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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities: replace the misspelled word “incudes” with --includes-- for proper spelling. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "the first electron transport layer" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Specifically, claim 13 depends ultimately from claim 8, which includes a “first electron transport layer of the first light-emitting element” and a “first electron transport layer of the second light-emitting element”; therefore, it is unclear in claim 13 to which of these first electron transport layers, or both, claim 13 points.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 7, 14-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al (US Patent Application Publication 2024/0341122).
Regarding claim 1, Lee et al disclose a light-emitting display device comprising:
a first electrode ET1 [see Fig. 4; see also paragraph 0096];
a first electron transport layer IL1 on the first electrode [see Fig. 4; see also paragraph 0142];
a light-emitting layer EML;
a hole transport layer IL2/HTL [see Figs. 4 and 5; see also paragraph 0121];
a hole injection layer IL2/HIL [see Figs. 4 and 5; see also paragraph 0121];
a second electrode ET2 [see Fig. 4; see also paragraph 0096]; and
a reflective member RFL spaced apart from the first electron transport layer, the reflective member includes an inclined surface which reflects incident light toward the first electron transport layer [see Fig. 4; see also paragraph 0116].
While Lee et al illustrate in the figures the conventional LED structure, whereby the anode is formed first, with the hole injection layer, the hole transport layer, the light-emitting layer, the electron transport layer and the cathode formed sequentially thereover, and not the inverted LED structure of the claim, Lee et al disclose specifically that the first electrode ET1, which in the figures functions as an anode, may alternatively be the cathode, in which case the order in which the layers are formed would be reversed and would match the order of the instant claim [see paragraphs 0096 and 0097]. That is to say, the inversion is explicitly contemplated by the disclosure.
Regarding claim 2, Lee et al disclose the light-emitting display device of claim 1, furthermore comprising an inter-insulating layer 150 disposed below the first electrode and the reflective member [see Fig. 4; see also paragraph 0099].
Regarding claim 3, Lee et al disclose the light-emitting display device of claim 2, furthermore comprising a protrusion BNK on the inter-insulating layer,
wherein the protrusion includes a first slope,
the inclined surface of the reflective member is disposed on the first slope, and
an edge of the inclined surface of the reflective member coincides with an upper surface of the first electron transport layer [see Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 4, Lee et al disclose the light-emitting display device of claim 2, furthermore comprising a protrusion BNK on the inter-insulating layer,
wherein the protrusion includes an upper surface, a first slope, and a second slope,
the second slope is disposed opposite the first slope,
the reflective member covers the upper surface and the second slope,
the inclined surface of the reflective member is disposed on the first slope, and
an edge of the inclined surface of the reflective member coincides with an upper surface of the first electron transport layer [see Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 6, Lee et al disclose the light-emitting display device of claim 1, furthermore comprising a second electron transport layer ETL2 disposed between the first electron transport layer and the light-emitting layer [see paragraph 0143],
wherein the first electron transport layer comprises ZnO, and
the second electron transport layer comprises ZnMgO [see paragraph 0146].
Regarding claim 7, Lee et al disclose a light-emitting display device comprising:
a first light-emitting element EL1;
a second light-emitting element EL2; and
a reflective member RFL disposed between the first light-emitting element and the second light-emitting element, each of the first and second light-emitting elements comprising:
a first electrode ET1 [see Fig. 4; see also paragraph 0096];
a first electron transport layer IL1 on the first electrode [see Fig. 4; see also paragraph 0142];
a light-emitting layer EML;
a hole transport layer IL2/HTL [see Figs. 4 and 5; see also paragraph 0121];
a hole injection layer IL2/HIL [see Figs. 4 and 5; see also paragraph 0121];
a second electrode ET2 [see Fig. 4; see also paragraph 0096]; and
the reflective member including:
a first inclined surface which reflects incident light toward the first electron transport layer of the first light-emitting element [see Fig. 4; see also paragraph 0116]; and
a second inclined surface which reflects incident light toward the first electron transport layer of the second light-emitting element.
While Lee et al illustrate in the figures the conventional LED structure, whereby the anode is formed first, with the hole injection layer, the hole transport layer, the light-emitting layer, the electron transport layer and the cathode formed sequentially thereover, and not the inverted LED structure of the claim, Lee et al disclose specifically that the first electrode ET1, which in the figures functions as an anode, may alternatively be the cathode, in which case the order in which the layers are formed would be reversed and would match the order of the instant claim [see paragraphs 0096 and 0097]. That is to say, the inversion is explicitly contemplated by the disclosure.
Regarding claim 14, Lee et al disclose the light-emitting display device of claim 7, furthermore wherein
each of the first and second light-emitting element further comprises a second electron transport layer ETL2 disposed between the first electron transport layer and the light-emitting layer [see paragraph 0143],
wherein the first electron transport layer comprises ZnO, and
the second electron transport layer comprises ZnMgO [see paragraph 0146].
Regarding claim 15, Lee et al disclose a method of manufacturing a light-emitting display device, the method comprising:
forming the light-emitting display device comprising a plurality of light-emitting elements EL1, EL2 and a reflective member RFL spaced apart from the plurality of light-emitting elements, each of the plurality of light-emitting elements comprising a first electrode ET1, a first electron transport layer IL1, a light-emitting layer EML, a hole transport layer IL2/HTL, a hole injection layer IL2/HIL, and a second electrode ET2 [see Fig. 4; see also paragraphs 0096, 0121 and 0142];
irradiating an ultraviolet ray to the light-emitting display device [see paragraph 0024]; and
reflecting an irradiated ultraviolet ray toward the first electron transport layer by the reflective layer [see paragraphs 0024 and 0116].
Regarding claim 16, Lee et al disclose the method of claim 15, furthermore wherein the light-emitting display device further comprises an inter-insulating layer 150 disposed below the first electrode and the reflective member [see Fig. 4; see also paragraph 0099].
Regarding claim 17, Lee et al disclose the method of claim 16, furthermore wherein the light-emitting display device further comprises a protrusion BNK on the inter-insulating layer, and
the reflective member includes an inclined surface disposed on a first slope of the protrusion, and an end of the inclined surface of the reflective member coincides with an upper surface of the first electron transport layer [see Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 18, Lee et al disclose the method of claim 16, furthermore wherein
the light-emitting display device further comprises a protrusion on the inter-insulating layer,
the protrusion includes an upper surface, a first slope, and a second slope,
the second slope is disposed opposite the first slope,
the reflective member includes an inclined surface disposed on the first slope of the protrusion, and
the end of the inclined surface of the reflective member coincides with an upper surface of the first electron transport layer [see Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 20, Lee et al disclose the method of claim 15, furthermore wherein
the light-emitting display device further comprises a second electron transport layer ETL2 between the first electron transport layer and the light-emitting layer [see paragraph 0143],
the first electron transport layer comprises ZnO, and
the second electron transport layer comprises ZnMgO [see paragraph 0146].
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.
Claims 8-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al (US Patent Application Publication 2024/0341122) in view of Palles-Dimmock et al (USPN 10,826,020).
Regarding claims 8 and 9, Lee et al disclose the light-emitting display device of claim 7. Lee et al do not disclose wherein the first electron transport layer of the first light-emitting element and the first electron transport layer of the second light-emitting element have different thickness from each other, respectively, and a height of an end of the first inclined surface is different from a height of an end of the second inclined surface. One such as Palles-Dimmock et al disclose first and second light-emitting elements formed adjacent to one another, wherein each of the first and second light-emitting elements comprise: a first electrode 107 [see Fig. 1]; a first electron transport layer 106/108/109 adjacent to the first electrode; a light-emitting layer 105; a hole transport layer 104; a hole injection layer 103 [see Figs. 4 and 5; see also paragraph 0121]; a second electrode 102, wherein the first electron transport layer 106 of the first light-emitting element and the first electron transport layer 108 of the second light-emitting element have different thickness from each other, respectively [see Fig. 1]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to form the first electron transport layer in the separate light-emitting elements of Lee et al to have different thicknesses, as disclosed by Palles-Dimmock et al, in order to optimize the optical characteristics and enhance light extraction for the respective wavelengths emitted by the light-emitting elements, i.e. to form adjacent pixels that emit different colors.
Furthermore, the combination of the teachings of Lee et al with Palles-Dimmock et al would result in a geometry whereby a height of an end of the first inclined surface is different from a height of an end of the second inclined surface, whereby the end of the first inclined surface of the reflective member coincides with an upper surface of the first electron transport layer of the first light-emitting element, and the end of the second inclined surface of the reflective member coincides with an upper surface of the first electron transport layer of the second light-emitting element.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art of Lee et al and Palles-Dimmock et al disclose the light-emitting display device according to claim 8. Furthermore, Lee et al disclose comprising an inter-insulating layer 150 disposed below the first electrode and the reflective member [see Fig. 4; see also paragraph 0099].
Regarding claim 11, the prior art of Lee et al and Palles-Dimmock et al disclose the light-emitting display device according to claim 10. Furthermore, Lee et al disclose comprising a first protrusion BNK and a second protrusion BNK on the inter-insulating layer,
wherein the first inclined surface of the reflective member is disposed on a first slope of the first protrusion, and
the second inclined surface of the reflective member is disposed on the second slope of the second protrusion [see Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 12, the prior art of Lee et al and Palles-Dimmock et al disclose the light-emitting display device according to claim 11. Furthermore, Lee et al disclose wherein
the first protrusion includes an upper surface and a third slope disposed opposite the first slope [see Fig. 4],
the second protrusion includes an upper surface and a fourth slope disposed opposite the second slope, and
the reflective member covers the upper surfaces of the first and second protrusions, the third slope, and the fourth slope [see Fig. 4].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 13 and 19 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: regarding dependent claims 5, 13 and 19, the prior art of record fails to teach or make reasonably obvious, in combination with the other claimed elements and with sufficient specificity, wherein the reflective member has a higher refractive index than a refractive index of the inter-insulating layer. Lee et al teach that the refractive index of the reflective layer is low, and in particular a lower refractive index than the bank beneath it [see paragraph 0113].
Conclusion
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/C.E.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2899 /VICTOR A MANDALA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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