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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/24/2024 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 15-16 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (US 2023/0263034).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses, in at least figures 1, 4, 11, and related text, a display panel, comprising:
a plurality of light emitting elements (ED1/ED2/ED3, [135]);
a first encapsulating layer (170, [177]) on the plurality of light emitting elements (ED1/ED2/ED3, [135]);
a color conversion layer (330/340/350, [192]) comprising a plurality of color conversion blocks (340/350, [192]) on a side of the first encapsulating layer (170, [177]) away from the plurality of light emitting elements (ED1/ED2/ED3, [135]);
a color filter (231/233/235, [245]) on a side of the color conversion layer (330/340/350, [192]) away from the first encapsulating layer (170, [177]); and
a second encapsulating layer (270, [262]) on a side of the color filter (231/233/235, [245]) away from the color conversion layer (330/340/350, [192]); wherein the second encapsulating layer (270, [262]) comprises at least an organic encapsulating sublayer (273, [262]).
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses the display panel of claim 1 as described above.
Kim further discloses, in at least figures 1, 4, 11, and related text, a first cap layer (190/183, [190], [238]) on a side of the color conversion layer (330/340/350, [192]) away from the first encapsulating layer (170, [177]), and on side of the color filter (231/233/235, [245]) away from the second encapsulating layer (270, [262]); and
a second cap layer (181, [190]) on a side of the first encapsulating layer (170, [177]) away from the plurality of light emitting elements (ED1/ED2/ED3, [135]), and on a side of the color conversion layer (330/340/350, [192]) away from the first cap layer (190/183, [190], [238]);
wherein the color filter (231/233/235, [245]) is in direct contact with the first cap layer (190/183, [190], [238]).
Regarding claim 15, Kim discloses the display panel of claim 1 as described above.
Kim further discloses, in at least figures 1, 4, 11, and related text, a bank layer (310, [129]); and
a groove (trench on IS, figures) extending at least partially into the bank layer (310, [129]);
wherein the groove (trench on IS, figures) is in a non-display area of the display panel (NDA, [63]); and
the groove (trench on IS, figures) substantially surrounds a display area of the display panel (DA, [63]).
Regarding claim 16, Kim discloses the display panel of claim 1 as described above.
Kim further discloses, in at least figures 1, 4, 11, and related text, a portion of the second encapsulating layer (270, [262]) is at least partially inside the groove (trench on IS, figures).
Regarding claim 22, Kim discloses the display panel of claim 1 as described above.
The claimed limitation of " A display apparatus, comprising the display panel of claim claims 1, and one or more integrated circuits connected to the display panel " has not patentable weight because it is interpreted as intended use.
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(s) 3-4 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2023/0263034) in view of Joo (US 2023/0309358).
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses the display panel of claim 1 as described above.
Kim does not explicitly disclose the color filter comprises a first color filter layer of a first color, a second color filter layer of a second color on the first color filter layer of the first color, and a third color filter layer of a third color on a side of the second color filter layer of the second color away from the first color filter layer of the first color; the first color, the second color, and the third color are three different colors selected from a green color, a red color, and a blue color.
Joo teaches, in at least figures 3-5 and related text, the device comprising the color filter comprises a first color filter layer (222, [116]) of a first color, a second color filter layer (221, [116]) of a second color on the first color filter layer (222, [116]) of the first color, and a third color filter layer (223, [116]) of a third color on a side of the second color filter layer of the second color away from the first color filter layer (222, [116]) of the first color; the first color, the second color, and the third color are three different colors selected from a green color, a red color, and a blue color ([116]), for the purpose of providing a display device having high display quality, improving process efficiency, and reducing manufacturing cost ([5]).
Kim and Joo are analogous art because they both are directed to semiconductor device and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Kim with the specified features of Joo because they are from the same field of endeavor.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structure disclosed in Kim to have the color filter comprising a first color filter layer of a first color, a second color filter layer of a second color on the first color filter layer of the first color, and a third color filter layer of a third color on a side of the second color filter layer of the second color away from the first color filter layer of the first color; the first color, the second color, and the third color being three different colors selected from a green color, a red color, and a blue color, as taught by Joo, for the purpose of providing a display device having high display quality, improving process efficiency, and reducing manufacturing cost ([5], Joo).
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses the display panel of claim 1 as described above.
Kim further discloses, in at least figures 1, 4, 11, and related text, a bank layer (310, [129]).
Kim does not explicitly disclose a plurality of first apertures and a plurality of second apertures extending through the bank layer; the plurality of first apertures and the plurality of second apertures are in a display area of the display panel; the plurality of first apertures are configured to receive the plurality of color conversion blocks; the plurality of color conversion blocks are absent in the plurality of second apertures.
Joo teaches, in at least figures 3-5 and related text, the device comprising a plurality of first apertures (area of 160, [71], figures) and a plurality of second apertures (OP-A, [84]) extending through the bank layer (150, [71]); the plurality of first apertures (area of 160, [71], figures) and the plurality of second apertures (OP-A, [84]) are in a display area of the display panel (DA, [54]); the plurality of first apertures (area of 160, [71], figures) are configured to receive the plurality of color conversion blocks (160, [71], figures); the plurality of color conversion blocks (160, [71], figures) are absent in the plurality of second apertures (OP-A, [84]), for the purpose of providing a display device having high display quality, improving process efficiency, and reducing manufacturing cost ([5]).
Kim and Joo are analogous art because they both are directed to semiconductor device and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Kim with the specified features of Joo because they are from the same field of endeavor.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the structure disclosed in Kim to have the plurality of first apertures and a plurality of second apertures extending through the bank layer; the plurality of first apertures and the plurality of second apertures being in a display area of the display panel; the plurality of first apertures being configured to receive the plurality of color conversion blocks; the plurality of color conversion blocks being absent in the plurality of second apertures, as taught by Joo, for the purpose of providing a display device having high display quality, improving process efficiency, and reducing manufacturing cost ([5], Joo).
Regarding claim 6, Kim in view of Joo discloses the display panel of claim 4 as described above.
Joo further teaches, in at least figures 3-5 and related text, in a portion of a light non- transmissive region comprising a respective second aperture of the plurality of second apertures (OP-A, [84]), comprising a stacked structure comprising at least two of a portion of a first color filter layer (222, [116]) of a first color, a portion of a second color filter layer (221, [116]) of a second color on the portion of the first color filter layer (222, [116]) of the first color, or a portion of a third color filter layer (223, [116]) of a third color on a side of the portion of the second color filter layer (221, [116]) of the second color away from the portion of the first color filter layer (222, [116]) of the first color, for the purpose of providing a display device having high display quality, improving process efficiency, and reducing manufacturing cost ([5]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 7, 9 and 11-13 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 because the prior art of record neither anticipates nor render obvious the limitations of the base claims 1, 4, and 5 that recite "a portion of the color filter is at least partially in a respective second aperture of the plurality of second apertures" in combination with other elements of the base claims 1, 4, and 5.
Claim 14 is 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 because the prior art of record neither anticipates nor render obvious the limitations of the base claims 1, 4, and 14 that recite "a black matrix; the respective second aperture is configured to receive a portion of the black matrix" in combination with other elements of the base claims 1, 4, and 14.
Claims 17-21 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 because the prior art of record neither anticipates nor render obvious the limitations of the base claims 1, 15, and 17 that recite "a plurality of third apertures extending at least partially into the bank layer; the plurality of third apertures are in the non-display area; a combination of the plurality of third apertures substantially surrounds the display area; the groove substantially surrounds the combination of the plurality of third apertures" in combination with other elements of the base claims 1, 15, and 17.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TONG-HO KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-0276. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday; 8:30 AM to 5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lynne Gurley can be reached at 571-272-1670. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TONG-HO KIM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2811
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