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.
Claim(s) 1,3,4,6-8,23, 25, 26,28-29,37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al (PG Pub 2021/0066416 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yang teaches a display device comprising: a substrate (10, figs. 12-17); a bank (42) disposed on the substrate and defining a plurality of emission areas; a plurality of pixel electrodes (31 to 33 and 41) disposed in the plurality of emission areas; and at least one stepped electrode (33a in 103) disposed between a pixel electrode of at least one emission area and the substrate, wherein in the respective emission areas, the numbers of stepped electrodes between the respective pixel electrodes and the substrate are different from each other (fig. 17).
Regarding claim 3, Yang teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of emission areas provide light of different colors (paragraps [0091][0157]).
Regarding claim 4, Yang teaches the display device of claim 1, further comprising a power line (contact vias that connect to drive transistor 21 and/or transistor 21) connected to the at least one stepped electrode.
Regarding claim 6, Yang teaches the display device of claim 1, further comprising a pixel connection electrode (41, fig. 17) connected to the pixel electrode of the at least one emission area.
Regarding claim 7, Yang teaches the display device of claim 6, wherein the at least one stepped electrode is connected to the pixel connection electrode (fig. 17).
Regarding claim 8, Yang teaches the display device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of color filters (51-53, paragraphs [0075]-[0077]) disposed to correspond to the plurality of emission areas and providing light of different colors.
Regarding claim 23, Yang teaches (see claim 1) a display device comprising: a substrate; a bank disposed on the substrate and defining a plurality of emission areas; a plurality of pixel electrodes disposed in the plurality of emission areas; and at least one stepped electrode overlapping a pixel electrode of at least one emission area, wherein the numbers of stepped electrodes in the respective emission areas are different from each other.
Regarding claim 25, Yang teaches (see claim 3) the display device of claim 23, wherein the plurality of emission areas provide light of different colors.
Regarding claim 26, Yang teaches (see claim 4) the display device of claim 23, further comprising a power line connected to the at least one stepped electrode.
Regarding claim 28, Yang teaches (see claim 6) the display device of claim 23, further comprising a pixel connection electrode connected to the pixel electrode of the at least one emission area.
Regarding claim 29, Yang teaches (see claim 7) the display device of claim 28, wherein the at least one stepped electrode is connected to the pixel connection electrode.
Regarding claim 37, Yang teaches (see claim 1) an optical device comprising: a display device; and an optical path changing member (31-33) disposed on the display device, wherein the display device includes: a substrate; a bank disposed on the substrate and defining a plurality of emission areas; a plurality of pixel electrodes disposed in the plurality of emission areas; and at least one stepped electrode disposed between a pixel electrode of at least one emission area and the substrate, and in the respective emission areas, the numbers of stepped electrodes between the respective pixel electrodes and the substrate are different from each other.
Claim(s) 1,5,23,27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (PG Pub 2021/0074953 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kim teaches a display device comprising: a substrate (101, figs. 5A and 5B); a bank (145) disposed on the substrate and defining a plurality of emission areas; a plurality of pixel electrodes (150) disposed in the plurality of emission areas; and at least one stepped electrode (111-113, 121,122,131) disposed between a pixel electrode of at least one emission area and the substrate, wherein in the respective emission areas, the numbers of stepped electrodes between the respective pixel electrodes and the substrate are different from each other (fig. 5B).
Regarding claim 5, Kim teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the at least one stepped electrode (112, figs. 5A and 5B, which is not connected to an interconnecting plug) is a floating electrode.
Regarding claim 23, Kim teaches (see claim 1) a display device comprising: a substrate; a bank (145, fig. 5B) disposed on the substrate and defining a plurality of emission areas; a plurality of pixel electrodes disposed in the plurality of emission areas; and at least one stepped electrode overlapping a pixel electrode of at least one emission area, wherein the numbers of stepped electrodes in the respective emission areas are different from each other.
Regarding claim 27, Kim teaches the display device of claim 23, wherein the at least one stepped electrode (112, figs. 5A and 5B, which is not connected to an interconnecting plug) is a floating electrode.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2,9-11,13-15,24,30-36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al (PG Pub 2021/0066416 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Yang teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the numbers of stepped electrodes are the numbers of stepped electrodes stacked on different layers (fig. 17) with a modulating layer (34/36/38, fig. 17) interposed therebetween in the respective emission areas.
Yang does not teach the modulating layers to be insulating.
It would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the modulating layers insulating for the known benefits of electrically insulating adjacent pixels to turn them individually on/off.
Regarding claim 9, Yang teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of pixel electrodes includes: a reflective electrode (33 in 103, fig. 17; 31 in 101, paragraphs [0057][0060]) disposed on the substrate; and a light-transmitting electrode (41, paragraph [0093]) disposed on the reflective electrode and connected to the reflective electrode through a contact hole of a modulating layer (34/36/38, fig. 17).
Yang does not teach the modulating layers to be insulating.
It would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the modulating layers insulating for the known benefits of electrically insulating adjacent pixels to turn them individually on/off.
Regarding claim 10, Yang teaches the display device of claim 9, wherein the at least one stepped electrode is disposed between the reflective electrode of the at least one emission area and the substrate (fig. 17).
Regarding claim 11, Yang teaches the display device of claim 10, wherein in the respective emission areas, the numbers of stepped electrodes between the respective reflective electrodes and the substrate are different from each other (fig. 17).
Regarding claim 13, Yang teaches the display device of claim 9, further comprising: a common electrode (44, fig. 17, paragraph [0073]) disposed on a plurality of reflective electrodes of the plurality of pixel electrodes; and a light providing layer (43, paragraph [0072]) disposed between a plurality of light-transmitting electrodes of the plurality of pixel electrodes and the common electrode.
Regarding claim 14, Yang teaches the display device of claim 13, wherein in the plurality of emission areas, distances between the plurality of reflective electrodes and the common electrode are different from each other (fig. 17).
Regarding claim 15, Yang teaches the display device of claim 9, wherein a plurality of stepped electrodes include: a first stepped electrode (33a in 103, fig. 17) disposed between the substrate and the reflective electrode (33); a second stepped electrode (33b) disposed between the first stepped electrode and the reflective electrode.
Regarding claim 24, Yang teaches the display device of claim 23, wherein the numbers of stepped electrodes are the numbers of stepped electrodes stacked on different layers (fig. 17) with a modulating layer (34/36/38, fig. 17) interposed therebetween in the respective emission areas.
Yang does not teach the modulating layers to be insulating.
It would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the modulating layers insulating for the known benefits of electrically insulating adjacent pixels to turn them individually on/off.
Regarding claim 30, Yang teaches (see claim 1) a manufacturing method of a display device, comprising: preparing a substrate; forming stepped electrodes in different numbers in a plurality of emission areas on the substrate; forming a modulating layer (34/36/38, fig. 17) on the stepped electrodes; and forming a plurality of pixel electrodes on the modulating layer so as to overlap at least one of the stepped electrodes.
Yang does not teach the modulating layers to be insulating.
It would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make the modulating layers insulating for the known benefits of electrically insulating adjacent pixels to turn them individually on/off.
Regarding claim 31, Yang teaches (see claim 2) the manufacturing method of claim 30, wherein the numbers of stepped electrodes are the numbers of stepped electrodes stacked on different layers with an insulating film interposed therebetween in the respective emission areas.
Regarding claim 32, Yang teaches (see claim 3) the manufacturing method of claim 30, wherein the plurality of emission areas provide light of different colors.
Regarding claim 33, Yang teaches the manufacturing method of claim 30, wherein the forming of the plurality of pixel electrodes includes: forming a plurality of reflective electrodes (31-33, paragraphs [0057]-[0060]) on the first insulating film (see claim 30 and paragraph [0108]) so as to overlap at least one of the stepped electrodes; forming a second insulating film on the plurality of reflective electrodes; forming a plurality of contact holes in the second insulating film; forming a plurality of light-transmitting material layers (38, so light from light emitting layer 43, for example, can pass through 38 to be reflected by reflective layer 31) on the second insulating film so as to overlap the plurality of reflective electrodes and be respectively connected to the plurality of reflective electrodes; planarizing (polish to flatten, paragraph [0029]) the light-transmitting material layers; and forming a plurality of light-transmitting electrodes (41 in 101/102, paragraph [0093]) respectively connected to the plurality of reflective electrodes (31/32) by patterning the light-transmitting material layers (fig. 17).
Regarding claim 34, Yang teaches the manufacturing method of claim 33, wherein the planarizing of the light-transmitting material layers is performed by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP, paragraphs [0157][0029]).
Regarding claim 35, Yang teaches the manufacturing method of claim 30, further comprising forming a plurality of pixel connection electrodes (33a in 103; 33b in 102, fig. 17) respectively connected to the plurality of pixel electrodes (41/42) and disposed on different layers from the pixel electrodes with insulating films interposed between the pixel electrodes and the pixel connection electrodes.
Regarding claim 36, Yang teaches the manufacturing method of claim 35, wherein a stepped electrode (33b in 103, fig. 17) and a pixel connection electrode (33a in 103) disposed on a same layer among the stepped electrodes (33a in 102; display in fig. 17 has plural regions 103s since there are plural pixels each has three sub-pixels shown in fig. 17) and the plurality of pixel connection electrodes (31 in 101) are connected to each other.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al (PG Pub 2021/0066416 A1) as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Lee et al (PG Pub 2021/0202607 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Yang remains as applied in claim 9.
Yang does not teach the display device of claim 9, wherein in the respective emission areas, thicknesses of the respective light-transmitting electrodes are different from each other.
In the same field of endeavor, Lee teaches wherein in the respective emission areas, thicknesses of the respective light-transmitting electrodes (41A to 41D, fig. 4) are different from each other, for the benefit of improving color viewing angle characteristic (paragraph [0010]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to make, in the respective emission areas, thicknesses of the respective light-transmitting electrodes different from each other, for the benefit of improving color viewing angle characteristic.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-22 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: Prior art does not teach
“first pixel connection electrode disposed on a same layer as the first stepped electrode, on the substrate; and a second pixel connection electrode disposed on the first pixel connection electrode so as to be disposed on a same layer as the second stepped electrode and connected to the first pixel connection electrode and the reflective electrode through contact holes of an insulating film” (claim 16).
Conclusion
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/FEIFEI YEUNG LOPEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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