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 .
Detailed Action
This office action is in response to applicant’s communication filed on 06/11/24. Claims 1-23 are pending in this application.
Information Disclosure Statements
The information disclosure statements filed on 04/22/25, and 06/11/24 have been received and are being considered.
Claim Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. §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.
(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, 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being unpatentable over Park (US 20180151824 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses a display device comprising:
a base layer 111 comprising first to third emissive regions (see fig 7b, disclosing T1-T3);
a pixel defining layer disposed on the base layer, wherein first to third light emitting openings defined in the pixel defining layer overlap the first to third emissive regions, respectively (see T1-t3 in fig 7b);
a barrier wall comprising a first barrier wall layer disposed on the pixel defining layer and a second barrier wall layer disposed on the first barrier wall layer, wherein first to third barrier wall openings defined in the barrier wall overlap the first to third light emitting openings, respectively (see barrier walls 270 between pixels);
light emitting elements, each of which comprises a first electrode, an intermediate layer disposed on the first electrode, and a second electrode disposed on the intermediate layer (see 210); and
auxiliary electrodes disposed on the light emitting elements and covering the second electrodes, wherein the auxiliary electrodes comprise a first auxiliary electrode overlapping the first light emitting opening and having a first thickness (see 282),
a second auxiliary electrode overlapping the second light emitting opening and having a second thickness different from the first thickness (see 282), and
a third auxiliary electrode overlapping the third light emitting opening and having a third thickness different from the first thickness and the second thickness (see 283).
Regarding claim 4, Park discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the light emitting elements comprise a first light emitting element overlapping the first light emitting opening, a second light emitting element overlapping the second light emitting opening(see 311, 312, 313, fig 7d), and
a third light emitting element overlapping the third light emitting opening, and wherein the first light emitting element emits red light, the second light emitting element emits green light, and the third light emitting element emits blue light (see 311, 312, 313, fig 7d).
Claim Rejections Under 35 U.S.C. §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 7-9 and 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Park.
Regarding claim 7, Park discloses the display device of claim 1, however, it would have been obvious to form the first thickness ranges from about 255ang to about 345ang, as the thickness are available to one having ordinary skill in the art. Park disclose different thicknesses over the different pixels corresponding to different light wavelengths.
Regarding claim 8, Park discloses the display device of claim 1, however, it would have been obvious to form the first thickness ranges from about 1020ang to about 1380ang, as the thickness are available to one having ordinary skill in the art. Park disclose different thicknesses over the different pixels corresponding to different light wavelengths.
Regarding claim 9, park discloses the display device of claim 1, however, it would have been obvious to form the first thickness ranges from about 765ang to about 1035ang, as the thickness are available to one having ordinary skill in the art. Park disclose different thicknesses over the different pixels corresponding to different light wavelengths.
Regarding claim 15, Park discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein each of the first to third auxiliary electrodes comprises indium zinc oxide (see para [0080] zinc oxide).
Regarding claim 16, Park discloses the display device of claim 1, wherein the first thickness is a thickness by which red light transmittance of the first auxiliary electrode is maximal, wherein the second thickness is a thickness by which green light transmittance of the second auxiliary electrode is maximal, and wherein the third thickness is a thickness by which blue light transmittance of the third auxiliary electrode is maximal (see fig 4, where 281-283 represent minimal thickness to maximal thickness).
Regarding claim 17, Park discloses the display device of claim 1, however, it would have been obvious to form the first thickness ranges of the second barrier wall layer ranges from about 2500ang to about 3000ang, as the thickness are available to one having ordinary skill in the art. Park disclose different thicknesses over the different pixels corresponding to different light wavelengths.
Regarding claim 18, Park discloses the display device of claim 1, further comprising: first to third capping patterns disposed on the first to third auxiliary electrodes and overlapping the first to third light emitting openings, respectively (see fig 4, disclosing 281-283 corresponding to p1-p3).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 recites allowable subject matter. In particular, the cited art do not disclose a protrusion portion. Claims 3, 5, 6, and 10-13 depend from claim 2 and are also allowable.
Claim 14 recites allowable subject matter. In particular, the cited art do not disclose wherein the first to third auxiliary electrodes are electrically connected with the barrier wall and make contact with inner surfaces of the first barrier wall layer, respectively.
Claim 19 recites allowable subject matter. In particular, the cited art do not disclose: wherein the second barrier wall layer comprises a first tip portion protruding from the first barrier wall layer toward the first barrier wall opening by a first protruding length, a second tip portion protruding from the first barrier wall layer toward the second barrier wall opening by a second protruding length different from the first protruding length, and a third tip portion protruding from the first barrier wall layer toward the third barrier wall opening by a third protruding length different from the first protruding length and the second protruding length.
Claim 20 recited allowable subject matter. In particular, the cited art do not disclose: forming a first barrier wall opening and a first tip portion of the second preliminary barrier wall layer by etching the first preliminary barrier wall layer and the second preliminary barrier wall layer, wherein the first tip portion of the second preliminary barrier wall layer protrudes from the first preliminary barrier wall layer toward the first barrier wall opening;. Claims 21-23 depend from claim 20 and are also allowable.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWARD CHIN whose telephone number is (571)270-1827. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Britt Hanley can be reached at (571) 270-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDWARD CHIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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