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.
Should applicant desire to obtain the benefit of foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) prior to declaration of an interference, a certified English translation of the foreign application must be submitted in reply to this action. 37 CFR 41.154(b) and 41.202(e).
Failure to provide a certified translation may result in no benefit being accorded for the non-English application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on October 8, 2024 is in compliance with time for filing requirements of 37 C.F.R. 1.97, and thus, the information disclosure statement has been considered except as otherwise indicated.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Display Panel with Randomly Distributed Light-Emitting Regions in a First Display Region.
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.
(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.
Claims 1-5, 12-14, 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu et al. (CN114497119A).
Regarding Claim 1:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10), comprising a first display region (sub-display area; Fig. 1 element 102); wherein
the first display region comprises a plurality of sub-pixels (Fig. 2(a) element 1040, paragraph 35), wherein the plurality of sub-pixels are in one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of aperture regions (opening; Fig. 5, paragraphs 19 and 40), and light-emitting regions (elements 1040/1041) of the sub-pixels are randomly distributed (paragraphs 26, 39-41, 45, and 53) within corresponding aperture regions.
Regarding Claim 2:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting regions (elements 1040/1041) of the sub-pixels being randomly distributed within the corresponding aperture regions (paragraphs 26, 39-41, 45, and 53) comprises at least one of:
the light-emitting regions of the sub-pixels being randomly distributed in terms of position within the corresponding aperture regions (paragraphs 7, 26, and 42); or
the light-emitting regions of the sub-pixels being randomly distributed in terms of shape (paragraphs 7-8 and 26).
Regarding Claim 3:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the light-emitting region comprises a closed pattern surrounded by a straight segment and/or a curved segment (Fig. 2(a), paragraph 41).
Regarding Claim 4:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 1, wherein a shape of the light-emitting region comprises any one of a circle, an ellipse, a teardrop, a rounded rectangle, a rounded triangle, and a rounded trapezoid (Fig. 2(a), paragraph 41).
Regarding Claim 5:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 1, wherein shapes of the light-emitting regions of sub-pixels of a same light-emitting color in the plurality of sub-pixels are different (Fig. 4, paragraphs 7-8 and 26).
Regarding Claim 12:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-pixels (Fig. 2 elements 1040) are arranged in a plurality of first sub-pixel columns (Fig. 4 element 104C) and a plurality of second sub-pixel columns (element 104D) ; wherein
the first sub-pixel columns and the second sub-pixel columns are arranged alternately along a first direction (see fig. below), each of the first sub-pixel columns (element 104C) comprises first sub-pixels and second sub-pixels spaced apart along a second direction (see fig. below), and each of the second sub-pixel columns comprises a plurality of third sub-pixels, the first direction being perpendicular to the second direction, and any two sub-pixels of the first sub-pixels, the second sub-pixels, and the third sub-pixels having different light-emitting colors (Fig. 5, paragraphs 38 and 47);
the first sub-pixel columns and the second sub-pixel columns satisfy at least one of:
in a same first sub-pixel column (Fig. 4 element 104C), an included angle (element A1) between a line connecting centers (Fig. 3 element 104c) of the light-emitting regions of adjacent two of the first sub-pixels and the second sub-pixels and the second direction is an acute angle (paragraphs 41-48);
in any adjacent two of the first sub-pixel columns (Fig. 4 elements 104C), an included angle (element A1) between a line connecting a center of the light-emitting region of the first sub-pixel in one first sub-pixel column and a center of the light-emitting region of an adjacent second sub-pixel in the other first sub-pixel column and the first direction is an acute angle (paragraphs 41-48);
in a same second sub-pixel column (Fig. 4 element 104C), an included angle (element A2) between a line connecting centers of the light-emitting regions of adjacent two of the third sub-pixels and the second direction is an acute angle (paragraphs 41-48);
in any adjacent two of the second sub-pixel columns (Fig. 4 elements 104D), an included angle (element A2) between a line connecting a center of the light-emitting region of the third sub-pixel in one second sub-pixel column and a center of the light-emitting region of an adjacent third sub-pixel in the other second sub-pixel column and the first direction is an acute angle (paragraphs 41-48); or
in any adjacent two of the first sub-pixel columns (Fig. 4 elements 104C) and the second sub-pixel columns (Fig. 4 elements 104D), an included angle (elements A1/A2) between a line connecting a center of the light-emitting region of the first sub-pixel and/or the second sub-pixel and a center of the light-emitting region of an adjacent third sub-pixel (Fig. 3 elements 104a-c) and the first direction is an acute angle (paragraphs 41-48).
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Regarding Claim 13:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 1, further comprising a second display region (Fig. 1 element 100); wherein
the second display region (main display; Fig. 1 element 100) comprises the plurality of sub-pixels (Fig. 2(b) element 1070, paragraph 36); and
an area of the light-emitting region of any of the sub-pixels within the second display region is greater than an area of the light-emitting region of a sub-pixel within the first display region of a same light-emitting color as the any of the sub-pixels within the second display region (paragraph 37).
Regarding Claim 14:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 13, wherein the second display region (Fig. 1 element 100) surrounds the first display region (element 102), and a boundary of the second display region is overlapped with a boundary of the first display region (paragraph 34).
Regarding Claim 17:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 1, wherein the first display region is a display region in the display panel for corresponding to an under-display camera device (Fig. 5 element 202, paragraph 60).
Regarding Claim 18:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 1, wherein the display panel is an organic light-emitting display panel (paragraphs 3 and 19).
Claims 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (US20220392963A1).
Regarding Claim 19:
Chen discloses a display device (electronic device; Fig. 25), comprising a display panel (Fig. 1, paragraph 20), wherein the display panel comprises a first display region (Fig. 1 element AA1); wherein
the first display region comprises a plurality of sub-pixels (Fig. 2 element sp, paragraph 55), wherein the plurality of sub-pixels are in one-to-one correspondence (paragraphs 10-15 and 63-64) with a plurality of aperture regions (openings; Fig. 5 element PDL/K), and light-emitting regions (Fig. 5 elements J and b) of the sub-pixels are randomly distributed within corresponding aperture regions (paragraphs 10-15).
Regarding Claim 20:
Chen discloses a display device (electronic device; Fig. 25) according to claim 19, further comprising the under-display camera device (optical element; paragraph 50); wherein the under-display camera device is disposed on a non-display side of the display panel (paragraph 50), and an orthographic projection of the under-display camera device on the display panel is disposed within the first display region (paragraphs 50-54).
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 6-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (CN114497119A) in view of Xiao et al. (US20220102438A1).
Regarding Claim 6:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 1, wherein each of the sub-pixels comprises a light-emitting structure (Fig. 5 elements 101, 1041, and 103), wherein the light-emitting region of the sub-pixel is an orthographic projection region (paragraphs 40-41 and 53) of the light-emitting structure. However, Liu does not explicitly teach a display panel further comprising a base substrate.
Xiao discloses an analogous display panel (Fig. 1 element 100) further comprising a base substrate (Fig. 12 element 71).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device described in Liu further in view of Xiao to explicitly include a display panel further comprising a base substrate because both are directed to analogous display devices. Doing so allows for improvements in the quality of OLED devices (Xiao, paragraph 4). The examiner notes that although Liu does not explicitly teach a base substrate, one of ordinary skill can look at Fig. 5 and know that the thin film transistor (element 106) is disposed upon/in a substrate-like material (see fig. below, specifically blue boxed section).
Regarding Claim 7:
The combination of Liu and Xiao discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 6, wherein each of the sub-pixels further comprises an anode (Fig. 5 element 101), wherein the anode is disposed on a side of the light-emitting structure close to the base substrate (paragraph 50), and an orthographic projection of the anode on the base substrate covers the light-emitting region of the sub-pixel (Fig. 5 elements 101 and 1041, paragraphs 40-41).
Regarding Claim 8:
The combination of Liu and Xiao discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 7, wherein a geometrical center of the light-emitting structure (Figs. 3 and 5 elements 1040/1041) is coincident (Fig. 3, paragraphs 38-40) with a geometrical center of the anode (element 101).
Regarding Claim 9:
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The combination of Liu and Xiao discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 7, wherein the anode (Fig. 5 element 101) comprises an anode body and a connection portion connected to the anode body (see annotated fig. below), wherein an orthographic projection of the anode body on the base substrate covers the light-emitting region of the sub-pixel (paragraphs 40-41), and the connection portion is configured to be connected a drive unit (thin film transistor; Fig. 5 element 106) of the sub-pixel (paragraphs 52-54).
Regarding Claim 10:
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The combination of Liu and Xiao discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 9, wherein the connection portion and the anode body are integrally formed (Fig. 5, see annotated fig. below).
Regarding Claim 11:
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The combination of Liu and Xiao discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 9, wherein the connection portion extends randomly in a plane parallel to the base substrate (Fig. 5, see annotated fig. below).
Claims 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (CN114497119A) in view of Liu et al. (US20230058293A1), hereinafter referred to as “Liu ‘293”.
Regarding Claim 15:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of sub-pixels comprises red sub-pixels, green sub-pixels, and blue sub-pixels (Figs. 2-4, paragraph 35). However, Liu does not explicitly teach a display panel wherein the area of the blue sub-pixel is greater than the area of the red and green sub-pixels (independently).
Liu '293 discloses an analogous display panel (Fig. 2 element 100) comprising a plurality of sub-pixels (paragraph 32), wherein an area of a light-emitting region of the blue sub-pixel (Fig. 5 element B1/B2) is greater than (paragraph 36) an area of a light-emitting region of the red sub-pixel (element R1/R2), and the area of the light-emitting region of the blue sub-pixel is greater than (paragraph 36) an area of a light-emitting region of the green sub-pixel (element G11/G21).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device described in Liu further in view of Liu '293 to explicitly include a display panel comprising a plurality of sub-pixels wherein the area of a light-emitting region of a blue sub-pixel is greater than the area of a light-emitting region of a red or green sub-pixel because both are directed to analogous display devices. Doing so improves the integrity of the display panel and organic materials used (Liu ‘293, paragraphs 4 and 36).
Regarding Claim 16:
Liu discloses a display panel (Fig. 1 element 10) according to claim 1, but does not explicitly teach a display panel wherein a minimum distance between boundaries of adjacent aperture regions is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance.
Liu '293 discloses an analogous display panel (Fig. 2 element 100), wherein a minimum distance between boundaries of adjacent two of the aperture regions is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance (Fig. 5, paragraphs 42-43).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device described in Liu further in view of Liu '293 to explicitly include a display panel wherein a minimum distance – between boundaries of two adjacent aperture regions – is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance because both are directed to analogous display devices. Doing so improves the quality and integrity of the display panel (Liu ‘293, paragraphs 4 and 42).
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Liu et al. (US 12329010 B1), Yang et al. (US 20240040885 A1), Xin et al. (US 20230075241 A1), He et al. (US 20210405260 A1), Hoffman et al. (US 20230200172 A1), Chen et al. (
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Chloë E Benton whose telephone number is (571)272-9976. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday: 8am-6pm EST.
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/Chloë E Benton/Examiner, Art Unit 2899
/ZANDRA V SMITH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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