CTNF 18/646,268 CTNF 90499 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Priority 02-26 AIA Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-10, 12-14, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0280063) in view of Li et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2025/0089465) . Regarding to claim 1, Lee teaches a display device comprising: a first pixel electrode on a substrate (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 101 , [0046], lines 1-2); a pixel defining layer on the substrate and exposing the first pixel electrode (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 110 , [0046], line 3); a first light emitting layer on the first pixel electrode (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 132 , [0035], last 2 lines); a first common electrode on the first light emitting layer (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 150 , [0046], last 3 lines); a first bank on the pixel defining layer (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 121 , [0053], lines 1-2); a second bank on the first bank and comprising side surfaces protruding more than side surfaces of the first bank (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 122 , [0053], line 3). Lee does not disclose a third bank on upper and lower surfaces of the second bank. Li discloses a third bank on upper and lower surfaces of the second bank (Fig. 3, first bank 412 on pixel defining layer 20 , second bank 42 on the first bank 412 and comprising side surfaces protruding more than side surfaces of the first bank 412 , and third bank 50 on upper and lower surfaces of the second bank 42 ). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lee in view of Li to configure a third bank on upper and lower surfaces of the second bank in order to provide protection to the second bank, thus to enhance reliability. Regarding to claim 2, Li discloses a thickness of the third bank (Fig. 3). Li is silent as to a range, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention filed to configure thickness of the third bank to be about 5 nanometer to about 100 nm in order to provide sufficient protection with low mismatch stress, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955) . Regarding to claim 3, Li discloses the thickness of the third bank on the upper surface of the second bank and the thickness of the third bank on the lower surface of the second bank are different from each other (Fig. 3). Regarding to claim 4, Lee as modified discloses a first inorganic layer on the third bank and the first common electrode (Li, Fig. 3, element 90 , [0052], last 3 lines). Regarding to claim 5, Li discloses the third bank completely covers the second bank (Fig. 3). Regarding to claim 6, Li discloses the third bank contacts at least a portion of the lower surface of the second bank (Fig. 3, the third bank 50 contacts portion of the lower surface of the second bank 42 ). Regarding to claim 7, Li discloses third bank comprises a hydrophobic material ([0048], lines 19-22). Regarding to claim 8, Li discloses the third bank is a self-assembled monolayer (Fig. 3). Regarding to claim 9, Li does not disclose the third bank comprises fluorine, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to comprise fluorine in the third bank in order to obtain a desired level of protection, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 227 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960). Regarding to claim 10, Li does not disclose the third bank comprises -O- or -S- bond on a surface of the second bank, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to comprise -O- or -S- bond in the third bank on a surface of the second bank in order to obtain a desired level of protection, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 227 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960). Regarding to claim 12, Lee as modified discloses a first capping layer between the first common electrode and the first inorganic layer (Li, Fig. 3, element 80 ). Regarding to claim 13, Lee teaches an end and the other end of the first common electrode contact the first bank (Fig. 1). Regarding to claim 14, Lee as modified discloses a second pixel electrode on the substrate and spaced from the first pixel electrode (Fig. 7, element 102 ); a second light emitting layer on the second pixel electrode (Fig. 7, element 133 ); a second common electrode on the second light emitting layer and spaced from the first common electrode (Fig. 7, element 150 of center pixel); and a second inorganic layer on the second common electrode and the second bank and spaced from the first inorganic layer (Li, Fig. 3, element 90 of center pixel). Regarding to claim 16, Lee teaches a display device comprising: a first pixel electrode on a substrate (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 101 , [0046], lines 1-2); a pixel defining layer on the substrate and exposing the first pixel electrode (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 110 , [0046], line 3); a first light emitting layer on the first pixel electrode (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 132 , [0035], last 2 lines); a first common electrode on the first light emitting layer (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 150 , [0046], last 3 lines); a first bank on the pixel defining layer (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 121 , [0053], lines 1-2); a second bank on the first bank and comprising side surfaces protruding more than side surfaces of the first bank (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 122 , [0053], line 3). Lee does not disclose a third bank on the second bank and comprising fluorine. Li discloses a third bank the second bank (Fig. 3, first bank 412 on pixel defining layer 20 , second bank 42 on the first bank 412 and comprising side surfaces protruding more than side surfaces of the first bank 412 , and third bank 50 on the second bank 421 ). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lee in view of Li to configure a third bank on the second bank in order to provide protection to the second bank, thus to enhance reliability. Li does not disclose the third bank comprises fluorine, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to comprise fluorine in the third bank in order to obtain a desired level of protection, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 227 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960). Regarding to claim 17, Li discloses the third bank is on upper and side surfaces of the second bank (Fig. 3, the third bank 50 is on upper and side surfaces of the second bank 42 ). Regarding to claim 18, Li discloses third bank comprises a hydrophobic material ([0048], lines 19-22). Regarding to claim 19, Li does not disclose the third bank comprises -O- or -S- bond on a surface of the second bank, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to comprise -O- or -S- bond in the third bank on a surface of the second bank in order to obtain a desired level of protection, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 227 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960). Regarding to claim 20, Li does not disclose the third bank comprises -O-P- or -O-S- bond on a surface of the second bank, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to comprise -O-P- or -O-S-bond in the third bank on a surface of the second bank in order to obtain a desired level of protection, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 227 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-10, 12-14, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2025/0089465) in view of Lee (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0280063) . Regarding to claim 1, Li teaches a display device comprising: a first pixel electrode on a substrate (Fig. 3, element 31 , [0022], lines 1-2); a pixel defining layer on the substrate and exposing the first pixel electrode (Fig. 3, element 20 , [0020], line 3); a first light emitting layer on the first pixel electrode (Fig. 3, element 32 , [0022], lines 1-2); a first electrode on the first light emitting layer (Fig. 3, element 33 , [0022], line 4); a first bank on the pixel defining layer (Fig. 3, element 412 ); a second bank on the first bank and comprising side surfaces protruding more than side surfaces of the first bank (Fig. 3, element 42 ); and a third bank on upper and lower surfaces of the second bank (Fig. 3, element 50 ). Li does not explicitly disclose the first electrode is a common electrode. Lee discloses a first common electrode on the first light emitting layer (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 150 , [0046], last 3 lines). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Li in view of Lee to configure the first electrode to be a common electrode in order to simplify the operation. Regarding to claim 2, Li discloses a thickness of the third bank (Fig. 3). Li is silent as to a range, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention filed to configure thickness of the third bank to be about 5 nanometer to about 100 nm in order to provide sufficient protection with low mismatch stress, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955) . Regarding to claim 3, Li discloses the thickness of the third bank on the upper surface of the second bank and the thickness of the third bank on the lower surface of the second bank are different from each other (Fig. 3). Regarding to claim 4, Li as modified discloses a first inorganic layer on the third bank and the first common electrode (Fig. 3, element 90 , [0052], last 3 lines). Regarding to claim 5, Li discloses the third bank completely covers the second bank (Fig. 3). Regarding to claim 6, Li discloses the third bank contacts at least a portion of the lower surface of the second bank (Fig. 3, the third bank 50 contacts portion of the lower surface of the second bank 42 ). Regarding to claim 7, Li discloses third bank comprises a hydrophobic material ([0048], lines 19-22). Regarding to claim 8, Li discloses the third bank is a self-assembled monolayer (Fig. 3). Regarding to claim 9, Li does not disclose the third bank comprises fluorine, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to comprise fluorine in the third bank in order to obtain a desired level of protection, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 227 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960). Regarding to claim 10, Li does not disclose the third bank comprises -O- or -S- bond on a surface of the second bank, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to comprise -O- or -S- bond in the third bank on a surface of the second bank in order to obtain a desired level of protection, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 227 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960). Regarding to claim 12, Li as modified discloses a first capping layer between the first common electrode and the first inorganic layer (Fig. 3, element 80 ). Regarding to claim 13, Li teaches an end and the other end of the first common electrode contact the first bank (Fig. 3). Regarding to claim 14, Li as modified discloses a second pixel electrode on the substrate and spaced from the first pixel electrode (Fig. 3, element 31 of the right pixel); a second light emitting layer on the second pixel electrode (Fig. 3, element 32 of the right pixel); a second common electrode on the second light emitting layer and spaced from the first common electrode (Fig. 3, element 33 of the right pixel); and a second inorganic layer on the second common electrode and the second bank and spaced from the first inorganic layer (Fig. 3, element 90 on the right pixel). Regarding to claim 16, Li teaches a display device comprising: a first pixel electrode on a substrate (Fig. 3, element 31 , [0022], lines 1-2); a pixel defining layer on the substrate and exposing the first pixel electrode (Fig. 3, element 20 , [0020], line 3); a first light emitting layer on the first pixel electrode (Fig. 3, element 32 , [0022], lines 1-2); a first electrode on the first light emitting layer (Fig. 3, element 33 , [0022], line 4); a first bank on the pixel defining layer (Fig. 3, element 412 ); a second bank on the first bank and comprising side surfaces protruding more than side surfaces of the first bank (Fig. 3, element 42 ); and a third bank on the second bank (Fig. 3, element 50 ). Li does not explicitly disclose the first electrode is a common electrode. Lee discloses a first common electrode on the first light emitting layer (Fig. 1, Fig. 7, element 150 , [0046], last 3 lines). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Li in view of Lee to configure the first electrode to be a common electrode in order to provide simplify the operation. Li does not disclose the third bank comprises fluorine, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to comprise fluorine in the third bank in order to obtain a desired level of protection, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 227 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960). Regarding to claim 17, Li discloses the third bank is on upper and side surfaces of the second bank (Fig. 3, the third bank 50 is on upper and side surfaces of the second bank 42 ). Regarding to claim 18, Li discloses third bank comprises a hydrophobic material ([0048], lines 19-22). Regarding to claim 19, Li does not disclose the third bank comprises -O- or -S- bond on a surface of the second bank, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to comprise -O- or -S- bond in the third bank on a surface of the second bank in order to obtain a desired level of protection, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 227 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960). Regarding to claim 20, Li does not disclose the third bank comprises -O-P- or -O-S- bond on a surface of the second bank, however, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to comprise -O-P- or -O-S-bond in the third bank on a surface of the second bank in order to obtain a desired level of protection, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 227 F.2d 197, 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 11 and 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. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding to claim 11, the prior art fails to anticipate or render obvious the claimed limitations including “the second bank comprises a second lower bank on the first bank and a second upper bank on the second lower bank, the second upper bank comprising gold, and wherein the third bank comprises an -S- bond on a surface of the second upper bank” in combination with the limitations recited in claims 1, 7, and 9-10. Regarding to claim 15, the prior art fails to anticipate or render obvious the claimed limitations including “a first light emitting pattern between the third bank and the first inorganic layer and comprising the same material as the first light emitting layer; and a first electrode pattern between the first light emitting pattern and the first inorganic layer and comprising the same material as the first common electrode” in combination with the limitations recited in claims 1 and 4. Pertinent Art For the benefits of the Applicant, US-11489136-B2, US-9570524-B2, US-20180315806-A1, and US-20240180017-A1, are cited on the record as being pertinent to significant disclosure through some but not all claimed features of the defined invention. The references fail to disclose the combination of limitations including “first common electrode on the first light emitting layer and a third bank on upper and lower surfaces of the second bank.” Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VU A VU whose telephone number is (571)270-7467. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8:00AM - 5:00PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CHAD M DICKE can be reached at (571) 270-7996. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /VU A VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 2 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 3 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 4 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 5 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 6 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 7 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 8 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 9 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 10 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 11 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 12 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 13 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/646,268 Page 14 Art Unit: 2897
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