DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING THE SAME

DETAILED ACTION The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Claims 1-20 are pending in the application. Claims 17-20 are withdrawn from further consideration. Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I: claims 1-16 in the reply filed on 09 September 2026 is acknowledged. Priority Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement(s) (IDS), Form PTO-1449, filed 16 May 2024 and 13 February 2025. The information therein was considered. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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. Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2022/0158113) (hereinafter, “Kim”). Re: independent claim 1, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 a display device comprising: a substrate (100) having a light emitting area (EA) and a non-light emitting area (NEA); a first anode electrode (310) on the light emitting area of the substrate; a pixel defining layer (119a) on the non-light emitting area of the substrate and defining a first opening; an organic separator layer (119b, [0112], [0122]) on the pixel defining layer and defining a second opening; a first light emitting layer (EMLa) on the first anode electrode; a common electron layer (EIL, ETLa) on the first light emitting layer and the organic separator layer; and a common electrode (330) on the common electron layer, wherein the organic separator layer (119b) does not overlap the light emitting area (EA), and overlaps the non-light emitting area (NEA) to be in contact with the pixel defining layer (119a), the first light emitting layer (EMLa), and the common electron layer (330). Re: claim 2, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 1, wherein the first light emitting layer (EMLa) is completely surrounded by the first anode electrode (310), the pixel defining layer (119a), the organic separator layer (119b), and the common electron layer (EIL, ETLa). Re: claim 3, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 2, wherein the first opening (defined by 119a) is inside the second opening (defined by 119b) in a plan view (figs. 3-4). Re: claim 4, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 1, wherein the common electron layer (EIL, ETLa) extends to overlap the light emitting area (EA) and the non-light emitting area (NEA), wherein the common electron layer (EIL, ETLa) is in contact with the first light emitting layer (EMLa) and the organic separator layer (119b), and wherein the common electron layer (EIL, ETLa) completely covers the first light emitting layer (EMLa) and the organic separator layer (119b). Re: claim 5, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 4, wherein the common electron layer (EIL, ETLa) is in contact with the common electrode (330) to overlap the non-light emitting area (NEA). Re: claim 6, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 1, further comprising: a second anode electrode (310) spaced from the first anode electrode with the pixel defining layer (119a) positioned therebetween; and a second light emitting layer (EMLb) on the second anode electrode, wherein the first light emitting layer (EMLa) and the second light emitting layer (EMLb) are spaced from each other by the pixel defining layer (119a) and the organic separator layer (119b). Re: claim 7, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 6, wherein the common electron layer (EIL) covers the second light emitting layer (EMLb), and wherein the first light emitting layer (EMLa), the organic separator layer (119b), and the second light emitting layer (EMLb) are connected by the common electron layer (EIL). Re: claim 8, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 6, wherein the organic separator layer (119b) comprises: a first surface in contact with the pixel defining layer (119a); a first side surface in contact with the first light emitting layer (EMLa); a second side surface in contact with the second light emitting layer (EMLb); and a second surface in contact with the common electron layer (EIL). Re: claim 9, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 8, wherein the organic separator layer (119b) is completely surrounded by the pixel defining layer (119a), the first light emitting layer (EMLa), the second light emitting layer (EMLb), and the common electron layer (EIL). Re: claim 10, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 6, wherein a gap between the first light emitting layer (EMLa) and the second light emitting layer (EMLb) in a direction parallel to the substrate is completely filled by the organic separator layer (119b). Re: claim 11, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 1, wherein the organic separator layer (119b) comprises a single material or a mixture comprising any one of silicon-based, epoxy-based, and acrylic-based organic materials ([0112], [0122]). Re: independent claim 12, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 a display device comprising: a substrate (100) comprising a plurality of light emitting areas (EA) and a plurality of non-light emitting areas (NEA); an anode electrode (310) on the light emitting area of the substrate; a pixel defining layer (119a) on the non-light emitting area of the substrate and defining a first opening; an organic separator layer (119b, [0112], [0122]) on the pixel defining layer and defining a second opening; a light emitting layer (EMLa) on the anode electrode; a common electron layer (EIL) on the light emitting layer and the organic separator layer; and a common electrode (330) on the common electron layer, wherein the second opening completely (defined by 119b) surrounds the first opening (defined by 119a) in a plan view (figs. 3-4), wherein the organic separator layer (119b) does not overlap the light emitting area (EA) in a plan view, and wherein the organic separator layer (119b) is in a mesh shape while surrounding the plurality of light emitting areas (EA) in a plan view (fig. 3). Re: claim 13, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 12, wherein the organic separator layer (119b) overlaps the pixel defining layer (119a) in a direction perpendicular to the substrate in a plan view. Re: claim 14, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 13, wherein the organic separator layer (119b) completely surrounds the anode electrode (310) and the light emitting layer (EMLa) in a plan view (fig. 3). Re: claim 15, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 14, wherein the common electron layer (EIL) completely covers the light emitting layer (EMLa) and the organic separator layer (119b) in a plan view (figs. 3-5). Re: claim 16, Kim discloses in figs. 3-5 the display device of claim 15, wherein the common electrode (330) completely covers the light emitting layer (EMLa) and the organic separator layer (119b) in a plan view (figs. 3-5). Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim et al. US 2022/0181410 teach an organic bank over a pixel defining layer and an electron transport layer formed integrally over first through third pixels. The examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner. When responding to this office action, applicants are advised to provide the examiner with the line numbers and page numbers in the application and/or references cited to assist the examiner in locating appropriate paragraphs. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALLISON BERNSTEIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9011. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8AM-5PM. 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, Richard Elms can be reached on 571-272-1869. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. 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