DETAILED ACTION
This correspondence is in response to the communications received 05/28/2024. Claims 1-27 are pending.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/28/2024 has been considered by the examiner and made of record in the application file.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claim 6 requires “wherein the plurality of particles in the first optical layer are diffused in the first optical layer except at a top surface of the third optical layer”. This limitation appears to require that the plurality of particles in the first optical layer are not diffused at the top surface of the third optical layer. As the third optical layer is a separate element from the first optical layer, it is unclear as to how the plurality of particles specifically in the first optical layer could be diffused in the top surface of the third optical layer or even anywhere in the third optical layer, thus rendering claim 6 indefinite.
Applicant’s Claim to Figure Comparison
It is noted that this comparison is merely for the benefit of reviewers of this office action during prosecution, to allow for an understanding of the examiner’s interpretation of the Applicant’s independent claims as compared to disclosed embodiments in Applicant’s Figures. No response or comments are necessary from Applicant.
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Regarding claim 1, a display panel, comprising:
a substrate (110);
an insulating layer (122) on the substrate (see Fig. 4);
a first electrode (161) on the insulating layer (see Fig. 4);
a light-emitting element (10) on the first electrode (see Fig. 4);
a first optical layer (141) surrounding the light-emitting element (see Fig. 4), the first optical layer comprising an organic insulating material including a plurality of particles ([0078]); and
a third optical layer (143) on the first optical layer (see Fig. 4), the third optical layer surrounding the light-emitting element (see Fig. 4).
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, 3, 5-10, 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20230006101 A1, hereinafter ‘101, published 01/05/2023).
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Regarding claim 1, Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 disclose a display panel (“The display device 10 includes a display panel”, [0057]), comprising:
a substrate (“first substrate 101”, [0068]);
an insulating layer (“first planarization layer 109”, [0068], where “the first planarization layer 109 may include an organic insulation material”, [0089]) on the substrate (as seen in Fig. 3, 109 is on 101);
a first electrode (“first electrode 210”, [0069]) on the insulating layer (as seen in Fig. 3, 210 is on 109);
a light-emitting element (“light-emitting element 300”, [0060]) on the first electrode (as seen in Fig. 3, 300 is on 210);
a first optical layer (“insulation film 380”, [0118]) surrounding the light-emitting element (as seen in Fig. 5, 380 surround 300), the first optical layer comprising an organic insulating material (“insulation film 380 may include materials having insulating properties, for example, … an organic insulation material”, [0163]) including a plurality of particles (Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 do not disclose 380 including a plurality of particles, however a secondary reference will be utilized to teach this limitation below); and
a third optical layer (“second insulation layer 520”, [0068], and as seen in Fig. 3, 520 is adjacent to 300 and would therefore interact with the light emitted from 300, thus rendering 520 an optic layer) on the first optical layer (as seen in Figs. 3 and 5, 520 is on the tapered portions of 300, where 380 is present, thus 520 is on 380), the third optical layer surrounding the light-emitting element (as seen in Fig. 3, 520 is surrounding 300).
Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 fail to disclose “a first optical layer … including a plurality of particles”.
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However, in a similar field of endeavor, Fig. 29 of ‘101 teaches a first optical layer … including a plurality of particles (“an insulation film 380_4 may further include inorganic particles 385_4. The inorganic particles 385_4 may be an inorganic insulation material, and for example, the inorganic particles 385_4 may be silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy), aluminum nitride (AlxNy), aluminum oxide (AlxOy), or the like”, [0269], where “The inorganic particles 385_4 may have a transparent material so that light emitted from the active layer 330 may be smoothly emitted. In addition, in some cases, the inorganic particles 385_4 may be scatterers that scatter incident light”, [0270]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to implement “a first optical layer … including a plurality of particles” as taught by Fig. 29 of ‘101 in the system of Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 for the purpose of modifying or controlling the emitted light.
Regarding claim 3, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 disclose the display panel of claim 1, Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 further disclose wherein a top surface of the third optical layer is aligned with a top surface of the light-emitting element or below the top surface of the light-emitting element (as seen in Fig. 3, a top surface of the lower instance of 520 is below the top surface of 300).
Regarding claim 5, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 disclose the display panel of claim 1, Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 further disclose wherein the third optical layer includes a material without any particles (“the first insulation layer 510, the second insulation layer 520, the third insulation layer 530, and the fourth insulation layer 550 may each include an organic insulation material such as an acrylic resin, an epoxy resin, a phenol resin, a polyamide resin, a PI resin, an unsaturated polyester resin, a polyphenylene resin, a polyphenylene sulfide resin, benzocyclobutene, a cardo resin, a siloxane resin, a silsesquioxane resin, polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, or a polymethyl methacrylate-polycarbonate synthetic resin”, [0135], further there is no evidence present that would indicate the inclusion of any further materials such as particles into 520).
Regarding claim 6, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 disclose the display panel of claim 1, Fig. 29 of ‘101 further discloses wherein the plurality of particles in the first optical layer are diffused in the first optical layer except at a top surface of the third optical layer (as seen in Fig. 29, 385_4 are contained entirely within 380_4, thus 385_4 are diffused in 380_4 and not at a top surface of 520).
Regarding claim 7, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 disclose the display panel of claim 1, Fig. 29 of ‘101 further discloses wherein the plurality of particles comprise a metal element (as discussed above, 385_4 can comprise aluminum).
Regarding claim 8, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 disclose the display panel of claim 1, Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 further disclose further comprising:
a second electrode (“first contact electrode 261”, [0069]) on the light-emitting element and the third optical layer (as seen in Fig. 3, 261 is on 300 and 520).
Regarding claim 9, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 disclose the display panel of claim 8, Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 further disclose further comprising:
a second optical layer (“third insulation layer 530”, [0068], and as seen in Fig. 3, 530 is adjacent to 300 and would therefore interact with the light emitted from 300, thus rendering 530 an optical layer) on the insulating layer (as seen in Fig. 3, 530 is on 109), the second optical layer adjacent to the first optical layer (as seen in Fig. 3, 530 is adjacent to 300, and as seen in Fig. 5, 300 comprises 380, thus 530 is adjacent to 380).
Regarding claim 10, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 disclose the display panel of claim 9, Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 further disclose wherein the second electrode extends between the third optical layer and the second optical layer from a top surface of the third optical layer to under the second optical layer (as seen in Fig. 3, 261 extends from a top surface of 520 to under 530).
Regarding claim 14, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 disclose the display panel of claim 9, Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 further disclose wherein the second optical layer and the third optical layer include a same organic insulating material (“the first insulation layer 510, the second insulation layer 520, the third insulation layer 530, and the fourth insulation layer 550 may each include an organic insulation material such as an acrylic resin, an epoxy resin, a phenol resin, a polyamide resin, a PI resin, an unsaturated polyester resin, a polyphenylene resin, a polyphenylene sulfide resin, benzocyclobutene, a cardo resin, a siloxane resin, a silsesquioxane resin, polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, or a polymethyl methacrylate-polycarbonate synthetic resin”, [0135], thus 530 and 520 may include the same organic insulating material) without any particles (there is no evidence present that would indicate the inclusion of any further materials such as particles into 530 or 520)
Regarding claim 15, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 disclose the display panel of claim 9, Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 further disclose wherein:
a top surface of the second optical layer and a top surface of the second electrode on the third optical layer are coplanar (as seen in Fig. 3, a top surface of 530 and a top surface of 261 on 520 are coplanar), or
the top surface of the second optical layer and a top surface of the third optical layer are coplanar.
Claims 18, 19, 23, 24, 26, and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20230006101 A1, hereinafter ‘101, published 01/05/2023) in view of Kim et al. (US 20210320231 A1, hereinafter ‘231, published 10/14/2021).
Regarding claim 18, Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 disclose a display apparatus (“the display device 10 may include a circuit element layer and a display element layer disposed on a first substrate 101”, [0068], together the circuit element layer and the display element layer form an apparatus), comprising:
a substrate (“first substrate 101”, [0068]);
an insulating layer (“first planarization layer 109”, [0068], where “the first planarization layer 109 may include an organic insulation material”, [0089]) on the substrate (as seen in Fig. 3, 109 is on 101);
a first anode (“first electrode 210”, [0069], ‘101 does not disclose that 210 is anode, however a secondary reference will be used to teach this limitation) on the insulating layer (as seen in Fig. 3, 210 is on 109);
a first light emitting (“light-emitting element 300”, [0060]) element on the first anode (as seen in Fig. 3, 300 is on 210).
‘101 does not specifically disclose “a first anode;
a second anode on the insulating layer;
a second light emitting element on the second anode”.
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However, in a similar field of endeavor, Figs. 1A, 2, and 3A of ‘231 teach a first anode (“Any one of the first and second electrodes REL1 and REL2 may be an anode electrode, and the other one of the first and second electrodes REL1 and REL2 may be a cathode electrode”, [0102], thus 210 of ‘101 can be an anode, ‘231 further states “In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the first electrode REL1 may be an anode electrode, and the second electrode REL2 may be a cathode electrode”, [0102], thus “REL1_1” in Fig. 3A is a first anode equivalent to 210 of ‘101);
a second anode (‘231 teaches a double emitter structure including “a plurality of light emitting elements LD (e.g., LD1, LD2)”, [0076], thus a similar double structure can be implemented into the system of ‘101 and the second instance of 210 of ‘101 would be a second anode, equivalent to “REL1_2” in Fig. 3A of ‘231) on the insulating layer (similar to the first instance of 210 of ‘101, the second instance of 210 would also be on 109 of ‘101);
a second light emitting element (the second instance of 300 of ‘101 would be a second light emitting element, equivalent to LD2 of ‘231, where a first instance of 300 is the first light emitting element) on the second anode (similar to the first instance of 300 of ‘101, the second instance of 300 would also be on the second instance of 210 of ‘101);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to implement “a first anode;
a second anode on the insulating layer;
a second light emitting element on the second anode” as taught by ‘231 in the system of ‘101 for the purpose of increasing the overall intensity of light emitted by the display panel by doubling the number of emitter devices.
‘101 further discloses a first optical layer (“insulation film 380”, [0118]) between and surrounding the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element (as seen in Fig. 5, 380 surround 300, thus 380 will surround both the first and second instances of 300), the first optical layer comprising an organic insulating material (“insulation film 380 may include materials having insulating properties, for example, … an organic insulation material”, [0163]) including a plurality of particles (Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 do not disclose 380 including a plurality of particles, however a secondary reference will be utilized to teach this limitation below);
a third optical layer (“second insulation layer 520”, [0068], and as seen in Fig. 3, 520 is adjacent to 300 and would therefore interact with the light emitted from 300, thus rendering 520 an optic layer) on an upper surface of the first optical layer (as seen in Figs. 3 and 5, 520 is on the tapered portions of 300, where 380 is present, thus 520 is on an upper surface of 380), the third optical layer surrounding the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element (as seen in Fig. 3, 520 is surrounding 300, thus 520 would surround the first and second instances of 300);
a cathode (“first contact electrode 261”, [0069]”, and as per ‘231, 261 can be considered a cathode, further, 261 can be implemented in a manner similar to “second electrode REL2”, [0102], ‘231 where 261 is shared between the first and second instances of 300) on the first light emitting element, the second light emitting element, and the third optical layer (as seen in Fig. 3, 261 is on 300, and 520, thus 261 would be on the first and second instances of 300); and
a pixel driving circuit (“circuit element layer may include circuit elements and a plurality of lines for driving the light-emitting element 300, such as, a driving transistor DT, a switching transistor ST, a first conductive pattern CDP, and a plurality of voltage lines VL1 and VL2”, [0069]) connected to the first anode and the second anode (as seen in Fig. 3, DT is connected to 210 and thus the first and second instances of 210), the pixel driving circuit configured to supply one or more voltages to at least one of the first anode and the second anode (“The first conductive pattern CDP may also be in contact with the first electrode 210, which will be described below, and the driving transistor DT may transmit the first power voltage VDD applied from the first voltage line VL1 to the first electrode 210 through the first conductive pattern CDP”, [0087]).
Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 in combination with ‘231 fail to disclose “a first optical layer … including a plurality of particles”
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Fig. 29 of ‘101 teaches a first optical layer … including a plurality of particles (“an insulation film 380_4 may further include inorganic particles 385_4. The inorganic particles 385_4 may be an inorganic insulation material, and for example, the inorganic particles 385_4 may be silicon oxide (SiOx), silicon nitride (SiNx), silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy), aluminum nitride (AlxNy), aluminum oxide (AlxOy), or the like”, [0269], where “The inorganic particles 385_4 may have a transparent material so that light emitted from the active layer 330 may be smoothly emitted. In addition, in some cases, the inorganic particles 385_4 may be scatterers that scatter incident light”, [0270]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to implement “a first optical layer … including a plurality of particles” as taught by Fig. 29 of ‘101 in the system of Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 in combination with ‘231 for the purpose of modifying or controlling the emitted light.
Regarding claim 19, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 in combination with Figs. 1A, 2, and 3A of ‘231 disclose the display apparatus of claim 18, Figs. 1A, 2, and 3A of ‘231 further disclose wherein the pixel driving circuit is configured to drive the first light emitting element by applying a first anode voltage to the first anode and drive the second light emitting element by applying a second anode voltage to the second anode (“a first alignment voltage may be applied to the first electrode REL1 through the first connection line CNL1, and a second alignment voltage may be applied to the second electrode REL2 through the second connection line CNL2. The first alignment voltage and the second alignment voltage may have different voltage levels”, [0090], thus the first and second instances of 210 of ‘101 can be configured to receive separate voltages, while ‘231 discloses separate alignment voltages, one having ordinary skill in the art would understand that separate driving voltages could also be applied).
Regarding claim 23, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 in combination with Figs. 1A, 2, and 3A of ‘231 disclose the display apparatus of claim 18, Figs. 1A, 2, and 3A of ‘231 further disclose wherein the pixel driving circuit is configured to:
drive one of the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element by applying an anode voltage to one of the first anode and the second anode (“a first alignment voltage may be applied to the first electrode REL1 through the first connection line CNL1, and a second alignment voltage may be applied to the second electrode REL2 through the second connection line CNL2. The first alignment voltage and the second alignment voltage may have different voltage levels”, [0090], thus the first and second instances of 210 of ‘101 can be configured to receive separate voltages, while ‘231 discloses separate alignment voltages, one having ordinary skill in the art would understand that separate driving voltages could also be applied to drive the first or second instance of 300).
Regarding claim 24, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 in combination with Figs. 1A, 2, and 3A of ‘231 disclose the display apparatus of claim 18, Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 further disclose wherein the third optical layer includes an organic insulating material (“the first insulation layer 510, the second insulation layer 520, the third insulation layer 530, and the fourth insulation layer 550 may each include an organic insulation material such as an acrylic resin, an epoxy resin, a phenol resin, a polyamide resin, a PI resin, an unsaturated polyester resin, a polyphenylene resin, a polyphenylene sulfide resin, benzocyclobutene, a cardo resin, a siloxane resin, a silsesquioxane resin, polymethyl methacrylate, polycarbonate, or a polymethyl methacrylate-polycarbonate synthetic resin”, [0135]) without any particles (there is no evidence present that would indicate the inclusion of any further materials such as particles into 520).
Regarding claim 26, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 in combination with Figs. 1A, 2, and 3A of ‘231 disclose the display apparatus of claim 18, Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 further disclose wherein a top surface of the third optical layer is coplanar with a top surface of the first light emitting element and a top surface of the second light emitting element or lower than the top surface of the first light-emitting element and the top surface of the second light emitting element (as seen in Fig. 3, a top surface of the lower instance of 520 is lower than the top surface of 300, thus a top surface of the lower instance of 520 is lower than the top surfaces of the first and second instances of 300).
Regarding claim 27, Figs. 1-6 and 29 of ‘101 in combination with Figs. 1A, 2, and 3A of ‘231 disclose the display apparatus of claim 18, Figs. 1-6 of ‘101 further disclose an upper surface of the first optical layer is lower than a first upper surface of the first light-emitting element and a second upper surface of the second light-emitting element (as seen in Fig. 5, a portion of an upper surface of 380 is lower than an upper surface of the rest of 300 when in the horizontal orientation shown in Fig. 3, thus an upper surface of 380 is lower than first upper surfaces of the first and second instances of 300); and
a lower surface of the third optical layer is lower than the first upper surface of the first light-emitting element and the second upper surface of the second light-emitting element (as seen in Fig. 3, a lower surface of the lower instance of 520 is lower than the first upper surface of 300, thus a lower surface of 520 is lower than the upper surfaces of the first and second instances of 300).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 4, 11-13, 16, 17, 20-22, and 25 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: The prior art of record does not teach or fairly suggest the display panel as recited in the claims of the instant application.
Regarding claim 2, the prior art of Kim et al. (US 20230006101 A1) discloses a similar display panel but fails to disclose the specific limitations of the instant application regarding the thickness of the third optical layer e.g. “wherein the third optical layer has a thickness in a range of 1.0 µm to 1.5 µm”.
Regarding claim 4, the prior art of Kim et al. (US 20230006101 A1) discloses a similar display panel but fails to disclose the specific limitations of the instant application regarding the presence and location of the solder pattern e.g. “a solder pattern between the first electrode and the light-emitting element”.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art of Kim et al. (US 20230006101 A1) discloses a similar display panel but fails to disclose the specific limitations of the instant application regarding the structure of the contact electrode with respect to the second optical layer and the second electrode e.g. “a contact electrode on the insulating layer and spaced apart from the first electrode, wherein
the second optical layer covers at least a portion of the contact electrode, and
the second electrode extends so that the second electrode is connected to the contact electrode under the second optical layer”.
Regarding claim 12, the prior art of Kim et al. (US 20230006101 A1) discloses a similar display panel but fails to disclose the specific limitations of the instant application regarding the structures of the contact electrode and the second optical layer e.g. “the second optical layer covers at least a portion of the contact electrode, and
the second optical layer includes a contact hole that exposes a part of the contact electrode”.
Claims 13 and 16 are allowable by virtue of their dependence on claim 12.
Regarding claim 17, the prior art of Kim et al. (US 20230006101 A1) discloses a similar display panel but fails to disclose the specific limitations of the instant application regarding the structural relationship of the bank pattern and the first optical layer e.g. “a bank pattern on the insulating layer, the bank pattern surrounded by the first optical layer”.
Regarding claim 20, the prior art of Kim et al. (US 20230006101 A1) in combination with Kim et al. (US 20210320231 A1) discloses a similar display panel but fails to disclose the specific limitations of the instant application regarding the connections between the anodes, the connection wiring, and the signal wiring e.g. “the pixel driving circuit applies the first anode voltage to the first anode through the first connection wiring and the first signal wiring, and
the pixel driving circuit applies the second anode voltage to the second anode through the second connection wiring and the second signal wiring”.
Claims 21 and 22 are allowable by virtue of their dependence on claim 22.
Regarding claim 25, the prior art of Kim et al. (US 20230006101 A1) in combination with Kim et al. (US 20210320231 A1) discloses a similar display panel but fails to disclose the specific limitations of the instant application regarding the arrangement of the first and second optical layers e.g. “a second optical layer on the insulating layer, the second optical layer surrounding the first optical layer”.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN M KUPP whose telephone number is (571)272-5608. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7:00 am - 4:00 pm PT.
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/BENJAMIN MICHAEL KUPP/Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/YARA B GREEN/Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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