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 .
Note by the Examiner
For clarity, the reference to specific claim numbers are presented in bold. Cited claim limitations are presented in bold the first time they are associated with a particular prior art disclosing the cited limitations, and subsequent reference to the already disclosed claim limitations are presented un-bolded. Certain elements from prior art which are not required by the claims are also presented un-bolded if they are particularly pertinent to understanding how the references are being combined. Item-to-item matching and Examiner explanations for 102 &/or 103 rejections have been provided in parenthesis.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A identified as encompassing Claims 1-11 and 14-20 is acknowledged.
Therefore, the restriction is maintained and made final.
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 6 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claim 6 ln. 2 cites “a second protective layer on the insulating layer and spaced apart from the second protective layer” where no first protective layer is mentioned prior to this claim and it is unclear how a layer can be spaced apart from itself. It is unclear to the Examiner if there are two separate protective layers and how they are spaced in relation to each insulating layer. As pursuant with the specification and FIG. 4, the Examiner is interpreting the claim to mean “a first protective layer on the insulating layer and spaced apart from a second protective layer” and will be prosecuted as such.
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 (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 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.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park et al. (US 2021/0408477 A1), hereinafter as P1.
Regarding Claim 1, P1 discloses a display device (see FIG. 1, element 100, and [0048] ln. 1 “FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel 100 that may be integrated into the display apparatuses”) comprising:
a substrate (see FIG. 3, element 101, [0054] ln. 1 “subpixel may include a substrate 101”) including a display area (see FIG. 1 and 4, element AA, and [0049] ln. 7 “display area AA”), a non-display area (see FIG. 1 and 3, element NA, and [0075] ln. 9 “non-display area NA”), and a plurality of sub-pixels arranged in the display area (see FIG. 2, and [0051] ln. 1 “an enlarged A area which is a part of the display area AA of the display panel 100, and illustrates subpixels disposed in the display area AA in plane”),
each of the plurality of sub-pixels including an emission layer in the display area (see FIG. 2 and 9A, elements 152, and [0068] ln. 3 “light emitting device 150 may include an anode electrode 151 connected to the first drain electrode 124 of the first transistor 120, at least one light emitting stack 152 formed on the anode electrode 151, and a cathode electrode 153 formed on the light emitting stack 152” and can be seen within the display area in FIG. 2 as 151 is within this area);
an insulating layer on the substrate (see FIGs. 3 and 9A, element 108, and [0060] ln. 14 “upper interlayer insulating film 108” which can be seen to be over and on the substrate 101);
a plurality of wires (see FIG. 5 and 9A, elements 201 and 211-214, and [0077] ln. 7 “first disconnection portion 201 may include a first structure 211, a second structure 212, a third structure 213, and a fourth structure 214” where the Examiner is interpreting the wire of the instance application to be a metallic connection through the device, the structures 211-214 make up the plurality of wires within the disconnection portion 201. See [0078] ln. 92 “disconnection portions 201 and 202 may be formed of a metallic material”) spaced apart from each other on the insulating layer in the non- display area (see FIG. 9A where the structures that make up the wire element 201 are spaced apart on the insulating layer 108, and see FIG. 4 where the element 201 is in the non-display area NA); and
a support layer on each of the plurality of wires in the non-display area (see FIG. 9A, element 231, and [0087] ln. 5 “first roof structure 231” and see in FIG. 9A where this structure is disposed on the disclosed wires within 201) wherein at least one of the plurality of wires includes a metallic material (see [0078] ln. 95 “each of the structures {211-214} may have a triple metal-layered structure”), and the support layer includes an organic material (see [0087] ln. 8 “first roof structure 231 may be a thick organic film”).
Regarding Claim 2, P1 discloses the display device of claim 1, further comprising:
an organic material layer on the support layer (see FIG. 9A and [0083] ln. 16 “light emitting stack 152 may be formed by supplying a vaporized organic material” and as shown in FIG. 9A is on the support 231) and the insulating layer in the non-display area (see Fig. 9A where the structures within 201 as described is on the insulating film 108), wherein a first portion of the organic material layer disposed on the support layer is disconnected from a second portion of the organic material layer disposed on the insulating layer (see FIGs. 8 and 9A where the organic material of 152 is disposed on the support layer 231 and is disconnected from the portion of the organic material 152 disposed below the support layer 231 on the insulating layer 108).
Regarding Claim 4, P1 discloses the display device of claim 2, wherein the second portion of the organic material layer disposed on the insulating layer is exposed through a hole in the non-display area (see [0069] ln. 1 “light emitting stack 152 may include a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a light emitting layer, an electron transport layer, and an electron injection layer” where FIG. 9A are within the non-display area).
Regarding Claim 19, P1 a display device (see FIG. 1, element 100, and [0048] ln. 1 “FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel 100 that may be integrated into the display apparatuses”) comprising:
a substrate (see FIG. 3, element 101, [0054] ln. 1 “subpixel may include a substrate 101”) including a display area (see FIG. 1 and 4, element AA, and [0049] ln. 7 “display area AA”), a non-display area (see FIG. 1 and 3, element NA, and [0075] ln. 9 “non-display area NA”), and a plurality of sub-pixels arranged in the display area (see FIG. 2, and [0051] ln. 1 “an enlarged A area which is a part of the display area AA of the display panel 100, and illustrates subpixels disposed in the display area AA in plane”), each of the plurality of sub-pixels including an emission layer in the display area (see FIG. 2 and 9A, elements 152, and [0068] ln. 3 “light emitting device 150 may include an anode electrode 151 connected to the first drain electrode 124 of the first transistor 120, at least one light emitting stack 152 formed on the anode electrode 151, and a cathode electrode 153 formed on the light emitting stack 152” and can be seen within the display area in FIG. 2 as 151 is within this area);
an insulating layer on the substrate (see FIGs. 3 and 9A, element 108, and [0060] ln. 14 “upper interlayer insulating film 108” which can be seen to be over and on the substrate 101);
a wire on the insulating layer in the non-display area, (see FIG. 5 and 7, elements 201 and 211-214, and [0077] ln. 7 “first disconnection portion 201 may include a first structure 211, a second structure 212, a third structure 213, and a fourth structure 214” where the Examiner is interpreting the wire of the instance application to be a metallic connection through the device, the structures 211-214 make up the plurality of wires within the disconnection portion 201. See [0078] ln. 92 “disconnection portions 201 and 202 may be formed of a metallic material” and see FIG. 9A where the structures that make up the wire element 201 are spaced apart on the insulating layer 108 and see FIG. 4 where the element 201 is in the non-display area NA), the wire including a metal material (see [0078] ln. 92 as mentioned above and [0078] ln. 95 “each of the structures {211-214} may have a triple metal-layered structure”);
a support layer on the wire without being on the insulating layer (see FIG. 9A, element 231, and [0087] ln. 5 “first roof structure 231” and see in FIG. 9A where this structure is disposed on the disclosed wires within 201 which are in the non-display area NA as seen in FIG. 4, where the support layer 231 is further not in contact with the insulating layer 108), the support layer including an organic material (see [0087] ln. 8 “first roof structure 231 may be a thick organic film”);
a first organic material layer on the support layer in the non-display area (see FIG. 9A and [0083] ln. 16 “light emitting stack 152 may be formed by supplying a vaporized organic material” and as shown in FIG. 9A is on the support 231); and
a second organic material layer on the insulating layer in the non-display area, the second organic material layer disconnected from the first organic material layer at least through the wire (see FIGs. 8 and 9A where the organic material of 152 is disposed on the support layer 231 and is disconnected by the wire structures of 211-214 and later disposed on the insulating layer 108, where the first portion is disposed on the support 231 and the second portion is disposed on the insulating layer 108 below the support 231).
Regarding Claim 20, P1 discloses the display device of claim 19, wherein the second organic material layer is disconnected from the first organic material layer through a disconnection structure comprising the wire and the support layer (see FIGs. 8 and 9A where the organic material of 152 is disposed on the support layer 231 of the wire structures 211-214 and is disconnected but later disposed on the insulating layer 108, where the first portion is disposed on the support 231 and wire structures 211-214 and the second portion is disposed on the insulating layer 108).
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:
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.
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 3, 5, 6, and 8-18 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Park et al. (US 2021/0408477 A1), hereinafter as P1, in view of Sin et al. (US 2024/0196703 A1), hereinafter as S1.
Regarding Claim 3, P1 discloses the display device of claim 2, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the organic material layer on the support layer and the insulating layer includes a same material as the emission layer in the display area.
S1 discloses wherein the organic material layer on the support layer (see elements OL and P3 in FIG. 10 and see [0111] ln. 1 “organic layer OL” and [0107] ln. 4 “organic patterns P3” where P3 is the support layer) and the insulating layer (see element 111 in FIG. 10 and see [0089] ln. 1 “the first interlayer insulating layer 111 can include… as well as organic insulating materials such as polyacrylates resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamides resin, polyimides resin, unsaturated polyesters resin, polyphenylenethers resin, polyphenylenesulfides resin, benzocyclobutene (BCB) and the like”) includes a same material as the emission layer in the display area (see [0112] ln. 1 “the organic layer OL can include an organic light-emitting layer” where the light-emitting layer would be made of the same material as the organic layer and understand the Examiner is interpreting “a same material” to mean the three materials must contain a similar material where all three are at least organic).
The organic materials of the organic layer, insulating layer, and emission layer of S1 are implemented into the disclosure of P1. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to incorporate the disclosure of S1 into the disclosure of P1 as there is motivation to use like materials within a device to streamline the manufacturing process and to further insulate the device by using the same materials with similar insulating properties. The further insulation of an electronic device and for the use of non-differing materials yields the predictable result of ease of manufacturing and insulating the device to a further degree.
Regarding Claim 5, P1 discloses a display device comprising (see FIG. 1, element 100, and [0048] ln. 1 “FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panel 100 that may be integrated into the display apparatuses”):
a substrate (see FIG. 3, element 101, [0054] ln. 1 “subpixel may include a substrate 101”) including a display area (see FIG. 1 and 4, element AA, and [0049] ln. 7 “display area AA”), a non-display area (see FIG. 1 and 3, element NA, and [0075] ln. 9 “non-display area NA”), and a plurality of sub-pixels arranged in the display area (see FIG. 2, and [0051] ln. 1 “an enlarged A area which is a part of the display area AA of the display panel 100, and illustrates subpixels disposed in the display area AA in plane”),
each of the plurality of sub-pixels including an emission layer in the display area (see FIG. 2, elements 154 and 151, and [0052] ln. 3 “the bank 154 may be disposed to cover edges of the anode 151 and serve to define a light emission area of the subpixel” and [0068] ln. 1 “light emitting device 150 may include an anode electrode 151 connected to the first drain electrode 124 of the first transistor 120, at least one light emitting stack 152 formed on the anode electrode 151, and a cathode electrode 153 formed on the light emitting stack 152” where these elements are in the display area shown in FIG. 2);
an insulating layer on the substrate (see FIGs. 3 and 9A, element 108, and [0060] ln. 14 “upper interlayer insulating film 108” which can be seen to be over and on the substrate 101);
a wire on the insulating layer in the non-display area (see FIG. 5 and 9A, elements 201 and 211-214, and [0077] ln. 7 “first disconnection portion 201 may include a first structure 211, a second structure 212, a third structure 213, and a fourth structure 214” where the Examiner is interpreting the wire of the instance application to be a metallic connection through the device, the structures 211-214 make up the plurality of wires within the disconnection portion 201. See [0078] ln. 92 “disconnection portions 201 and 202 may be formed of a metallic material” and see FIG. 9A where the structures that make up the wire element 201 are spaced apart on the insulating layer 108 and see FIG. 4 where the element 201 is in the non-display area NA), the wire including a metal material (see [0078] ln. 92 as mentioned above and [0078] ln. 95 “each of the structures {211-214} may have a triple metal-layered structure”);
a support layer on the wire in the non-display area (see FIG. 9A, element 231, and [0087] ln. 5 “first roof structure 231” and see in FIG. 9A where this structure is disposed on the disclosed wires within 201 which are in the non-display area NA as seen in FIG. 4); and
an organic material layer on the support layer (see FIG. 9A and [0083] ln. 16 “light emitting stack 152 may be formed by supplying a vaporized organic material” and as shown in FIG. 9A is on the support 231) and the insulating layer in the non-display area (see Fig. 9A where the structures within 201 (i.e. elements 211-214) as described are on the insulating film 108, and as seen in FIG. 4, these elements within 201 are in the non-display area NA), wherein
the wire and the support layer have a specific thickness (The Examiner is interpreting “a specific thickness” to mean the wire and support layer extend in the third dimension, and the wires within 201 and the support layer 231 are as such.), wherein
a first portion of the organic material layer on the support layer is spaced apart by the specific thickness from a second portion of the organic material layer on the insulating layer (see FIGs. 8 and 9A where a first portion of the organic material of 152 is disposed on the support layer 231 and a second portion of the organic material 152 is disconnected and disposed below the support layer 231 on the insulating layer 108), and
P1 does not explicitly disclose wherein the first portion of the organic material layer on the support layer and the second portion of the organic material layer on the insulating layer include a same material as the emission layer in the display area
S1 discloses wherein the first portion of the organic material layer on the support layer and the second portion of the organic material layer on the insulating layer (see elements OL and P3 in FIG. 10 and see [0111] ln. 1 “organic layer OL” and [0107] ln. 4 “organic patterns P3” where P3 is the support layer and the OL element has two portions with one being on the support layer. Also see element 111 in FIG. 10 and see [0089] ln. 1 “the first interlayer insulating layer 111 can include… as well as organic insulating materials such as polyacrylates resin, epoxy resin, phenolic resin, polyamides resin, polyimides resin, unsaturated polyesters resin, polyphenylenethers resin, polyphenylenesulfides resin, benzocyclobutene (BCB) and the like” where a second portion of the OL element is on the insulating layer 111) include a same material as the emission layer in the display area (see [0112] ln. 1 “the organic layer OL can include an organic light-emitting layer” where the light-emitting layer would be made of the same material as the organic layer and understand the Examiner is interpreting “a same material” to mean the three materials must contain a similar material where all three are at least organic).
The organic materials of the organic layer, insulating layer, and emission layer of S1 are implemented into the disclosure of P1. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to incorporate the disclosure of S1 into the disclosure of P1 as there is motivation to use like materials within a device to streamline the manufacturing process and to further insulate the device by using the same materials with similar insulating properties. The further insulation of an electronic device and for the use of non-differing materials yields the predictable result of ease of manufacturing and insulating the device to a further degree.
Regarding Claim 6, P1 and S1 disclose the display device of claim 5, further comprising:
a first protective layer on the insulating layer (see FIG. 8 and 9A, element 153, [0073] ln. 1 “cathode electrode 153”, [0073] ln. 7 “cathode electrode 153 may be formed of a transparent conductive film by thinly forming indium-tin-oxide (ITO), indium-zinc-oxide (IZO)”) and spaced apart from a second protective layer (see FIGs. 3, 8 and 9A, elements 170-173, and [0074] ln. 8 “encapsulation layer 170 may include a first inorganic insulating film 171, a foreign material compensation layer 172, and a second inorganic insulating film 173”), the support layer including a same material as the second protective layer (The support layer 231 as mentioned prior is an organic material and therefore could be an organic oxide such as Zinc Oxide (ZnO) including the same material oxide as the inorganic insulating film 171 which could be IZO or another oxide).
Regarding Claim 8, P1 and S1 disclose the display device of claim 5, wherein the wire comprises:
a first metal layer on the insulating layer; a second metal layer on the first metal layer; and a third metal layer on the second metal layer (see FIG. 8, elements, 213 and 213a-213c, [0086] ln. 3 “third structure 213”, [0086] ln. 10 “first disconnection layer 213a”, [0086] ln. 2 “third disconnection structure 213c”, and [0078] ln. 95 “each of the structures {211-214} may have a triple metal-layered structure” where 213 is used as a clear example of the triple metal-layered structures on the insulating layer 108),
the support layer on the third metal layer (see FIG. 9A where the support structure 231 is on the third metal layer at the top of the structure 213c), wherein a material of the second metal layer is different from at least one of a material of the first metal layer and a material of the third metal layer (see [0079] ln. 95 “each of the structures may have a triple metal-layered structure in which titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), and titanium (Ti) are stacked in order” where the second layer is different from the first and third).
Regarding Claim 9, P1 and S1 disclose the display device of claim 8, wherein the first metal layer and the third metal layer include titanium, and the second metal layer includes aluminum (see [0079] ln. 95 “each of the structures may have a triple metal-layered structure in which titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), and titanium (Ti) are stacked in order” where for example layer 213a is Ti, 213b is Al, and 213c is Ti are described and applied to all wire structures).
Regarding Claim 10, P1 and S1 disclose the display device of claim 8, wherein a width of the first metal layer is greater than a width of the second metal layer (see FIGs. 8 and 9A where the width from left to right of element 213a is greater than the width of the element 213b).
Regarding Claim 11, P1 and S1 disclose the display device of claim 8, wherein a protrusion length of a portion of the first metal layer (element 213a) that protrudes past an end of the second metal layer (element 213b) is a same as a protrusion length of a portion of the third metal layer (element 213c) that protrudes past the end of the second metal layer (see FIG. 8, specifically how the elements 213a and 213c have a length that protrudes past the length of 213b and the elements 213a and 213b have the same protrusion length).
Regarding Claim 14, P1 and S1 disclose the display device of claim 8, wherein a protrusion length of a portion of the first metal layer (element 213a) that protrudes past an end of the second metal layer (element 213b) and a protrusion length of a portion of the third metal layer (213c) that protrudes past the end of the second metal layer is different from a thickness of the second metal layer (see FIG. 8 where the thickness element 213b is thicker than that of 213a and 213c).
Regarding Claim 15, P1 and S1 disclose the display device of claim 14, wherein the protrusion length of the first metal layer (element 213a) and the protrusion length of the third metal layer (element 213c) is greater than the thickness of the second metal layer (see FIG. 8 where the protrusions of 213a and 213c have a greater combined thickness than the second metal layer 213b).
Regarding Claim 16, P1 and S1 disclose the display device of claim 5, further comprising:
a gate electrode on the substrate (see FIG. 3, element 122, and [0054] ln. 3 and 8 “a first transistor 120…gate electrode 122”) in the display area (see FIG. 3, the cross section I-I’ is taken in the display area, see [0053] ln. 1 “FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a subpixel taken along line I-I′ in FIG. 2” where [0027] ln. 1 “FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a display area by enlarging an A”); and
a connection electrode (see FIG. 3, element 145, and [0066] ln . 5 “connection electrode 145”) on the gate electrode (see FIG. 3 where the connection electrode 145 is on and above the transistor 120 and its gate electrode 122).
Regarding Claim 17, P1 and S1 disclose the display device of claim 16, wherein the connection electrode (element 145) is on a same layer as the wire (see FIG. 3 where the connection electrode 145 is connected to the insulating layer 108 and see FIG. 8 where the wire elements 201, including 211-214 are also disposed on this layer) and includes a same material as the wire (see [0066] ln. 5 “connection electrode 145 may be disposed in a contact hole area exposing the first drain electrode 124 with a material formed of Mo, Ti, Cu, Al, Nd, Al, and Cr or an alloy thereof” and [0079] ln. 95 “each of the structures {211-214} may have a triple metal-layered structure in which titanium (Ti), aluminum (Al), and titanium (Ti) are stacked in order” where the connection electrode and the wire structures include the same material Al and/or Ti).
Regarding Claim 18, P1 and S1 disclose the display device of claim 5, wherein a thickness of the organic material layer (element 152) is less than a thickness of the wire (see FIG. 8 and the organic material layer 152 is less thick than the wire structures 211-214. Note: The material of the organic material layer is replaced by S1 but not the element itself and therefore the thickness of said element is dependent on element 152 of P1).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Park et al. (US 2021/0408477 A1), hereinafter as P1 and Sin et al. (US 2024/0196703 A1), hereinafter as S1, in view of Choi et al. (US 2017/0148856 A1), hereinafter as C1.
Regarding Claim 7, P1 and S1 disclose the display device of claim 5, wherein but do not explicitly disclose an upper surface of the support layer includes a curved surface.
N1 discloses an upper surface of the support layer (see FIG. 3, element 400, and [0074] ln. 1 “stepped portion 400 is located in the third area A 3 of the substrate 100 and blocks the path via which external moisture permeates”) includes a curved surface (see FIG. 3, element 410 and 420, and [0075] ln. 4 “stepped portion 400 includes a first layer 410 and a second layer 420 disposed over the first layer 410 ” where the second layer 420 is curved at the top of the structure).
The curved support and protection structure of C1 is incorporated as the support structure in P1 and S1. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to incorporate C1 into P1 and S1 as there is motivation to make the support structure curved to further divert moisture and oxygen from penetrating into the display device. By giving the support structure a curved path, there is a greater likelihood of the moisture or oxygen being diverted away from the display device instead of running along its surface if it weren’t curved. Implementing a curved surface to this structure yields the predictable result of further diverting unwanted materials in the display device (see C1 [0074-0076] and S1 [0074-0075]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRENNEN STUART CUDA whose telephone number is (571)272-6563. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/B.S.C./Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/STEVEN H LOKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2818
