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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-5, 7, and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shim et al. (US 2014/0009730) in view of Chae (KR 10-2007-0114911 A).
In reference to claim 1, Shim et al. (US 2014/0009730), hereafter “Shim,” discloses an electronic device comprising:
a first substrate, 200 in Figure 1 (210 in Figure 4);
a second substrate 100 disposed opposite to the first substrate, paragraph 33;
a first light-shielding strip, BM1 in Figure 4, disposed on the first substrate 210 and extending along a first direction, paragraphs 62 and 63; and
a second light-shielding strip BM2 disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate and extending along a second direction, the first direction being different from the second direction, paragraphs 64 and 65,
a plurality of color filter patterns, CF in Figure 4, disposed on the second light-shielding strip, paragraphs 60 and 69, and
wherein a portion of the first light-shielding strip overlapping a portion of the second light-shielding strip is defined as an overlapping region, the other portion of the first light-shielding strip outside the overlapping region is defined as a first non-overlapping region, the other portion of the second light-shielding strip outside the overlapping region is defined as a second non-overlapping region, the overlapping region has a total thickness, the second light-shielding strip has a thickness in the second non-overlapping region, and the total thickness is different from the thickness, Figure 4.
Shim does not disclose wherein in a cross-section view, a part of the plurality of color filter patterns comprises a convex portion corresponding to the first light-shielding strip or the second light-shielding strip.
Chae (KR 10-2007-0114911 A), hereafter “Chae,” a machine translation of which is included herewith and cited herein, discloses an analogous display device including teaching in a cross-section view, a part of the plurality of color filter patterns, 14 in Figure 4, comprises a convex portion 50 corresponding to the first light-shielding strip or the second light-shielding strip 13, page 16 of the translation. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for a part of the plurality of color filter patterns to comprise a convex portion corresponding to the first light-shielding strip or the second light-shielding strip, in a cross-section view. One would have been motivated to do so in order to provide a convex rib structure to provide a contour to a common electrode in order to shape the electric field applied to the display, paragraph bridging pages 19 and 20 of the translation.
In reference to claim 2, Shim discloses the total thickness is greater than the thickness, Figure 4.
In reference to claim 3, Shim discloses the plurality of color filter patterns CF are disposed between the first light-shielding strip BM1 and the second substrate 100, Figure 4.
In reference to claim 4, Shim discloses a spacer layer, SP in Figure 4, disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, paragraphs 38 and 39.
In reference to claim 5, Shim discloses the first light-shielding strip BM1 is in contact with the second light-shielding strip BM2 in the overlapping region, Figure 4.
In reference to claim 7, Shim discloses a black matrix including the overlapping portion of the first light-shielding strip and the second light-shielding strip, as addressed above in reference to claim 1. Chae teaches the convex portion where “the ends of each of the R, G, and B color filters (14) overlap with the black matrix (13),” paragraph bridging pages 16 and 17 of the translation. It results naturally from the combination of Shim and Chae for the convex portion to correspond to the overlapping portion of the first light-shielding strip and the second light-shielding strip.
In reference to claim 9, Shim discloses a method for manufacturing an electronic device, the method comprising:
disposing a first light-shielding strip, BM1 on a first substrate 210, paragraphs 62 and 63;
providing a second substrate 100, and disposing a second light-shielding strip BM2 between the first substrate and the second substrate, paragraphs 64 and 65;
forming a plurality of color filter patterns, CF in Figure 4, on the second light-shielding strip, paragraphs 60 and 69,
pairing the first substrate with the second substrate,
wherein a portion of the first light-shielding strip overlapping a portion of the second light-shielding strip is defined as an overlapping region, the other portion of the first light-shielding strip outside the overlapping region is defined as a first non-overlapping region, the other portion of the second light-shielding strip outside the overlapping region is defined as a second non-overlapping region, the overlapping region has a total thickness, the second light-shielding strip has a thickness in the second non-overlapping region, and the total thickness is different from the thickness, Figure 4.
Shim does not disclose wherein in a cross-section view, a part of the plurality of color filter patterns comprises a convex portion corresponding to the first light-shielding strip or the second light-shielding strip.
Chae discloses an analogous display device including teaching in a cross-section view, a part of the plurality of color filter patterns, 14 in Figure 4, comprises a convex portion 50 corresponding to the first light-shielding strip or the second light-shielding strip 13, page 16 of the translation. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for a part of the plurality of color filter patterns to comprise a convex portion corresponding to the first light-shielding strip or the second light-shielding strip, in a cross-section view. One would have been motivated to do so in order to provide a convex rib structure to provide a contour to a common electrode in order to shape the electric field applied to the display, paragraph bridging pages 19 and 20 of the translation.
In reference to claim 10, Shim discloses disposing a spacer layer, SP in Figure 4, disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, paragraphs 38 and 39.
In reference to claim 11, Shim discloses a black matrix including the overlapping portion of the first light-shielding strip and the second light-shielding strip, as addressed above in reference to claim 9. Chae teaches the convex portion where “the ends of each of the R, G, and B color filters (14) overlap with the black matrix (13),” paragraph bridging pages 16 and 17 of the translation. It results naturally from the combination of Shim and Chae for the convex portion to correspond to the overlapping portion of the first light-shielding strip and the second light-shielding strip.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shim et al. (US 2014/0009730) in view of Chae (KR 10-2007-0114911 A) as applied to claims 1 and 9 above and further in view of Kawamura et al. (US 2021/0382347).
In reference to claim 6, Shim discloses in the overlapping region, the first light-shielding strip BM1 is located between the second light-shielding strip BM2 and the first substrate 210.
Shim is silent regarding the second light-shielding strip has a thickness tapered region between the overlapping region and the first non-overlapping region.
Kawamura et al. (US 2021/0382347) discloses an analogous display device including teaching in the overlapping region, XP in Figure 3-5, the first light-shielding strip BMX is located between the second light-shielding strip BMY and the first substrate 20, and the second light-shielding strip has a thickness tapered region between the overlapping region and the first non-overlapping region, Figure 3, paragraph 40. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the second light-shielding strip to have a thickness tapered region between the overlapping region and the first non-overlapping region. To do so would have been a natural result of forming the second light-shielding strip by a coating applied to the first light-shielding strip, as suggested by Kawamura, paragraph 65.
Claims 8 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shim et al. (US 2014/0009730) in view of Chae (KR 2007-0114911 A) as applied to claims 1 and 9 above and further in view of Hirosawa (US 2017/0146869).
In reference to claims 8 and 12, Shim does not disclose the first light-shielding strip or the second light-shielding strip comprising a bent portion.
Hirosawa (US 2017/0146869) discloses an analogous display device including teaching a light shielding strip, BM2 in Figures 4 and 5, comprising a bent portion, Figure 4, paragraphs 35 and 49. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention for the first light-shielding strip or the second light-shielding strip comprising a bent portion. To do so would have merely been a simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results; KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385, (2007), MPEP 2143 I. B. In this case substituting one light-shielding strip shape or orientation for another.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Haven et al. (US 6,046,539), Gu et al. (CN 107390423 A), Baek et al. (KR 10-2005-0008284 A), Lee et al. (US 2020/0257162) disclose related light-shielding strips.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRYAN R. JUNGE whose telephone number is (571)270-5717. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-4:30 CT.
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/BRYAN R JUNGE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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