DETAILED ACTION
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 .
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 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Itsumi et al. (US 2012/0326954).
As to claim 1, Itsumi discloses an array substrate (paragraph [0027]) in figures 1 and 5, comprising: a base substrate (paragraph [0028]); a plurality of sub-pixels (RGB), located on the base substrate and arranged in an array along a first direction (horizontal) and a second direction (vertical); the first direction and the second direction intersecting with each other; wherein the array substrate comprises a plurality of pixel regions, each pixel region comprises sub-pixels with different colors (RGB) arranged along the first direction, and different pixel regions have a same area; in a same pixel region, sub-pixels regions of at least two sub-pixels with different colors (green sub-pixel is larger than the red sub-pixel in figure 5); a size ratio of the sub-pixel regions of the at least two sub-pixels with different colors in the first direction ranges from 1 to 2 (green sub-pixel is twice the size of the red sub-pixel in figure 5); and the sub-pixel region comprises an effective light-exiting region (red, green and blue sub-pixel apertures emit red, green and blue light, respectively).
As to claim 2, Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. Itsumi further discloses in figure 1, a plurality of data lines 12, arranged along the first direction; and a plurality of gate lines 11, arranged along the second direction, wherein the plurality of data lines and the plurality of gate liens intersect with each other to surround effective light-exiting regions of the plurality of sub-pixels.
As to claim 3, Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 2. Itsumi further discloses in figure 1, wherein respective sub-pixels each comprise a pixel electrode 15 and a common electrode (opposed electrode in paragraph [0029]) stacked and in a same pixel region, pixel electrodes of the at least two sub-pixels with different colors have different sizes in the first direction (pixel electrode in the green sub-pixel is larger than the pixel electrode in the red sub-pixel).
As to claim 4, Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 2. Itsumi further discloses in figure 1, wherein the plurality of data lines 12 is unevenly distributed in the first direction due to the different width of the sub-pixels in the first direction, and the plurality of gate lines 11 is evenly distributed in the second direction due to the uniform width of the sub-pixels in the second direction.
As to claim 5, Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 4. Itsumi further discloses in figure 1, wherein a size ratio of the pixel electrodes of the at least two sub-pixels with different colors in the first direction is not greater than 2 (pixel electrode of the green sub-pixel is no more than twice as large as the pixel electrode of the red sub-pixel in the first direction).
As to claim 6, Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. Itsumi further discloses in figure 1, wherein, in a same pixel region, a size ratio of sub-pixel regions of the at least two sub-pixels in the second direction ranges from 0.9 to 1.1 (sub-pixels all have the same size in the second direction).
As to claim 7, Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 3. Itsumi further discloses in figure 5, wherein each pixel region comprises a first color sub-pixel (red), a second color sub-pixel (green), and a third color sub-pixel (blue), and in a same pixel region, a sub-pixel region of the second color sub-pixel (green) has the largest size in the first direction.
As to claim 8, Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 7. Itsumi further discloses in figure 1, wherein the pixel electrode 15 of the second color sub-pixel has the largest size in the first direction.
As to claim 9, Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 7. Itsumi further discloses in figure 5, wherein, in a same pixel region, a size ratio of a sub-pixel region of the first color sub-pixel (red) to a sub-pixel region of the third color sub-pixel (blue) in the first direction ranges from 0.9 to 1.1 (red and blue sub-pixels have the same size). Itsumi further discloses in figure 1, wherein in a same pixel region, a size ratio of the pixel electrode 15 of the first color sub-pixel (red) to the pixel electrode of the third color sub-pixel (blue) in the first direction ranges from 0.9 to 1.1 (pixel electrodes in the red and blue sub-pixels have the same size).
As to claim 17, Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 3 or claim 4. Itsumi further discloses in figures 1 and 5, wherein each pixel region comprises a first color sub-pixel (green), a second color sub-pixel (red), and a third color sub-pixel (blue), and in a same pixel region, the pixel electrode 15 of the first color sub-pixel (green) has the largest size in the first direction.
As to claim 21, Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 1. Itsumi further discloses an opposite substrate, arranged opposite to the array substrate, the opposite substrate comprising a color filter (paragraph [0027]); a liquid crystal layer, located between the array substrate and the opposite substrate (paragraph [0027]); and a backlight source (paragraph [0114]), located on a side of the array substrate away from the liquid crystal layer, wherein a size ratio of the sub-pixel regions of the at least two sub-pixels with different colors in the pixel region in the first direction ranges from 1 to 2 (figure 5, the green sub-pixel is no more than twice as large as the red sub-pixel in the first direction), so that white light emitted by the display apparatus meets preset white balance coordinates without performing accurate color capture adjustment on the display apparatus (paragraph [0114], color balance can be achieved by changing the phosphor ratio of the light source used for the backlight).
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 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itsumi et al. (US 2012/0326954) in view of Chen (US 2020/0117045).
Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 17, but does not disclose wherein, in the first direction, a size of the pixel electrode of the second color sub-pixel is larger than a size of the pixel electrode of the third color sub-pixel, a difference between the pixel electrode of the first color sub-pixel and the pixel electrode of the second color sub-pixel is a first difference, a difference between the pixel electrode of the second color sub-pixel and the pixel electrode of the third color sub-pixel is a second difference, and a ratio of the first difference to the second difference ranges from 0.9 to 1.1. Chen discloses in figures 4-6, wherein, in the first direction, a size of the pixel electrode of the second color sub-pixel (red) is larger than a size of the pixel electrode of the third color sub-pixel (blue). Chen discloses in paragraph [0009], a ratio of the area of the red sub-pixel to the area of the green sub-pixel to the area of the blue sub-pixel is 1:1.2:0.8. Therefore, a difference between the pixel electrode of the first color sub-pixel (green) and the pixel electrode of the second color sub-pixel (red) is a first difference (0.2), a difference between the pixel electrode of the second color sub-pixel (red) and the pixel electrode of the third color sub-pixel (blue) is a second difference (0.2), and a ratio of the first difference to the second difference ranges from 0.9 to 1.1 (0.2/0.2=1). According to the abstract, adjusting the area ratio of each color sub-pixel in this manner solves the problem of bluish image in low grayscale. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Itsumi wherein, in the first direction, a size of the pixel electrode of the second color sub-pixel is larger than a size of the pixel electrode of the third color sub-pixel, a difference between the pixel electrode of the first color sub-pixel and the pixel electrode of the second color sub-pixel is a first difference, a difference between the pixel electrode of the second color sub-pixel and the pixel electrode of the third color sub-pixel is a second difference, and a ratio of the first difference to the second difference ranges from 0.9 to 1.1, as disclosed by Chen, in order to prevent a bluish image in low grayscale.
Claim 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itsumi et al. (US 2012/0326954) in view of Anandan et al. (US 2011/0176328).
Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 21. Itsumi discloses in paragraph [0114], a backlight comprising a phosphor instead of the claimed quantum dot material. Anandan discloses in paragraph [0013], that quantum dots emit a sharp spectrum compared to traditional phosphors, such that backlights comprising quantum dots enhance the color gamut of the LCD. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Itsumi by providing a backlight comprising quantum dot material in order to enhance the color gamut of the LCD. Anandan further discloses in figures 3 and 4, wherein a spectrum of the backlight source comprises a red light peak, a greenlight peak and a blue light peak. Anandan does disclose wherein a peak value of the red light peak is higher than a peak value of the green light peak, and a ratio of a peak value of the blue light peak to the peak value of the red light peak ranges from 1.8 to 2.8. However, it was known to optimize the spectral characteristics of the red, green and blue quantum dots to obtain an optimal color balance. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Itsumi wherein a peak value of the red light peak is higher than a peak value of the green light peak, and a ratio of a peak value of the blue light peak to the peak value of the red light peak ranges from 1.8 to 2.8, in order to optimize the spectral characteristics of the red, green and blue quantum dots to obtain an optimal color balance. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Itsumi et al. (US 2012/0326954).
As to claim 25, Itsumi discloses all of the elements of the claimed invention discussed above regarding claim 21. Itsumi further discloses in paragraph [0114], a backlight comprising a phosphor, which is a type of fluorescent material. Itsumi does not disclose wherein a spectrum of the backlight source comprises a red light peak, a green light peak, and a blue light peak, a ratio of a peak value of the blue light peak to a peak value of the red light peak ranges from 0.7 to 0.9, and a ratio of a peak value of the green light peak to the peak value of the red light peak ranges from 0.15 to 0.28. However, Itsumi discloses in paragraph [0114], optimizing the phosphor ratio in order to obtain an optimal color balance. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Itsumi wherein a spectrum of the backlight source comprises a red light peak, a green light peak, and a blue light peak, a ratio of a peak value of the blue light peak to a peak value of the red light peak ranges from 0.7 to 0.9, and a ratio of a peak value of the green light peak to the peak value of the red light peak ranges from 0.15 to 0.28, in order to optimize phosphor ratio to obtain an optimal color balance. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-16 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: none of the prior art taught or fairly suggested an array substrate comprising the combination required by claim 11, wherein respective sub-pixels each further comprise a transistor, and a first electrode of the transistor is connected with a pixel electrode, the array substrate further comprises a common electrode line electrically connected with a common electrode, in a direction perpendicular to the base substrate, the first electrode of the transistor of each sub-pixel overlaps with the common electrode line, and an overlapping area between the first electrode of the transistor of the second color sub-pixel and the common electrode line is smaller than an overlapping area between the first electrode of the transistor of a sub-pixel with other color and the common electrode line. Claims 12-16 are objected to by virtue of their dependency.
Conclusion
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/DAVID Y CHUNG/Examiner, Art Unit 2871