within an orthographic projection (fig 5,6) of a mesh hole on the driving backplane (fig 6:200[0027]), and is not overlapped with and in contact with orthographic projections, on the driving backplane (fig 6:200[0027]), of the electrode wires (fig 5,6:910[0067]) surrounding the mesh hole.
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in he art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a gap between light filtering parts in order to improve separation between pixel color filters (paragraph 42).
Regarding claim 4
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu teaches the display panel according to claim 1,
Jang teaches:
the light- condensing layer (fig 7:OL1,OL2; [para 0109]) is used as the isolation layer, and the display panel further comprises: a light-absorbing layer (fig 7:510; [para 0109]), covering at least a portion of the electrode layer (fig 7:TE2; [para 0109])
Lu teaches:
the display panel further comprises: a light-absorbing layer (fig 6:512[0052]), covering at least a portion of the electrode layer (fig 6:910[0067])and separating the light-filtering parts (fig 5,6:520[0042]).
Regarding claim 15
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu teaches the display panel according to claim 1,
Lu teaches:
the light- emitting layer (fig 6:300[0035]) comprises a plurality of light-emitting units distributed in an array (fig 5), each of the light-emitting units comprises at least two light-emitting elements (fig 6:350[0037]) having different light-emitting colors, and a color of any one of the filtering parts (fig 5,6:520[0042]) is the same as the light-emitting color of a corresponding light-emitting element (fig 6:350[0042]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the array to comprise a plurality of different colored LEDs that correspond to different colored filters in order to increase efficiency and improve color purity.
Regarding claim 16.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu teaches the display panel according to claim 1,
Jang teaches:
the light- condensing layer (fig 7:OL1,OL2; [para 0109]) has a plurality of the micro-lenses (fig 7:LOP[0109]) within a range of the light-condensing layer (fig 7:OL1,OL2; [para 0109]) covered by one of the light-filtering parts (fig 7:520; [para 0117]).
Claim(s) 2, 3, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang (US 2019/0221779) in view of Cho (US 2022/0059805) in view of Lu (US 2021/0397806) as applied to claim 1 and further in view of Lim (US 2014/0027725).
Regarding claim 2
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu teaches the display panel according to claim 1, above
Jang teaches:
a light-absorbing layer (fig 7:510; [para 0109]), provided on a surface of the touch layer (fig 7:te1,te2; [para 0106]) away from the driving backplane (fig 7:130,110; [para 0057]), wherein the light-condensing layer (fig 7:OL1,OL2; [para 0109]) covers the touch layer (fig 7:te1,te2; [para 0106]), and an orthographic projection of the light-absorbing layer fig 7:510; [para 0109]) on the driving backplane (fig 7:130,110; [para 0057]) separates orthographic projections of the light-filtering parts (fig 7:520; [para 0117]) on the driving backplane (fig 7:130,110; [para 0057]).
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Jang does not teach the light condensing layer covers the light absorbing layer.
Lim teaches:
the light-condensing layer (fig 2:272; [para 0068]) covers the light-absorbing layer (fig 2:271; [para 0066]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to cover the light absorbing layer with the light condensing layer in order to enable the light condensing layer to be formed using a photoresist method (paragraph 69) without the light absorbing material blocking portions of the irradiation process.
Regarding claim 3
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu in view of Lim teaches the display panel according to claim 2,
Jang teaches:
wherein a light-absorbing layer (fig 7:510; [para 0109]), covering at least a portion of the electrode layer (fig 7:TE2; [para 0109])
Regarding claim 17.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu in view of Lin teaches the display panel according to claim 3, further
Cho teaches:
an encapsulation layer (fig 7:320; [para 0121]), covering the light-emitting layer (fig 7:222b; [para 0118]), wherein the connection layer (fig 5:CP1,CP2; [para 0091]) is provided on a side of the encapsulation layer (fig 7:320; [para 0121]) away from the driving backplane (fig 7:210,100; [para 0098]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an encapsulation layer on the light emitting layer in order to provide protection and a flat surface for subsequent processing.
Claim(s) 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang (US 2019/0221779) in view of Cho (US 2022/0059805) in view of Lu (US 2021/0397806) as applied to claim 1 and further in view of Ikeda (US 2022/0013063)
Regarding claim 5.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu teaches the display panel according to claim 1, above
Jang teaches:
wherein the light-condensing layer (fig 7:OL1,OL2; [para 0109]) covers the electrode layer (fig 7:TE2; [para 0109]), an orthographic projection of the electrode layer (fig 7:TE2; [para 0109]) on the driving backplane (fig 7:110,130; [para 0057]) separates orthographic projections of the light- filtering parts (fig 7:520; [para 0110]) on the driving backplane (fig 7:110,130; [para 0057]), and the electrode layer (fig 7:TE2; [para 0109]) is a conductive structure.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu does not teach the electrode is a light absorbing conductive material.
Ikeda teaches
A display (fig 1:1; [para 0026])
the electrode layer (fig 15:141,142,143; [para 0135]) is a light-absorbing conductive structure (fig 1:141; [para 0135]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the conductive electrode from a light absorbing material in order to reduce glossiness and reflections thereby improving contrast without reducing the electric conductivity of the structure (paragraph 135).
Regarding claim 6.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu teaches the display panel according to claim 1, above
Jang teaches:
The light condensing layer (fig 7:OL1,OL2; [para 0109]) is used as the isolation layer,
Lu teaches:
The electrode layer (fig 5,6:910[0067])separates the light filtering parts (fig 5,6:520[0042])
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu does not teach the electrode is a light absorbing conductive material.
Ikeda teaches
A display (fig 1:1; [para 0026])
the electrode layer (fig 15:141,142,143; [para 0135]) is a light-absorbing conductive structure (fig 1:141; [para 0135]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the conductive electrode from a light absorbing material in order to reduce glossiness and reflections thereby improving contrast without reducing the electric conductivity of the structure (paragraph 135).
Regarding claim 8
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu in view of Ikeda teaches the display panel according to claim 5,
Ikeda teaches:
the electrode layer (fig 15:141,142,143; [para 0135]) comprises a first conductive layer (fig 15:143; [para 0135]), a second conductive layer (fig 15:142; [para 0135]) and a light-absorbing material layer (fig 15:141; [para 0135]), and wherein the second conductive layer (fig 15:142; [para 0135]) covers a surface of the first conductive layer (fig 15:143; [para 0135]) away from the driving backplane (fig 15:3; [para 0033]), and at least a portion of the light-absorbing material layer (fig 15:141; [para 0135]) covers a surface of the second conductive layer (fig 15:142; [para 0135]) away from the driving backplane (fig 15:3; [para 0033]).
Regarding claim 9.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu in view of Ikeda teaches the display panel according to claim 8.
Ikeda teaches:
the light-absorbing material layer (fig 15:141; [para 0135]) covers sidewalls of the first conductive layer (fig 15:143; [para 0135]) and the second conductive layer (fig 15:142; [para 0135]).
Regarding claim 10
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu in view of Ikeda teaches the display panel according to claim 8.
Ikeda teaches:
a material of at least one of the light-absorbing material layer (fig 15:141; [para 0135]) and the first conductive layer (fig 15:143; [para 0135]) is a light-absorbing conductive material ([para 0135]).
Regarding claim 18.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu in view of Ikeda teaches the display panel according to claim 8.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu in view of Ikeda does not teach the electrode layer has a thickness of not less than 0.1 μm and not greater than 0.6 μm.
Given the teaching of the references, it would have been obvious to determine the optimum thickness of the layers involved. See In re Aller, Lacey and Hall (10 USPQ 233-237) It is not inventive to discover optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. Note that the specification contains no disclosure of either the critical nature of the claimed ranges or any unexpected results arising therefrom. Where patentability is said to be based upon particular chosen dimensions or upon another variable recited in a claim, the Applicant must show that the chosen dimensions are critical. In re Woodruff, 919 f.2d 1575,1578, 16 USPQ2d 1934, 1936 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang (US 2019/0221779) in view of Cho (US 2022/0059805) in view of Lu (US 2021/0397806) as applied to claim 1 and further in view of Kim (US 2019/0371866)
Regarding claim 13.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu teaches the display panel according to claim 1, above
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu does not teach the color filter comprises particles
Kim teaches:
the light-filtering part (fig 14:130r; [para 0107]) comprises a base material (fig 14; [para 0107]) and scattering particles (fig 14:3r; [para 0107]) dispersed in the base material (fig 14; [para 0107]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the color filter to comprise particles in order to convert absorbed frequencies to the desired frequencies (paragraph 106).
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang (US 2019/0221779) in view of Cho (US 2022/0059805) in view of Lu (US 2021/0397806) as applied to claim 1 and further in view of Hsiung (US 2003/0020083).
Regarding claim 19.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu teaches the display panel according to claim 1, above
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu does not teach the color filter thickness.
Hsiung teaches:
the light-filtering layer (fig 2:20a; [para 0037]) has a thickness of not less than 1.0 μm and not greater than 6.0 μm (; [para 0037]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to make the color filter 1 to 6 microns thick to ensure that there is sufficient material to remove unwanted light wavelengths.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang (US 2019/0221779) in view of Cho (US 2022/0059805) in view of Lu (US 2021/0397806) in view of Lim (US 2014/0027725) as applied to claim 2 and further in view of Li (US 2017/0242286)
Regarding claim 20.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu in view of Lim teaches the display panel according to claim 2, above.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu does not teach the thickness of the light absorbing layer.
Li teaches:
the light-absorbing layer (fig 4:92; [para 0045]) has a thickness of not less than 0.5 μm and not greater than 2.0 μm ([para 0045]).
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 light absorbing layer o 0.5 to 2.0 um in order to provide sufficient light blocking ability without excessively increasing the thickness of the structure.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang (US 2019/0221779) in view of Cho (US 2022/0059805) in view of Lu (US 2021/0397806) as applied to claim 1 and further in view of Lee (US 2020/0119113)
Regarding claim 21.
Jang in view of Cho in view of Lu teaches the display panel according to claim 1,
Jang in view of Choi in view of Lu does not teach the condensing layer thickness.
Lee teaches:
the light-condensing layer (fig 6:511; [para 0116]) has a thickness of not less than 0.5 μm and not greater than 5.0 μm ([para 0117]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide sufficient thickness to the condensing layer to achieve the necessary convergence angle for the transmitted light.
Given the teaching of the references, it would have been obvious to determine the optimum thickness of the layers involved. See In re Aller, Lacey and Hall (10 USPQ 233-237) It is not inventive to discover optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. Note that the specification contains no disclosure of either the critical nature of the claimed ranges or any unexpected results arising therefrom. Where patentability is said to be based upon particular chosen dimensions or upon another variable recited in a claim, the Applicant must show that the chosen dimensions are critical. In re Woodruff, 919 f.2d 1575,1578, 16 USPQ2d 1934, 1936 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
Response to Arguments
Previously applied rejection under 112 2nd paragraph of 2, 3, 17, and 20 is overcome by amendment and withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 8/28/2026 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference combination applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Newly applied rejection over Jang (US 2019/0221779) in view of Cho (US 2022/0059805) in view of Lu (US 2021/0397806) anticipates the amended claims.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/D.J.G/Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/ANTONIO B CRITE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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