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 .
Response to Amendment
The applicant has amended their application as follows:
Amended: 1, 3, 7 and 19
Cancelled: 8
Added: 21-38
Therefore, claims 1-7 and 9-38 are currently pending in the instant application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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) 1-5, 7, 21-23 and 25-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Her (US 2015/0049030 A1, hereinafter “Her”) in view of Noh (US 2015/0084010 A1, hereinafter “Noh”) and Chien et al. (US 2010/0136868 A1, hereinafter “Chien”).
As to claim 1, Her (Fig. 17) discloses a display device, comprising:
a substrate (SUB) including a display area (DA);
a display element (OLED) in the display area on the substrate (SUB), the display element including a bank (PDL) between at least two anode electrodes (AE);
a bank (PDL) on the substrate (SUB);
a planarization layer (ECL) on the organic-inorganic composite membrane;
a touch sensor (SP2-C) on the planarization layer in the display area of the substrate (DA), the touch sensor including touch electrodes (Fig. 8 element TE1, TE22) each having an opaque metal material (Para. 0101, 0115, 0126, copper or aluminum), the touch electrodes disposed in areas corresponding to the bank (Fig. 17 element PDL);
a touch sensing line (Fig. 8 element IS-1) electrically connected to the touch sensor (SP2; Para. 0092);
a black matrix (Fig. 17 element BM1) on the planarization layer (ECL) and in an area corresponding to the bank (PDL), the black matrix covering and overlapping the touch electrodes (SP2-C); and
a bridge electrode (Fig. 19 element BE) on a different layer (ECL) from the touch electrodes (Para. 0116; CP1, CP2 are disposed on BM1), and on the organic-inorganic composite membrane (ECL), the bridge electrode (BE) overlapping at least one of the black matrix (BM1) and coupling adjacent two touch electrodes (CP2-L2),
wherein the black matrix (BM1) covers and overlaps the touch electrodes (CP2) , and
Her does not disclose an organic-inorganic composite membrane on the display element and the bank, the organic-inorganic composite membrane including a first inorganic film, a second inorganic film, and an organic film therebetween;
a color filter (CF) on the organic-inorganic composite membrane including a first inorganic film, a second inorganic film, and an organic film therebetween;
the bridge electrode overlapping at least one of the black matrix and the color filter and coupling adjacent two touch electrodes,
wherein the touch electrodes are not in contact with the color filter.
However, Noh (Fig.1) teaches an organic-inorganic composite membrane (300) on the display element (200) and the bank (120), the organic-inorganic composite membrane including a first inorganic film (310), a second inorganic film (340), and an organic film therebetween (320; para. 0041).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Noh to include a planarization layer with multiple stacked organic-inorganic layers in the device disclosed by Her. The motivation would have been to prevent moisture and oxygen from penetrating into an inside of a panel from outside (Noh; Para. 0009). The layer 300 has 4 layers, therefore in combination, it would read on three layers of organic-inorganic composite layer and a planarization layer.
Furthermore, Chien (Fig. 8) teaches a color filter (128) on the organic-inorganic composite membrane including a first inorganic film, a second inorganic film, and an organic film therebetween (as discussed above Noh teaches multiple stacked planarization layer);
the bridge electrode (122) overlapping at least one of the black matrix (124) and the color filter (Fig. 5 element 116; Figs. 7, 8 element 122; if insulating layer 116 is overlapping color filter, than the bridge electrode 122 should overlap the color filter) and coupling adjacent two touch electrodes (Fig. 5 element 108),
wherein a first side of the color filter (Fig. 8 element 128, left side) contacts the first black matrix portion (left 124) and a second side of the color filter 9128, right side) contacts to the second black matrix portion (right 124), and
wherein the touch electrodes (120) are not in contact with the color filter (128).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Chien to include the color filters in the device disclosed by Her/Noh. The motivation would have been to provide various colors with different intensities (Chien; Para. 0033).
As to claim 2, Her (Fig. 19) discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the bridge electrode (BE) is electrically connected between adjacent touch electrodes of the touch electrodes (CP2-L2; Para. 0115).
As to claim 3, Her (Fig. 17) discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the display element includes:
an anode electrode on the substrate (AE);
an organic emitting layer (CEL, EML) on the anode electrode (AE); and
a cathode electrode (CE) on the organic emitting layer (CEL, EML).
As to claim 4, Her (Fig. 19) discloses the display device of claim 1, further comprising:
an insulating layer (portions of BM1, BM2) between the bridge electrode (BE) and the touch sensor (CP2);
a contact hole (CH3) extending into the insulating layer (BM1; Para. 0115),
wherein the bridge electrode (BE) is electrically connected to the touch sensor (CP2) through the contact hole (CH2, CH3).
As to claim 5, Her (Fig. 19) discloses the display device of claim 4, wherein the touch electrodes comprise:
first touch electrodes (CP1);
second touch electrodes (CP2) on a same layer (ECL) as the first touch electrodes (CP1); and
touch lines (CP-C1, CP-C2) coupled to the first touch electrodes (CP1), wherein the bridge electrode (BE) is coupled to the second touch electrodes (CP2; Para. 0114-0116).
As to claim 7, Her (Fig. 17) discloses the display device of claim 5, wherein the display element comprises:
an anode electrode on the substrate (AE);
an organic emitting layer (CEL, EML) on the anode electrode (AE); and
a cathode electrode (CE) on the organic emitting layer (CEL, EML).
As to claim 21, Her discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the touch electrodes have mesh- type configuration (Para. 0101).
As to claim 22, Her (Fig. 17) discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the black matrix (BM1) is in direct contact with the touch electrodes (SP2_C; Fig. 14).
As to claim 23, Her (Fig. 8) discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein touch sensor further includes touch lines (TE1-1) electrically connecting to the touch electrodes (SP1).
As to claim 25, Her (Fig. 1) discloses the display device of claim 1, further comprising a touch driver (400), wherein the touch electrodes electrically connect to the touch driver in the substrate (Para. 0058).
As to claim 26, Her (Fig. 19) discloses the display device of claim 1, further comprising a second black matrix (BM2) disposed in an area corresponding to the bridge electrode (BE) and the black matrix (BM1).
Claim(s) 6 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Her, Noh and Chien as applied to claims 1 and 5 above, and further in view of Hirakata et al. (US 2016/0282989 A1, hereinafter “Hirakata”).
As to claim 6, Her discloses the display device of claim 5, wherein the touch lines has a mesh-type configuration (Para. 0101).
Her does not expressly disclose the bridge electrode have a mesh-type configuration.
However, Hirakata (Fig. 4B) teaches the bridge electrode (24b) have a mesh-type configuration (Para. 0074, 0085).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Hirakata to have a mesh-type configuration for the bridge electrode in the device disclosed by Her/Noh/Chien. The motivation would have been to enable an image displayed on the display portion to be seen through the touch sensor (Hirakata; Para. 0074).
As to claim 24, Her does not disclose the display device of claim 1, wherein touch lines includes at least one of the bridge electrodes in a mesh-type configuration.
However, Hirakata teaches herein touch lines includes at least one of the bridge electrodes in a mesh-type configuration (Fig. 4B element 24b; Para. 0074, 0085).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Hirakata to have a mesh-type configuration for the bridge electrode in the device disclosed by Her/Noh/Chien. The motivation would have been to enable an image displayed on the display portion to be seen through the touch sensor (Hirakata; Para. 0074).
Claim(s) 27-36 and 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Her (US 2015/0049030 A1, hereinafter “Her”) in view of Kwack et al. (US 2012/0256218 A1, hereinafter “kwack”) and Chien et al. (US 2010/0136868 A1, hereinafter “Chien”).
As to claim 27, Her (Fig. 17) discloses a display device, comprising:
a substrate (SUB);
a display element (OLED) on the substrate (SUB);
a bank (PDL) on the substrate (SUB);
a planarization layer (ECL) on the organic-inorganic composite membrane;
a touch sensor (SP2-C) on the organic-inorganic composite membrane, the touch sensor including at least one touch electrode disposed in an area corresponding to the bank (Fig. 17 element PDL);
a touch sensing line (Fig. 8 element IS-1) electrically connected to the touch sensor (SP2; Para. 0092);
a black matrix (Fig. 17 element BM1) on the planarization layer (ECL) and in an area corresponding to the bank (PDL).
Her does not disclose an organic-inorganic composite membrane on the display element and the bank, the organic-inorganic composite membrane including a first inorganic film, a second inorganic film, and an organic film therebetween;
a color filter (CF) on the organic-inorganic composite membrane including a first inorganic film, a second inorganic film, and an organic film therebetween and on the planarization layer.
However, Kwack (Fig. 2) teaches an organic-inorganic composite membrane (20) on the display element (L1) and the bank (side of L1), the organic-inorganic composite membrane including a first inorganic film (204), a second inorganic film (202), and an organic film (203; Para. 0037) therebetween.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Kwack to include a planarization layer with multiple stacked organic-inorganic layers in the device disclosed by Her. The motivation would have been to improve light efficiency (Noh; Para. 0021).
Furthermore, Chien (Fig. 8) teaches a color filter (128) on the organic-inorganic composite membrane including a first inorganic film, a second inorganic film, and an organic film therebetween (as discussed above Noh teaches multiple stacked planarization layer).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Chien to include the color filters in the device disclosed by Her/Kwack. The motivation would have been to provide various colors with different intensities (Chien; Para. 0033).
As to claim 28, Her (Fig. 19) discloses the display device of claim 27, further comprising bridge electrode (BE) on a different layer (BM2) from the at least one touch electrode (CP2-L2) and on the organic-inorganic composite membrane (ECL).
As to claim 29, Her (Fig. 8) discloses the display device of claim 27, wherein the touch sensing line (TS, IS) comprises a plurality of first touch sensing lines (TS) and a plurality of second touch sensing lines (IS) that overlap with the plurality of first touch sensing lines (TS).
As to claim 30, Her (Fig. 1) discloses the display device of claim 27, wherein the touch sensing line is electrically connected to a touch driver (400; Para. 0092).
As to claim 31, Her discloses the display device of claim 27, wherein the touch sensing line comprises an opaque metal material and is covered by the black matrix (Para. 0126).
As to claim 32, Her discloses the display device of claim 27, further comprising a layer (Fig. 7 element BM) configured to absorb the light on the organic-inorganic composite membrane (Para. 0078).
As to claim 33, Her (Fig. 19) discloses the display device of claim 28, wherein the bridge electrode (BE) is electrically connected between adjacent touch electrodes of the at least one touch electrode (CP2-L2; Para. 0115).
As to claim 34, Her (Fig. 17) discloses the display device of claim 27, wherein the display element includes:
an anode electrode on the substrate (AE);
an organic emitting layer (CEL, EML) on the anode electrodes (AE); and
a cathode electrode (CE) on the organic emitting layer (CEL, EML).
As to claim 35, Her (Fig. 19) discloses the display device of claim 28, further comprising:
an insulating layer (portions of BM1, BM2) between the bridge electrode (BE) and the touch sensor (CP2);
a contact hole (CH3) extending into the insulating layer (BM1; Para. 0115),
wherein the bridge electrode (BE) is electrically connected to the touch sensor (CP2) through the contact hole (CH2, CH3).
As to claim 36, Her (Fig. 19) discloses the display device of claim 35, wherein the at least one touch electrode comprise: first touch electrodes (CP1);
second touch electrodes (CP2) on a same layer (ECL) as the first touch electrodes (CP1); and
touch lines coupled to the first touch electrodes (Para. 0092), wherein the bridge electrode (BE) is coupled to the second touch electrodes (CP2; Para. 0115).
As to claim 38, Her (Fig. 17) discloses the display device of claim 36, wherein the display element comprises: an anode electrode on the substrate (AE);
an organic emitting layer (CEL, EML) on the anode electrodes (AE); and
a cathode electrode (CE) on the organic emitting layer (CEL, EML).
Claim(s) 37 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Her, Kwack and Chien as applied to claim 36 above, and further in view of Hirakata et al. (US 2016/0282989 A1, hereinafter “Hirakata”).
As to claim 37, Her does not disclose the display device of claim 36, wherein touch lines includes at least one of the bridge electrodes in a mesh-type configuration.
However, Hirakata teaches herein touch lines includes at least one of the bridge electrodes in a mesh-type configuration (Fig. 4B element 24b; Para. 0074, 0085).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Hirakata to have a mesh-type configuration for the bridge electrode in the device disclosed by Her/Kwack/Chien. The motivation would have been to enable an image displayed on the display portion to be seen through the touch sensor (Hirakata; Para. 0074).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-20 are allowed.
The prior art does not disclose the limitation “a bridge electrode extending in a horizontal direction to extend through the first side surface of the first black matrix element and the second side surface of the first black matrix element, the bridge electrode extending through the third side surface of the second black matrix element and further extending in a vertical direction to electrically connect to the touch sensor” when combined with other limitations of independent claim 9. The similar idea is embodied in the independent claim 12.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant‘s disclosure.
Zou (US 2015/0277186 A1) discloses a flattening layer between the color filters and the touch electrodes (Fig. 3 element 27).
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 BIPIN GYAWALI whose telephone number is (571)272-1597. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-5:30 PM.
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BIPIN GYAWALI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2625
/BIPIN GYAWALI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2625
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