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 14 objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claim 13. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-9, and 11-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Son (US 20200210006 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Son discloses a display device (Fig. 8), comprising: a substrate (111) comprising a display area (Fig. 8, DA region within display panel 110; 110 shown in Fig. 2) with a plurality of subpixels (Para. 39 "The display panel 110 includes a display area which is an area in which subpixels SP are provided"), and a non-display area (NDA shown in Figs. 6-7) surrounding the display area (Para. 62 "The surrounding area of the display area is defined as a non-display area"); a plurality of transistors (Fig. 8, 210) in the plurality of subpixels (region EA); a planarization layer (270) covering the plurality of transistors; a light-emitting element (262) on the planarization layer (Shown); a plurality of first pad electrodes (Fig. 7, 264; while only one first pad electrode 264 is shown, they are referred as plural; para. 155 "description of the auxiliary electrodes 264…") in the non-display area; and an organic film (comprises leftmost instance of 270 and 241; para. 97 "The bank 270 may be formed of an organic film"; para. 121 "first dam 241 can be formed of an organic material") on the plurality of first pad electrodes, wherein the planarization layer covers edges of the plurality of first pad electrodes (Fig. 7 shows planarization layer 270 covering the edge of 264) and is spaced apart from the organic film (Fig. 7 shows planarization layer and organic film being separated from each other by contact hole CT4).
Regarding claim 2, Son discloses wherein the organic film comprises a plurality of organic patterns spaced apart from each other (Fig. 7, leftmost 270 and 241).
Regarding claim 3, Son discloses wherein the organic film includes a same material as the planarization layer (Son labels the planarization layer and 270 portion of the organic layer as the same element, therefore they are made of the same organic material).
Regarding claim 4, Son discloses a plurality of second pad electrodes (Fig. 7, 263) on the plurality of first pad electrodes and the organic film, the plurality of second pad electrodes configured to adjoin the plurality of first pad electrodes (Shown).
Regarding claim 5, Son discloses a touch detection part (Fig. 8, comprises at least TE, 290 and BE) on the light-emitting element in the display area (Shown), wherein the touch detection part comprises an insulation layer (290), a plurality of touch electrodes (TE), and a plurality of touch bridge electrodes (BE), and wherein the plurality of second pad electrodes include a same material as one of the plurality of touch electrodes and the plurality of touch bridge electrodes (Para. 115 "The auxiliary electrode 264 may be formed of... a stacked structure (Ti/Al/Ti) of aluminum and titanium"; para. 132 "The connection electrodes BE are formed of a single layer or multiple layers which are formed of one of... aluminum..., titanium"; para. 145 "The first touch electrodes TE... are formed of a single layer or multiple layers which are formed of one... aluminum..., titanium").
Regarding claim 6, Son discloses wherein the insulation layer is on the plurality of first pad electrodes (Fig. 7 shows insulation layer 290 on the first pad electrodes and the organic film at least in the sense that it is covering both) and covers the organic film (Shown), and wherein the plurality of second pad electrodes is connected to the plurality of first pad electrodes through a contact hole of the insulation layer (CT4).
Regarding claim 8, Son discloses wherein the plurality of first pad electrodes is on a same layer and includes a same material as a source electrode and a drain electrode of each of the plurality of transistors (Figs. 7-8 show at least a portion of first pad electrodes 264 and at least a portion of source electrodes 214 and drain electrodes 215 being on the same layer occupied by 250; para. 87 "The source electrodes 214, the drain electrodes 215… are formed of one of… aluminum…, titanium…, and copper"; para. 94 "The first electrode 261 is formed of... aluminum and titanium... [or] an allow of silver... and copper"; para. 115 "The auxiliary electrode 264 may be formed of the same material as the first electrode 261", therefore the first pad electrode may include a same material as a source and a drain electrode).
Regarding claim 9, Son discloses a plurality of metal layers (Fig. 8, portion of 261 that is within 250; para. 94 "The first electrode 261 is formed of a… stacked structure (Ti/Al/Ti) of aluminum and titanium, a stacked structure (ITO/Al/ITO) of aluminum and ITO… or a stacked structure (ITO/Ag alloy/ITO) of an Ag alloy and ITO") between the plurality of first pad electrodes and the substrate (Fig. 7 shows 264 atop 250, while Fig. 8 shows 261 within 250; the portion of 261 is therefore between the vertical level of the first pad electrode and the substrate), the plurality of metal layers connected to the plurality of first pad electrodes (Figs. 7-8 show 264 being at least physically coupled to 261 through 250), wherein the plurality of metal layers comprise: a first metal layer; and a second metal layer on the first metal layer (para. 94 "The first electrode 261 is formed of a… stacked structure (Ti/Al/Ti) of aluminum and titanium, a stacked structure (ITO/Al/ITO) of aluminum and ITO… or a stacked structure (ITO/Ag alloy/ITO) of an Ag alloy and ITO"; in the case of stacked Ti/Al/Ti, the first metal layer would be Ti and the second metal layer would be Al).
Regarding claim 11, Son discloses a plurality of link lines (Fig. 8, portion of 261 on top of 250) connected to the plurality of first pad electrodes (261 is at least physically coupled to 264 through 250, or coupled electrically through 262 and 263), the plurality of link lines extending to the display area (Shown), wherein the plurality of link lines include a same material as the first metal layer and the second metal layer (the link lines and metal layers are formed of the same physical component, and therefore would be made of the same materials as the first and second metal layers).
Regarding claim 12, Son discloses a display device (Fig. 8), comprising: a substrate (111) comprising a display area (Fig. 8, DA region within display panel 110; 110 shown in Fig. 2) with a plurality of subpixels (Para. 39 "The display panel 110 includes a display area which is an area in which subpixels SP are provided"), and a non-display area (NDA shown in Figs. 6-7) surrounding the display area (Para. 62 "The surrounding area of the display area is defined as a non-display area"); a first pad electrode (Figs. 7, 264) in the non-display area; a planarization layer (Fig. 7, rightmost instance of 270; Fig. 8, 270) on the first pad electrode, the planarization layer covering an edge portion of the first pad electrode (Shown in Fig. 7); and an organic film (comprises 241 and 270; para. 97 "The bank 270 may be formed of an organic film"; para. 121 "first dam 241 can be formed of an organic material") on a portion of the first pad electrode, the portion of the first pad electrode not being covered by the planarization layer, wherein the planarization layer is spaced apart from the organic film so that the portion of the first pad electrode is exposed (Shown).
Regarding claim 13, Son discloses wherein the organic film comprises a plurality of organic patterns spaced apart from each other (Fig. 7, leftmost 270 and 241).
Regarding claim 14, Son discloses wherein the organic film comprises a plurality of organic patterns spaced apart from each other (Fig. 7, leftmost 270 and 241).
Regarding claim 15, Son discloses wherein the organic film includes a same material as the planarization layer (Son labels the planarization layer and organic layer as the same element, therefore they are made of the same organic material).
Regarding claim 16, Son discloses a second pad electrode (Fig. 7, 263) on the organic film and the portion of the first pad electrode that is exposed (Shown).
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.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Son (US 20200210006 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Son discloses a conductive bonding layer (Fig. 7, 281; para. 127 "Each of the first and second inorganic films 281 and 283 can be formed of… zirconium nitride, titanium nitride, hafnium nitride…", all of which are known to be electrically conductive) on the plurality of second pad electrodes (Shown); and an organic film (282) electrically connected to the plurality of second pad electrodes through the conductive bonding layer (Shown). However, Son does not explicitly disclose the film (282) being made of a flexible material.
On the other hand, Son discloses the organic films used for layers 250, 270, 275, 241, and 242 being made of an acryl resin, which is known to be flexible. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing of the invention to modify Son organic film 282 such that it would be made of an acryl resin like Son’s other organic layers 250, 270, 275, 241, and 242 in order to simplify manufacturing by using the same material or materials for organic layers.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Son (US 20200210006 A1) as applied to claims 1-9 and 11-16 above, and further in view of Lee (US 20200266259 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Son discloses a plurality of capacitors in the plurality of subpixels (Para. 40 "Each of the subpixels SP in the display panel 110 includes… a capacitor"), wherein the first metal layer includes a same material as a gate electrode (Para. 85 "The gate electrodes 212 and the gate lines may be formed of... titanium"; para. 94 "The first electrode 261 is formed of a… stacked structure (Ti/Al/Ti) of aluminum and titanium, a stacked structure (ITO/Al/ITO) of aluminum and ITO… or a stacked structure (ITO/Ag alloy/ITO) of an Ag alloy and ITO"; in the case of stacked Ti/Al/Ti, the first metal layer would be titanium and the first metal later would include a same material as the gate electrode). However, Son does not disclose of each of the plurality of transistors, and wherein the second metal layer includes a same material as one capacitor electrode of the plurality of capacitors.
On the other hand, Lee discloses wherein capacitors in a display device having electrodes containing aluminum (Fig. 3, CAP; para. 14 "the first and second capacitor electrodes may include a first layer containing aluminum"). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing of the invention to modify Son according to the teachings of Lee such that the capacitor electrode of the plurality of capacitors would include aluminum and the second metal layer would therefore include a same material as one capacitor electrode of the plurality of capacitors, in order to simplify manufacturing by using the same metals to form similar wiring structures.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMUEL J SMITH whose telephone number is (703)756-5706. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Marlon Fletcher can be reached at (571) 272-2063. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/S.J.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/ALI NARAGHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
Prosecution Insights