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 action is responsive to application No. 18747440 filed on 06/19/2024.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of claims in the reply filed on 1-4, 8-19 reading on species III is acknowledged.
Claims 8, 11, 14-15 depend on withdrawn claim 6, accordingly, claims 8, 11, 14-15 are considered withdrawn form examination.
Allowable subject matter
Claims 2-4, 12, 17-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim (independent claims 1 & 16), 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 an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The closest prior art known to the Examiner is listed on the PTO 892 forms of record.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Li et al. (US 2023/0403915).
With respect to dependent claims 2-3, the cited prior art does not anticipate or make obvious, inter alia, the step of: “wherein the display panel comprises an opening region and a non-opening region; wherein the pixel defining layer is disposed in the non-opening region, and the light-emitting element layer is disposed in the opening region; wherein the anti-reflection layer comprises a light-shielding piece disposed in the non-opening region corresponding to the pixel defining layer; wherein the plurality of polarizing molecules in the light-shielding piece are aligned in two mutually perpendicular orientations to be mutually perpendicular to each other to form a mutually perpendicular arrangement, and wherein the light-shielding piece is used for light-shielding”.
With respect to dependent claim 4, the cited prior art does not anticipate or make obvious, inter alia, the step of: “wherein the display panel comprises an opening region and a non-opening region; wherein the pixel defining layer is disposed in the non-opening region, and the light-emitting element layer is disposed in the opening region; wherein the anti-reflection layer comprises a semi-shielding piece disposed corresponding to the opening region, wherein the plurality of polarizing molecules of the semi-shielding piece are aligned in a unidirectional orientation to form a unidirectionally aligned arrangement; wherein the semi-shielding piece is used to transmit part of an outgoing light and block an incident light from an outside of the display panel”.
With respect to dependent claim 12, the cited prior art does not anticipate or make obvious, inter alia, the step of: “wherein the encapsulation layer comprises at least two inorganic encapsulation layers and an organic encapsulation layer disposed between the at least two inorganic encapsulation layers”.
With respect to dependent claims 17-18, the cited prior art does not anticipate or make obvious, inter alia, the step of: “wherein the display panel comprises an opening region and a non-opening region; wherein the pixel defining layer is disposed in the non-opening region, and the light-emitting element layer is disposed in the opening region; wherein the anti-reflection layer comprises a light-shielding piece, which disposed in the non-opening region corresponding to the pixel defining layer; wherein the plurality of polarizing molecules in the light-shielding piece are aligned in two mutually perpendicular orientations to be mutually perpendicular to each other to form a mutually perpendicular arrangement, and wherein the light-shielding piece is used for light-shielding”.
With respect to dependent claim 19, the cited prior art does not anticipate or make obvious, inter alia, the step of: “wherein the display panel comprises an opening region and a non-opening region; wherein the pixel defining layer is disposed in the non-opening region, and the light-emitting element layer is disposed in the opening region; wherein the anti-reflection layer comprises a semi-shielding piece, which is disposed corresponding to the opening region; wherein the plurality of polarizing molecules in the semi-shielding piece are aligned in a unidirectional orientation to form a unidirectionally aligned arrangement; wherein the semi-shielding piece is used to transmit part of an outgoing light and block an incident light from an outside of the display panel”.
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 of this title, 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 1, 9, 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 2023/0403915) in view of Komuro et al. (JP H1114829 A).
Regarding Independent claim 1, Li et al. teach a display panel, comprising:
a substrate (Fig. 9, element 10, paragraph 0020);
a light-emitting element layer, comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements (Fig. 9, elements 11-1/11-2/11-3, paragraph 0022), which are arranged in an array on the substrate;
a pixel defining layer (Fig. 9, element 14, paragraph 0025), arranged on the substrate; wherein every two adjacent light-emitting elements are separated by the pixel defining layer (Fig. 9);
an encapsulation layer (Fig. 9, element 17, paragraph 0028 discloses resin), arranged on the plurality of light-emitting elements and the pixel defining layer;
a color filter layer (Fig. 9, elements 12-1/12/-2/12-3, paragraph 0020), comprising a plurality of color filters arranged on the encapsulation layer; and
an anti-reflection layer (Fig. 9, element 20, paragraph 0039), arranged on the encapsulation layer and used to block external light from entering an interior of the display panel;
wherein the anti-reflection layer comprises an alignment film and a plurality of polarizing molecules that are evenly distributed in the alignment film (paragraph 0039 discloses “The anti-reflection layer 20 may be, for example, a scattering layer or a light-absorbing layer, and the scattering layer or the light-absorbing layer is, for example, continuously disposed on a plurality of light-emitting units 11. Although it is not shown, the scattering layer may include an encapsulation layer and a plurality of scattering particles disposed in the encapsulation layer, and the light-absorbing layer may include an encapsulation layer and a plurality of light-absorbing particles disposed in the encapsulation layer. The material of the encapsulation layer may include polymer material, but is not limited thereto”).
Li et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein the plurality of polarizing molecules are aligned in mutually perpendicular orientations and/or in a unidirectional orientation.
Komuro et al. teach polarizing molecules are aligned in a unidirectional orientation in the alignment film and evenly distributed (Fig. 1, elements 30 are polarizing molecules).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the teachings of Li et al. according to the teachings of Komuro et al. with the motivation to motivation to provide “high transmissivity uniformly over a wide wavelength range”.
Regarding claim 9, Li et al. modified by Komuro et al. teach wherein the plurality of polarizing molecules in the alignment film has a concentration that is no greater than 20% (The concentration of molecules is as an art recognized variable. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to vary, through routine optimization, the concentration and arrive at the claimed limitation, MPEP 2144.05. Furthermore, the applicant has not presented persuasive evidence that the claimed concentration is for a particular purpose that is critical to the overall claimed invention).
Regarding claim 13, Li et al. modified by Komuro et al. teach wherein the alignment film has a thickness of 100 nm (The thickness is as an art recognized variable. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to vary, through routine optimization, the thickness and arrive at the claimed limitation, MPEP 2144.05. Furthermore, the applicant has not presented persuasive evidence that the claimed thickness is for a particular purpose that is critical to the overall claimed invention).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 2023/0403915) in view of Komuro et al. (JP H1114829 A) and further in view of Chen et al. (CN 110928006 A).
Regarding claim 10, Li et al. modified by Komuro et al. teach all of the limitations as discussed above.
Li et al. modified by Komuro et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein the plurality of polarizing molecules are iodine dye molecules.
Before the effective filling date of the invention it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to select a known iodine dye molecules for polarizing molecules as shown by Chen et al. (specification discloses “the light absorbing particles maybe iodine or dye particle”) , since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the base of its suitability, for its intended use involves only ordinary skill in the art. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 2023/0403915) in view of So et al. (US 2024/0423032) and further in view of Komuro et al. (JP H1114829 A).
Regarding Independent claim 16, Li et al. teach a display device, comprising
wherein the display panel comprises
a substrate (Fig. 9, element 10, paragraph 0020),
a light-emitting element layer (Fig. 9, elements 11-1/11-2/11-3, paragraph 0022),
a pixel defining layer (Fig. 9, element 14, paragraph 0025),
an encapsulation layer (Fig. 9, element 17, paragraph 0028 discloses resin),
a color filter layer (Fig. 9, elements 12-1/12/-2/12-3, paragraph 0020), and
an anti-reflection layer (Fig. 9, element 20, paragraph 0039);
wherein the light-emitting element layer comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements (Fig. 9, elements 11-1/11-2/11-3, paragraph 0022), which are arranged in an array on the substrate;
the pixel defining layer is disposed on the substrate, and wherein every two adjacent light-emitting elements are separated by the pixel defining layer (Fig. 9);
the encapsulation layer is disposed on the plurality of light-emitting elements and the pixel defining layer (Fig. 9);
the color filter layer comprises a plurality of color filters (Fig. 9, elements 12-1/12/-2/12-3, paragraph 0020) disposed on the encapsulation layer;
the anti-reflection layer is disposed on the encapsulation layer (Fig. 9) to block external light from entering an interior of the display panel;
wherein the anti-reflection layer comprises an alignment film and a plurality of polarizing molecules evenly distributed in the alignment film (paragraph 0039 discloses “The anti-reflection layer 20 may be, for example, a scattering layer or a light-absorbing layer, and the scattering layer or the light-absorbing layer is, for example, continuously disposed on a plurality of light-emitting units 11. Although it is not shown, the scattering layer may include an encapsulation layer and a plurality of scattering particles disposed in the encapsulation layer, and the light-absorbing layer may include an encapsulation layer and a plurality of light-absorbing particles disposed in the encapsulation layer. The material of the encapsulation layer may include polymer material, but is not limited thereto”).
Li et al. do not explicitly disclose a driving circuit and a display panel, wherein the driving circuit is used to drive the display panel to display; wherein the polarizing molecules are aligned in mutually perpendicular orientations and/or in a unidirectional orientation in the alignment film.
So et al. teach a display device comprising a driving circuit (Fig. 8, element driving transistor, paragraph 0141) and a display panel (Fig. 8, element DP, paragraph 0083).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the teachings of Li et al. according to the teachings of So et al. such that the driving circuit is used to drive the display panel to display (paragraph 0141).
Li et al. modified by So et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein the plurality of polarizing molecules are aligned in mutually perpendicular orientations and/or in a unidirectional orientation.
Komuro et al. teach polarizing molecules are aligned in a unidirectional orientation in the alignment film and evenly distributed (Fig. 1, elements 30 are polarizing molecules).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the teachings of Li et al. and So et al. according to the teachings of Komuro et al. with the motivation to motivation to provide “high transmissivity uniformly over a wide wavelength range”.
Cited Prior Art
The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant.
Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHAHED AHMED whose telephone number is (571)272-3477. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Gauthier can be reached on 571-270-0373. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHAHED AHMED/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2813
