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 .
Prior Art of Record
The applicant's attention is directed to additional pertinent prior art cited in the accompanying PTO-892 Notice of References Cited, which, however, may not be currently applied as a basis for the following rejections. While these references were considered during the examination of this application and are deemed relevant to the claimed subject matter, they are not presently being applied as a basis for rejection in this Office action. The pertinence of these documents, however, may be revisited, and they may be applied in subsequent Office actions, particularly in light of any amendments or further clarification of the claimed invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 14 & 16 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 14 &16, the phrase "basically the same" renders the claim(s) indefinite because it fails to provide a clear, objective boundary for the scope of the claim. It falls under the category of a “term of degree” without a provided standard for measurement, thereby rendering the scope of the claim(s) unascertainable. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao (CN 113571561 A) in view of Park et al. (US 20180033980 A1).
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CLAIM 1. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate, wherein the display substrate comprises a display area AA and a non-display area NA, and the non-display area comprises a bending area WA;
an outer edge area (Note: “Area” is undefined by explicit boundaries, thereby open to broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI).) of the non-display area is a cutting reserve area (e.g. Outermost edge to some distance into the non-display area [i.e. NA2], were the three outermost partition structures 61 are shown in cross sectional figure 2. As interpellated from the surrounding lines of figure 1, the Issus rated elements of the cross sectional view of figure 2 surround the display area AA. “Cutting reserve” does not provide any clear structural distinction.), and at least part of the cutting reserve area is located between the display area and the bending area (Figure 1 shows the cross sectional NA region elements surrounding display area AA, pass between the display area AA and bending area WA.);
the display substrate comprises:
a base substrate; a light-emitting device layer, located on the base substrate and in the display area; an encapsulation layer, located on a side of the light-emitting device layer away from the base substrate; a touch layer, located on a side of the encapsulation layer away from the base substrate; a first material layer, located on a side of the touch layer away from the base substrate, and in the display area and the non-display area; and one or more blocking portions located on at least one side of the display area (Zhao may not fully label all elements of the display structure, therefore for clarity a marked-up labeled reproduction of figure 2 of Zhao is provided below explicitly labeling the device elements as interpreted for the basis of the rejection over Zhao. See translated text of Zhao for further description of the device elements1.),
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wherein the one or more blocking portions are located between the display area and the bending area (Fig. 1 – Lines representing the regions/elements are shown to surround and pass between the display area AA and bending area WA. This feature is at least therefore obvious to a PHOSITA if not implicitly inferred.), and
are partially located in the cutting reserve area to prevent the first organic layer from entering the bending area (This limitation is a statement of intended use/function and does not provide any further patentable distinction, as the partitions share the required structure and a understood to perform similar functions during fabrication.).
Zhao is merely silent upon specific materials selected for the various layers, therefore a PHOSITA would look to commonly known materials for the purpose in the art. Specifically, the first material layer recited to be a “organic” layer would be an expected option by one of ordinary skill. Park et al. teaches organic layers are known to be used over and withing touch sensing layers of analogous touch circuitry of analogous device panels. Simple selection of a known material, would be an obvious expectation of a PHOSITA.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to select a organic material for the first material layer [i.e. first organic layer] located over the touch sensor layer, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the base of its suitability, for its intended use involves only ordinary skill in the art. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
CLAIM 2. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 1, wherein the one or more blocking portions are located on a side of the first organic layer away from the display area (Zhao figs. 1 and 2 – Partitions 6-6 may be considered one the side and/or on the side of the insulating material layers 3 and or 4. )
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CLAIM 3. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 2, wherein heights of the one or more blocking portions are greater than a height of an edge of the first organic layer away from the display area; or, the heights of the one or more blocking portions are smaller than the height of the edge of the first organic layer away from the display area.
CLAIM 4. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 1, wherein, in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the display area pointing to the bending area (Zhao Fig. 2- The recited relative height locations are not explicitly defined. One may subjectively view the cross sectional view of Fig. 2 and identify partition and heights that meet the scope under BRI.), the cutting reserve area comprises a first edge and a second edge which are opposite, the first edge and the second edge are located on opposite sides of the non-display area, and the one or more blocking portions extend from the first edge to the second edge (Figs. 1 & 2- The partitions extent from one cut area to the opposing cut area, at the top and bottom of the display area. Under BRI, the “first edge” and “second edge” are interpreted as the lateral boundaries of the non-display area zone. Since the partition structures of Zhao span the width of this peripheral zone in cross-section, they satisfy the requirement of extending from the first edge to the second edge regardless of their precise proximity to the ultimate physical edge.).
CLAIM 5. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 1, wherein a distance between a surface of a part of the one or more blocking portions located in the cutting reserve area away from the base substrate and the base substrate is a first distance, a distance between a surface of a part of the one or more blocking portions located outside the cutting reserve area away from the base substrate and the base substrate is a second distance, and the first distance is less than the second distance (Zhao fig. 2 -See marked up figure for identification of the distances as understood. The distance D1 is a distance equal to the layers separating the partition from the substrate. D2, as identified, it the distance between the substrate is equal to the same two layers plus and additional structure, thus is objectively a greater distance as required by the claim.).
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CLAIM 6. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 1, wherein the display substrate comprises a plurality of organic layers, and a part of the one or more blocking portions located in the cutting reserve area comprises at least two organic layers (As shown in Zhao fig. 1, the partitions may be considered more than one layer, as they may be considered to include the underlying layers. The analogous structures in Park are disclosed to be capable of being formed of organic and inorganic material. It would be an obvious expectation by a PHOSITA to simply select a known material for the layers which are understood to be capable of being common organic materials for the purpose. As such, it would be obvious for the parts comprised of a plurality of layers to also comprise a plurality of organic material layers.)
CLAIM 7. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 6, further comprising a second organic layer located between the touch layer and the first organic layer, a planarization layer located on a side of the touch layer towards the base substrate, and a pixel defining layer comprised in the light-emitting device layer; wherein the part of the one or more blocking portions 6 located in the cutting reserve area at least comprises a part of at least two of the second organic layer [13, 62, 63], the planarization layer and the pixel defining layer (See Marked-up fig. 2 of Zhao below highlighting recited element features.).
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CLAIM 8. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 7, wherein the first organic layer is formed by an inkjet printing process (Product by Process limitation only provide distinction for directly inferred structure required by a process. The recited process is not understood to provide any clear structural distinction.), and the second organic layer is made of an organic resin (Park et al. discloses throughout the document organic materials routinely selected include “organic resin” materials.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to select a organic resin material for the organic layers, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the base of its suitability, for its intended use involves only ordinary skill in the art. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
CLAIM 9. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 1, further comprising one or more blocking blocks located in the cutting reserve area NA2, wherein the one or more blocking blocks 6 are located on a side of the one or more blocking portions away from the bending area (Zhao Figs. 1 & 2).
CLAIM 10. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 9, wherein widths of the one or more blocking blocks are the same as a width of the cutting reserve area (“Area” is not explicitly defined or limited by the claim, as such the term may be interpreted under BRI. As such, the area may be arbitrarily selected to match a width of a partition/blocker.).
CLAIM 11. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 9, wherein settings of one or more layers for the one or more blocking blocks 6 and the one or more blocking portions 6 are the same (Zhao Figs. 1 & 2).
CLAIM 12. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulation layer (Identified in marked-up figure 2 and/or laryer 4) comprises an organic encapsulation (Park et al.) layer at least partially located in the display area; wherein the one or more blocking portions 6 are located on a side of the organic encapsulation layer away from the display area; the organic encapsulation layer comprises a slope portion which is uneven in thickness (Zhao Figs. 1 & 2).
CLAIM 13. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 12, wherein the first organic layer comprises an optical compensation portion (i.e. refractive index, absorption, etc), a projection of the slope portion on the base substrate is located within a projection of the optical compensation portion on the base substrate, and the optical compensation portion is configured to weaken or eliminate a phenomenon of wave patterns on a display screen caused by the slope portion (Zhao Figs. 1 & 2).
CLAIM 14. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 13, wherein sums of a thickness of the optical compensation portion and a thickness of the slope portion at different positions in the display area are basically the same, a refractive index of the slope portion is the same as a refractive index of the optical compensation portion, and a surface of the optical compensation portion away from the base substrate is parallel to a surface of the base substrate facing the light-emitting device layer (Zhao Figs. 1 & 2 – “basically the same” renders the scope of the claim indefinite.).
CLAIM 15. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 13, wherein a material of the organic encapsulation layer is the same as a material of the optical compensation portion (Park et al. teaches the layers may be formed of like organic material. Note that “same” does not require “identical”, as same materials may be modified with additives (i.e. dye, particles, etc) that modify properties. The claim does not clearly define what the intended scope of “same” in the context is intended to mean.)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to select a “same” organic material for the organic layers, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the base of its suitability, for its intended use involves only ordinary skill in the art. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
CLAIM 16. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 13, wherein the organic encapsulation layer further comprises a first flat portion (encapsulation/planarization) located in the display area and adjacent to the slope portion, wherein the first flat portion is even in thickness; the organic encapsulation layer further comprises a second flat portion located in the display area and adjacent to the optical compensation portion, wherein the second flat portion is located on a side of the first flat portion away from the base substrate, and a surface of the second flat portion away from the base substrate is parallel to a surface of the base substrate facing the light-emitting device layer; sums of a thickness of the first organic layer and a thickness of the organic encapsulation layer at different positions in the display area are basically the same (Zhao Figs. 1 & 2 – See marked-up fig. 2 below – “basically the same” renders the scope of the claim indefinite.).
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CLAIM 17. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 1, wherein the touch layer comprises a first metal layer 22, an insulating material layer 23 located on a side of the first metal layer 22 away from the base substrate, and a second metal layer 24 located on a side of the insulating material layer away from the base substrate; wherein the insulating material 3/23 layer covers the first metal layer; the display substrate further comprises a second organic layer 3 located between the touch layer and the first organic layer 4, wherein the second organic layer is located between the display area and the non-display area and outside the bending area, and the second organic layer covers the second metal layer; wherein a part of the one or more blocking portions 6 located outside the cutting reserve area comprises a part of at least one of the first metal layer, the insulating material layer, the second metal layer and the second organic layer (Zhao Figs. 1 & 2).
CLAIM 18. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the one or more blocking portions and the bending area is less than a distance between the one or more blocking portions and the display area (Zhao Figs. 1 – as the blocking portions 6 are arranged between WA and AA, arbitrary portions 6 may be selected meeting the scope.).
CLAIM 19. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display substrate according to claim 1, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises an organic encapsulation layer 4 at least partially located in the display area, and the display substrate further comprises one or more dams 6 located in the non-display area NA1 and on a side of the one or more blocking portions near the display area, wherein the one or more dams 6 are for preventing an organic material for preparing the organic encapsulation layer from overflowing to the non-display area (Functional language is not understood to provide any further structural distinction, as dam/blocking portions may provide a similar function.); wherein the one or more dams and the one or more blocking portions do not overlap in a direction perpendicular to the base substrate (Zhao Figs. 1 & 2); wherein a distance between the one or more blocking portions and the one or more dams is smaller than a distance between the one or more blocking portions and the bending area (Zhao Figs. 1 & 2 – Arbitrary blocking portions may be selected meeting the scope, as such this limitation does not provide a clear structural distinction.).
CLAIM 20. Zhao in view of Park et al. teach a display apparatus, comprising a display substrate, wherein the display substrate comprises a display area AA and a non-display area NA1/2, and the non-display area comprises a bending area WA; an outer edge area NA2 of the non-display area is a cutting reserve area, and at least part of the cutting reserve area is located between the display area and the bending area (Zhao fig. 1);
the display substrate comprises:
a base substrate; a light-emitting device layer, located on the base substrate and in the display area AA; an encapsulation layer, located on a side of the light-emitting device layer away from the base substrate; a touch layer 2, located on a side of the encapsulation layer away from the base substrate; a first organic layer (Park – Teaches organic materials were known and used for analogous layers, thus would be a obvious modification/selection for a PHOSIA at the time of the invention.), located on a side of the touch layer 2 away from the base substrate, and in the display area AA and the non-display area NA1/2; and one or more blocking portions 6 located on at least one side of the display area AA, wherein the one or more blocking portions 6 are located between the display area AA and the bending area WA, and are partially located in the cutting reserve area NA2 to prevent the first organic layer from entering the bending area (“To prevent..” is a functional limitation, which is implicitly understood to provide for a structural distinction over the prior art Zhao in view of Park.).
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JARRETT J STARK whose telephone number is (571)272-6005. The examiner can normally be reached 8-4 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Manno can be reached at 571-272-2339. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JARRETT J. STARK
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2822
2/26/2026
/JARRETT J STARK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
1 Zhao – “In the drawings: a 1-display device layer; 11-array layer; 12 -- luminous layer; 13-packaging layer; 2-touch layer; 21 -- first inorganic layer; 22-touch electrode layer; 23 -- second inorganic layer; 24 -- cross-bridge connection layer; 3 -- passivation layer; 31 -- passivation unit; 4-refraction layer; 5 -- flat part; 51 -- touch control material layer; 52 -- first passivation material layer; 6-partition part; 61 -- second passivation material layer; 62 -- first inorganic material layer; 63-second inorganic material layer; 64-third inorganic material layer; 65-fourth inorganic material layer; 66-fifth inorganic material layer; 67-sixth inorganic material layer; 100-display panel; K1-first groove; K2-second groove; AA-display area; a PA-flat region; NA1-first partition area; NA2-second partition area; a BA-binding region; WA-bending area.”