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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/4/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant’s arguments (Applicant’s Remarks pages 10-14) highlight the limitations “the second portion of the upper surface of the rib is closer to the substrate compared to the first portion of the upper surface of the rib in the third direction, and the second portion of the upper surface of the rib overlaps the contact area of the contact hole in the third direction” in amended claim 1 as distinguishing the claimed invention from the prior art of record. However, the Examiner respectfully disagrees:
Based on the broadest reasonable interpretation of the term “portion” and distance-relationships relative to a lower substrate, the disclosures of US 20220077251 A1 (Choung et al) in view of US 20190348482 A1 (Bae et al) teach that the claimed limitations are present because the first and second portions “of the upper surface of the rib” may be designated in such a manner that they satisfy the limitations of claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 below for additional information).
Additionally, the IDS dated 4/12/2024 included a foreign document which still does not have a copy and translation provided.
Information Disclosure Statement
Non-patent literature document “Office action issued on November 9, 2023, …” cited in the IDS dated 4/12/2024 has not been considered because a copy of that document and a translation were not provided by the Applicant.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-10 and 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US patent publications US 20220077251 A1 (Choung et al hereinafter Choung) in view of US 20190348482 A1 (Bae et al hereinafter Bae).
Regarding claim 1, Choung discloses a display device (a display device including the structure of FIGS. 1A and 2, Abstract, claim 1) comprising: a substrate (FIG. 1A, substrate 102 ¶ [0027]); a pixel circuit overlapping the substrate (FIG. 1A, sub-pixel circuit 100 includes metal layers 104 on substrate 102 ¶ [0027-0028]); a first lower electrode (FIG. 1A, anode/metal layer 104 in first sub-pixel 108a ¶ [0027-0029]) and a second lower electrode (FIG. 1A, anode/metal layer 104 in second sub-pixel 108b ¶ [0027-0029]) arranged in a second direction (FIG. 1A, a horizontal direction based on the cross-sectional view of the figure) crossing at a right angle to a third direction (FIG. 1A, a vertical direction based on the cross-sectional view of the figure) normal to an upper surface of the substrate; a first upper electrode (FIG. 1A, cathode 114 in first sub-pixel 108a ¶ [0032], which opposes anode/metal layer 104) opposing the first lower electrode in the third direction; a second upper electrode (FIG. 1A, cathode 114 in second sub-pixel 108b ¶ [0032], which opposes anode/metal layer 104) opposing the second lower electrode in the third direction; a first organic layer (FIG. 1A, OLED material 112 between anode 104 and cathode 114 in first sub-pixel 108a ¶ [0029, 0032]) located between the first lower electrode and the first upper electrode and including a first light-emitting layer (OLED material 112 in first sub-pixel 108a emits red light ¶ [0029], inherently including a light emitting layer); a second organic layer (FIG. 1A, OLED material 112 between anode 104 and cathode 114 in second sub-pixel 108b ¶ [0029, 0032]) located between the second lower electrode and the second upper electrode and including a second light-emitting layer (OLED material 112 in second sub-pixel 108b emits green light ¶ [0029], inherently including a light emitting layer);
a rib (FIG. 1A, PDL structure 126 ¶ [0027-0028]) formed of a first inorganic material (PDL structure 126 may be an inorganic material ¶ [0028]) on the first lower electrode and the second lower electrode (FIG. 1A, PDL structure 126 is on anodes 104 in both first and second sub-pixels 108a and 108b) and including a first pixel aperture overlapping the first lower electrode in a plan view (FIG. 1A, an aperture in PDL structure 126 overlaps part of anode 104 in first sub-pixel 108a along the vertical direction), and a second pixel aperture overlapping the second lower electrode in the plan view (FIG. 1A, an aperture in PDL structure 126 overlaps part of anode 104 in second sub-pixel 108b along the vertical direction); a partition (FIGS. 1A and 1C, overhang structure 110 is between first and second sub-pixels 108a and 108b ¶ [0030]) located between the first pixel aperture and the second pixel aperture in the plan view, a thickness of the rib being less than a thickness of the partition (FIG. 1A, the thickness of overhang structure 110 along the vertical direction is greater than the thickness of PDL structure 126 along the vertical direction: MPEP 2125 I. “When the reference is a utility patent, it does not matter that the feature shown is unintended or unexplained in the specification”), and the partition including a lower portion (FIG. 1A, lower portion 110A is on PDL structure 126 ¶ [0030]) on the rib, and an upper portion (FIG. 1A, upper portion 110B/1106 is on lower portion 110A ¶ [0030]) on the lower portion and extending beyond a side surface of the lower portion (FIG. 1A, upper portion 110B extends past sidewalls of lower portion 110A along the horizontal direction) in the second direction,
wherein the first light-emitting layer emits a light of a first color (OLED material 112 of first sub-pixel 108a emits red light ¶ [0029]), the second light-emitting layer emits a light of a second color different from the first color (OLED material 112 of second sub-pixel 108b emits green light ¶ [0029]), and the rib includes: a lower surface in direct contact with the first lower electrode and the second lower electrode (annotated FIG. 1A below, there are lower surfaces of PDL 126 that directly contact the lower electrodes), an upper surface opposing the lower surface (FIG. 1A, the upper surface of PDL 126 is the planar and sloped portions that face upward and oppose the lower surface), the upper surface being further from the substrate compared to the lower surface in the third direction (FIG. 1A, upper surface of PDL 126 is vertically above lower surface of PDL 126) and including a first portion and a second portion (annotated FIG. 1A, a first portion and a second portion are designated), the second portion of the upper surface of the rib is closer to the substrate compared to the first portion of the upper surface of the rib in the third direction (annotated FIG. 1A, the second portion includes part of a sidewall which extends closer to the substrate compared to the first portion).
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Choung does not explicitly disclose an insulating layer on the pixel circuit and including a contact hole, that the first lower electrode and second lower electrode are on the insulating layer, the contact hole includes a contact area where the first lower electrode is in electrical contact with the pixel circuit, the lower portion of the partition overlaps an entirety of the contact area of the contact hole, or that the second portion of the upper surface of the rib overlaps the contact area of the contact hole in the third direction; details pertaining to thin-film transistor structures not being of particular significance to the disclosure of their invention.
However, Bae discloses a display device (the device of FIG. 6) comprising an insulating layer (FIG. 6, planarization insulating layer 170 ¶ [0048]) on a pixel circuit (FIG. 6, a pixel circuit including thin film transistor TFT and capacitor Cst ¶ [0048]) and including a contact hole (FIG. 6, an unlabeled contact hole in layer 170 is present to allow access by pixel electrode 210), a first lower electrode (FIG. 6, the right-side pixel electrode 210 ¶ [0052-0053]) and a second lower electrode (FIG. 6, the left-side pixel electrode 210 ¶ [0052-0053]) are on the insulating layer (FIG. 6, pixel electrodes 210 are both on layer 170), the contact hole includes a contact area (FIG. 6, the bottom of the unlabeled contact hole where the right pixel electrode 210 contacts the TFT is a contact area) where the first lower electrode is in electrical contact with the pixel circuit, and a lower portion of a partition (FIG. 6, a partition being a structure constituted by spacer 190, second layer 182, and third layer 183 ¶ [0054, 0075], the lower portion of the partition being second layer 182) overlaps an entirety of the contact area of the contact hole (FIG. 6, the bottom/contact area of the contact hole is entirely overlapped by second layer 182 of the partition structure). A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would also have found such a configuration of a contact hole an obvious option to allow the pixel electrodes to receive driving and/or switching signals from TFTs located on the substrate in order to operate the pixels of the display; in addition, the pixel electrode 210 may contain a reflective layer (¶ [0053]), and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the position of the reflective pixel electrode relative to the contact hole and underlying TFT structure can be optimized to improve the device performance such as by protecting the TFT components from deterioration due to exposure to incident light. Additionally, based on the designations of the first and second “portions of the upper surface of the rib” as applied to the disclosure of Choung above, it can be seen in Bae that the second portion of the upper surface of the rib overlaps the contact area of the contact hole in the third direction (annotated Bae FIG. 3 below, the second portion vertically overlaps the contact hole of pixel electrode 210).
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Choung and Bae both pertain to the field of display devices, placing them in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to modify the device of Choung to include an insulating layer on the pixel circuit and including a contact hole, that the first lower electrode and second lower electrode are on the insulating layer, the contact hole includes a contact area where the first lower electrode is in electrical contact with the pixel circuit, the lower portion of the partition overlaps an entirety of the contact area of the contact hole, and the second portion of the upper surface of the rib overlaps the contact area of the contact hole in the third direction, in order to allow the pixel electrodes to receive driving and/or switching signals from TFTs located on the substrate in order to operate the pixels of the display, and be optimized to improve the device performance.
Regarding claim 2, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, and further discloses the lower portion of the partition includes a first side surface (Choung FIG. 1A, the left side of lower portion 110A in the cross-sectional view) and a second side surface (Choung FIG. 1A, the right side of lower portion 110A in the cross-sectional view), the first side surface being closer to the first pixel aperture compared to the second side surface in the second direction (Choung FIG. 1A, the left side of lower portion 110A is closer to the aperture in first sub-pixel 108a than the right side of lower portion 110A), the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition is located between the contact area of the contact hole and the first organic layer in the second direction (Bae FIG. 6, the right side surface of lower partition layer 182 is between contact area of pixel electrode 210 contacting the TFT and the portion of the organic emission layers 222R/G toward the center of the right sub-pixel ¶ [0064]), and the second side surface of the lower portion of the partition is located between the contact area of the contact hole and the second organic layer in the second direction (Bae FIG. 6, the left side surface of lower partition layer 182 is between contact area of pixel electrode 210 contacting the TFT and the portion of the organic emission layers 222R/G toward the center of the left sub-pixel ¶ [0064]).
Regarding claim 3, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 2 as detailed above, but does not explicitly disclose that a first distance between the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction is 2.0 μm or more.
However, Bae does disclose width parameters W1 (FIG. 6, the width of lower partition layer 182 ¶ [0058]) and W2 (FIG. 2, the width separating adjacent pixel electrodes 210 ¶ [0058]), teaching that width W1 should exceed width W2 while discussing the prevention of incident light penetrating through the partition and into insulation layer 170, noting that the difference in widths W1 and W2 indicate an area where the pixel electrodes 210 overlap the partition and the underlying insulation 170 (¶ [0058]). Bae also notes that the pixel electrodes 210 are reflective (¶ [0053]), which agrees with the disclosure of Choung (anodes 104 of Choung may be formed of a reflective material such as chromium, ¶ [0027]). A person of ordinary skill in the art therefore would recognize that the difference in widths W1 and W2, which corresponds to a first distance between the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction, to be a result-effective variable in ensuring that incident light does not damage underlying insulation layers near the TFTs in the pixel circuit, as well as optimize the light emission due to the anodes reflecting incident light.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to vary, through routine optimization, the first distance between the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction since the corresponding difference in widths W1 and W2 disclosed by Bae would be identified as a result-effective variable. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to arrive at a first distance between the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction is 2.0 μm or more, in order to protect underlying insulation layers near the TFTs in the pixel circuit, as well as optimize the light emission due to the anodes reflecting incident light as suggested by Bae (see also MPEP 2144.05).
Furthermore, the applicant has not presented persuasive evidence that the claimed distance is for a particular purpose that is critical to the overall claimed invention (i.e., that the invention would not work without the specific claimed dimensions).
Regarding claim 4, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 2 as detailed above, but does not explicitly disclose that a width of the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction (Bae FIG. 6, the width of the unlabeled contact hole in insulation layer 170) is greater than a first distance between the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction (Bae FIG. 6, a distance between the right edge of the unlabeled contact hole in insulation layer 170 and the right side of lower partition layer 182), and a second distance between the second side surface of the lower portion of the partition (Bae FIG. 6, a distance between the left edge of the unlabeled contact hole in insulation layer 170 and the left side of lower partition layer 182) and the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction is greater than the width of the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction (the Examiner notes that the Bae FIG. 6 strongly suggests that the latter limitation is met; MPEP 2125 I).
However, Bae does disclose width parameters W1 (FIG. 6, the width of lower partition layer 182 ¶ [0058]) and W2 (FIG. 2, the width separating adjacent pixel electrodes 210 ¶ [0058]), teaching that width W1 should exceed width W2 while discussing the prevention of incident light penetrating through the partition and into insulation layer 170, noting that the difference in widths W1 and W2 indicate an area where the pixel electrodes 210 overlap the partition and the underlying insulation 170 (¶ [0058]). Bae also notes that the pixel electrodes 210 are reflective (¶ [0053]), which agrees with the disclosure of Choung (anodes 104 of Choung may be formed of a reflective material such as chromium, ¶ [0027]). A person of ordinary skill in the art therefore would recognize that the difference in widths W1 and W2, which corresponds to the claimed widths and distances, to be a result-effective variable in ensuring that incident light does not damage underlying insulation layers near the TFTs in the pixel circuit, as well as optimize the light emission due to the anodes reflecting incident light.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to vary, through routine optimization, a width of the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction, a first distance between the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction, and a second distance between the second side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction since the corresponding difference in widths W1 and W2 disclosed by Bae would be identified as a result-effective variable. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to arrive at a width of the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction is greater than a first distance between the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction, and a second distance between the second side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction is greater than the width of the contact area of the contact hole in the second direction, in order to protect underlying insulation layers near the TFTs in the pixel circuit, as well as optimize the light emission due to the anodes reflecting incident light as suggested by Bae (see also MPEP 2144.05).
Furthermore, the applicant has not presented persuasive evidence that the claimed widths and distances are for a particular purpose that is critical to the overall claimed invention (i.e., that the invention would not work without the specific claimed dimensions).
Regarding claim 5, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, and further discloses that the lower portion of the partition includes a first side surface (Choung FIG. 1A, the left side of lower portion 110A in the cross-sectional view) and a second side surface (FIG. 1A, the right side of lower portion 110A in the cross-sectional view), the first side surface being closer to the first pixel aperture compared to the second side surface in the second direction (FIG. 1A, the left side of lower portion 110A is closer to the aperture in first sub-pixel 108a than the right side of lower portion 110A), the lower portion of the partition is formed of a conductive material (lower portion 110A is a conductive inorganic material ¶ [0030]), the first upper electrode is in electrical contact with the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition (FIG. 1A, cathode 114 in first sub-pixel 108a contacts left side of lower portion 110A ¶ [0032]), and the second upper electrode is in electrical contact with the second side surface of the lower portion of the partition (FIG. 1A, cathode 114 in second sub-pixel 108b contacts right side of lower portion 110A ¶ [0032]).
Regarding claim 6, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 5 as detailed above, and further discloses that in a cross-sectional view, a first sealing layer (Choung FIG. 1A, encapsulation 116 in first sub-pixel 108a, which may be an inorganic material ¶ [0034]) formed of a second inorganic material and covering the first upper electrode and the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition (FIG. 1A, encapsulation 116 in first sub-pixel 108a covers cathode 114 and the left side of lower portion 110A), and a second sealing layer (FIG. 1A, encapsulation 116 in second sub-pixel 108b, which may be an inorganic material ¶ [0034]) formed of a third inorganic material and covering the second upper electrode and the second side surface of the lower portion of the partition (FIG. 1A, encapsulation 116 in second sub-pixel 108b covers cathode 114 and the right side of lower portion 110A).
Regarding claim 7, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, and further discloses that in a cross-sectional view and in the third direction, the rib and the partition each includes a recess portion located above the contact hole (Choung FIG. 1A, PDL structure 126 includes a lateral recess with a width along the vertical direction where anode 104 inserts under PDL 126, and inorganic overhang structure includes a lateral recess with a width along the vertical direction where the upper portion 110B overhangs the lower portion 110A; both of those recesses are located at positions above the contact hole).
Regarding claim 8, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 6 as detailed above, and further discloses that the first sealing layer includes a first edge (Choung FIG. 1A, encapsulation 116 in first sub-pixel 108a extends to a first edge above upper portion 110B facing to the right) above the upper portion of the partition, the second sealing layer includes a second edge (FIG. 1A, encapsulation 116 in second sub-pixel 108b extends to a second edge above upper portion 110B facing to the left) above the upper portion of the partition, and the first edge of the first sealing layer and the second edge of the second sealing layer are spaced apart from each other in the second direction (FIG. 1A, the first and second edges of encapsulation 116 are spaced apart from each other along the horizontal direction).
Regarding claim 9, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 8 as detailed above, but does not explicitly disclose that in the second direction, the first edge of the first sealing layer is located between the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole; as the edges of the sealing layers are shown only in Choung and the contact area of the contact hole is shown only in Bae, a comparison of the locations of these features relative to each other is not explicitly presented.
However, regarding the position of the contact hole and its corresponding contact area, Bae does disclose width parameters W1 (FIG. 6, the width of lower partition layer 182 ¶ [0058]) and W2 (FIG. 2, the width separating adjacent pixel electrodes 210 ¶ [0058]), teaching that width W1 should exceed width W2 while discussing the prevention of incident light penetrating through the partition and into insulation layer 170, noting that the difference in widths W1 and W2 indicate an area where the pixel electrodes 210 overlap the partition and the underlying insulation 170 (¶ [0058]). Bae also notes that the pixel electrodes 210 are reflective (¶ [0053]), which agrees with the disclosure of Choung (anodes 104 of Choung may be formed of a reflective material such as chromium, ¶ [0027]). A person of ordinary skill in the art therefore would recognize that the difference in widths W1 and W2, which corresponds to the location of the contact hole and its contact area, to be a result -effective variable in ensuring that incident light does not damage underlying insulation layers near the TFTs in the pixel circuit, as well as optimize the light emission due to the anodes reflecting incident light.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to vary, through routine optimization, the position of the contact hole relative to the first edge of the first sealing layer and the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition since the corresponding difference in widths W1 and W2 disclosed by Bae would be identified as a result-effective variable. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to arrive at a configuration wherein in the second direction, the first edge of the first sealing layer is located between the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole, in order to protect underlying insulation layers near the TFTs in the pixel circuit, as well as optimize the light emission due to the anodes reflecting incident light as suggested by Bae (see also MPEP 2144.05). See also annotated/zoomed-in version of FIG. 1A of Choung below for additional clarification.
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Furthermore, the applicant has not presented persuasive evidence that the claimed positions are for a particular purpose that is critical to the overall claimed invention (i.e., that the invention would not work without the specific claimed dimensions).
Regarding claim 10, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 8 as detailed above, but does not explicitly disclose that in the second direction, the second edge of the second sealing layer is located between the second side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole; as the edges of the sealing layers are shown only in Choung and the contact area of the contact hole is shown only in Bae, a comparison of the locations of these features relative to each other is not explicitly presented.
However, regarding the position of the contact hole and its corresponding contact area, Bae does disclose width parameters W1 (FIG. 6, the width of lower partition layer 182 ¶ [0058]) and W2 (FIG. 2, the width separating adjacent pixel electrodes 210 ¶ [0058]), teaching that width W1 should exceed width W2 while discussing the prevention of incident light penetrating through the partition and into insulation layer 170, noting that the difference in widths W1 and W2 indicate an area where the pixel electrodes 210 overlap the partition and the underlying insulation 170 (¶ [0058]). Bae also notes that the pixel electrodes 210 are reflective (¶ [0053]), which agrees with the disclosure of Choung (anodes 104 of Choung may be formed of a reflective material such as chromium, ¶ [0027]). A person of ordinary skill in the art therefore would recognize that the difference in widths W1 and W2, which corresponds to the location of the contact hole and its contact area, to be a result -effective variable in ensuring that incident light does not damage underlying insulation layers near the TFTs in the pixel circuit, as well as optimize the light emission due to the anodes reflecting incident light.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to vary, through routine optimization, the position of the contact hole relative to the second edge of the second sealing layer and the second side surface of the lower portion of the partition since the corresponding difference in widths W1 and W2 disclosed by Bae would be identified as a result-effective variable. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to arrive at a configuration wherein in the second direction, the second edge of the second sealing layer is located between the second side surface of the lower portion of the partition and the contact area of the contact hole, in order to protect underlying insulation layers near the TFTs in the pixel circuit, as well as optimize the light emission due to the anodes reflecting incident light as suggested by Bae (see also MPEP 2144.05). See also annotated/zoomed-in version of FIG. 1A of Choung above for additional clarification.
Furthermore, the applicant has not presented persuasive evidence that the claimed positions are for a particular purpose that is critical to the overall claimed invention (i.e., that the invention would not work without the specific claimed dimensions).
Regarding claim 21, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, and Choung further discloses that the lower portion of the partition includes a first side surface (FIG. 1A, the left sidewall of central lower portion 110A) and a second side surface (FIG. 1A, the right sidewall of central lower portion 110A), the first side surface being closer to the first pixel aperture compared to the second side surface in the second direction (FIG. 1A, the left sidewall of central lower portion 110A is closer to first sub-pixel 108a than the right sidewall of central lower portion 110A), the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition overlaps the first portion of the upper surface of the rib in the third direction (annotated FIG. 1A below, the “first portion” vertically overlaps the left sidewall of central lower portion 110A), and the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition does not overlap the second portion of the upper surface of the rib in the third direction (annotated FIG. 1A, the “second portion” does not vertically overlap the left sidewall of central lower portion 110A).
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Regarding claim 22, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, and Choung further discloses that the lower portion of the partition includes: a lower surface (FIG. 1A, the lower surface of central lower portion 110A directly contacts the upper surface of PDL 126) in direct contact with the upper surface of the rib, and an upper surface opposing the lower surface (FIG. 1A, the upper surface of central lower portion 110A, including the sloped sidewalls, is further from the lower substrate than the lower surface of central lower portion 110A), being further from the substrate compared to the lower surface in the third direction, and including a third portion and a fourth portion (see annotated FIG. 1A below, third and fourth portions are designated there), the fourth portion of the upper surface of the lower portion of the partition is closer to the substrate compared to the third portion of the upper surface of the lower portion of the partition in the third direction (annotated FIG. 1A above, the ‘fourth portion’ includes part of a sidewall which extends closer to the substrate compared to the third portion), and the fourth portion of the upper surface of the lower portion of the partition overlaps the contact area of the contact hole in the third direction (while the contact hole is not illustrated in FIG. 1A of Choung, FIG. 3 of Bae which does illustrate the contact hole indicates that a right-end portion of second layer 182 which corresponds to the lower portion of the partition vertically overlaps the contact area of the contact hole).
Regarding claim 23, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 22 as detailed above, and they further disclose that the lower portion of the partition includes: a lower surface (FIG. 1A, the lower surface of central lower portion 110A directly contacts the upper surface of PDL 126) in direct contact with the upper surface of the rib, and an upper surface opposing the lower surface (FIG. 1A, the upper surface of central lower portion 110A, including the sloped sidewalls, is further from the lower substrate than the lower surface of central lower portion 110A), being further from the substrate compared to the lower surface in the third direction, and including a third portion and a fourth portion (see annotated FIG. 1A below, third and fourth portions are designated there), the fourth portion of the upper surface of the lower portion of the partition is closer to the substrate compared to the third portion of the upper surface of the lower portion of the partition in the third direction (annotated FIG. 1A below, the ‘fourth portion’ includes part of a sidewall which extends closer to the substrate compared to the third portion), and the fourth portion of the upper surface of the lower portion of the partition overlaps the contact area of the contact hole in the third direction (while the contact hole is not illustrated in FIG. 1A of Choung, FIG. 3 of Bae which does illustrate the contact hole indicates that a right-end portion of second layer 182 which corresponds to the lower portion of the partition vertically overlaps the contact area of the contact hole).
Regarding claim 24, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 23 as detailed above, and they further disclose that the lower portion of the partition includes a first side surface (FIG. 1A, the left sidewall of central lower portion 110A) and a second side surface (FIG. 1A, the right sidewall of central lower portion 110A), the first side surface being closer to the first pixel aperture compared to the second side surface in the second direction (FIG. 1A, the left sidewall of central lower portion 110A is closer to first sub-pixel 108a than the right sidewall of central lower portion 110A), the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition overlaps the first portion of the upper surface of the rib in the third direction (annotated FIG. 1A above, the “first portion” vertically overlaps the left sidewall of central lower portion 110A), the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition does not overlap the second portion of the upper surface of the rib in the third direction (annotated FIG. 1A, the “second portion” does not vertically overlap the left sidewall of central lower portion 110A), the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition overlaps the fifth portion of the upper surface of the upper portion of the partition in the third direction (annotated FIG. 1A, the “fifth portion” vertically overlaps the left sidewall of central lower portion 110A), and the first side surface of the lower portion of the partition does not overlap the sixth portion of the upper surface of the upper portion of the partition in the third direction (annotated FIG. 1A, the “sixth portion” does not vertically overlap the left sidewall of central lower portion 110A).
Claims 25-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choung in view of Bae as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US patent publications US 20130187177 A1 (Nanai et al hereinafter Nanai) and US 20210020707 A1 (Choi et al hereinafter Choi).
Regarding claim 25, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, but they do not further disclose that in a cross-sectional view, the second portion of the upper surface of the rib is located inside the contact hole.
However, Nanai discloses a display device (the device of FIG. 1 ¶ [0012]) wherein in a cross sectional view, a second portion of an upper surface of a rib (FIG. 1, bank layer 10 includes a portion of its upper surface which dips down in section A ¶ [0044]) is located inside a contact hole (FIG. 1, a contact hole is formed by apertures in layer 5, 7, and 8 in section A which the upper surface of bank 10 extends into ¶ [0044]). Additionally, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found modifying the structure of the rib based on the disclosure of Nanai to be beneficial in view of Choi, which teaches a display device wherein a groove is formed in a rib (FIG. 12, groove 91 formed in insulating pixel bank 190 ¶ [0100]) which can reduce an outgassing phenomenon in the device (¶ [0101]).
Choung, Bae, Nanai, and Choi all pertain to the field of display devices, placing them in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to modify the device of Choung in view of Bae further in view of Nanai and Choi such that in a cross-sectional view, the second portion of the upper surface of the rib is located inside the contact hole as was configured by Nanai, in order to reduce an outgassing phenomenon in the device as was taught by Choi.
Regarding claim 26, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, but they do not further disclose that in a cross-sectional view, a part of the lower portion of the partition is located inside the contact hole.
However, Nanai discloses a display device (the device of FIG. 1 ¶ [0012]) wherein in a cross sectional view, a second portion of an upper surface of a rib (FIG. 1, bank layer 10 includes a portion of its upper surface which dips down in section A ¶ [0044]) is located inside a contact hole (FIG. 1, a contact hole is formed by apertures in layer 5, 7, and 8 in section A which the upper surface of bank 10 extends into ¶ [0044]). Additionally, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found modifying the structure of the rib based on the disclosure of Nanai to be beneficial in view of Choi, which teaches a display device wherein a groove is formed in a rib (FIG. 12, groove 91 formed in insulating pixel bank 190 ¶ [0100]) which can reduce an outgassing phenomenon in the device (¶ [0101]). Furthermore, when this structure is applied to the device of Choung in view of Bae, wherein the lower portion of the partition is located directly on the rib (Choung FIG 1A, partition lower portion 110A is formed directly on PDL 126), a part of the lower portion of the partition would be located inside the contact hole because the structure of the rib of Choung would be modified in view of Nanai and Choi to recess into the contact hole. Since the part of the lower portion of the partition is directly contacting the rib’s upper surface, it too would be located inside the contact hole.
Choung, Bae, Nanai, and Choi all pertain to the field of display devices, placing them in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to modify the device of Choung in view of Bae further in view of Nanai and Choi such that in a cross-sectional view, a part of the lower portion of the partition is located inside the contact hole, in order to reduce an outgassing phenomenon in the device as was taught by Choi.
Regarding claim 27, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, but they do not further disclose that in a cross-sectional view, the contact hole is filled with the lower portion of the partition.
However, Nanai discloses a display device (the device of FIG. 1 ¶ [0012]) wherein in a cross sectional view, a second portion of an upper surface of a rib (FIG. 1, bank layer 10 includes a portion of its upper surface which dips down in section A ¶ [0044]) is located inside a contact hole (FIG. 1, a contact hole is formed by apertures in layer 5, 7, and 8 in section A which the upper surface of bank 10 extends into ¶ [0044]). Additionally, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found modifying the structure of the rib based on the disclosure of Nanai to be beneficial in view of Choi, which teaches a display device wherein a groove is formed in a rib (FIG. 12, groove 91 formed in insulating pixel bank 190 ¶ [0100]) which can reduce an outgassing phenomenon in the device (¶ [0101]). Furthermore, when this structure is applied to the device of Choung in view of Bae, wherein the lower portion of the partition is located directly on the rib (Choung FIG 1A, partition lower portion 110A is formed directly on PDL 126), the contact hole is filled with the lower portion of the partition because the structure of the rib of Choung would be modified in view of Nanai and Choi to recess into the contact hole. Since the part of the lower portion of the partition is directly contacting the rib’s upper surface, it too would fill the contact hole.
Choung, Bae, Nanai, and Choi all pertain to the field of display devices, placing them in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to modify the device of Choung in view of Bae further in view of Nanai and Choi such that in a cross-sectional view, the contact hole is filled with the lower portion of the partition, in order to reduce an outgassing phenomenon in the device as was taught by Choi.
Regarding claim 28, Choung in view of Bae discloses the limitations of claim 1 as detailed above, but they do not further disclose that the rib includes a first recess portion, and the partition includes a second recess portion, wherein the first recess portion of the rib, the second recess portion of the partition, and the contact area of the contact hole overlap each other in a cross-sectional view and in the third direction.
However, Nanai discloses a display device (the device of FIG. 1 ¶ [0012]) wherein a rib includes a first recess portion (FIG. 1, bank layer 10 includes a portion of its upper surface which recesses into section A ¶ [0044]), wherein the first recess portion of the rib and a contact area of a contact hole (FIG. 1, a contact hole is formed by apertures in layer 5, 7, and 8 in section A which the upper surface of bank 10 extends into ¶ [0044]) overlap each other in a cross-sectional view and in the third direction (FIG. 1, bank layer 10 and the contact hole vertically overlap each other in section A). Additionally, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found modifying the structure of the rib based on the disclosure of Nanai to be beneficial in view of Choi, which teaches a display device wherein a groove is formed in a rib (FIG. 12, groove 91 formed in insulating pixel bank 190 ¶ [0100]) which can reduce an outgassing phenomenon in the device (¶ [0101]).
Choung, Bae, Nanai, and Choi do not explicitly illustrate that the partition includes a second recess portion, and that the second recess portion of the partition overlaps the first recess portion of the rib and the contact area of the contact hole in a cross-sectional view and in the third direction. However, when the rib structure of Nanai is applied to the device of Choung in view of Bae, wherein the lower portion of the partition is located directly on the rib (Choung FIG 1A, partition lower portion 110A is formed directly on PDL 126), it naturally follows that the partition also includes a second recess portion and that the second recess portion of the partition overlaps the first recess portion of the rib and the contact area of the contact hole in a cross-sectional view and in the third direction, since in Choung the rib and partition are directly disposed atop each other; a recess in the rib naturally leads to a recess in the partition.
Choung, Bae, Nanai, and Choi all pertain to the field of display devices, placing them in the same field of endeavor as the claimed invention. Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have found it obvious to modify the device of Choung in view of Bae further in view of Nanai and Choi such that the rib includes a first recess portion, and the partition includes a second recess portion, wherein the first recess portion of the rib, the second recess portion of the partition, and the contact area of the contact hole overlap each other in a cross-sectional view and in the third direction, in order to reduce an outgassing phenomenon in the device as was taught by Choi.
Regarding claim 29, Choung in view of Bae, Nanai, and Choi disclose the limitations of claim 28 as detailed above, and further disclose that in a cross-sectional view and in the third direction, the first recess portion of the rib (Nanai FIG. 1 illustrates the recess portion of the rib being in the contact hole) and the second recess portion of the partition (as was discussed regarding claim 28, when the rib’s recess structure in Nanai is applied to the device of Choung, the partition also includes a recess portion directly above the rib’s recess portion since the rib and partition are directly contacting each other) are located inside the contact hole.
Regarding claim 30, Choung in view of Bae, Nanai, and Choi disclose the limitations of claim 28 as detailed above, and further disclose that in a cross-sectional view and in the third direction, the second portion of the upper surface of the rib overlaps the first recess portion of the rib (Nanai FIG. 1, the second portion of the upper surface of bank layer 10, which includes the section in the recess, overlaps the recess in bank layer 10).
Cited Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US patent publication US 20250366318 A1.
Conclusion
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.
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/E.R.C./Examiner, Art Unit 2813
/STEVEN B GAUTHIER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2813