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 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.
Claims 1, 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yue et al (US Publication No. 2022/0302229) in view of Nakatani (US Publication No. 2013/0234126).
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Regarding claim 1, Yue discloses a display apparatus comprising: a first light-emitting device Fig 22, a second light-emitting device Fig 22, a first insulating layer Fig 22, PDL, a first coloring layer Fig 22, CFB1, and a second coloring layer Fig 22, CFB2, wherein the first light-emitting device comprises a first pixel electrode Fig 22, AD, a first EL layer Fig 22, EL over the first pixel electrode Fig 22, AD, and a common electrode Fig 22, CD over the first EL layer Fig 22, EL, wherein the second light-emitting device comprises a second pixel electrode Fig 22, AD, a second EL layer Fig 22, EL over the second pixel electrode Fig 22, AD, and the common electrode Fig 22, CD over the second EL layer Fig 22, EL, wherein the first coloring layer Fig 22, CFB1 overlaps with the first light-emitting device, wherein the second coloring layer Fig 22, CFB 2 overlaps with the second light-emitting device, wherein the second coloring layer and the first coloring layer transmit light of different colors ¶0071, wherein the first EL layer and the second EL layer have the same structure and are separated from each other Fig 22, wherein the first insulating layer Fig 22, PDL covers side surfaces of the first pixel electrode Fig 22, AD, the second pixel electrode Fig 22, AD, the first EL layer Fig 22, EL, and the second EL layer Fig 22, EL, and wherein the common electrode Fig 22, CD is positioned over the first insulating layer Fig 22, PDL. Yue discloses all the limitations but silent on the arrangement of the end portion of the EL relative to the pixel electrode. Whereas Nakatani discloses wherein an end portion of the first EL layer Fig 1C, 710 is positioned over the first pixel electrode Fig 1B/1C, 600, wherein an end portion of the second EL layer Fig 1C, 720 is positioned over the second pixel electrode Fig 1B/1C, 610. Yue and Nakatani are analogous art because they are directed display device and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Yue because they are from the same field of endeavor. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill of the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yue and incorporate the teachings of Nakatani as an alternative arrangement for ease in manufacturing.
Regarding claim 5, Yue discloses wherein the first EL layer comprises a first light-emitting material emitting blue light and a second light-emitting material emitting light with a longer wavelength than blue light ¶0067.
Regarding claim 6, Yue discloses wherein the first insulating layer is in contact with the side surface of the first pixel electrode and the side surface of the second pixel electrode Fig 22.
Regarding claim 7, Yue discloses display module comprising: the display apparatus according to any one of claims claim 1; and at least one of a connector and an integrated circuit ¶0032 and 0135 Fig 22.
Regarding claim 8, Yue discloses an electronic device comprising: the display module according to claim 7; and at least one of a housing, a battery, a camera, a speaker, and a microphone¶0032 and 0135.
Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yue et al (US Publication No. 2022/0302229) in view of Nakatani (US Publication No. 2013/0234126) and in further view of Sugisawa et al (US Publication No. 2014/0284576).
Regarding claim 2, Yue discloses all the limitations but silent on the a charge generation layer. Whereas Sugisawa discloses wherein the first EL layer comprises a first light-emitting unit over the first pixel electrode, a first charge-generation layer over the first light-emitting unit, and a second light-emitting unit over the first charge-generation layer, and wherein the second EL layer comprises a third light-emitting unit over the second pixel electrode, a second charge-generation layer over the third light-emitting unit, and a fourth light-emitting unit over the second charge-generation layer Fig 11 ¶0154-0160. Yue and Sugisawa are analogous art because they are directed display device and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Yue because they are from the same field of endeavor. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill of the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yue and incorporate the teachings of Sugisawa to improve device performance.
Regarding claim 4, Sugisawa discloses wherein the first light-emitting device comprises a common layer between the first EL layer and the common electrode, wherein the second light-emitting device comprises the common layer between the second EL layer and the common electrode, and wherein the common layer comprises at least one of a hole-injection layer, a hole-transport layer, a hole-blocking layer, an electron-blocking layer, an electron- transport layer, and an electron-injection layer Fig 11 ¶0154-0164.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yue et al (US Publication No. 2022/0302229) and Nakatani (US Publication No. 2013/0234126) and in further view of Endo et al (US Publication No. 2012/0274239).
Regarding claim 3, Yue discloses all the limitations but silent on the type of insulating layer. Whereas Endo discloses comprising a second insulating layer, wherein the first insulating layer comprises an inorganic material, and wherein the second insulating layer comprises an organic material and overlaps with the side surfaces of the first pixel electrode, the second pixel electrode, the first EL layer, and the second EL layer with the first insulating layer therebetween¶0118-0124 Fig 2I-2O and Fig 5A-5E. Yue and Endo are analogous art because they are directed display device and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Yue because they are from the same field of endeavor. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill of the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yue and incorporate the teachings of Endo to provide an alternative material since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416 (1960).
Claims 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yue et al (US Publication No. 2022/0302229) in view of Endo et al (US Publication No. 2012/0274239).
Regarding claim 9, Yue discloses a method for fabricating a display apparatus, comprising: forming a first pixel electrode Fig 22, AD and a second pixel electrode Fig 22, AD over an insulating surface Fig 22, PLN; forming an EL film Fig 22, EL over the first pixel electrode Fig 22, AD and the second pixel electrode Fig 22, AD; forming a first insulating film Fig 22, PDL covering at least a side surface of the first pixel electrode, a side surface of the second pixel electrode Fig 22, a side surface of the first EL layer, a side surface of the second EL layer Fig 22, forming a common electrode Fig 22, CD over the first EL layer Fig 22, EL and the second EL layer Fig 22, EL; and placing, over the common electrode Fig 22,CD, a first coloring layer Fig 22, CFB1 overlapping with the first EL layer Fig 22, EL and a second coloring layer Fig 22, CFB2 overlapping with the second EL layer Fig 22, EL. Yue discloses all the limitations but silent on the sacrificial layer. Whereas Endo discloses forming a sacrificial film Fig 2D, 30/40 or Fig 5B, 30/60/40 over the EL film Fig 2D, 22; processing the EL film and the sacrificial film to form a first EL layer having an end portion over the first pixel electrode Fig 2G, a first sacrificial layer over the first EL layer, a second EL layer having an end portion over the second pixel electrode, and a second sacrificial layer Fig 2H over the second EL layer; forming a first insulating film Fig 2I and Fig 2J covering at least a side surface of the first pixel electrode, a side surface of the second pixel electrode Fig 2I-2O, a side surface of the first EL layer, a side surface of the second EL layer Fig 2I-2O, a side surface and a top surface of the first sacrificial layer, and a side surface and a top surface of the second sacrificial layer; processing the first insulating film to form a first insulating layer covering at least the side surface of the first pixel electrode, the side surface of the second pixel electrode, the side surface of the first EL layer, and the side surface of the second EL layer; removing the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer Fig 2I-2O. Yue and Endo are analogous art because they are directed display device and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Yue because they are from the same field of endeavor. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill of the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yue and incorporate the teachings of Endo to provide an alternative patterning method to form the emitting layer.
Regarding claim 10, Endo discloses forming the first insulating film using an inorganic material ¶0118; forming a second insulating film using an organic material over the first insulating film after the first insulating film is formed; and processing the second insulating film to form a second insulating layer overlapping with the side surfaces of the first pixel electrode, the second pixel electrode, the first EL layer, and the second EL layer with the first insulating film therebetween ¶0118-0124 Fig 2I-2O and Fig 5A-5E.
Regarding claim 11, Endo discloses wherein a photosensitive resin is used as the organic material ¶0101.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yue et al (US Publication No. 2022/0302229) in view of Endo et al (US Publication No. 2012/0274239) and in further view of Sugisawa et al (US Publication No. 2014/0284576).
Regarding claim 12, Yue discloses all the limitations but silent on the type of insulating layer. Whereas Sugisawa discloses forming at least one of a hole-injection layer, a hole-transport layer, a hole- blocking layer, an electron-blocking layer, an electron-transport layer, and an electron- injection layer as a common layer over the first EL layer and the second EL layer, before the common electrode is formed Fig 11 ¶0154-0164. Yue and Sugisawa are analogous art because they are directed display device and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Yue because they are from the same field of endeavor. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill of the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yue and incorporate the teachings of Sugisawa to improve device performance.
Conclusion
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/CHRISTINE A ENAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2811