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 .
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.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 24 April 2026 has been entered.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 15-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 02 June 2025.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I, corresponding to the embodiment of Figure 4B of the originally filed disclosure and originally filed Claims 1-14, in the reply filed on 02 June 2025 is acknowledged.
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 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bae et al. (hereinafter “Bae” US 2022 / 0045137) in view of Tian et al. (hereinafter “Tian” US 2023 / 0075199).
As pertaining to Claim 1, Bae discloses (see Fig. 1, Fig. 5, and Fig. 7) a display device (1; see Page 4, Para. [0058] and [0060]) comprising:
a base layer (see (100) in Fig. 7) including a plurality of element regions (see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7) and a boundary region (i.e., a groove (GR); see Fig. 7 corresponding to the spaces between (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5) adjacent to the plurality of element regions (again, see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7);
a plurality of inorganic layers (see (111, 112, 113) in Fig. 7) on the base layer (100) and including an opening (see (GR) in Fig. 7) defined in at least some of the inorganic layers (111, 112, 113), the opening (GR) corresponding to the boundary region (again, see (GR) in Fig. 7 corresponding to the spaces between (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5; see Page 6, Para. [0095]-[0100]);
an organic layer (see (115) in Fig. 7) inside the opening (GR) and on the plurality of inorganic layers (111, 112, 113);
a pixel driving circuit (see (PC) in Fig. 7) between the base layer (100) and the organic layer (115) and in each of the plurality of element regions (again, see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7); and
a plurality of light emitting elements (see (OLED1, OLED2, OLED3) in Fig. 7) on the organic layer (115) and electrically connected to the pixel driving circuit (PC), the plurality of light emitting elements (OLED1, OLED2, OLED3) each including an anode (see (211) in Fig. 7), a cathode (see (230) in Fig. 7), and a light emitting layer (see (221) in Fig. 7) interposed between the anode (211) and the cathode (230; see Page 6, Para. [0100] and Page 7, Para. [0110]), wherein
the at least some of the plurality of inorganic layers (111, 112, 113) include an inorganic stacked structure (see Fig. 7) defined by the opening (GR) and in each of the plurality of element regions (again, see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7),
the opening (GR) surrounds the inorganic stacked structure (see (111, 112, 113) in Fig. 7; and see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5) in a plan view,
the inorganic stacked structure (again, see (111, 112, 113) in Fig. 7; and see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5) has a substantially polygonal shape (i.e., a rectangular shape; see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5) in a plan view and includes a vertex region (see the corner regions of (A1, A2, A3)),
the vertex region (see the corner regions of (A1, A2, A3)) has an outwardly convex shape (see Fig. 5) in a plan view (see Page 7, Para. [0109]-[0110] and [0112]-[0113]; Page 8, Para. [0116]-[0119], [0121], and [0125]-[0128]; and Page 9, Para. [0136]), and
the anode (211) of at least one of the plurality of light emitting elements (OLED1, OLED2, OLED3) partially overlaps the boundary region (GR) in a plan view (see Fig. 7 with Fig. 5; and again, see Page 6, Para. [0100]).
While Bae discloses that the inorganic stacked structure includes a vertex region (i.e., see the corner regions of (A1, A2, A3)) having an outwardly convex shape, Bae does not explicitly disclose that the vertex region has an outwardly convex curve shape.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Tian discloses (see Fig. 2a and Fig. 3a) a display device comprising a base layer (10) including a plurality of element regions (P1, P2, P3) and a boundary region (i.e., see a boundary of (100)) adjacent to the plurality of element regions (P1, P2, P3), and a plurality of inorganic layers (i.e., see (11, 13, 15, 17)) on the base layer (10) and including an opening (300) corresponding to the boundary region (i.e., see the boundary of (100)), wherein the inorganic layers (11, 13, 15, 17) include an inorganic stacked structure defined by the opening (300) and in each of the plurality of element regions (P1, P2, P3), the opening (300) surrounds the inorganic stacked structure in a plan view (see Fig. 2a), the inorganic stacked structure has a substantially polygonal shape in a plan view and includes a vertex region (i.e., a corner region; again, see Fig. 2a) having an outwardly convex curve shape in a plan view (see Page 3 through Page 4, Para. [0041] and [0043]-[0046]). It is a goal of Tian to provide a display device that exhibits improved stretchability and/or flexibility and maintains the ability to resist stretch damage by including at least an inorganic stacked structure that has a substantially polygonal shape and includes a vertex region having an outwardly convex curve shape (see Fig. 2a and Page 3, Para. [0041] and Page 4, Para. [0047]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Bae with the teachings of Tian, such that the inorganic stacked structure that has a substantially polygonal shape and includes a vertex region having an outwardly convex curve shape in order to provide a display device that exhibits improved stretchability and/or flexibility and maintains the ability to resist stretch damage, as suggested by Tian.
As pertaining to Claim 2, Bae discloses (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 7) that the inorganic stacked structure (again, see (111, 112, 113) in Fig. 7; and see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5) has a substantially square shape (i.e., a rectangular shape) in a plan view (see Fig. 5).
As pertaining to Claim 3, Bae discloses (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 7) that each of the plurality of element regions (see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7) comprises a first pixel region (i.e., see any of (R), (G), or (B) associated with any of (211), (212), or (213) in Fig. 5) and a second pixel region (i.e., see any other of (R), (G), or (B) associated with any of (211), (212), or (213) in Fig. 5), and
the pixel driving circuit (PC) includes a first pixel driving circuit (i.e., a first (PC) associated with any of (R), (G), or (B)) and a second pixel driving circuit (i.e., a second (PC) associated with any of (R), (G), or (B)) being in the first pixel region (again, see any of (R), (G), or (B) associated with any of (211), (212), or (213) in Fig. 5) and the second pixel region (again, see any other of (R), (G), or (B) associated with any of (211), (212), or (213) in Fig. 5), respectively, and
the plurality of light emitting elements (OLED1, OLED2, OLED3) include a first light emitting element (i.e., a first (OLED) associated with any of (R), (G), or (B)) and a second light emitting element (i.e., a second (PC) associated with any other of (R), (G), or (B)) that are electrically connected to the first pixel driving circuit (i.e., the first (PC) associated with any of (R), (G), or (B)) and the second pixel driving circuit (i.e., the second (PC) associated with any of (R), (G), or (B)), respectively (again, see Page 6, Para. [0095]-[0100] and Page 7, Para. [0109]-[0110]).
As pertaining to Claim 4, Bae discloses (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 7) that the plurality of element regions (see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7) comprises a first-type element region (i.e., see any of (R), (G), or (B) associated with any of (211), (212), or (213) in Fig. 5) and a second-type element region (i.e., see any other of (R), (G), or (B) associated with any of (211), (212), or (213) in Fig. 5),
the first light emitting element (i.e., the first (OLED) associated with any of (R), (G), or (B)) corresponding to the first-type element region (again, see any of (R), (G), or (B) associated with any of (211), (212), or (213) in Fig. 5) and the first light emitting element (i.e., a first (OLED) associated with any of (R), (G), or (B)) corresponding to the second-type element region (see any other of (R), (G), or (B) associated with any of (211), (212), or (213) in Fig. 5) generate light of different colors (i.e., any of red, green, and blue), and
the second light emitting element (i.e., the second (OLED) associated with any other of (R), (G), or (B)) corresponding to the first-type element region (again, see any of (R), (G), or (B) associated with any of (211), (212), or (213) in Fig. 5) and the second light emitting element (i.e., the second (OLED) associated with any other of (R), (G), or (B)) corresponding to the second-type element region (again, see any other of (R), (G), or (B) associated with any of (211), (212), or (213) in Fig. 5) generate light of a same color (i.e., any of red, green, and blue; see Page 6, Para. [0093]-[0094]; and Page 7, Para. [0102] and [0109]).
As pertaining to Claim 5, Bae discloses (see Fig. 5 and Fig. 7) that the plurality of element regions (see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7) define a plurality or rows (see Fig. 4), and
the first-type element region (i.e., see any of (R), (G), or (B) associated with any of (211), (212), or (213) in Fig. 5) and the second-type element region (i.e., see any other of (R), (G), or (B) associated with any of (211), (212), or (213) in Fig. 5) alternate each other in each of the plurality of rows (again, see Fig. 4 and Page 7, Para. [0103]).
As pertaining to Claim 7, Bae discloses (see Fig. 7) that the pixel driving circuit (PC) comprises a transistor (TFT) electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of light emitting elements (OLED1, OLED2, OLED3), and
the transistor (TFT) does not overlap the opening (GR) in a plan view (again, see Fig. 7; and see Page 5, Para. [0074] and [0078]; and Page 8, Para. [0116]).
As pertaining to Claim 8, Bae discloses (see Fig. 7) a data line (DL) electrically connected to the transistor (TFT), wherein the data line (DL) overlaps (i.e., is disposed above) the opening (GR; see Page 5, Para. [0074] and [0079]; and Page 8, Para. [0129]).
As pertaining to Claim 9, Bae discloses (see Fig. 7) that the data line (DL) is on the organic layer (115; see Page 5, Para. [0074] and [0079]; and Page 8, Para. [0129]).
As pertaining to Claim 10, Bae discloses (see Fig. 7) that
the transistor (TFT) comprises a silicon transistor including a silicon semiconductor pattern and an oxide transistor including an oxide semiconductor pattern (see Page 8, Para. [0117]-[0121]), and
the silicon semiconductor pattern and the oxide semiconductor pattern are on different ones of the plurality of inorganic layers (see (111, 112, 113) in Fig. 7; again, see Page 8, Para. [0117]-[0121]).
As pertaining to Claim 11, Bae discloses (see Fig. 2) a thin film encapsulation layer (300) covering the plurality of light emitting elements (OLED1, OLED2, OLED3; see (200) in Fig. 2);
an input sensor (400) on the thin film encapsulation layer (300); and
a color filter (500) on the input sensor (400) and overlapping a corresponding one of the plurality of light emitting elements (OLED1, OLED2, OLED3, 200) in a plan view (see Page 4, Para. [0065]-[0067] and [0070]).
As pertaining to Claim 12, Bae discloses (see Fig. 2) that the display device is capable of being folded or rolled on a roller (see Page 4, Para. [0060]).
As pertaining to Claim 13, Bae discloses (see Fig. 2) that each of the plurality of element regions (see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7) is completely surrounded by the boundary region (GR) in a plan view (see Fig. 4; and Page 6, Para. [0097]).
As pertaining to Claim 14, Bae discloses (see Fig. 1, Fig. 5, and Fig. 7) a display device (1; see Page 4, Para. [0058] and [0060]) comprising:
a base layer (see (100) in Fig. 7) including a plurality of element regions (see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7) and a boundary region (i.e., a groove (GR); see Fig. 7 corresponding to the spaces between (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5) adjacent to the plurality of element regions (again, see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7);
a plurality of inorganic layers (see (111, 112, 113) in Fig. 7) on the base layer (100) and including an opening (see (GR) in Fig. 7) defined in at least some of the plurality of inorganic layers (111, 112, 113), the opening (GR) corresponding to the boundary region (again, see (GR) in Fig. 7 corresponding to the spaces between (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5), wherein the opening (GR) surrounds at least a first element region (i.e., see any of (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to any of (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7) among the plurality of element regions (see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7) in a plan view (see Page 6, Para. [0095]-[0100]);
an organic layer (see (115) in Fig. 7) inside the opening (GR), on the plurality of inorganic layers (111, 112, 113), and overlapping the first element region (i.e., see any of (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to any of (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7) in plan view;
a transistor (see (TFT) in Fig. 7) between the base layer (100) and the organic layer (115) and in the first element region (i.e., see any of (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to any of (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7); and
a plurality of light emitting elements (see (OLED1, OLED2, OLED3) in Fig. 7) on the organic layer (115) and electrically connected to the transistor (TFT), the plurality of light emitting elements (OLED1, OLED2, OLED3) each including an anode (see (211) in Fig. 7), a cathode (see (230) in Fig. 7), and a light emitting layer (see (221) in Fig. 7) interposed between the anode (211) and the cathode (230; see Page 6, Para. [0100] and Page 7, Para. [0110]), wherein
an inner surface of the at least some of the plurality of inorganic layers (111, 112, 113) defining the opening (GR) surrounding the first element region (i.e., see any of (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5 corresponding to any of (P1, P2, P3) in Fig. 7) has a polygonal shape (i.e., a rectangular shape; see (A1, A2, A3) in Fig. 5) in a plan view,
the polygonal shape including vertex regions (see the corner regions of (A1, A2, A3)) each has an outwardly convex shape (see Fig. 5) in a plan view (see Page 7, Para. [0109]-[0110] and [0112]-[0113]; Page 8, Para. [0116]-[0119], [0121], and [0125]-[0128]; and Page 9, Para. [0136]), and
the anode (211) of at least one of the plurality of light emitting elements (OLED1, OLED2, OLED3) partially overlaps the boundary region (GR) in a plan view (see Fig. 7 with Fig. 5; and again, see Page 6, Para. [0100]).
While Bae discloses that the inorganic stacked structure includes a vertex region (i.e., see the corner regions of (A1, A2, A3)) having an outwardly convex shape, Bae does not explicitly disclose that the vertex region has an outwardly convex curve shape.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Tian discloses (see Fig. 2a and Fig. 3a) a display device comprising a base layer (10) including a plurality of element regions (P1, P2, P3) and a boundary region (i.e., see a boundary of (100)) adjacent to the plurality of element regions (P1, P2, P3), and a plurality of inorganic layers (i.e., see (11, 13, 15, 17)) on the base layer (10) and including an opening (300) corresponding to the boundary region (i.e., see the boundary of (100)), wherein the inorganic layers (11, 13, 15, 17) include an inorganic stacked structure defined by the opening (300) and in each of the plurality of element regions (P1, P2, P3), the opening (300) surrounds the inorganic stacked structure in a plan view (see Fig. 2a), the inorganic stacked structure has a substantially polygonal shape in a plan view and includes a vertex region (i.e., a corner region; again, see Fig. 2a) having an outwardly convex curve shape in a plan view (see Page 3 through Page 4, Para. [0041] and [0043]-[0046]). It is a goal of Tian to provide a display device that exhibits improved stretchability and/or flexibility and maintains the ability to resist stretch damage by including at least an inorganic stacked structure that has a substantially polygonal shape and includes a vertex region having an outwardly convex curve shape (see Fig. 2a and Page 3, Para. [0041] and Page 4, Para. [0047]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Bae with the teachings of Tian, such that the inorganic stacked structure that has a substantially polygonal shape and includes a vertex region having an outwardly convex curve shape in order to provide a display device that exhibits improved stretchability and/or flexibility and maintains the ability to resist stretch damage, as suggested by Tian.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 24 April 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant has argued that none of the references relied upon by the examiner in the prior Office Action, namely Bae and Tian, teach or fairly suggest the claimed “anode of at least one of the plurality of light emitting elements” that “partially overlaps the boundary region in a plan view” (see Remarks at Pages 9 and 10). During the Applicant-Initiated Interview of 08 April 2026, the examiner suggested that “neither Bae et al. nor Tian et al. appear to suggest the implementation of light emitting elements having anodes that overlap the claimed ‘opening’ to extend over an adjacent ‘element region’ as shown, for example, in Fig. 4B and Fig. 5B” of the applicant’s originally filed disclosure (see Applicant-Initiated Interview Summary mailed 10 April 2026). In the current response, the applicant has newly amended independent Claims 1 and 14 to recite an “anode of at least one of the plurality of light emitting elements” that “partially overlaps the boundary region in a plan view” without requiring the claimed “anode” to “extend over an adjacent ‘element region.’” This feature was originally presented, in part, with respect to now-cancelled dependent Claim 6. The examiner respectfully maintains that this feature is plainly shown by Bae at least at Figure 5 and Figure 7. That is, the examiner respectfully maintains that, while the teachings of Bae and Tian do not explicitly provide for an anode that overlaps the claimed “opening” and extends over an adjacent “element region,” Bae clearly discloses an “anode of at least one of the plurality of light emitting elements” that “partially overlaps the boundary region in a plan view.”
Therefore, the rejection of Claims 1-14 is maintained.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wang et al. (US 2024 / 0188351) and Park et al. (US 2023 / 0049290) both disclose display devices having openings formed in inorganic stacked layers to form boundaries of element regions.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON M MANDEVILLE whose telephone number is (571)270-3136. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 7:30AM-4:00PM.
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, Chanh Nguyen can be reached at 571-272-7772. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON M MANDEVILLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623
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