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 § 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.
Claims 1-8 and 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (US 2018/0261655).
As to claim 1, Lee discloses in figure 13: a display apparatus comprising a display portion in which a first arrangement pattern and a second arrangement pattern are repeatedly placed in a first direction D3 (see annotated figure below), wherein in the first arrangement pattern, a first subpixel R and a second subpixel IR are repeatedly arranged in a second direction D4, wherein in the second arrangement pattern, a third subpixel B, a fourth subpixel G, and a fifth subpixel S are repeatedly arranged in the second direction D4, wherein each of the first subpixel to the fourth subpixel comprises a light-emitting device, and wherein the fifth subpixel comprises an infrared receiving device (paragraph [0083]).
PNG
media_image1.png
402
606
media_image1.png
Greyscale
As to claim 2, Lee discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. Lee further discloses in figure 13, wherein a longitudinal direction of the third subpixel B, the fourth subpixel G, and the fifth subpixel S is in the first direction D3.
As to claim 3, Lee discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. Lee further disclose in figure 6, an alternative embodiment comprising: a display portion in which a first arrangement pattern and a second arrangement pattern are repeatedly placed in a first D1, wherein in the first arrangement pattern, a first subpixel B and a second subpixel R are repeatedly arranged in a second direction D2, wherein in the second arrangement pattern, a third subpixel G, a fourth subpixel IR, and a fifth subpixel S are repeatedly arranged in the second direction D2, wherein a longitudinal direction of the first subpixel B is the second direction D2.
As to claim 4, Lee discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. Lee further discloses wherein the second subpixel IR emits infrared light (paragraph [0083]) and has the lowest aperture ratio among the first subpixel to the fifth subpixel (same aperture as subpixels S, G and R, but lower than subpixel B).
As to claim 5, Lee discloses in figure 13: a display apparatus comprising a display portion in which a first arrangement pattern and a second arrangement pattern are repeatedly placed in a first direction D4 (see annotated figure below), wherein in the first arrangement pattern, a first subpixel R, a second subpixel G, and a third subpixel B are repeatedly arranged in a second direction D3, wherein in the second arrangement pattern, a fourth subpixel IR and a fifth subpixel S are repeatedly arranged in the second direction D3, wherein each of the first subpixel to the fourth subpixel comprises a light-emitting device, and wherein the fifth subpixel comprises an infrared receiving device (paragraph [0083]).
PNG
media_image2.png
492
553
media_image2.png
Greyscale
As to claim 6, Lee discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 5. Alternatively, the first arrangement pattern and the second arrangement pattern can be interpreted the same way as discussed above regarding claim 1 (see annotated figure above), wherein in the first arrangement pattern, a first subpixel IR, a second subpixel R, and a third subpixel G are repeatedly arranged in a second direction D4, wherein in the second arrangement pattern, a fourth subpixel B and a fifth subpixel S are repeatedly arranged in the second direction D4, wherein a longitudinal direction of the first subpixel IR, the second subpixel R, and the third subpixel G is the first direction D3.
As to claim 7, Lee discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 5. Lee further discloses in figure 13, wherein a longitudinal direction of the fifth subpixel S is the second direction D3.
As to claim 8, Lee discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 5. Lee further discloses wherein the fourth subpixel IR emits infrared light (paragraph [0083]) and has the lowest aperture ratio among the first subpixel to the fifth subpixel (same aperture as subpixels S, G and R, but lower than subpixel B).
As to claims 11 and 13, Lee discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claims 1 and 5. Lee further discloses in figure 7, a plurality of driving transistors TOR, which are interconnected by gate lines and data lines. This would be considered an integrated circuit.
As to claims 12 and 14, Lee discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claims 11 and 13. Lee further discloses in paragraph [0003], that the disclosed display module is suitable for devices such as televisions, monitors, and mobile phones. These devices would include housing, a battery (mobile phone), a camera (mobile phone), a speaker (television and mobile phone), and a microphone (mobile phone).
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 9-10 and 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2018/0261655).
As to claims 9-10, Lee discloses in figures 6-7, a display apparatus comprising a pixel comprising a first subpixel B, a second subpixel R, a third subpixel G, a fourth subpixel IR, and a fifth subpixel S, wherein the first subpixel comprises a first light-emitting, wherein the second subpixel comprises a second light-emitting device, wherein the third subpixel comprises a third light-emitting device, wherein the fourth subpixel comprises a fourth light-emitting device, wherein the first light-emitting device comprises a first pixel electrode 120, a first EL layer 100 over the first pixel electrode, and a common electrode 190 over the first EL layer, wherein the second light-emitting device comprises a second pixel electrode 120, a second EL layer 100 over the second pixel electrode, and the common electrode 190 over the second EL layer, wherein the third light-emitting device comprises a third pixel electrode 120, a third EL layer 100 over the third pixel electrode, and the common electrode 190 over the third EL layer, wherein the fourth light-emitting device comprises a fourth pixel electrode 120, a fourth EL layer 100 over the fourth pixel electrode, and the common electrode 190 over the fourth EL layer, wherein the first EL layer to the third EL layer have a same structure and are apart from one another, wherein the fourth subpixel IR emits infrared light, wherein the fifth subpixel S comprises a infrared receiving device (paragraph [0083]), and wherein the infrared receiving device is configured to detect light emitted by at least one of the first subpixel to the fourth subpixel (would detect at least the infrared light emitted by the fourth subpixel IR).
Lee does not disclose a first coloring layer, a second coloring layer and a third coloring layer, wherein the first coloring layer to the third coloring layer transmit light of different colors. However, it was well known to provide first (blue), second (red) and third (green) coloring layers in the first, second and third subpixels, respectively, in order to improve color purity of the first, second, and third subpixels. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee by providing a first coloring layer, a second coloring layer and a third coloring layer, wherein the first coloring layer to the third coloring layer transmit light of different colors, in order to improve the color purity of the first, second and third subpixels.
Lee does not disclose a fourth coloring layer as recited in claim 10. However, it was well known to provide a fourth (infrared) coloring layer in the fourth subpixel IR, in order to improve the purity of the light emitted by the fourth subpixel. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee by providing fourth coloring layer in the fourth subpixel in order to improve the purity of the light emitted by the fourth subpixel. Furthermore, because the fourth coloring layer blocks all visible light and only transmits infrared light, stacking red, green and blue color filters to achieve this was cost-effective and simplified the manufacturing process because these color filters already had to be formed for the first, second and third coloring layers. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Lee wherein the fourth coloring layer includes a stack of two or more of the first coloring layer to the third coloring layer because it was a cost-effective way of forming an infrared filter as the fourth coloring layer which simplified the manufacturing process.
As to claims 15 and 17, Lee discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claims 9 and 10. Lee further discloses in figure 7, a plurality of driving transistors TOR, which are interconnected by gate lines and data lines. This would be considered an integrated circuit.
As to claims 16 and 18, Lee discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claims 15 and 17. Lee further discloses in paragraph [0003], that the disclosed display module is suitable for devices such as televisions, monitors, and mobile phones. These devices would include housing, a battery (mobile phone), a camera (mobile phone), a speaker (television and mobile phone), and a microphone (mobile phone).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to David Chung whose telephone number is (571)272-2288. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Caley can be reached at (571)272-2286. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DAVID Y CHUNG/Examiner, Art Unit 2871