DETAILED ACTION
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 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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group-I (claims 1-11) in the reply filed on 07/06/2026 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 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PARK et al. (US PGpub: 2022/0037623 A1), herein after PARK, in view of PARK.
Regarding claim 1, PARK teaches a display device comprising:
a light emitting element layer comprising at least one light emitting device (LD, FIG. 10) configured to emit light;
a light transmitting film (LSL) on the light emitting element layer (layer having LD), the light transmitting film having a first refractive index (LSL have a refractive index), and defining openings (FIG. 10);
a light blocking pattern (BNK2, Paragraph [0146]) on the light emitting element layer and in the openings (BNK2 in the openings); and
a low refractive film (LRL) on the light transmitting film (LSL, FIG. 10), the low refractive film having a second refractive index smaller than the first refractive index (LRL does have low refractive index compared to LSL, that is why it is called low refractive index layer. The low refractive layer LRL may be on the color conversion layer CCL. The low refractive layer LRL may be over the first to third pixels PXL1, PXL2, and PXL3. The low refractive layer LRL may have a relatively low refractive index as compared with the color conversion layer CCL. For example, a difference between a refractive index of the low refractive layer LRL and a refractive index of the color conversion layer CCL may be 0.3 or more but is not limited thereto. As in Paragraph [0175]), and comprising refractors inclined to have an inclination angle with respect to an imaginary line perpendicular to an upper surface of the light transmitting film (LSL have an inclined angle as shown in FIG. 10 compared to upper surface of LD or perpendicular surface of LD. This needs further clarification as explained below).
PARK does not explicitly teach refractors inclined to have an inclination angle with respect to an imaginary line perpendicular to an upper surface of the light
However, difference could be easily derived by a person skilled in the art from the feature in PARK such that refractors having LRL’s inclined to have an inclination angle with respect to an imaginary line perpendicular to an upper surface of the light. The inclined angle is inclined with horizontal or vertical surface either. So, refractors inclined to have an inclination angle with respect to an imaginary line perpendicular to an upper surface of the light transmitting film is met.
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Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use PARK’s display device with teachings by PARK so that such the device can meet device functionality limitation.
Regarding claim 2, PARK teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the first refractive index is about 1.4 or more (1 - 1.6 in Paragraph [0207]), and the second refractive index is about 1.3 or less (Paragraph [0175] where refractive index 0.3 or more)).
Regarding claim 3, PARK teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein each of the refractors comprises a material having a third refractive index greater than the second refractive index (TiO2 or ZnO2 feature a third refractive index (Paragraph [0183]) greater than 1-1.6);.
Regarding claim 4, PARK teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein each of the refractors comprises an inorganic material (TiO2 or ZnO2 are inorganic materials).
Regarding claim 5, PARK teaches the display device of claim 4, wherein each of the refractors comprises at least one of a metal compound or an inorganic insulating material (TiO2 or ZnO2 are insulating materials).
Regarding claim 6, PARK teaches the display device of claim 5, wherein each of the refractors comprises at least one of magnesium fluoride (MgF2), titanium dioxide (TiO2), silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or silicon oxynitride (TiO2, Paragraphs [0183]).
Regarding claim 7, PARK teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein, in a plan view, the low refractive film overlaps with the light transmitting film, and is spaced from the light blocking pattern (the low refractive film LRL. overlaps with the light transmitting film SLS and is spaced apart from the light blocking patterns BNK2).
Regarding claim 8, PARK teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the low refractive film is not located in the openings (the low refractive film LRL. is not located in the openings).
Regarding claim 9, PARK teaches the display device of claim 1, further comprising a planarization layer (planarizing film CP2) on the light transmitting film and the light blocking pattern, and covering the refractors.
Regarding claim 10, PARK teaches the display device of claim 9, wherein the low refractive film further comprises a cavity defined between the refractors (The second capping layer CP2 may be between the low refractive layer LRL and the color filter layer CFL), and the cavity of the low refractive film is filled by the planarization layer (CP2 layer before filling up with capping layer or planarization layer is considered a cavity).
Regarding claim 11, PARK teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the light blocking pattern comprises at least one of a black pigment, a black dye, or molybdenum-tantalum oxide (MTO) (Paragraph [0146], black matrix material is black pigment or black dye or for example, at least one suitable light blocking material generally used in the art).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See form PTO-892.
US 2023/217693 A1 And US 2023/200176 A1, both teaches claim 1 limitations.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHEIKH MARUF whose telephone number is (571)270-1903. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8am-6pm EDT.
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, Chad Dicke can be reached on 571-270-7996. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHEIKH MARUF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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