DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This action is responsive to an Application filed on 06/12/2024.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on 07/17/2025. The IDS has been considered.
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.
Claims 1-2, 12-15 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2022/163811 A1 to Kawada et al. (“Kawada”).
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Regarding independent claim 1, Kawada in Fig. 2 and Annotated Fig. 2 teaches a quantum dot color filter (QDCF) 230 (Fig. 2 & pp.19, 22, 37, wavelength conversion substrate 230 including red conversion layer 3R having quantum dot particles and green conversion layer 3G having quantum dot particles), wherein the QDCF 230 has a plurality of pixels Pr, Pg, Pb (Annotated Fig. 2, pixels Pr, Pg, Pb) that respectively correspond to a plurality of lighting chips 24 (Fig. 2, pp.7, 10, 38, light emitting elements 24 are LED chips) of a lighting module 100B (Fig. 2, p.32, lower laminate 100B including the light emitting elements 24), and each of the pixels Pr, Pg, Pb includes a light-transmissive region TR (Annotated Fig. 2) and a light-shielding region SR (Annotated Fig. 2), the QDCF 230 comprising:
a substrate 110 (Fig. 2, p.10, first substrate 110);
a light-shielding planarization layer 2, 8 (Fig. 2, p.37, a collective of color filter 2 and second black matrix layer 8) disposed on (i.e., in proximity to) the substrate 110, wherein the light-shielding planarization layer 2, 8 is configured to define the light-shielding region SR of each of the pixels Pr, Pg, Pb (Annotated Fig. 2); and
a pixel layer 3 (Fig. 2, pp.20, 23, 36, wavelength conversion layer 3) disposed on (i.e., in proximity to) the light-shielding planarization layer 2, 8 and including a plurality of pixel units Pr, Pg, Pb (Annotated Fig. 2), wherein each of the pixel units Pr, Pg, Pb overlaps with the light-transmissive region TR (Annotated Fig. 2), and partially overlaps with the light-shielding region SR of each of the pixels Pr, Pg, Pb (Annotated Fig. 2);
wherein, in each of the pixels Pr, Pg, Pb, a first area of each of the pixel units Pr, Pg, Pb is greater than a second area of each of the lighting chips 24 along an orthogonal projection direction (Annotated Fig. 2, an area of pixel Pr, Pg, Pb includes the regions TR and SR, which is greater than an area of the lighting chip 24).
Regarding claim 2, Kawada in Fig. 2 and Annotated Fig. 2 further teaches the light-shielding planarization layer 2, 8 includes:
a shielding part 8 (Fig. 2, p.37, second black matrix layer 8), wherein the shielding part 8 is disposed to define a plurality of light-transmissive openings (Fig. 2, space between the layers 8); and
a plurality of transparent parts R, G, B (Fig. 2, pp.24-25, red filter R, green filter G and blue filter B of color filter 2, which is formed by dispersing an organic pigment in a transparent resin), wherein the transparent parts R, G, B are respectively formed in the light-transmissive openings (Fig. 2) to correspond to the light-transmissive regions TR (Annotated Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 12, Kawada in Fig. 2 further teaches a protective layer 9 (Fig. 2, p.32, transparent resin adhesive layer 9 that covers (i.e., protects) the components under it) disposed on (i.e., in proximity to) the pixel layer 3.
Regarding claim 13, Kawada in Annotated Fig. 2 further teaches the first area (Annotated Fig. 2, an area of pixel Pr, Pg, Pb including the regions TR and SR) is within a range from 2 times to 3.5 times the second area (Annotated Fig. 2, an area of the lighting chip 24).
Regarding claim 14, Kawada in Fig. 2 further teaches a display device 200 (Fig. 2, p.37, display device 200), comprising:
the QDCF 230 as claimed in claim 1; and
the lighting module 100B disposed on a light input side (Fig. 2, lower side) of the QDCF 230 (Fig. 2), wherein the lighting module 100B includes:
a circuit board 120 (Fig. 2, p.10, second substrate 120 including CMOS devices (e.g., transistors), which would form a circuit board);
the lighting chips 24 disposed on the circuit board 120 (Fig. 2); and
one or more light-blocking structures 37 (Fig. 2, pp.11-12, 16, partition 37 is formed of a metal thin film similar to the light-reflective matrix layer 6, which has high light-shielding properties) disposed between any two adjacent ones of the lighting chips 24.
Regarding claim 15, Kawada in Annotated Fig. 2 further teaches a first planarization top surface PTS1 (Annotated Fig. 2) is formed by a top surface of the lighting chips 24 and a top surface of the light-blocking structures 37.
Regarding independent claim 17, Kawada in Figs. 2, 8 and Annotated Fig. 2 teaches a display device 200 (Fig. 2, p.37, display device 200), comprising:
a quantum dot color filter (QDCF) 230 (Fig. 2 & pp.19, 22, 37, wavelength conversion substrate 230 including red conversion layer 3R having quantum dot particles and green conversion layer 3G having quantum dot particles), wherein the QDCF 230 includes:
a light-shielding planarization layer 2, 8 (Fig. 2, p.37, a collective of color filter 2 and second black matrix layer 8), wherein the light-shielding planarization layer 2, 8 includes a plurality of transparent parts R, G, B (Fig. 2, pp.24-25, red filter R, green filter G and blue filter B of color filter 2, which is formed by dispersing an organic pigment in a transparent resin) and a shielding part 8 (Fig. 2, p.37, second black matrix layer 8) surrounding the plurality of transparent parts R, G, B; and
a pixel layer 3 (Fig. 2, pp.20, 23, 36, wavelength conversion layer 3) disposed on (i.e., in proximity to) the light-shielding planarization layer 2, 8 and including a plurality of pixel units Pr, Pg, Pb (Annotated Fig. 2) that correspond to the plurality of transparent parts R, G, B, wherein the pixel units Pr, Pg, Pb include a plurality of red pixel units Pr (Annotated Fig. 2; Fig. 8), a plurality of green pixel units Pg (Annotated Fig. 2; Fig. 8), and a plurality of blue pixel units Pb (Annotated Fig. 2; Fig. 8) that are spaced apart from each other;
wherein each of the red pixel units Pr includes a red quantum dot layer 3R (Annotated Fig. 2, pp.18-20, 22, red conversion layer 3R comprises red conversion particles including quantum dot particles), each of the green pixel units Pg includes a green quantum dot layer 3G (Annotated Fig. 2, pp.18-20, 22, green conversion layer 3G comprises green conversion particles including quantum dot particles), and each of the blue pixel units Pb includes a transparent layer 3B (Annotated Fig. 2, p.23, light scattering layer 3B formed of transparent resin) having diffusion particles 17 (Annotated Fig. 2, p, 23, light scattering particles 17); and
a lighting module 100B (Fig. 2, p.32, lower laminate 100B including the light emitting elements 24) disposed on a light input side (Fig. 2, lower side) of the QDCF 230, wherein the lighting module 100B includes:
a circuit board 120 (Fig. 2, p.10, second substrate 120 including CMOS devices (e.g., transistors), which would form a circuit board);
a plurality of lighting chips 24 (Fig. 2, pp.7, 10, 38, light emitting elements 24 are LED chips) disposed on the circuit board 120; and
one or more light-blocking structures 37 (Fig. 2, pp.11-12, 16, partition 37 is formed of a metal thin film similar to the light-reflective matrix layer 6, which has high light-shielding properties) disposed between any two adjacent ones of the lighting chips 24.
Regarding claim 18, Kawada in Fig. 2 and Annotated Fig. 2 further teaches the QDCF 230 further includes a partition 1, 6 (Fig. 2, p.8, a collective of first black matrix layer 1 and light reflecting matrix layer 6) disposed on (see a flipped Fig. 2) the shielding part 8 of the light-shielding planarization layer 2, 8 and surrounding each of the pixel units Pr, Pg, Pb (Annotated Fig. 2), a material of the partition 1, 6 (pp.13, 16, the light-reflective matrix layer 6 of the partition 1, 6 is formed of a reflective metal film) and a material of the shielding part 8 (pp.15-16, 37, second black matrix layer 8 is a black matrix, which includes black colorant in a resin, which is different from a reflective metal film) are different from each other, and a thickness of the partition 1, 6 is greater than a thickness of the shielding part 8 (Fig. 2).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 3-4, 6-7 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawada in view of US 2018/0252962 A1 to Jiang et al. (“Jiang”).
Regarding claim 3, Kawada in Fig. 2 teaches each of the transparent parts R, G, B, which are parts of the color filter 2.
Kawada does not explicitly disclose the color filter including a transparent photoresist material.
Jiang recognizes a need for providing a color filter with high light transmittance (¶ 41). Jiang satisfies the need by providing a transparent color filter layer including resin photoresist (¶ 42), which is a transparent photoresist material.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the transparent parts taught by Kawada with the transparent photoresist material taught by Jiang, so as to provide a color filter with high light transmittance (Jiang: ¶ 41).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Kawada and Jiang further teaches the transparent photoresist material R, G, B (Kawada; Jiang) filters out light between 400 nm and 500 nm (Kawada: pp.7, 20, 24, at least red filter R and green filter G filters out blue light emitted from the light emitting element 24, and such blue light has a wavelength range of 410 nm or more and less than 490 nm, which anticipates the claimed range between 400 nm and 500 nm).
Regarding claim 6, Kawada in Fig. 2 and Annotated Fig. 2 further teaches a partition 1, 6 (Fig. 2, p.8, a collective of first black matrix layer 1 and light reflecting matrix layer 6), wherein the partition 1, 6 is disposed on the light-shielding planarization layer 2, 8 (see a flipped Fig. 2), corresponds to the light-shielding region SR (Annotated Fig. 2), and surrounds each of the pixel units Pr, Pg, Pb (Annotated Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 7, Kawada in Fig. 2 teaches a thickness of the partition 1, 6 is greater than or equal to a thickness of the pixel layer 3 (Fig. 2).
Kawada does not explicitly disclose a width of the partition 1, 6 is less than or equal to a width of the shielding part 8.
However, Kawada teaches a general condition in which the partition 1, 6 has a width and the shielding part 8 has a width (Fig. 2).
According to Section 2144.05 of the MPEP, "[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F. 2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Here, since Kawada teaches said general conditions, it would not be inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Unless the Applicant can show that the specific conditions of a width of the partition being less than or equal to a width of the shielding part produce unexpected results that are different in kind and not different in degree, said general conditions taught by Kawada renders claim 7 obvious.
Regarding claim 19, Kawada in Fig. 2 teaches the transparent parts R, G, B are red filter R, green filter G and blue filter B, which are parts of the color filter 2 (pp.24-25).
Kawada does not explicitly disclose each of the red, green and blue color filters includes a transparent photoresist material or a yellow photoresist material.
Jiang recognizes a need for achieving a full-color display (¶ 3). Jiang satisfies the need by providing each of a red color filter 21 (Fig. 10, ¶ 42, red fluorescent powder layer 21 made of transparent resin photoresist color filter layer doped with red fluorescent powder), a green color filter 31 (Fig. 10, ¶ 43, green fluorescent powder layer 31 made of transparent resin photoresist color filter layer doped with green fluorescent powder) and a blue color filter 11 (Fig. 10, ¶ 49-¶ 50, transparent resin photoresist color filter 11 of blue subpixel 10) including a transparent photoresist material (¶ 42-¶ 43, ¶ 49-¶ 50).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the transparent photoresist material taught by Jiang for the transparent parts taught by Kawada, so as to achieve a full-color display (Jiang: ¶ 3).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawada and Jiang, and further in view of US 2020/0201114 A1 to Tseng et al. (“Tseng”).
Regarding claim 8, Kawada discloses the partition 1, 6 includes the first black matrix layer 1 (Fig. 2, p.8).
The combination of Kawada and Jiang does not explicitly disclose the black matrix layer 1 includes a white photoresist, a gray photoresist, a black photoresist, or a combination thereof.
Tseng recognizes a need for providing a layer with light blocking property (¶ 36). Tseng satisfies the need by providing a black matrix layer including a black photoresist (¶ 36).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the black photoresist taught by Tseng for the first black matrix layer of the partition taught by Kawada and Jiang, so as to provide a layer with light blocking property (Tseng: ¶ 36).
Claims 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawada and Jiang, and further in view of US 2024/0164172 A1 to Tseng et al. (“Tseng172”).
Regarding claim 9, Kawada in Figs. 2, 8 and Annotated Fig. 2 teaches the pixel units Pr, Pg, Pb include a plurality of red pixel units Pr (Annotated Fig. 2; Fig. 8), a plurality of green pixel units Pg (Annotated Fig. 2; Fig. 8), and a plurality of blue pixel units Pb (Annotated Fig. 2; Fig. 8); wherein each of the red pixel units Pr includes a red quantum dot layer (Annotated Fig. 2, pp.18-20, 22, red conversion layer 3R comprises red conversion particles including quantum dot particles), each of the green pixel units Pg includes a green quantum dot layer 3G (Annotated Fig. 2, pp.18-20, 22, green conversion layer 3G comprises green conversion particles including quantum dot particles), and each of the blue pixel units Pb includes a light scattering layer 3B (Annotated Fig. 2, p.23, light scattering layer 3B including transparent resin and light scattering particles 17).
The combination of Kawada and Jiang does not explicitly disclose the blue pixel unit includes a white photoresist layer.
However, Tseng172 recognizes a need for making a blue light emitted from an LED device more uniform (¶ 22). Tseng172 satisfies the need by providing a blue pixel unit 130 (Figs. 1, 3, ¶ 18, ¶ 30, third light-emitting unit 130 (i.e., subpixel) of pixel 10 emits blue light) including a white photoresist layer 112C (Fig. 1, ¶ 22, white photoresist layer 112C including light scattering particles).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the white photoresist layer taught by Tseng172 for the light scattering layer taught by Kawada and Jiang, so as to make a blue light emitted from an LED device more uniform (Tseng172: ¶ 22).
Regarding claim 10, Kawada in Figs. 2, 8 and Annotated Fig. 2 further teaches each of the red pixel units Pr further includes a red filter layer R (Figs. 2, 8, Annotated Fig. 2, p.14, red filter R), each of the green pixel units Pg further includes a green filter layer G (Figs. 2, 8, Annotated Fig. 2, p.14, green filter G), and each of the blue pixel units Pb further includes a blue filter layer B (Figs. 2, 8, Annotated Fig. 2, p.14, blue filter B); wherein, in each of the pixel units Pr, Pg, an area of a color filter layer R, G (Fig. 2, p.24) is not less than an area of a quantum dot layer 3R, 3G (Fig. 2, pp.18-20, 22, red conversion layer 3R comprises red conversion particles including quantum dot particles, green conversion layer 3G comprises green conversion particles including quantum dot particles).
Regarding claim 11, Kawada in Fig. 2 further teaches a particle size of particles in the red quantum dot layer ranges from 0.5 nm to 30 nm (p.19), which overlaps the claimed range between 7 nm and 10 nm (see Note below), and a particle size of particles in the green quantum dot layer ranges from 0.5 nm to 30 nm (p,19), which overlaps the claimed range between 3 nm and 5 nm (see Note below).
Note: “In the case where the claimed ranges 'overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art' a prima facie case of obviousness exists.” In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990)" (quoting MPEP 2144.05.I.).
Since the particle sizes of the particles in the red quantum dot layer and in the green quantum dot layer taught by Kawada overlaps with the respective claimed ranges, a prima facie case of obviousness exist. The burden shifts to the Applicant to show that the claimed range provides unexpected result that is difference in kind and not difference in degree. See In re Aller, 220 F. 2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 5, 16 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if (i) rewritten in independent form to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims or (ii) the objected claim and any intervening claims are fully incorporated into the base claim.
Claim 5 would be allowable, because the prior art of record, singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other claimed elements in claim 5, wherein the transparent photoresist material includes propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, a polyacrylic acid resin, and bismuth vanadium oxide.
Claim 16 would be allowable, because the prior art of record, singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other claimed elements in claim 16, wherein the lighting module further includes a transparent protective layer disposed between any two adjacent ones of the lighting chips, the light-blocking structures are disposed on or under the transparent protective layer, and a second planarization top surface is formed by a top surface of the transparent protective layer and a top surface of the light-blocking structures or a top surface of the lighting chips.
Claim 20 would be allowable, because the prior art of record, singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other claimed elements in claim 20, wherein the lighting module further includes a transparent protective layer disposed between any two adjacent ones of the lighting chips, the light-blocking structures are disposed on or under the transparent protective layer, and a second planarization top surface is formed by a top surface of the transparent protective layer and a top surface of the light-blocking structures or a top surface of the lighting chips.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
WO 2016/204166 A1 to Iwata et al. relates to a wavelength conversion-type light emission device provided with an organic El element substrate and a wavelength conversion substrate, in which the wavelength conversion substrate has a transparent substrate; partitions provided on the transparent substrate; and at least one of a color filter layer, a wavelength conversion layer, and a light scattering layer provided in a plurality of regions of one of the surfaces of the transparent substrate.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MIKKA LIU whose telephone number is (571)272-2568. The examiner can normally be reached on 9AM-5AM EST M-F.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eliseo Ramos-Feliciano can be reached on 571-272-7925. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/ELISEO RAMOS FELICIANO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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