DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 13 recites that the light-shielding layer is formed of a mixture comprising “acetate-1-methoxy-2-acrylic acid”. This does not correspond to a known compound, and no further detail is provided in the disclosure. However, 1-methoxy-2-propanol acetate, or PGMEA, is a well known solvent. This appears to be a potential translation error. For purposes of examination, the term will be interpreted as corresponding to PGMEA.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 6-7, 9, 11, 15-16, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chung (U.S. PGPub 2021/0066648).
Regarding claim 1, Chung teaches a display panel comprising a plurality of display units, each of the plurality of display units comprising a transparent area (Fig. 4, Ta, [0067]), and the display panel further comprising:
a base substrate (110, [0076]); and
a composite functional layer, provided on a side of the base substrate and having a first through-hole formed therein (100, TW, [0091]-[0093]), the first through-hole being provided in the transparent area (Fig. 14),
wherein the composite functional layer comprises:
a composite transparent layer, comprising a plurality of transparent functional layers, and comprising a light-transmitting part surrounding the first through-hole ([0094], [0136], edge of the transmission area); and
a light-shielding layer, an orthographic projection of the light-shielding layer on the base substrate covering an orthographic projection of at least a portion of the light-transmitting part on the base substrate (1160, [0135]-[0136]).
Regarding claim 2, Chung teaches wherein the display panel further comprises a light-emitting unit (LE, [0089]), and the composite functional layer further comprises:
a second source-drain layer, provided on the side of the base substrate, and comprising an electrode part connecting to the light-emitting unit (142/143, [0081]; no first source-drain layer has been claimed); and
a second planarization layer, provided on a side of the second source-drain layer away from the base substrate (145, [0083]),
wherein the light-shielding layer is provided on a side of the second planarization layer away from the base substrate (Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 6, Chung teaches wherein the light-shielding layer is provided on a side of the composite transparent layer away from the base substrate, and at least a portion of a sidewall of the first through-hole is formed by the light-shielding layer (Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 7, Chung teaches wherein the light-shielding layer is provided on a side of the composite transparent layer away from the base substrate, a second through-hole is formed in the composite transparent layer, the first through-hole is provided in the second through-hole, and the light-shielding layer covers a sidewall of the second through-hole to form the first through-hole; and
wherein an inner diameter of the second through-hole at a location close to the base substrate is smaller than an inner diameter of the second through-hole at a location far from the base substrate (Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 9, Chung teaches wherein the second through-hole comprises a first opening far from the base substrate, and the light-transmitting part comprises a first light-transmitting part;
an orthographic projection of the first light-transmitting part on the base substrate surrounds an orthographic projection of the first opening on the base substrate (Fig. 4, SA2); and
the light-shielding layer comprises a first light-shielding part, and an orthographic projection of the first light-shielding part on the base substrate covers an orthographic projection of at least a portion of the first light-transmitting part on the base substrate (Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 11, Chung teaches wherein the display panel further comprises a pixel driving circuit, and the display unit further comprises a pixel area integrated with the pixel driving circuit; and the light-shielding layer further comprises a third light-shielding part, and the third light-shielding part is provided in the pixel area (Fig. 14, PA2, 1160).
Regarding claim 15, Chung teaches a display device comprising a display panel, wherein the display panel comprises a plurality of display units, each of the plurality of display units comprising a transparent area (Fig. 4, Ta, [0067]), and the display panel further comprising:
a base substrate (110, [0076]); and
a composite functional layer, provided on a side of the base substrate and having a first through-hole formed therein (100, TW, [0091]-[0093]), the first through-hole being provided in the transparent area (Fig. 14),
wherein the composite functional layer comprises:
a composite transparent layer, comprising a plurality of transparent functional layers, and comprising a light-transmitting part surrounding the first through-hole ([0094], [0136], edge of the transmission area); and
a light-shielding layer, an orthographic projection of the light-shielding layer on the base substrate covering an orthographic projection of at least a portion of the light-transmitting part on the base substrate (1160, [0135]-[0136]).
Regarding claim 16, Chung teaches wherein the display panel further comprises a light-emitting unit (LE, [0089]), and the composite functional layer further comprises:
a second source-drain layer, provided on the side of the base substrate, and comprising an electrode part connecting to the light-emitting unit (142/143, [0081]; no first source-drain layer has been claimed); and
a second planarization layer, provided on a side of the second source-drain layer away from the base substrate (145, [0083]),
wherein the light-shielding layer is provided on a side of the second planarization layer away from the base substrate (Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 20, Chung teaches wherein the light-shielding layer is provided on a side of the composite transparent layer away from the base substrate, and at least a portion of a sidewall of the first through-hole is formed by the light-shielding layer (Fig. 14).
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 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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 3 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung (U.S. PGPub 2021/0066648) in view of Yan (CN112909053A, citations to U.S. PGPub 2023/0165094 for convenience) and Tang (U.S. PGPub 2020/0235177).
Regarding claim 3, Chung teaches wherein the display panel further comprises a light-emitting unit (LE, [0089]),
and the composite functional layer further comprises: a first source-drain layer, provided on the side of the base substrate, a portion of the first source-drain layer being configured to form a data line (141/142, [0081]-[0083]) and comprising an electrode part connecting to the light-emitting unit (143, [0081]-[0083]); and
a first planarization layer, provided over the first source-drain layer (200, [0057]).
Chung does not explicitly teach a second source-drain layer, provided on a side of the first source-drain layer away from the base substrate, and comprising an electrode part connecting to the light-emitting unit, and a color of the first planarization layer being black and the first planarization layer forming the light-shielding layer.
Chung further teaches where the light-shielding layer is formed from the pixel definition layer and is colored black for the purpose of light-shielding ([0135]).
Yan teaches a second source-drain layer provided on a side of a first source-drain layer away from the base substrate and comprising an electrode part connecting to a light emitting unit (Fig. 16, 213/214, [0018]; 41, [0129]), and a planarization layer between the first source-drain layer and the second source-drain layer (22, [0118])
Tang teaches a display panel comprising a light-emitting unit ([0033], 6), a composite functional layer comprising a first source-drain layer connecting to a light-emitting unit (261/262, 6, [0033]-[0035]), and a planarization layer provided directly over the first source-drain layer, and a color of the first planarization layer being black and the first planarization layer forming a light-shielding layer (Fig. 4, [0040]). Tang further teaches as an alternative wherein the light-shielding layer may be formed as the pixel definition layer (Fig. 3, 5, [0039]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Yan and Tang with Chung such that the device comprises a second source-drain layer, provided on a side of the first source-drain layer away from the base substrate, and comprising an electrode part connecting to the light-emitting unit, and a color of the first planarization layer being black and the first planarization layer forming the light-shielding layer for the purpose of protecting the transistors (Yan, [0118]) and providing light-shielding according to a known suitable alternative in the art (Tang, [0042]).
Regarding claim 17, Chung teaches wherein the display panel further comprises a light-emitting unit (LE, [0089]),
and the composite functional layer further comprises: a first source-drain layer, provided on the side of the base substrate, a portion of the first source-drain layer being configured to form a data line (141/142, [0081]-[0083]) and comprising an electrode part connecting to the light-emitting unit (143, [0081]-[0083]); and
a first planarization layer, provided over the first source-drain layer (200, [0057]).
Chung does not explicitly teach a second source-drain layer, provided on a side of the first source-drain layer away from the base substrate, and comprising an electrode part connecting to the light-emitting unit, and a color of the first planarization layer being black and the first planarization layer forming the light-shielding layer.
Chung further teaches where the light-shielding layer is formed from the pixel definition layer and is colored black for the purpose of light-shielding ([0135]).
Yan teaches a second source-drain layer provided on a side of a first source-drain layer away from the base substrate and comprising an electrode part connecting to a light emitting unit (Fig. 16, 213/214, [0018]; 41, [0129]), and a planarization layer between the first source-drain layer and the second source-drain layer (22, [0118])
Tang teaches a display panel comprising a light-emitting unit ([0033], 6), a composite functional layer comprising a first source-drain layer connecting to a light-emitting unit (261/262, 6, [0033]-[0035]), and a planarization layer provided directly over the first source-drain layer, and a color of the first planarization layer being black and the first planarization layer forming a light-shielding layer (Fig. 4, [0040]). Tang further teaches as an alternative wherein the light-shielding layer may be formed as the pixel definition layer (Fig. 3, 5, [0039]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Yan and Tang with Chung such that the device comprises a second source-drain layer, provided on a side of the first source-drain layer away from the base substrate, and comprising an electrode part connecting to the light-emitting unit, and a color of the first planarization layer being black and the first planarization layer forming the light-shielding layer for the purpose of protecting the transistors (Yan, [0118]) and providing light-shielding according to a known suitable alternative in the art (Tang, [0042]).
Claims 4-5 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung (U.S. PGPub 2021/0066648) in view of Tang (U.S. PGPub 2020/0235177).
Regarding claim 4, Chung teaches wherein the display panel further comprises a light-emitting unit (LE, [0089]),
and the composite functional layer further comprises: a second source-drain layer, provided on the side of the base substrate, and comprising an electrode part connecting to the light-emitting unit (143, [0081]-[0083]; no first source-drain layer has been claimed).
Chung does not explicitly teach a second planarization layer, provided on a side of the second source-drain layer away from the base substrate, a color of the second planarization layer being black, and the second planarization layer forming the light-shielding layer.
Chung further teaches where the light-shielding layer is formed from the pixel definition layer and is colored black for the purpose of light-shielding ([0135]).
Tang teaches a display panel comprising a light-emitting unit ([0033], 6), a composite functional layer comprising a source-drain layer connecting to a light-emitting unit (261/262, 6, [0033]-[0035]), a planarization layer provided on a side of the source-drain layer away from the base substrate, a color of the first planarization layer being black and the planarization layer forming a light-shielding layer (Fig. 4, [0040]). Tang further teaches as an alternative wherein the light-shielding layer may be formed as the pixel definition layer (Fig. 3, 5, [0039]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Tang with Chung such that the device comprises a second planarization layer, provided on a side of the second source-drain layer away from the base substrate, a color of the second planarization layer being black, and the second planarization layer forming the light-shielding layer for the purpose of providing light-shielding according to a known suitable alternative in the art (Tang, [0042]).
Regarding claim 5, Chung teaches wherein the display panel further comprises a light-emitting unit (LE, [0089]),
and the composite functional layer comprises any film layers provided between the light-emitting unit and the base substrate (Fig. 14).
Chung does not explicitly teach wherein the light-shielding layer comprises at least one of a buffer layer, an insulating layer, a passivation layer, a planarization layer, and a conductive layer provided between the light-emitting unit and the base substrate.
Chung further teaches where the light-shielding layer is formed from the pixel definition layer and is colored black for the purpose of light-shielding ([0135]).
Tang teaches a display panel comprising a light-emitting unit ([0033], 6), a composite functional layer between the light-emitting unit and the base substrate (Figs. 4-5), wherein a light-shielding layer comprises at least one of a buffer layer, an insulating layer, a passivation layer, a planarization layer, and a conductive layer (Figs. 4-5, 3, [0042]). Tang further teaches as an alternative wherein the light-shielding layer may be formed as the pixel definition layer (Fig. 3, 5, [0039]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Tang with Chung such that the light-shielding layer comprises at least one of a buffer layer, an insulating layer, a passivation layer, a planarization layer, and a conductive layer provided between the light-emitting unit and the base substrate for the purpose of providing light-shielding according to a known suitable alternative in the art (Tang, [0042]).
Regarding claim 18, Chung teaches wherein the display panel further comprises a light-emitting unit (LE, [0089]),
and the composite functional layer further comprises: a second source-drain layer, provided on the side of the base substrate, and comprising an electrode part connecting to the light-emitting unit (143, [0081]-[0083]; no first source-drain layer has been claimed).
Chung does not explicitly teach a second planarization layer, provided on a side of the second source-drain layer away from the base substrate, a color of the second planarization layer being black, and the second planarization layer forming the light-shielding layer.
Chung further teaches where the light-shielding layer is formed from the pixel definition layer and is colored black for the purpose of light-shielding ([0135]).
Tang teaches a display panel comprising a light-emitting unit ([0033], 6), a composite functional layer comprising a source-drain layer connecting to a light-emitting unit (261/262, 6, [0033]-[0035]), a planarization layer provided on a side of the source-drain layer away from the base substrate, a color of the first planarization layer being black and the planarization layer forming a light-shielding layer (Fig. 4, [0040]). Tang further teaches as an alternative wherein the light-shielding layer may be formed as the pixel definition layer (Fig. 3, 5, [0039]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Tang with Chung such that the device comprises a second planarization layer, provided on a side of the second source-drain layer away from the base substrate, a color of the second planarization layer being black, and the second planarization layer forming the light-shielding layer for the purpose of providing light-shielding according to a known suitable alternative in the art (Tang, [0042]).
Regarding claim 19, Chung teaches wherein the display panel further comprises a light-emitting unit (LE, [0089]),
and the composite functional layer comprises any film layers provided between the light-emitting unit and the base substrate (Fig. 14).
Chung does not explicitly teach wherein the light-shielding layer comprises at least one of a buffer layer, an insulating layer, a passivation layer, a planarization layer, and a conductive layer provided between the light-emitting unit and the base substrate.
Chung further teaches where the light-shielding layer is formed from the pixel definition layer and is colored black for the purpose of light-shielding ([0135]).
Tang teaches a display panel comprising a light-emitting unit ([0033], 6), a composite functional layer between the light-emitting unit and the base substrate (Figs. 4-5), wherein a light-shielding layer comprises at least one of a buffer layer, an insulating layer, a passivation layer, a planarization layer, and a conductive layer (Figs. 4-5, 3, [0042]). Tang further teaches as an alternative wherein the light-shielding layer may be formed as the pixel definition layer (Fig. 3, 5, [0039]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Tang with Chung such that the light-shielding layer comprises at least one of a buffer layer, an insulating layer, a passivation layer, a planarization layer, and a conductive layer provided between the light-emitting unit and the base substrate for the purpose of providing light-shielding according to a known suitable alternative in the art (Tang, [0042]).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung (U.S. PGPub 2021/0066648) in view of Yan (CN112909053A, citations to U.S. PGPub 2023/0165094 for convenience).
Regarding claim 10, Chung teaches wherein the source-drain layer directly connected to the transistor has a portion configured to form a data line (141/142, [0081]-[0083]) but does not explicitly teach wherein the composite functional layer further comprises:
a first source-drain layer, provided between the base substrate and the second source-drain layer,
a first planarization layer, provided between the first source-drain layer and the second source-drain layer,
wherein the first planarization layer is provided in an area outside the light-transmitting part.
Chung teaches wherein the second planarization layer (see rejection of claim 2) is provided in the light-transmitting part and outside the light-transmitting part (Fig. 14, see rejection of claim 1).
Yan teaches a first source-drain layer provided between a base substrate and a second source-drain layer (Fig. 16, 213/214, [0018]), and a planarization layer between the first source-drain layer and the second source-drain layer (22, [0118]) and another planarization layer over the second-source drain layer (3, [0118]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Yan with Chung such that the device comprises a first source-drain layer, provided between the base substrate and the second source-drain layer, a first planarization layer, provided between the first source-drain layer and the second source-drain layer, wherein the first planarization layer is provided in an area outside the light-transmitting part for the purpose of protecting the transistors (Yan, [0118]) and providing light-shielding according to a known suitable alternative in the art (Tang, [0042]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung (U.S. PGPub 2021/0066648) in view of Yoon (U.S. PGPub 2016/0233278).
Regarding claim 12, Chung does not explicitly teach wherein a material of the light-shielding layer comprises acrylic resin and carbon black particles.
Yoon teaches wherein a pixel defining layer which is a light-shielding layer comprises acrylic resin and carbon black particles ([0115]-[0119]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Yoon with Chung such that a material of the light-shielding layer comprises acrylic resin and carbon black particles because the prior art teaches every element, a person of ordinary skill could have combined them as claimed and in combination each element performs the same function as it does separately, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the invention. See MPEP 2143(I)A.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung (U.S. PGPub 2021/0066648) in view of Lee (U.S. PGPub 2023/0324792).
Regarding claim 13, Chung does not explicitly teach wherein the light-shielding layer is formed of a mixture of PGMEA, acrylic polymer, and organic dye.
Lee teaches wherein a pixel defining layer which is a light-shielding layer ([0059]) is formed of a mixture of PGMEA ([0218], solvent), acrylic polymer ([0145]), and organic dye ([0169]-[0170], black colorant).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Lee with Chung such that the light-shielding layer is formed of a mixture of PGMEA, acrylic polymer, and organic dye for the purpose of providing a layer with good adhesion (Lee, [0146]).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung (U.S. PGPub 2021/0066648) in view of Cho (U.S. PGPub 2021/0351241).
Regarding claim 14, Chung does not explicitly teach wherein the display panel is a Mini LED display panel or a Micro LED display panel.
Cho teaches a display panel comprising a plurality of display units each having a transparent area (Fig. 8, PX/TA) and a through-hole in a composite functional layer in the transparent area (Fig. 9, TA, [0155]-[0156]), wherein the display panel may be an OLED display (as in Chung) or a micro-LED display panel ([0064]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Cho with Chung such that the display panel is a Mini LED display panel or a Micro LED display panel because the prior art teaches an element which differs from the claim by substitution with a different element, the claimed element is known in the art, a person of ordinary skill could have substituted one known element for another, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the invention. See MPEP 2143.I.B.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding dependent claim 8, the prior art, alone or in combination, does not explicitly teach wherein an angle between the sidewall of the second through-hole and the base substrate is greater than or equal to 70° and less than or equal to 75° in combination with the rest of the claim limitations. U.S. PGPub 2022/0052291 teaches wherein the angle is 30°-40° ([0194]). Other relevant prior art (U.S. PGPubs 2021/0351241, 2021/0013285) is silent on the specific sidewall angle.
Conclusion
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/ALIA SABUR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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