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 .
This is a Final office action based on application 18/569,342 in response to reply filed June 3, 2026. Claims 1, 3-4, & 6 are currently pending and have been considered below.
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.
Claim(s) 1 & 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Defranco (Pre-Grant Publication 2017/0256754).
Regarding claim 1, Defranco discloses a display apparatus comprising:
a first insulating layer (Fig. 3a & 10b, 203);
a first conductive layer (210) provided in an opening of the first insulating layer;
a first EL layer (Fig. 7, 440) over the first conductive layer and the first insulating layer;
a second insulating layer (Fig. 10b, 495) which is in contact with a side surface of the first EL layer and a top surface of the first insulating layer; and
a second conductive layer (Fig. 10b, 242) over the first EL layer and the second insulating layer, and
wherein the first insulating layer is in contact with a side surface of the first conductive layer and is not in contact with a top surface of the first conductive layer (Fig. 10b).
Regarding claim 4, Defranco discloses a display apparatus comprising:
a first light-emitting element;
a second light-emitting element arranged to be adjacent to the first light-emitting element;
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a first insulating layer (203); and
a second insulating layer (495),
wherein the first light-emitting element comprises a first conductive layer (210) provided in a first opening of the first insulating layer,
a first EL layer (440) over the first conductive layer and the first insulating layer, and a common electrode (242) over the first EL layer,
wherein the second light-emitting element comprises a second conductive layer (220) provided in a second opening of the first insulating layer, a second EL layer (442) over the second conductive layer and the first insulating layer, and the common electrode (242) over the second EL layer,
wherein the second insulating layer is in contact with a side surface of the first EL layer (440), a side surface of the second EL layer (442), and a top surface of the first insulating layer,
wherein the common electrode (242) is provided over the second insulating layer and comprises a third region overlapping with the second insulating layer (Fig. 10b),
wherein the first insulating layer is in contact with a side surface of the first conductive layer and a side surface of the second conductive layer, and wherein the first insulating layer is not in contact with a top surface of the first conductive layer and a top surface of the second conductive layer (Fig. 10b).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 & 6 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claim 3 is considered allowable because none of the prior art either alone or in combination discloses further comprising a first resin layer and a first layer, wherein the first layer comprises a material with a high electron-injection property, wherein the first resin layer is provided over the second insulating layer, wherein the second insulating layer comprises a first region between the side surface of the first EL layer and the first resin layer, and a second region between a top surface of the first insulating layer and the first resin layer, wherein the first layer is in contact with a top surface of the first EL layer and a top surface of the first resin layer, and wherein the second conductive layer is in contact with a top surface of the first layer.
Claim 6 is considered allowable because none of the prior art either alone or in combination discloses a first resin layer and a common layer, wherein the common layer contains a material with a high electron-injection property, wherein the first resin layer is provided over the first insulating layer, wherein the first resin layer is provided in a fourth region between the first EL layer and the second EL layer, wherein the common layer is in contact with a top surface of the first EL layer, a top surface of the second EL layer, and a top surface of the first resin layer, and wherein the common electrode is in contact with a top surface of the common layer.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRANDON C FOX whose telephone number is (571)270-5016. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeff W Natalini can be reached at 571-272-2266. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRANDON C FOX/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/DAVID VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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