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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 9, 12-18, 20 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sano (US 2021/0273203) hereinafter “Sano”.
Regarding claim 1, Figs. 4A and 4B of Sano teach a display panel, comprising: a driving backplane (Item 100; Paragraph 0087), having a pixel region, wherein the pixel region comprises a central region (Dot in Fig. 4A) and n offset regions (Circles of subpixels surrounding the dot in Fig. 4A) sequentially surrounding outside the central region, n is a positive integer; a plurality of light-emitting modules (Combination of red green and blue subpixels), provided on a side of the driving backplane (Item 100) and distributed in the central region and the offset regions, wherein one of the light-emitting modules comprises a plurality of light-emitting units (red, blue and green subpixels), and one of the light-emitting units comprises a light-emitting device (Fig. 1B) and a converging lens (Item 106) distributed along a direction away from the driving backplane (Item 100); in any of the light-emitting units in the offset region, a center of an orthographic projection of the light-emitting device on the driving backplane is located on a side of a center of an orthographic projection of the converging lens on the driving backplane away from the central region (See Fig. 4B; Items 300a, 300b and 300c), and a distance between the center of the orthographic projection of the light- emitting device on the driving backplane and the center of the orthographic projection of the converging lens on the driving backplane is an offset amount of the light-emitting unit; and an extension direction of a connecting line between the center of the orthographic projection of the light-emitting device on the driving backplane and the center of the orthographic projection of the converging lens on the driving backplane is an offset direction of the light-emitting device; offset amounts of the light-emitting units in an identical offset region are identical (Where all of the light emitting units within a circle region surrounding the dot in Fig. 4A all have the same offset); and offset directions of the light-emitting units in an identical light-emitting module are identical (Fig. 7 where the lens over each light emitting unit is identical in the red, green and blue subpixels); and an offset amount of the light-emitting unit in the central region is zero (Rightmost light emitting unit in Fig. 4B); offset amounts of the light-emitting units in any of the offset regions are greater than the offset amount of the light-emitting unit in the central region, and offset amounts of the light-emitting units in each of the offset regions increase toward a direction away from the central region (See Fig. 4B).
Regarding claim 2, Fig. 4A of Sano further teaches where the light-emitting units are distributed in an array along a row direction and a column direction; components of the offset amounts of the light-emitting units in each of the offset regions in the row direction gradually increase toward two sides of the central region along the row direction; components of the offset amounts of the light-emitting units in each of the offset regions in the column direction gradually increase toward two sides of the central region along the column direction.
Regarding claim 3, Fig. 4A of Sano further teaches the offset region comprises a plurality of sub-regions distributed around the central region; the light-emitting modules are distributed in each of the sub-regions; in an identical offset region, a first central axis of the pixel region passes through at least one of the sub-regions, and a second central axis of the pixel region passes through at least one of the sub-regions; the first central axis is a central axis extending along the row direction, and the second central axis is a central axis extending along the column direction; a component of the offset amount of the light-emitting unit in the sub-region through which the first central axis passes in the column direction is zero; and a component of the offset amount of the light-emitting unit in the sub-region through which the second central axis passes in the row direction is zero.
Regarding claim 4, Fig. 7 of Sano further teaches the light-emitting unit further comprises: a filter part (Item 109), provided between the light-emitting device and the converging lens (Item 106); colors of the filter parts of at least two different light-emitting units of the identical light- emitting module are different (Where red, green and blue are present).
Regarding claim 5, Fig. 7 of Sano further teaches a center of an orthographic projection of the filter part on the driving backplane coincides (See Examiner’s Note below) with the center of the orthographic projection of the converging lens on the driving backplane.
Examiner’s Note: The Examiner notes that the claim language does not recite a direction in which the centers of the respective structures coincide. Therefore, the centers are not required to coincide in a direction normal to the substrate. Instead, in Sano, the centers coincide in a direction angled to the substrate.
Regarding claim 9, Figs. 4A and 4B of Sano further teach where each of the offset regions is divided into m sections sequentially distributed toward a direction away from the central region, and each of the sections comprises a plurality of the offset regions; m is a positive integer; in any of the sections, the offset amounts of the light-emitting units in each of the offset regions linearly increase with increase of a distance between the offset region and the central region, and a growth rate of the offset amount is that of the section; growth rates of at least two of the sections are different.
Regarding claim 12, Fig. 4B of Sano further teaches where the converging lens (Item 106) is a spherical cap structure protruding away from the driving backplane (Item 100).
Regarding claim 13, Fig. 7 of Sano further teaches an encapsulation layer (Item 104), covering each of the light-emitting modules; wherein the filter part (Item 109) is provided on a side of the encapsulation layer (Item 104) away from the driving backplane (Item 100).
Regarding claim 14, Fig. 4A and 4B of Sano further teaches where in an identical offset region, at least two of the light-emitting modules are distributed along the row direction; and at least two of the light-emitting modules are distributed along the column direction.
Regarding claim 15, Fig. 4A of Sano further teaches where the number of light-emitting units in a (k+1)-th offset region in a direction away from the central region is greater than the number of light-emitting units in the k-th offset region, k is a positive integer less than n (Where the offset regions get larger as you go further from the dot in Fig. 4A and thus more light emitting units are included in each offset region the further away from the dot that you go).
Regarding claim 16, Fig. 4A of Sano further teaches where at least one straight line passing through a center of the central region exists, the number of light-emitting units passing through a (k+1)-th offset region in a direction away from the central region is not less than the number of light-emitting units passing through the k-th offset region, k is a positive integer less than n.
Regarding claim 17, Fig. 7 of Sano further teaches where in an identical light emitting unit, the orthographic projection of the light emitting device on the driving backplane at least partially coincides (See Examiner’s Note below) with the orthographic projection of the converging lens on the driving backplane.
Examiner’s Note: The Examiner notes that the claim language does not recite a direction in which the centers of the respective structures coincide. Therefore, the centers are not required to coincide in a direction normal to the substrate. Instead, in Sano, the centers coincide in a direction angled to the substrate.
Regarding claim 18, Fig. 3 of Sano further teaches where a gap exists (See portion between lenses labeled “does not contribute”) between two adjacent converging lenses; in two adjacent light-emitting units in the k-th offset region in the direction away from the central region, an orthographic projection of the gap between two adjacent converging lenses on the driving backplane is at least partially located within an orthographic projection of a gap between the two adjacent light-emitting devices on the driving backplane; in two adjacent light-emitting units in the (k+1)-th offset region in the direction away from the central region, an orthographic projection of the gap between two adjacent converging lenses on the driving backplane is completely located outside the orthographic projection of the gap between the two adjacent light-emitting devices on the driving backplane; k is a positive integer less than n.
Regarding claim 20, Figs. 4A and 4B of Sano teach a method of manufacturing a display panel, comprising: forming a driving backplane (Item 100; Paragraph 0087), having a pixel region, wherein the pixel region comprises a central region (Dot in Fig. 4A) and n offset regions (Circles of subpixels surrounding the dot in Fig. 4A) sequentially surrounding outside the central region, n is a positive integer; forming a plurality of light-emitting modules (Combination of red green and blue subpixels) distributed in an array in the central region and the offset regions on a side of the driving backplane (Item 100); forming converging lenses (Item 106) corresponding to the light emitting devices one by one on a side of the light-emitting device away from the driving backplane (Item 100), wherein the converging lens (Item 106) is used for converging light emitted by the light-emitting devices within a specified angle; dividing each of the light-emitting units into a plurality of light-emitting modules, wherein one of the light-emitting modules comprises a plurality of light-emitting units, and one of the light-emitting units comprises a light-emitting device and a corresponding converging lens (Item 106); wherein in any of the light-emitting units in the offset region, a center of an orthographic projection of the light-emitting device on the driving backplane is located on a side of a center of an orthographic projection of the converging lens on the driving backplane away from the central region (See Fig. 4B; Items 300a, 300b and 300c), and a distance between the center of the orthographic projection of the light- emitting device on the driving backplane and the center of the orthographic projection of the converging lens on the driving backplane is an offset amount of the light-emitting unit; and an extension direction of a connecting line between the center of the orthographic projection of the light-emitting device on the driving backplane and the center of the orthographic projection of the converging lens on the driving backplane is an offset direction of the light-emitting device; offset amounts of the light-emitting units in an identical offset region are identical (Where all of the light emitting units within a circle region surrounding the dot in Fig. 4A all have the same offset); and offset directions of the light-emitting units in an identical light-emitting module are identical (Fig. 7 where the lens over each light emitting unit is identical in the red, green and blue subpixels); and an offset amount of the light-emitting unit in the central region is zero (Rightmost light emitting unit in Fig. 4B); offset amounts of the light-emitting units in any of the offset regions are greater than the offset amount of the light-emitting unit in the central region, and offset amounts of the light-emitting units in each of the offset regions increase toward a direction away from the central region (See Fig. 4B).
Regarding claim 21, Figs. 4A and 4B of Sano teach a display apparatus, comprising a display panel, where the display panel comprises: a driving backplane (Item 100; Paragraph 0087), having a pixel region, wherein the pixel region comprises a central region (Dot in Fig. 4A) and n offset regions (Circles of subpixels surrounding the dot in Fig. 4A) sequentially surrounding outside the central region, n is a positive integer; a plurality of light-emitting modules (Combination of red green and blue subpixels), provided on a side of the driving backplane (Item 100) and distributed in the central region and the offset regions, wherein one of the light-emitting modules comprises a plurality of light-emitting units (red, blue and green subpixels), and one of the light-emitting units comprises a light-emitting device (Fig. 1B) and a converging lens (Item 106) distributed along a direction away from the driving backplane (Item 100); in any of the light-emitting units in the offset region, a center of an orthographic projection of the light-emitting device on the driving backplane is located on a side of a center of an orthographic projection of the converging lens on the driving backplane away from the central region (See Fig. 4B; Items 300a, 300b and 300c), and a distance between the center of the orthographic projection of the light- emitting device on the driving backplane and the center of the orthographic projection of the converging lens on the driving backplane is an offset amount of the light-emitting unit; and an extension direction of a connecting line between the center of the orthographic projection of the light-emitting device on the driving backplane and the center of the orthographic projection of the converging lens on the driving backplane is an offset direction of the light-emitting device; offset amounts of the light-emitting units in an identical offset region are identical (Where all of the light emitting units within a circle region surrounding the dot in Fig. 4A all have the same offset); and offset directions of the light-emitting units in an identical light-emitting module are identical (Fig. 7 where the lens over each light emitting unit is identical in the red, green and blue subpixels); and an offset amount of the light-emitting unit in the central region is zero (Rightmost light emitting unit in Fig. 4B); offset amounts of the light-emitting units in any of the offset regions are greater than the offset amount of the light-emitting unit in the central region, and offset amounts of the light-emitting units in each of the offset regions increase toward a direction away from the central region (See Fig. 4B).
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kang et al. (US 2020/0112671) Figs. 3 and 9
GRUNDMANN (US 2021/0159373) Figs. 9 and 10
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8, 10, 11 and 19 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:
Regarding claims 6-8, while the prior art discusses offsets between light emitting units and respective lenses, the prior art does not teach, suggest or motivate the specific relationships required by claims 6-8.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art of record does not teach, suggest or motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to have the sections comprise a first section, a second section and a third section sequentially distributed toward a direction away from the central region; a growth rate of the second section is greater than that of the first section, and a growth rate of the third section is less than that of the first section.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art of record does not teach, suggest or motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to have in an identical offset region, an included angle between a direction with a maximum luminous intensity of the light-emitting unit in the sub-region passing through the first central axis and a direction perpendicular to the driving backplane is a first included angle; and an included angle between a direction with the maximum luminous intensity of the light-emitting unit in the sub-region passing through the second central axis and a direction perpendicular to the driving backplane is a second included angle; the first included angle and the second included angle satisfy the following relational expression: a=3W/L; wherein, a is the first included angle, and P is the second included angle.
Regarding claim 19, the prior art of record does not teach, suggest or motivate one having ordinary skill in the art to have a width of the filter part in the (k+1)-th offset region in a direction away from the central region is greater than a width of the filter part with an identical color in the k-th offset region as in the (k+1)-th offset region; k is a positive integer less than n.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC K ASHBAHIAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5187. The examiner can normally be reached 8-5:30 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, Matthew Landau can be reached at 571-272-1731. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIC K ASHBAHIAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891
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