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 § 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 1,2,4,6 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shen (CN 114361364 A) in view of Luo (CN 114695495 A )
Regarding claim 1 , Shen teaches a display panel (at least Fig.1,2 and 13), comprising: a display area, wherein the display area comprises a first display area and a second display area at least partially surrounding the first display area (A1,A2 in Fig.13); the first display area is configured with a photosensitive element (see in Shen: the first display area AA1 away from one side of the light emitting surface of the display panel 00, more suitable for setting the photosensitive element such camera); and at least one of the first display area and the second display area comprises an opening area (openings between pixel defining layer 03) and a non-opening area located between adjacent opening areas 03:
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a substrate 01; a light-emitting element 04, located over one side of the substrate and in the display area, wherein the light-emitting element comprises an anode 04, a light-emitting layer 04A, and a cathode 05; along a first direction, the light-emitting layer is located between the anode and the cathode;
the light-emitting layer is located at least in the opening area;
and the first direction is perpendicular to a plane of the substrate;
a packaging layer (packaging layer 06), located over one side of the light-emitting element away from the substrate;
and a first transparent light guide unit 08, located in the first display area and over one side of the packaging layer away from the substrate,
wherein the first transparent light guide unit is only located in the non-opening area;
Shen teaches the display panel comprises a photosensitive phase (as per disclosure in Shen: the first display area AA1 away from one side of the light emitting surface of the display panel 00, more suitable for setting the photosensitive element such camera);
However, Shen is silent regarding the photosensitive phase, the first transparent light guide unit is used to guide external light to the photosensitive element.
Luo teaches a light guiding layer such that external light is impinged on the photosensitive element 41 (photo sensitive module in at least Fig.3).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to use a photosensitive mode for the photosensitive module of Shen, from the teachings of Luo, in order to achieve a finger printing identification system (Abstract of Luo).
.
Regarding claim 17, Shen in view of Luo teaches a display device, comprising: a display panel, comprising: a display area, wherein the display area comprises a first display area and a second display area at least partially surrounding the first display area; the first display area is configured with a photosensitive element (41 in Luo); and at least one of the first display area and the second display area comprises an opening area and a non-opening area located between adjacent opening areas; a substrate; a light-emitting element, located over one side of the substrate and in the display area, wherein the light-emitting element comprises an anode, a light-emitting layer, and a cathode; along a first direction, the light-emitting layer is located between the anode and the cathode; the light-emitting layer is located at least in the opening area; and the first direction is perpendicular to a plane of the substrate; a packaging layer, located over one side of the light-emitting element away from the substrate; and a first transparent light guide unit, located in the first display area and over one side of the packaging layer away from the substrate, wherein the first transparent light guide unit is only located in the non-opening area; the display panel comprises a photosensitive phase; and during the photosensitive phase, the first transparent light guide unit is used to guide external light to the photosensitive element (see rejection of claim 1 above, all the citations for the elements in claim 1 apply).
Regarding claim 2, Shen in view of Luo teaches a display device, further comprising a flat layer 09, located over one side of the first transparent light guide unit 08 away from the substrate, located in the first display area and the second display area, and covering the first transparent light guide unit, wherein a refractive index of the flat layer is N1; a refractive index of the first transparent light guide unit is N2; a refractive index of the packaging layer 06 contacting the first transparent light guide unit
is N3; and N1<N2<N3 (refractive indices of 09,08 and 06: see in Shen: Because the first section 08 and the second section 09 has a difference of refractive index, the light emitted by the light emitting unit passes through the first section 08 and the interface of the second section 09 will generate total reflection or refraction, through the refractive index difference of the first section 08 and the second section 09; can adjust the light emitting unit of light through the first section 08 and the second section 09 of the interface when the light total reflection phenomenon and refractive index)
Therefore, although Shen in view of Luo do not explicitly teach N1<N2<N3, however, based on achieving reflection or refraction as disclosed in Shen and based on the design and reflection or refraction through the layer, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to use the ratio of the refractive index as claimed, by well known techniques in physics of total reflection/critical angle, and by experimentation and simulation, in the device of Shen in view of Luo, in order to achieve light impinging on the photosensitive layer.
Regarding claim 4, Shen in view of Luo teaches a display device, further comprising an array layer 02 (Fig.2 of Shen), wherein the array layer is located between the substrate 01 and the light-emitting element; the array layer comprises a metal structure (a thin film transistor comprises a source/drain 02S/02D a gate 02G); and along the first direction, the first transparent light guide (08 in Shen) unit does not overlap with the metal structure.
Regarding claim 6, from the teachings of Shen in view of Luo (in Shen):
Therefore, because the pixel density of the first display area AA1 is less than the second display area AA1, or the pixel size of the first display area AA1 is less than the second display area AA2, it will cause the display brightness of the first display area AA1 is lower than the second display area AA2, using the same concept, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to achieve the first display area comprises a first area and a second area surrounding the first area; the second area is located between the first area and the second display area; the first transparent light guide unit comprises a first light guide unit located in the first area and a second light guide unit located in the second area; and an arrangement density of the second light guide unit is greater than an arrangement density of the first light guide unit, in order to achieve the desired display brightness (from Shen).
Claims 3 and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shen (CN 114361364 A) in view of Luo (CN 114695495 A ) and further in view of Wang (US 20220367582 A1)
Regarding claim 3, Shen in view of Luo teaches the invention set forth in claim 1 above but is silent regarding the first transparent light guide unit comprises a first microprism; the first microprism has a first cross-section that is either semicircular or trapezoidal; and the first cross-section is parallel to the first direction.
Wang teaches a display substrate for fingerprinting and having photosensitive element 11 in the pixel circuit layer, wherein the layer L2 (Fig.5) provided with microprisms:
[0118] In some other examples, the second light guide layer L2 may be a prismatic lens, and a surface of the prismatic lens is provided with a plurality of microprism structures. The second light guide layer L2 can converge the light passing therethrough.
[0120] Here, the preset range of the exit angle of the light passing through the second light guide layer L2 may be set according to dimensions of the plurality of microprism structures.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to use the microprisms as disclosed in Wang, in the device of Shen in view of Luo, in order to efficiently converge the light.
Regarding claim 10, Shen in view of Luo and Wang teaches an array layer (14 and layers below 14 and above substrate 10, 14 has metal element connecting to anode in Fig.5 of Wang) , located between the substrate 10 and the light-emitting element; and in the first display area, a total thickness of the array layer that overlaps with the first transparent light guide unit along the first direction is smaller than a total thickness of the array layer in the opening area (thickness of the array is higher in the light emitting layer as it does not have the photosensitive element 11).
Regarding claim 11, Shen in view of Luo and Wang teaches the display panel, wherein the array layer comprises a first light hole located in the non-opening area; along the first direction, the first light hole penetrates at least a portion of the array layer (see rejection in claim 10 above); and the first light hole overlaps with the first transparent light guide unit (from the combined teachings of Shen in view of Luo and Wang.
Regarding claim 12, Shen in view of Luo and Wang teaches the display panel, wherein the substrate comprises a second light hole located in the non-opening area; along the first direction, the second light hole penetrates through the substrate and the second light hole overlaps with the first transparent light guide unit; and the photosensitive element is located over one side of the substrate away from the light-emitting element (see rejection in claim 10-11 above, the first and second hole are shown below from Wang:
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Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shen in view of Luo and further in view of Cai (CN 114068843)
Regarding claim 5, Shen in view of Luo teaches the invention set forth in claim 1 above but is silent regarding the first display area comprises a first area and a second area surrounding the first area; the second area is located between the first area and the second display area; the first transparent light guide unit comprises a first light guide unit located in the first area and a second light guide unit located in the second area; and along the first direction, a projected area of one first light guide unit on the substrate plane is S1; a projected area of one second light guide unit on the substrate plane is S2; and S1 > S2.
Cai teaches a display panel wherein the first display area comprises a first area and a second area surrounding the first area; the second area is located between the first area and the second display area; the first transparent light guide unit comprises a first light guide unit located in the first area and a second light guide unit located in the second area; and along the first direction, a projected area of one first light guide unit on the substrate plane is S1; a projected area of one second light guide unit on the substrate plane is S2; and S1 > S2 (see sizes S1 and S2 in the first and second display areas in Fig. 8). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to use the sizes in the two regions as disclosed in Cai , in the device of Shen in view of Luo, in order to balance the brightness difference (see description of Fig.8 in Cai).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shen in view of Luo and further in view of Cai2 (CN 116234387 A, hereinafter Cai2)
Regarding claim 7, Shen in view of Luo teaches the invention set forth in claim 1 above, but is silent regarding a first gap is located between an orthogonal projection of the first transparent light guide unit on the plane of the substrate and an adjacent opening area of the first transparent light guide unit; a minimal width of the first gap is D0, and D0 = a x tan
∅
; 'a' is a distance between a surface of the first transparent light guide unit facing the substrate and a surface of the light-emitting layer facing the anode along the first direction; an edge of the opening area facing an adjacent first transparent light guide unit of the opening area is a first edge; an edge of the first transparent light guide unit facing an adjacent opening area of the first transparent light guide unit is a second edge; and a line connecting the first edge and the second edge is a first line segment;
∅
is an acute angle between a line of the first line segment and the plane of substrate, and 15
≤
∅
≤
30.
Cai2 teaches a display device (Fig.5) wherein:
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a first gap is located between an orthogonal projection of the first transparent light guide unit on the plane of the substrate and an adjacent opening area of the first transparent light guide unit; an edge of the opening area facing an adjacent first transparent light guide unit of the opening area is a first edge; an edge of the first transparent light guide unit facing an adjacent opening area of the first transparent light guide unit is a second edge; and a line connecting the first edge and the second edge is a first line segment;
∅
is an acute angle between a line of the first line segment and the plane of substrate (Applicant’s Figure 9 is relied upon in the rejection), but does not explicitly teach a minimal width of the first gap is D0 (see the gap shown within arrows in drawing above), and D0 = a x tan
∅
; 'a' is a distance between a surface of the first transparent light guide unit facing the substrate and a surface of the light-emitting layer facing the anode along the first direction; and
∅
i
s
15
≤
∅
≤
30. However, since every structural feature is disclosed in Cai2, therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to use D0 = a x tan
∅
and 15
≤
∅
≤
30 by routine experimentation and by known simulation methods, in order to realize the adjustment of the light, and improving the light emitting efficiency
(see in Cai2: Specifically, combined with FIG. 5, OLED display panel as an example, using the patterned preparation process, one side of the substrate 20 to prepare the pixel defining layer 23 and low refractive index layer 24, a pixel defining layer 23 is provided with a plurality of first openings, a plurality of sub-pixels 21 are respectively located in different first openings, low refractive index layer 24 is provided with a plurality of second openings, using high refractive index layer 25 filling part of the second opening is formed as micro-lens 22, the side wall M1 of the second opening is the interface of the low refractive index layer 24 and the high refractive index layer 25, adjusting the reflection and refractive index of the light emitted by the sub-pixel 21 by adjusting the tilt angle α of the interface, so as to realize the adjustment of the light, improving the light emitting efficiency of the sub-pixel. wherein the inclined angle alpha is the included angle between the interface tangent and the plane of the sub-pixel light emitting surface. the first sub-pixel 211 corresponding to the first micro-lens 221 as an example, using the total reflection principle, the first sub-pixel 211 of the partial large viewing angle (theta 1) light L1 through the side wall M1 of the first micro-lens 221 is deflected towards the positive viewing angle (i.e., Z direction in the image), so as to improve the first micro-lens 221 of the positive visual angle light emitting brightness).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shen in view of Luo and Cao and further in view of Cai (CN 114068843 A)
Regarding claim 9, Shen in view of Luo and Cao teaches the invention set forth in claim 8 above, but is silent regarding the packaging layer comprises a first inorganic layer, an organic layer, and a second inorganic layer; along the first direction, the organic layer is located between the first inorganic layer and the second inorganic layer; the organic layer is located at least in the opening area; and the organic layer does not overlap with the groove.
Cai teaches a display device wherein the packaging layer comprises a first inorganic layer, an organic layer, and a second inorganic layer; along the first direction, the organic layer is located between the first inorganic layer and the second inorganic layer; the organic layer is located at least in the opening area 211 (see in Fig.17 of Cai: 41. first inorganic encapsulating layer; 42. organic packaging layer; 43. second inorganic encapsulating layer); and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to use the multiple protection layers, as disclosed in Cai, in the device of Shen in view of Luo and Cao, in order to provide robust protection, and, while Cao already teaches a groove for the light guide (see rejection in claim 8) and therefore the limitation of the organic layer (which is the middle layer in Cai) does not overlap with the groove, is taught in the combined structure of Shen in view of Luo, Cao and Cai.
Claims 8 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shen (CN 114361364 A) in view of Luo (CN 114695495 A) and further in view of Cao (CN 114512524 A)
Regarding claim 8, Shen in view of Luo teaches the invention set forth in claim 1 above but is silent regarding the packaging layer comprises a plurality of grooves; a groove of the plurality of grooves is located in the non-opening area; and the first transparent light guide unit is located in the groove.
Cao teaches a display device wherein the packaging layer comprises a plurality of grooves; a groove of the plurality of grooves is located in the non-opening area; and the first transparent light guide unit is located in the groove.
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In Cao as seen above: The grooves 1011 in the lower holding layer 1135 for the light transparent element 106 both in the light emitting 120 and non-emitting regions.
From the teachings of Cao, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to use grooves in the holding layer of the light transparent/light guide layer, in the device of Shen in view of Luo, in order to achieve convergence/collimation based on desired design (see in Cao: so the first blue color filter layer 106 can converge the external incident light).
Regarding claim 13, Shen in view of Luo and Cao teaches the display panel, further comprises a second transparent light guide unit at least located in the first display area, wherein the second transparent light guide unit is located over the side of the packaging layer away from the substrate; along the first direction, the second transparent light guide unit overlaps with the light-emitting element; and the second transparent light guide unit is used to guide a light emitted by the light-emitting element to a light-exiting surface of the display panel (see Cao’s drawing in the rejection of claim 8 above, wherein both the light emitting layers and the non-opening layers have transparent/light guiding elements).
Regarding claim 14, Shen in view of Luo and Cao teaches the display panel, further comprising a flat layer (layer 009 encapsulating light guides 008 in Shen and also the layer encapsulating the light guides 106/and adjacent light-guides in Cao) located over one side of the first transparent light guide unit away from the substrate, located in the first display area and the second display area, and covering both the first transparent light guide unit and the second transparent light guide unit, but does not teach a refractive index of the flat layer is N1; a refractive index of the first transparent light guide unit is N2; a refractive index of the packaging layer contacting the second transparent light guide unit is N3; a refractive index of the second transparent light guide unit is N4; and N1 < N2 < N3 < N4. However, based on achieving reflection or refraction as disclosed in Shen and based on the design towards achieving reflection or refraction through the layer, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to use the ratio of the refractive index as claimed, by well known techniques in physics of total reflection/critical angle, and by simulation and experiments known in the art, in the device of Shen in view of Luo and Cao, in order to achieve light impinging on the photosensitive layer.
Regarding claim 15, Shen in view of Luo and Cao teaches the display panel, wherein in the first display area, the second transparent light guide unit is arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the light-emitting element; along the first direction, the second transparent light guide unit covers the light-emitting element; and an outline of an orthographic projection of the second transparent light guide unit on the plane of the substrate is located on a periphery of an outline of an orthographic projection of the light-emitting element on the plane of the substrate (from the teachings of light guides in Cao for the opening and non-opening areas).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shen in view of Luo and Cao and further in view of Peng (US 20230152927 A1) and Wang (US 20220367582 A1)
Regarding claim 16, Shen in view of Luo and Cao teaches the invention set forth in claim 13 above but does not teach the second transparent light guide unit comprises a second microprism; a first cross-section of the second microprism is semi-circular; and the first cross-section is parallel to the first direction.
Peng teaches microlenses (2062,2063 in Fig.3-4 and [0050]) facing the light emitting elements, whereas Wang teaches that the microlenses can be microprisms (see rejection of claim 3 above). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to use the second microprisms facing the light emitting elements as disclosed in Wang, in the device of Shen in view of Luo and Cao, from the teachings of Peng and Wang in order to result in more exited light incident to the second micro-lenses ([0052] in Peng).
Other art
US 20210098746 A1 teaches grooves holding the light guides:
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CN 112861763 A teaches the photosensitive element in the pixel array region
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CN 114335386 A
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wherein, FIG. 3 , only the first organic layer 20 is located between the light emitting unit P and the first inorganic layer 10 is an example, but not limited to this, also can be provided with a first inorganic layer 10 located between the first organic layer 20 and the light emitting unit P. Meanwhile, the invention does not limit the specific value of the refractive index n1 of the first part 11 and the refractive index n2 of the first organic layer 20, and the refractive index n1 of the first part 11 and the refractive index n2 of the first organic layer 20 are not limited, as long as the absolute value of n2-n1 | is less than 0.1.
Further, when the first portion 11 and the first organic layer 20 refractive index higher than the film layer is located closer to the display panel 200 of the light emitting surface of one side, ambient light belongs to the light-dense medium into the light-phobic medium, if the incident angle is greater than the critical angle, then no refraction, all light return to the light-tight medium, so that the reflectivity of the first part 11 and the first organic layer 20 interface is high. so that the refractive index n1 of the first part 11 can be adjusted by adjusting the refractive index n1 of the first part 11, the difference of the refractive index n2 of the first organic layer contact of the first part 11 is in the range of 0.1, reducing the difference of the refractive index n1 of the first part 11 and the refractive index n2 of the first organic layer 20 as much as possible, so as to solve the problem that the first part 11 and the first organic layer 20 at the interface of the refractive index difference caused by larger reflectivity is high, reducing the reflectivity of the display panel 200, improving the display effect of the display panel 200. and when the first portion 11 and the first organic layer 20 refractive index of the film layer is located closer to the display panel 200 of the light emitting surface of one side, the display panel 200 in the display light belongs to the light-dense medium enters the light-phobic medium, if the incident angle is greater than the critical angle, then no refraction, all light return to the light-tight medium, so that the transmittance of the first part 11 and the first organic layer 20 interface is low, affecting the display effect. so that the refractive index n1 of the first part 11 can be adjusted by adjusting the refractive index n1 of the first part 11.
US 20200243620 A1
US 20190099096 A1
CN 114695495 A
CN 114551499 A
CN 115394936 A-density
CN 114361364 A
CN 114335386 A R
CN 114068843 A
CN 111584571 A
CN 110610971 A
CN 106971173 A
CN 114068843 A
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Fatima Farokhrooz whose telephone number is (571)-272-6043. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday- Friday, 9 am - 5 pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s Supervisor, James Greece can be reached on (571) 272-3711.
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/Fatima N Farokhrooz/
Examiner, Art Unit 2875
Prosecution Insights