DETAILED ACTION
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Oath/Declaration
2. The oath/declaration filed on 04/22/2024 is acceptable.
Priority
3. Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The office acknowledges receipt of the following items from the applicant:
Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on 04/24/2024.
Drawings
5. The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, “wherein the pixel defining layer is formed as a double layer with the organic insulating material layer or the first inorganic insulating material layer covering the second inorganic insulating material layer including a fluorine-based material” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s) (13). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as "amended." If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either "Replacement Sheet" or "New Sheet" pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance
Specification
6. The specification is objected to for the following reason: The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed (see MPEP 606.01).
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 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.
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.
7. Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Lee (U.S. Publication No. 2016/0111688 A1) in view of LEE C (KR-20180071844-A).
Regarding claim 1, Lee discloses a display device comprising:
a first substrate (110) including a light emitting area (E) and a non-light emitting area (N) (para [0045]);
a first pixel electrode (E1) disposed on the light emitting area (E) of the first substrate (110);
a pixel defining layer (P) disposed on the non-light emitting area (N) of the first substrate (100) and the first pixel electrode (E1);
a light emitting structure (EL) disposed on the first pixel electrode (E1); and
a common electrode (E2) covering the light emitting structure (EL) and the pixel defining layer (P),
wherein the pixel defining layer (P) includes a first inorganic insulating material layer including a fluorine-based material (para [0064] and para [0085]) (Fig. 10 and para [0043]-[0058]).
Lee discloses the features of the claimed invention as discussed above, but does not disclose a light emitting structure including quantum dots.
LEE C, however, disclose a light emitting structure (170) including quantum dots (173) (Fig. 1 and English Text).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Lee to provide a light emitting structure including quantum dots as taught by LEE C for a purpose of improving the luminous efficiency for the display device.
Regarding claim 4, Lee and LEE C (citations to Lee unless otherwise noted) discloses wherein the light emitting structure (170) further includes a quantum dot light emitting layer (173) and an electron transporting layer (174/175), the light emitting structure (170) has an inclined portion inclined in a direction toward the common electrode (180) at a portion in contact with the pixel defining layer (125), and the electron transporting layer (174/175) includes zinc oxide (Fig. 1 in LEE C).
8. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Lee and LEE C in view of ZHAO L (WO-2023092535-A1).
Regarding claim 5, Lee and LEE C disclose the features of the claimed invention as discussed above, but does not disclose wherein the pixel defining layer further includes a second inorganic insulating material layer including silicon, and is formed as a double layer with the second inorganic insulating material layer covering the first inorganic insulating material layer.
ZHAO L, however, disclose wherein the pixel defining layer further includes a second inorganic insulating material layer (1402) including silicon, and is formed as a double layer with the second inorganic insulating material layer (1402) covering the first inorganic insulating material layer (1401) (Fig. 4B and English Text).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Lee and LEE C to provide wherein the pixel defining layer further includes a second inorganic insulating material layer including silicon, and is formed as a double layer with the second inorganic insulating material layer covering the first inorganic insulating material layer as taught by ZHAO L for a purpose of improving the adhesion between the first and second pixel defining layers and easier controlling the inclination angle of the first and second pixel defining layers for the display device.
9. Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Lee and LEE C in view of WANG H (CN-104752490-A).
Regarding claim 7, Lee and LEE C disclose the features of the claimed invention as discussed above, but does not disclose wherein the pixel defining layer further includes an organic insulating material layer including silicon, and is formed as a double layer with the organic insulating material layer with the first inorganic insulating material layer.
WANG H, however, disclose wherein the pixel defining layer further includes an organic insulating material layer (61) including silicon, and is formed as a double layer with the organic insulating material layer (61) with the first inorganic insulating material layer (51) (Fig. 6 and English Text).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Lee and LEE C to provide wherein the pixel defining layer further includes an organic insulating material layer including silicon, and is formed as a double layer with the organic insulating material layer with the first inorganic insulating material layer as taught by WANG H for a purpose of improving the adhesion between the first and second pixel defining layers and easier controlling the inclination angle of the first and second pixel defining layers for the display device.
10. Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Lee, LEE C and ZHAO L in view of TANG J (CN-110265469-A).
Regarding claim 6, Lee, LEE C and ZHAO L disclose the features of the claimed invention as discussed above including wherein the second inorganic insulating material layer (1402) includes at least one of silicon oxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), and silicon oxynitride (Si2N2O), but does not disclose the first inorganic insulating material layer includes at least one of fluorine-based silicon oxide (F-SiO2), fluorine-based silicon nitride (F-Si3N4), and fluorine-based silicon oxynitride (F-Si2N2O).
TANG J, however, discloses a first pixel defining layer 11d is an inorganic material, such as silicon dioxide or silicon nitride, dry etching gas may be CF4, C3F8 and other fluorine-containing gas. a first pixel defining layer 11d is an organic material, such as polyimide, dry etching gas may be CF4, C3F8 and other fluorine-containing gas mixed oxygen (Fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Lee, LEE C and ZHANG L to provide the first inorganic insulating material layer includes at least one of fluorine-based silicon oxide (F-SiO2), fluorine-based silicon nitride (F-Si3N4), and fluorine-based silicon oxynitride (F-Si2N2O) as taught by TANG J for a purpose of improving the characteristics of the pixel defining layer for the display device.
11. Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Lee, LEE C and WANG H in view of TANG J (CN-110265469-A).
Regarding claim 8, Lee, LEE C and WANG H disclose the features of the claimed invention as discussed above including wherein the organic insulating material layer (61) includes at least one of a polyacrylates resin, an epoxy resin, a phenolic resin, a polyamides resin, a polyimides resin, an unsaturated polyesters resin, a polyphenylenethers resin, a polyphenylenesulfides resin, and benzocyclobutene (BCB), but does not disclose the first inorganic insulating material layer includes at least one of fluorine-based silicon oxide (F-SiO2), fluorine-based silicon nitride (F-Si3N4), and fluorine-based silicon oxynitride (F-Si2N2O).
TANG J, however, discloses a first pixel defining layer 11d is an inorganic material, such as silicon dioxide or silicon nitride, dry etching gas may be CF4, C3F8 and other fluorine-containing gas. a first pixel defining layer 11d is an organic material, such as polyimide, dry etching gas may be CF4, C3F8 and other fluorine-containing gas mixed oxygen (Fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Lee, LEE C and WANG H to provide the first inorganic insulating material layer includes at least one of fluorine-based silicon oxide (F-SiO2), fluorine-based silicon nitride (F-Si3N4), and fluorine-based silicon oxynitride (F-Si2N2O) as taught by TANG J for a purpose of improving the characteristics of the pixel defining layer for the display device.
12. Claims 9 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Baek et al., hereafter “Baek” (U.S. Publication No. 2019/0243054 A1) in view of LEE C (KR-20180071844-A) and further in view of Lee (U.S. Publication No. 2016/0111688 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Baek discloses a display device comprising:
a first substrate (BL, para [0160]) including a light emitting area (PX1/PX2) and a non-light emitting area (NPXA);
a first pixel electrode (EL1) disposed on the light emitting area (PX1/PX2) of the first substrate (BL);
a pixel defining layer (PDL) disposed on the non-light emitting area (NPXA) of the first substrate (BL) and on the first pixel electrode (EL1);
a light emitting structure (OL1/OL2) disposed on the first pixel electrode (EL1);
a common electrode (EL2) covering the light emitting structure (OL1/OL2) and the pixel defining layer (PDL); and
an encap structure (EN) disposed on the common electrode (EL2), overlapping the non-light emitting area (NPXA) in a thickness direction of the first substrate (BL), and in contact with the common electrode (EL2)
Baek discloses the features of the claimed invention as discussed above, but does not disclose a light emitting structure including quantum dots.
LEE C, however, disclose a light emitting structure (170) including quantum dots (173) (Fig. 1 and English Text).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Baek to provide a light emitting structure including quantum dots as taught by LEE C for a purpose of improving the luminous efficiency for the display device.
Baek and LEE C discloses the features of the claimed invention as discussed above, but does not disclose wherein the pixel defining layer is formed as a double layer including: an organic insulating material layer or a first inorganic insulating material layer disposed on the non-light emitting area of the first substrate; and a second inorganic insulating material layer covering the organic insulating material layer or the first inorganic insulating material layer.
Lee, however, disclose wherein the pixel defining layer (P) is formed as a double layer (P1/P2) including: an organic insulating material layer or a first inorganic insulating material layer (P1) disposed on the non-light emitting area (N) of the first substrate (110); and a second inorganic insulating material layer (P2) covering the organic insulating material layer or the first inorganic insulating material layer (P1) (Fig. 1 and para [0064] and [0085])..
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Baek and LEE C to provide wherein the pixel defining layer is formed as a double layer including: an organic insulating material layer or a first inorganic insulating material layer disposed on the non-light emitting area of the first substrate; and a second inorganic insulating material layer covering the organic insulating material layer or the first inorganic insulating material layer as taught by Lee for a purpose of not only increasing the luminous efficiency but also increasing the uniformity of the thickness of the pixel defining layer for the display device.
Regarding claim 12, Baek, LEE C and Lee (citations to Baek unless otherwise noted) discloses wherein the light emitting structure (170) further includes a quantum dot light emitting layer (173) and an electron transporting layer (174/175), the light emitting structure (170) has an inclined portion inclined in a direction toward the common electrode (180) at a portion in contact with the pixel defining layer (125), and the electron transporting layer (174/175) includes zinc oxide (Fig. 1 in LEE C).
Allowable Subject Matter
13. The following is a statement of reason for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 2-3, 10-11 and 13-15 are 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.
Cited Prior Arts
14. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
HWANG J (KR-20140140869-A) discloses a display device comprising the substrate 110 of the display area DA includes a plurality of pixel areas PA defined as a light emitting area and a non-pixel area NPA formed between the pixel areas PA and defined as a non-light emitting are. he pixel defining layer PDL of the OLED display 300 includes a first pixel defining layer PDL1 and a second pixel defining layer PDL2. The first pixel defining layer PDL1 and the second pixel defining layer PDL2 are formed in the non-pixel region NPA. That is, the pixel regions PA can be defined by the first and second pixel definition films PDL1 and PDL2 (Fig. 7 and English Text).
Conclusion
15. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Phuc T. Dang whose telephone number is 571-272-1776. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00 am-5:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Jacob Choi can be reached on 469-295-9060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHUC T DANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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