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 .
Specification
The specification is objected to because of the following informalities:
The specification does not have proper antecedent basis to the language of claim 2, that is, “the second light-shielding region is configured to shield light which is emitted by the corresponding light emitting element and directed towards first light emitting regions that are not the corresponding first light emitting region”.
The specification describes this limitation in 2 locations:
[0009] of the printed US Publication, wherein it is disclosed as:
and the second light-shielding region is configured to shield light which is emitted by the corresponding light emitting element and directed towards first light emitting regions that are not the corresponding first light emitting region, but without a drawing.
2.[0069] of the printed US Publication, wherein it is disclosed as: The second light-shielding region 502 is configured to shield light which is emitted by the corresponding light emitting element 2 and directed towards first light emitting regions 302 that are not to the corresponding first light emitting region, and with drawing 5.
However, in 2. The limitation of “that are not the corresponding” of claim 2, is disclosed differently as: that are not to (to has been added in [0069], but not in the claim).
Therefore, for all the above reasons, the limitation in claim 2 is unclear.
For purposes of examination, it is considered to be the opening sizes of the top and bottom shielding portions shown in Applicant’s Fig.5, wherein the top opening of the top light shielding regions is narrower than the bottom opening of the bottom light shielding regions.
Appropriate correction is needed.
Claim Objection
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 2, the limitation of “the second light-shielding region is configured to shield light which is emitted by the corresponding light emitting element and directed towards first light emitting regions that are not the corresponding first light emitting region” is unclear language. It is not clear what is meant by this limitation. Appropriate correction is needed.
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.
Claims 1,9,17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Leng CN 112447931 A, cited by Applicant)
Regarding claim 1, Leng teaches a display panel (at least Fig.20), comprising: a base substrate 110; a display functional layer 120 , comprising a plurality of light emitting elements; a light emitting angle definition layer, located on a side of the display functional layer away from the base substrate, and comprising a first light-shielding region 152, and a plurality of first light emitting regions (between the adjacent 152) corresponding to the plurality of light emitting elements in a one-to-one correspondence relationship, wherein an orthographic projection of a first light emitting region on the base substrate covers an orthographic projection of a corresponding light emitting element on the base substrate; a light adjustment functional layer 140 (scattering structure), located between the display functional layer 120 and the light emitting angle definition layer 152, and comprising a plurality of light adjustment structures corresponding to the plurality of light emitting elements in a one-to-one correspondence relationship, wherein an orthographic projection of a light adjustment structure on the base substrate is not overlapped with an orthographic projection of a corresponding light emitting element on the base substrate, and the light adjustment structure is configured to change a propagation direction of a part of light which is emitted by the corresponding light emitting element and directed towards the first light-shielding region into a direction directed towards a corresponding first light emitting region.
Regarding claim 9, Leng teaches a display panel, wherein a length of a light emitting element in a first direction is greater than a length of the same light emitting element in a second direction, both the first direction and the second direction are parallel to a plane where the base substrate is located, and the first direction intersects with the second direction (see rectangular shape of the light emitting regions DA1 in Fig.2)
; for any of the first light emitting regions, a length difference between the first light emitting region and a corresponding light emitting element in the first direction is greater than or equal to a length difference between the first light emitting region and the corresponding light emitting element in the second direction (150 shape and position in Fig.4 and the rectangular shape wherein one side has a larger shape than the other side).
Regarding claim 17, Leng teaches a display apparatus, wherein the display functional layer further comprises an encapsulation layer (packaging layer 160); the encapsulation layer is located on a side of the light emitting elements away from the base substrate, and is configured to encapsulate the light emitting elements 120.
Regarding claim 19, Leng teaches a display apparatus, comprising the display panel (Abstract).
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.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Leng
Regarding claim 10, Leng teaches the invention set forth in claim in claim 9, but does not teach: the length difference
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of the first light emitting region and the corresponding light emitting element in the second direction satisfies the followings:
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where j denotes a quantity of dielectric layers between a light emitting layer in the light emitting element and the light emitting angle definition layer, h, denotes a thickness of an i-th dielectric layer located between the light emitting layer in the light emitting element and the light emitting angle definition layer and close to the light emitting layer, a, denotes a propagation angle of light with a light emitting angle ai, emitted by the light emitting layer in the light emitting element, when the light is incident on the i-th dielectric layer, ai is a preset angle constant and ai< 20 degrees.
However, Leng teaches each and every structural feature as claimed, therefore
it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention, to achieve the length difference as claimed, since where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the “the length difference
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of the first light emitting region and the corresponding light emitting element in the second direction” of a result effective variable, involves only routine skill in the art in order to optimize the viewing angle, based on the desired design and application.
Claims 2,3 ,5-8 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Leng in view of Lee (US 20220140041 A1)
Regarding claim 2, Leng teach the display panel further comprising: an anti-crosstalk functional layer 151, located between the display functional layer 120 and the light adjustment functional layer 140, and comprising a second light-shielding region (first sub-shading structure), and a plurality of second light emitting regions (spacing between 151) corresponding to the plurality of light emitting elements in a one-to-one correspondence relationship, wherein an orthographic projection of a second light emitting region on the base substrate covers an orthographic projection of a corresponding first light emitting region on the base substrate;
but does not teach the second light-shielding region is configured to shield light which is emitted by the corresponding light emitting element and directed towards first light emitting regions that are not the corresponding first light emitting region (see Objections above).
Lee teaches a display device, wherein the second light-shielding region is configured to shield light which is emitted by the corresponding light emitting element and directed towards first light emitting regions that are not the corresponding first light emitting region (Fig.8-9, [0204] In another embodiment, the size of the upper hole UH may be less than or equal to the size of the second hole H2. The width UHw of the upper hole UH may be less than or equal to the width Hw2 of the second hole H2. In this case, the display device may provide a narrower viewing angle in the second display area DA2; it is considered to be the opening sizes of the top and bottom shielding portions shown in Applicant’s Fig.5, wherein the top opening of the top light shielding regions is narrower than the bottom opening of the bottom light shielding regions) and therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the opening as disclosed in Lee, in the device of Leng, in order to achieve narrow viewing angle ([0204]).
Regarding claim 3, Leng in view of Lee teaches the display panel wherein a length of the light emitting element in a first direction is greater than a length of the same light emitting element in a second direction, both the first direction and the second direction are parallel to a plane where the base substrate is located, and the first direction intersects with the second direction (see Fig.1 and 4 , wherein the portions are rectangular, such that one side is greater than the other);
for any of the second light emitting regions, a length difference between the second light emitting region and the corresponding light emitting element in the first direction is greater than or equal to a length difference between the second light emitting region and the corresponding light emitting element in the second direction (see Fig.20 of Leng wherein the X1 direction is the first direction and 151 is beyond the left and right boundaries of the light emitting element 120).
Regarding claim 5, Leng in view of Lee teaches a display panel, further comprising a touch functional layer located on a side of the display functional layer away from the base substrate, wherein the touch functional layer comprises a first metal layer, a touch insulating layer, and a second metal layer which are sequentially stacked along a direction away from the base substrate; the touch functional layer is located between the anti-crosstalk functional layer and the light adjustment functional layer; or, at least one of the first metal layer and the second metal layer within the touch functional layer is reused as the anti-crosstalk functional layer (from the teachings of Leng: or the encapsulation layer 160 away from the substrate 110 side preparing touch function layer, And 180 in Fig.16 AND Claim 16 of Leng wherein the touch function layer is also the reflecting layer AND
the touch electrode partially reflects the light emitted by the scattering structure; combining the second shading structure, reducing the light reflectivity of the display panel
AND
Optionally, the present invention provides a display panel 100, please refer to FIG. 16, FIG. 16 is a display panel provided by the present invention from AA ' cut line and a partial cutaway view, comprising a touch function layer 180, touch function layer 180 located on the display function layer 120 away from the substrate 110 side; the touch function layer 180 comprises a touch medium layer 181, scattering structure 140 and the touch medium layer 181 are set on the same layer. the touch function layer 180 generally comprises a touch metal layer and a touch medium layer 181, the metal layer comprises a patterned touch electrode 182, the medium layer can be inorganic insulating layer or organic insulating layer between the touch electrode, also can be the glue layer in the touch function layer. the scattering structure and the touch medium layer are set on the same layer, which is good for light and thin design of the display panel.
AND from teachings of Lee: [0067], [0068], [0212]- [0214]).
Regarding claim 6, Leng in view of Lee teaches a display panel, further comprising a color filter layer comprising a plurality of color filter patterns; the color filter layer is located between the anti-crosstalk functional layer and the light emitting angle definition layer; or, the color filter layer is located on a side of the light emitting angle definition layer away from the base substrate ([0071]-[0072], [0240]-[0250] and [0258] in Lee).
Regarding claim 7, Leng in view of Lee teaches a display panel, wherein a material of the anti-crosstalk functional layer comprises a light absorbing material or a light reflecting material (a first sub-light-shielding structure 151 in Leng).
Regarding claim 8, Leng in view of Lee teaches a display panel, wherein a buffer layer is formed between the display functional layer and the anti-crosstalk functional layer; and/or, a buffer layer is formed between the anti-crosstalk functional layer and the light adjustment functional layer; and/or, a buffer layer is formed between the light adjustment functional layer and the light emitting angle definition layer (packaging layer 160,161 in Fig.7 of Leng; 320,330 in Lee and [0157]).
Regarding claim 13, Leng teaches the display panel, wherein the light adjustment functional layer comprises: a first refractive index dielectric layer 140 (Fig.20), formed with a plurality of first openings corresponding to the plurality of light emitting elements in a one-to-one correspondence relationship,
wherein a distance between a slope surface of the first refractive index dielectric layer surrounding the first opening and a normal line of the base substrate in a region where the first opening is located gradually increases in the direction away from the base substrate;
a second refractive index dielectric layer 162 (organic packaging layer), located on a side of the first refractive index dielectric layer 140 away from the base substrate 110 and covering the slope (slope of 140) surface of the first refractive index dielectric layer; and the light adjustment structure comprises the slope surface but does not explicitly teach a refractive index of the first refractive index dielectric layer is smaller than a refractive index of the second refractive index dielectric layer;
Lee teaches a refractive index of the first refractive index dielectric layer (403) is smaller than a refractive index of the upper second refractive index dielectric layer (405) and therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the relation as disclosed in Lee, in order to achieve propagation in the desired orientation exiting the device ([0222], [0225] in Lee).
Regarding claim 14, Leng in view of Lee teaches the display panel, wherein an orthographic projection of a bottom of a first opening on the base substrate covers an orthographic projection of a corresponding light emitting element on the base substrate; and the orthographic projection of the bottom of the first opening on the base substrate is located within a coverage region of an orthographic projection of a corresponding first light emitting region on the base substrate (Fig.20 of Leng).
Regarding claim 15, Leng in view of Lee teaches the display panel, wherein a slope angle formed between the slope surface and a side surface of the first refractive index dielectric layer close to the base substrate is in a range of 50 to 75°(
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)
Regarding claim 16, Leng in view of Lee teaches display panel, wherein a difference between the refractive index of the second refractive index dielectric layer and the refractive index of the first refractive index dielectric layer is greater than or equal to 0.3 ([0222] in Lee).
Claims 4 ,11 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Leng in view of Lee and further in view of Li (CN 114447040 A)
Regarding claims 4 ,11 and 18, Leng in view of Lee teaches rectangular shapes of the light emitting elements/pixels (DA1 in Fig.1 that are not square and micro-LEDs in Leng) but is silent regarding: for any of the second light emitting regions, the length difference between the second light emitting region and the corresponding light emitting element in the first direction ranges from 12um to 24um, and the length difference between the second light emitting region and the corresponding light emitting element in the second direction ranges from 12um to 24 um (for claim 4) , wherein for any of the first light emitting regions, the length difference between the first light emitting region and the corresponding light emitting element in the first direction ranges from 6um to 12um, and the length difference between the first light emitting region and the corresponding light emitting element in the second direction ranges from 0 um to 12um (for claim 11) and wherein a length of a light emitting element in a first direction is greater than or equal to 25um; a length of the light emitting element in a second direction is less than or equal to 10um; both the first direction and the second direction are parallel to the plane where the base substrate is located, and the first direction intersects with the second direction (for claim 18).
However, the size of the elements as claimed are analogous in Leng in view of Lee, between the light emitting elements, the first and second light emitting regions, the light shielding portions and the light emitting regions and are therefore
already disclosed in Leng in view of Lee, however the difference in microns as claimed is not disclosed.
However, Li teaches the OLED dimension in general is in the micron range (see in Li: the size of the light emitting diode can be micron level or nanometre level) and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the difference in dimensions as claimed, by routine experimentation, from the teachings of Li, in the device of Leng in view of Lee in order to optimize the viewing angle.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Leng in view of Cai (CN 111967411 A)
Regarding claim 12, Leng teaches the light adjustment structure 140 that has reflecting/refracting properties but does not teach at least one concave lens disposed above and on a periphery of the corresponding light emitting element.
However, it is a matter of design and choice of amount of light spread from the light emitting device. Cai teaches a concave lens 322 (Fig.4; see in Cai: Similarly, the light-scattering light-transmitting member 322 may be a light-scattering lens, namely a concave lens, or a plurality of light-scattering lenses are overlapped with each other, namely a lens assembly with light-scattering function), over a light absorbing layer 312 and in the path of light, and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the lens, as disclosed in Cai, in the device of Leng, in order to achieve the desired collimation of output light.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Leng in view of Choi (US 20210057490 A1)
Regarding claim 20, Leng teaches the invention set forth in claim 1 above, but is silent regarding a vehicle-mounted display system, comprising the display apparatus.
Choi teaches a device that has arrangement of adjusting the viewing angle (Fig.15) for vehicle mounting applications ([0080]) it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the display device of Leng in vehicles, in order to achieve display devices within vehicles.
Other art
US 20240260432 A1; US 20230147614 A1; US 12568752 B2;
US 11950449 B2; US 20220140041 A1
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Fatima Farokhrooz whose telephone number is (571)-272-6043. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday- Friday, 9 am - 5 pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s Supervisor, James Greece can be reached on (571) 272-3711.
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/Fatima N Farokhrooz/
Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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