DETAILED ACTION
Notice of 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
Claims 12, 13, and 18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
At Line 3 of Claim 12: the recitation “one of the plurality of display electrode” appears to require a change to - - one of the plurality of display electrodes - - to correct and essentially typographical error. In addition, at Lines 3 – 6 (lines of claim and not page) of Claim 12: the recitations “the plurality of first power supply voltage lines” and “the plurality of display electrodes” appear to requires changes to - - the one of the plurality of first power supply voltage lines - - and - - the one of the plurality of display electrodes - - , respectively, to correct essentially typographical errors. Note that Claim 13 falls Objected to with Claim 12 due to dependency.
At Line 2 (line of page and not claim) of Claim 18: the recitation “the thickness direction” appears to require a change to - - a thickness direction - - to correct and essentially typographical error.
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.
Claims 15 - 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) 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 15 recites the limitation "the first transferring pad" at Line 2 (line of claim and not page) where there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in Claims 15, 14, 8, 7, and 1 because an introductory - - first transferring pad - - does not appear.
Claim 16 recites the limitations "the display electrode", “the touch electrode” (Line 7 of claim not page), “the first power supply voltage line” (Line 10 of claim not page) where antecedent basis for each singular recitation is not clear because plural display electrodes, plural touch electrodes, and plural first power supply voltage lines have been introduced in Claims 16/1 and it is not clear as to which of each plural items that the singular items in Claim 16 refer back to. Note that Claim 18 falls rejected with Claim 16 due to dependency.
Claim 17 recites the limitations "the display electrode" and “the touch electrode” at Lines 2 – 3 (lines of claim and not of page) where antecedent basis for each singular recitation is not clear because plural display electrodes and plural touch electrodes have been introduced in Claim 1 and it is not clear as to which of each plural items that the singular items in Claim 17 refer back to. For purposes of examination and to expedite prosecution, the Examiner considers the limitations “the display electrode” and “the touch electrode” as reciting - - a display electrode - - and - - a touch electrode - - in the art rejections below.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 – 2, 7 – 11, 17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (United States Patent Application Publication US 2024/0211063 A1), hereinafter referenced as Lee.
Regarding Claim 1, Lee discloses “A display panel” (Figures 1 – 2, 3A, 3B, and 6, Paragraphs [0015] – [0017] and [0020] (Notice that a display panel is shown.)), “comprising: a first electrode layer comprising a plurality of display electrodes and a plurality of touch electrodes” (Figure 6, Items 140 ‘second electrode layer’, CE ‘cathode electrode’, and TSE ‘touch sensor electrode’, and Paragraph [0143], Lines 1 – 3 (Notice that for the display panel in total (i.e. only a portion is shown for one light-emitting element in Figure 6 but the structure repeats for the display panel), a first electrode layer 140 is shown with display electrode CE which repeats for the panel, and a touch electrode TSE which repeats for the panel.)), “wherein the plurality of display electrodes are arranged in a same layer as the plurality of touch electrodes and insulated from the plurality of touch electrodes” (Figure 6, Item UC11 ‘undercut’ and Paragraph [0149], Lines 1 – 8 (Notice that plural display electrodes CE of the panel are arranged in the same layer 140 as the plurality of touch electrodes TSE and are insulated from each other via at least undercuts UC11.)), “a plurality of light-emitting elements each comprising a driving electrode, a light-emitting material and a display electrode of the plurality of display electrodes, wherein the driving electrode, the light-emitting material and the display electrode of the plurality of display electrodes are stacked on one another” (Figure 6, Items 120 ‘first electrode layer’, 130 ‘organic light emitting layer’, CE, and Paragraph [0131] (Notice that for the display panel in total (i.e. only a portion is shown for one light-emitting element in Figure 6 but the structure repeats for the display panel), plural light-emitting elements with each having a driving electrode 120, a light-emitting material layer 130, a display electrode CE stacked upon one another.)), “and the display electrode is located on a side of the light-emitting material facing a light-exiting surface of the display panel” (Figure 6 (Notice that the display electrode CE of each light-emitting unit is on the light exiting side of the display panel shown in Figure 6.)), “a plurality of touch signal lines electrically connected to the plurality of touch electrodes” (Figures 3A, 3B, and 6, Items TL ‘touch line’ (Notice that plural touch lines TL are provided and connected to plural touch electrodes TSE for the continuation of the display panel.)), “and a plurality of first power supply voltage signal lines electrically connected to the plurality of display electrodes” (Figures 3A and 3B Items VSSL ‘common power line’ (Notice that plural power supply lines VSSL are electrically connected to plural display electrodes CE for the continuation of the display panel.)), “wherein the plurality of first power supply voltage signal lines and the plurality of touch signal lines are formed in a same layer” (Items VSSL, TL, and Paragraph [0104], Lines 1 – 7).
Regarding Claim 2, Lee discloses everything claimed as applied above (See Claim 1). In addition, Lee discloses “wherein the plurality of touch signal lines is arranged in a first direction and extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction” (Figure 3B (Notice the plural touch signal lines are arranged along a first, x-axis direction and extend in a second, y-axis direction that intersects the first, x-axis direction.)), “and the plurality of first power supply voltage signal lines is arranged in the first direction and extends in the second direction” (Figure 3B (Notice that for the continuity of the portion of the display panel shown in Figure 3B, power supply lines VSSL are arranged along the first, x-axis direction and extend in the second, y-axis direction.)), “at least part of the plurality of first power supply voltage signal lines is electrically connected by a plurality of connection lines, and the plurality of connection lines is arranged the second direction and extends in the first direction” (Figure 3B, Items VCL ‘power connection line’ (Notice that for the continuation of the display panel, at least part of the plural power voltage signal lines VSSL are connected to connection lines VCL, where VCL are arranged in the second, y-axis direction and extend in the first, x-axis direction.)).
Regarding Claim 7, Lee discloses everything claimed as applied above (See Claim 1). In addition, Lee discloses “wherein at least two light-emitting elements share a same one of the plurality of display electrodes” (Figures 2 and 3B (Notice that the emission areas EA1 – EA4 (which correspond to driving circuit areas CA1 – CA4) correspond to plural light-emitting elements that share a common one of the plural display electrodes CE in Figure 3B.)).
Regarding Claim 8, Lee discloses everything claimed as applied above (See Claim 7). In addition, Lee discloses “wherein one of the plurality of display electrodes comprises a plurality of connection parts and a plurality of sub-pixel parts, the plurality of sub- pixel parts overlaps the light-emitting material in a thickness direction of the display panel, and the plurality of sub-pixel parts in a same one of the plurality of display electrodes is connected by the plurality of connection parts” (Figure 3B (Notice that one of the plurality of display electrodes CE (i.e. the one shown in Figure 3B) comprises connection parts (i.e parts of CE (parts that do not orthographically project onto CA’s) between parts of CE that overlap emission areas in CA’s via orthographic projection) and sub-pixel parts (i.e. parts of CE that overlap emission areas in circuit areas CA via orthographic projection) connected by said non-orthographically projecting parts. Furthermore, notice that the plurality of defined sub-pixel parts overlap the light-emitting material 130 of emission areas in CA’s and the plurality of sub-pixel parts are connected by the plural connection parts as described above.)).
Regarding Claim 9, Lee discloses everything claimed as applied above (See Claim 8). In addition, Lee discloses “wherein in the plurality of display electrodes, one of the plurality of connection parts is electrically connected to two sub-pixel parts of the plurality of sub-pixel parts adjacent to the plurality of connection parts, and one of the plurality of connection parts is located between the two sub-pixel parts” (Figure 3B (Notice that for the continuity of display electrodes CE of the display panel, one of the connection parts (as described above) electrically connects adjacent subpixel parts above CA1 and above CA3, where the connection part of CE is between the adjacent subpixel parts.)), “and a width of the plurality of connection parts in a third direction is not greater than a width of the plurality of sub-pixel parts electrically connected to the plurality of connection parts in the third direction” (Figure 3B (Notice that a width of the connection parts CE in a third direction along the Y-axis direction is not greater that a width of subpixel parts above CA1 and CA3 in the third, Y-axis direction.)), “and the third direction intersects an extension direction of the plurality of connection parts” (Figure 3B (Notice that the third, Y-axis direction intersect an extension direction of the plurality of connection parts in the X-axis direction.)).
Regarding Claim 10, Lee discloses everything claimed as applied above (See Claim 8). In addition, Lee discloses “wherein in the plurality of display electrodes, the plurality of sub-pixel parts is adjacent to the plurality of touch electrodes” (Figures 3B and 6 (Notice for the plural display electrodes CE of the display panel, that subpixel parts corresponding to emission areas EA/ circuit areas CA are adjacent to touch electrodes TSE.)).
Regarding Claim 11, Lee discloses everything claimed as applied above (See Claim 8). In addition, Lee discloses “further comprising a pixel definition layer comprising a plurality of apertures, and the light-emitting materials of the plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged in the plurality of apertures in the thickness direction of the display panel” (Figure 3B and Paragraph [0135], Lines 1 - 2 (Notice that a pixel definition layer comprised of bank 125 define a plurality of light-emitting apertures with light-emitting materials of 130 arranged in the apertures in a thickness direction of the display panel.)), “the plurality of touch signal lines does not overlap with the apertures, and/or, the plurality of first power supply voltage signal lines does not overlap with the plurality of apertures” (Figure 3B (Notice the plural touch signal lines doe not overlap with the apertures created with bank 125 (i.e. the touch signal lines underlap) and notice the plural of first power supply voltage lines do not overlap with the plural of apertures created with bank 125 (i.e. the touch signal lines underlap). Also, notice that the “and/or” limitation of Claim 11 is met with respect the disclosure of Lee.)).
Regarding Claim 17, Lee discloses everything claimed as applied above (See Claim 1). In addition, Lee discloses “wherein a blocking wall structure is provided between [a] display electrode and [a] touch electrode, [a] display electrode and [a] touch electrode are spaced apart by the blocking wall structure, the blocking wall structure is provided between two adjacent ones of the plurality of touch electrodes that break by the blocking wall structure” (Figure 6 (Notice that a blocking wall structure provided by a mound of PLN surrounded by undercut areas UC11 and UC12 is provided between the display electrode CE and touch sensor electrode TSE, the display electrode CE and touch sensor electrode TSE are spaced apart by the mound of PLN, and for the continuity of the portion of the display panel shown in Figure 6, the block wall structure as described ends up between two adjacent TSE’s (as the display matrix repeats) that break by the block wall structure.)).
Regarding Claim 20, Lee discloses “A display apparatus, comprising: a display panel” (Figures 1 – 2, 3A, 3B, and 6, Paragraphs [0015] – [0017] and [0020] (Notice that a display apparatus comprising a display panel is shown.)), “wherein the display panel comprises: a first electrode layer comprising a plurality of display electrodes and a plurality of touch electrodes” (Figure 6, Items 140 ‘second electrode layer’, CE ‘cathode electrode’, and TSE ‘touch sensor electrode’, and Paragraph [0143], Lines 1 – 3 (Notice that for the display panel in total (i.e. only a portion is shown for one light-emitting element in Figure 6 but the structure repeats for the display panel), a first electrode layer 140 is shown with display electrode CE which repeats for the panel, and a touch electrode TSE which repeats for the panel.)), “wherein the plurality of display electrodes are arranged in a same layer as the plurality of touch electrodes and insulated from the plurality of touch electrodes” (Figure 6, Item UC11 ‘undercut’ and Paragraph [0149], Lines 1 – 8 (Notice that plural display electrodes CE of the panel are arranged in the same layer 140 as the plurality of touch electrodes TSE and are insulated from each other via at least undercuts UC11.)), “a plurality of light-emitting elements each comprising a driving electrode, a light-emitting material and a display electrode of the plurality of display electrodes, wherein the driving electrode, the light-emitting material and the display electrode are stacked on one another” (Figure 6, Items 120 ‘first electrode layer’, 130 ‘organic light emitting layer’, CE, and Paragraph [0131] (Notice that for the display panel in total (i.e. only a portion is shown for one light-emitting element in Figure 6 but the structure repeats for the display panel), plural light-emitting elements with each having a driving electrode 120, a light-emitting material layer 130, a display electrode CE stacked upon one another.)), “and the display electrode is located on a side of the light-emitting material facing a light-exiting surface of the display panel” (Figure 6 (Notice that the display electrode CE of each light-emitting unit is on the light exiting side of the display panel shown in Figure 6.)), “a plurality of touch signal lines electrically connected to the plurality of touch electrodes” (Figures 3A, 3B, and 6, Items TL ‘touch line’ (Notice that plural touch lines TL are provided and connected to plural touch electrodes TSE for the continuation of the display panel.)), “and a plurality of first power supply voltage signal lines electrically connected to the plurality of display electrodes” (Figures 3A and 3B Items VSSL ‘common power line’ (Notice that plural power supply lines VSSL are electrically connected to plural display electrodes CE for the continuation of the display panel.)), “wherein the plurality of first power supply voltage signal lines and the plurality of touch signal lines are formed in a same layer” (Items VSSL, TL, and Paragraph [0104], Lines 1 – 7).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 – 6, 12 – 14, 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. Note that Claims 12 and 13 must overcome the Objections made of record above to be in full condition for allowance.
In the prior art of record, it has been shown to provide for the limitations of Claim 1 from which Claim 19 dependent, Claim 2 from which Claims 3 – 6 are dependent, Claim 8 from which Claims 12 – 14. However, it has not been shown in the prior art of record to provide for the limitations of Claim 19 in combination with Claim 1, not been shown to provide for the limitations of Claims 3 – 6 in combination with Claim 2 (observing chains of claim dependency), and not been shown to provide for the limitations of Claims 12 – 14 in combination with Claim 8 (observing chains of claim dependency).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN M BUTCHER whose telephone number is (571)270-5575. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday from 6:30 AM to 3:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Ke Xiao, can be reached at (571) 272 - 7776. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRIAN M BUTCHER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627 November 20, 2025