DETAILED ACTION
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. US 2022/0123183 A1 in view of Park et al. US 2019/0025634 A1.
Regarding claims 1, Kim discloses:
A display substrate, having a plurality of pixels distributed in an array (Fig. 11 in view of Figs. 3-8), wherein the display substrate comprises:
a light-emitting substrate (Fig. 11 in view of 8), comprising a base substrate (SUB), a plurality of light-emitting devices (DPL), a plurality of switch elements (PCL) and an encapsulation layer (INS4) which are arranged on the base substrate, wherein the switch element is configured to drive the light-emitting device to emit light, the encapsulation layer encapsulates the light- emitting device, and at least one light-emitting device and at least one switch element are arranged in each pixel correspondingly (Figs. 3-8 and 11);
a color conversion layer (CCL), arranged at a side of the encapsulation layer away from the base substrate, wherein the color conversion layer comprises a separation bank (BNK2), a color conversion pattern (CCL) and a leveling layer (LRL); the separation bank comprises a plurality of first portions extending in a first direction and a plurality of second portions extending in a second direction, the first direction intersects with the second direction and is parallel to the base substrate; the plurality of first portions and the plurality of second portions intersect with each other to define a plurality of first openings corresponding to the plurality of pixels (para 0162; BNK2 surrounding light emitting areas and pixels) (Fig. 11); and
a color filtering layer (CFL), arranged at a side of the color conversion layer away from the base substrate, wherein the color filtering layer comprises a light-shielding pattern (BM) and a color filtering pattern (CF1, CF2, CF3), the light-shielding pattern defines a plurality of second openings corresponding to the plurality of first openings, and the color filtering pattern is arranged in the second opening (Fig. 11).
Kim does not disclose:
at least one of the first portion and the second portion comprises a light-transmitting bank pattern and a light-shielding bank pattern; the light-transmitting bank pattern is provided with a groove arranged in a direction in which the at least one of the first portion and the second portion extends, the light- shielding bank pattern is filled in the groove; the color conversion pattern is arranged in the first opening, and a first step is between the color conversion pattern and the separation bank in a direction perpendicular to the base substrate, and the leveling layer at least partially fills the first opening to fill the first step and form a flat surface at a side away from the base substrate.
Park discloses a publication from a similar field of endeavor in which:
at least one of the first portion and the second portion comprises a light-transmitting bank pattern (120) and a light-shielding bank pattern (110); the light-transmitting bank pattern is provided with a groove (120g) arranged in a direction in which the at least one of the first portion and the second portion extends, the light- shielding bank pattern is filled in the groove; the color conversion pattern (320) is arranged in the first opening, and a first step (step shown between 120 and 320) is between the color conversion pattern and the separation bank in a direction perpendicular to the base substrate, and the leveling layer (500) at least partially fills the first opening to fill the first step (Fig. 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the configuration of the bank region of Park within the similar structure of Kim such that the leveling layer forms a flat surface at a side away from the base substrate to determine a sufficiently high height light-shielding member thereby further increasing suppression of light leakage defect between adjacent pixels (see Park para 0111-0112).
(claim 2) Kim: a buffer layer (Fig. 7; CP capping layer).
(claim 3) Kim: a quantum dot material (Fig. 7; QDr quantum dot).
(claim 4) Park: Fig. 7; para 0095, width of 110a in X direction greater than width of 110b in the Y direction.
(claim 5) Park: Fig. 5; 110 and 120 have the same height such that top surface is flush.
(claim 6) Park: Fig. 5; 120 having inner walls slanted with decreasing width from top to bottom.
(claim 7) Park: Fig. 9B; 111 is recessed to a lower height than 120.
(claim 8) Kim/Park: as in the combination above, Kim’s leveling layer LRL is similar to Park’s Fig. 9B, 500 which fills the recess region 111t.
(claim 9) Park: Fig. 9B, regions 111 and 120 shown with slanted/inclined sidewalls.
(claim 10) Park: Fig. 9B, regions 111 and 120 shown with same inner angle.
(claims 11 and 13) Park: Fig. 9B, outer walls of 120 in contact with light conversion regions 320 and have the same inclination in opposite directions.
(claim 12) Kim: Fig. 7, CCL1 shown in a protruding central top surface and a recessed bottom surface.
(claim 14) Kim: paras 0072-0073
(claim 15) Park: para 0064 OLED.
Regarding claim 16, Kim discloses:
A display device, comprising a display substrate (Fig. 3), the display substrate, having a plurality of pixels distributed in an array (Fig. 11 in view of Figs. 3-8), wherein the display substrate comprises:
a light-emitting substrate (Fig. 11 in view of 8), comprising a base substrate (SUB), a plurality of light-emitting devices (DPL), a plurality of switch elements (PCL) and an encapsulation layer (INS4) which are arranged on the base substrate, wherein the switch element is configured to drive the light-emitting device to emit light, the encapsulation layer encapsulates the light- emitting device, and at least one light-emitting device and at least one switch element are arranged in each pixel correspondingly (Figs. 3-8 and 11);
a color conversion layer (CCL), arranged at a side of the encapsulation layer away from the base substrate, wherein the color conversion layer comprises a separation bank (BNK2), a color conversion pattern (CCL) and a leveling layer (LRL); the separation bank comprises a plurality of first portions extending in a first direction and a plurality of second portions extending in a second direction, the first direction intersects with the second direction and is parallel to the base substrate; the plurality of first portions and the plurality of second portions intersect with each other to define a plurality of first openings corresponding to the plurality of pixels (para 0162; BNK2 surrounding light emitting areas and pixels) (Fig. 11); and
a color filtering layer (CFL), arranged at a side of the color conversion layer away from the base substrate, wherein the color filtering layer comprises a light-shielding pattern (BM) and a color filtering pattern (CF1, CF2, CF3), the light-shielding pattern defines a plurality of second openings corresponding to the plurality of first openings, and the color filtering pattern is arranged in the second opening (Fig. 11).
Kim does not disclose:
at least one of the first portion and the second portion comprises a light-transmitting bank pattern and a light-shielding bank pattern; the light-transmitting bank pattern is provided with a groove arranged in a direction in which the at least one of the first portion and the second portion extends, the light- shielding bank pattern is filled in the groove; the color conversion pattern is arranged in the first opening, and a first step is between the color conversion pattern and the separation bank in a direction perpendicular to the base substrate, and the leveling layer at least partially fills the first opening to fill the first step and form a flat surface at a side away from the base substrate.
Park discloses a publication from a similar field of endeavor in which:
at least one of the first portion and the second portion comprises a light-transmitting bank pattern (120) and a light-shielding bank pattern (110); the light-transmitting bank pattern is provided with a groove (120g) arranged in a direction in which the at least one of the first portion and the second portion extends, the light- shielding bank pattern is filled in the groove; the color conversion pattern (320) is arranged in the first opening, and a first step (step shown between 120 and 320) is between the color conversion pattern and the separation bank in a direction perpendicular to the base substrate, and the leveling layer (500) at least partially fills the first opening to fill the first step (Fig. 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the configuration of the bank region of Park within the similar structure of Kim such that the leveling layer forms a flat surface at a side away from the base substrate to determine a sufficiently high height light-shielding member thereby further increasing suppression of light leakage defect between adjacent pixels (see Park para 0111-0112).
Regarding claims 17-20, Kim discloses:
A method for manufacturing a display substrate (Figs. 3-8 and 11), the method comprising:
forming a light-emitting substrate (Fig. 11), wherein the light-emitting substrate comprises a base substrate (SUB), a plurality of light-emitting devices (DPL), a plurality of switch elements (PCL) and an encapsulation layer (INS4) which are arranged on the base substrate, wherein the switch element is configured to drive the light-emitting device to emit light, the encapsulation layer encapsulates the light-emitting device, and at least one light-emitting device and at least one switch element are arranged in each pixel correspondingly (Figs. 3-8);
forming a color conversion layer (CCL) at a side of the encapsulation layer away from the base substrate, wherein the color conversion layer comprises a separation bank (BNK2), a color conversion pattern (CCL) and a leveling layer (LRL); the separation bank comprises a plurality of first portions extending in a first direction and a plurality of second portions extending in a second direction, the first direction intersects with the second direction and is parallel to the base substrate; the plurality of first portions and the plurality of second portions intersect with each other to define a plurality of first openings corresponding to the plurality of pixels (para 0162; BNK2 surrounding light emitting areas and pixels) (Fig. 11); and
forming a color filtering layer (CFL) at a side of the color conversion layer away from the base substrate, wherein the color filtering layer comprises a light-shielding pattern (BM) and a color filtering pattern (CF1, CF2, CF3), the light-shielding pattern defines second openings corresponding to the plurality of first openings, and the color filtering pattern is arranged in the second opening (Fig. 11).
Kim does not disclose:
the separation bank is divided into a light-transmitting bank pattern and a light-shielding bank pattern; the light-transmitting bank pattern is provided with a groove arranged along at least one of a first direction and the second direction; the light-shielding bank pattern is filled in the groove; the color conversion pattern is arranged in the first opening, and a first step is between the color conversion pattern and the separation bank in a direction perpendicular to the base substrate, and the leveling layer at least partially fills the first step and form a flat surface at a side away from the base substrate.
Park discloses a publication from a similar field of endeavor in which:
the separation bank is divided into a light-transmitting bank pattern (120) and a light-shielding bank pattern (110); the light-transmitting bank pattern is provided with a groove (120g) arranged along at least one of a first direction and the second direction, the light-shielding bank pattern is filled in the groove; the color conversion pattern (320) is arranged in the first opening, and a first step (step shown between 120 and 320) is between the color conversion pattern and the separation bank in a direction perpendicular to the base substrate, and the leveling layer (500) at least partially fills the first step (Fig. 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the configuration of the bank region of Park within the similar structure of Kim such that the leveling layer forms a flat surface at a side away from the base substrate to determine a sufficiently high height light-shielding member thereby further increasing suppression of light leakage defect between adjacent pixels (see Park para 0111-0112).
(claims 18-20) Park: Fig. 5; light-transmitting layer, groove and first opening, light-shielding layer, color conversion layer (para 0098-0120); Kim: leveling layer (para 0186).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERROL V FERNANDES whose telephone number is (571)270-7433. The examiner can normally be reached on 9-5:30.
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/ERROL V FERNANDES/Primary Examiner, AU 2893
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