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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 20 is 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 primary reason for the allowance of the claims is the inclusion of the limitation, along with the other claimed features, “forming a first light-emitting layer on a first pixel electrode among the plurality of pixel electrodes and a first light-emitting pattern on the first photoresist pattern;
forming a first common electrode on the first light-emitting layer and a first electrode pattern on the first light-emitting pattern;
forming a first inorganic material layer on the first common electrode and the first electrode pattern;
forming a second photoresist pattern on the first inorganic material layer overlapping the first pixel electrode;
removing the first inorganic material layer which is not covered by the second photoresist pattern; and
removing the first photoresist pattern, the second photoresist pattern, the first light-emitting pattern, and the first electrode pattern,” as recited in claim 20.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 4-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WU et al. (U.S. 2025/0008823 A1, hereinafter refer to WU) in view of Im et al. (U.S. 2014/0306198 A1, hereinafter refer to Im).
Regarding Claim 1: WU discloses a display device (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown below and ¶ [0002]) comprising:
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a substrate (102) (see WU, Fig.1A as shown above);
a first pixel electrode (104) and a second pixel electrode (104) spaced apart from each other on the substrate (102) (see WU, Figs.1A and 6I as shown above);
a pixel defining layer (126) disposed on the substrate (102) and exposing the first pixel electrode (104) and the second pixel electrode (104) (see WU, Figs.1A and 6I as shown above);
a bank (110) disposed on the pixel defining layer (126) (see WU, Figs.1A and 6I as shown above);
a first light-emitting layer (112) disposed on the first pixel electrode (104) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above);
a second light-emitting layer (112) disposed on the second pixel electrode (104) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above);
a first common electrode (114) disposed on the first light-emitting layer (112) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above); and
a second common electrode (114) disposed on the second light-emitting layer (112) and the bank (110) and spaced apart from the first common electrode (114) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above).
WU is silent upon explicitly disclosing wherein a width of the first common electrode and a width of the second common electrode are different from each other.
For support see Im, which teaches wherein a width (D3+ D7b) of the first common electrode (150b) and a width (D1+D7c) of the second common electrode are different from each other (see Im, Figs.2 and 11 as shown below, ¶ [0156]- ¶ [0159]).
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Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WU and IM to enable the width of the first common electrode and the width of the second common electrode of WU to be different from each other as taught by Im in order to ensure high efficiency and stability.
Regarding Claim 2: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 1 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein the width (D3+ D7b) of the first common electrode (150b) is smaller than the width (D1+D7c) of the second common electrode (150a) (see Im, Figs.2 and 11 as shown above).
Regarding Claim 4: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 1 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein the first common electrode (114) is disposed on at least a portion of a first side surface (103) of the bank (126) and at least a portion of a second side surface different from the first side surface of the bank (126) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above), and
the second common electrode (114) is disposed on an entirety of a third side surface (127) of the bank (126), at least a portion of a fourth surface different from the third side surface of the bank (126), and at least a portion of an upper surface of the bank (126) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above).
Regarding Claim 5: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 1 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein the bank (126) is a single film of metal or metal alloy (a magnesium fluoride (MgF2) material) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above and ¶ [0029]).
Regarding Claim 6: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 1 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein a first inorganic layer (116) comprising a body portion (155) disposed on the first common electrode (114), and a wing portion (156) disposed on the bank (126) and spaced apart from an upper surface of the bank (126) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above and ¶ [0050]); and
a second inorganic layer (116) comprising a body portion (155) disposed on the second common electrode (114), and a connection portion disposed between the bank (126) and the wing portion (156) of the first inorganic layer (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above and ¶ [0050]).
Note: making separable inorganic layer is not sufficient by itself to patentably distinguish over integral inorganic layer unless there are new or unexpected results.
Furthermore, the configuration of the claimed first and second inorganic layers was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed first and second inorganic layers was significant.
Regarding Claim 7: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 6 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein the connection portion of the second inorganic layer (116) comprises a side surface which further protrudes than a side surface of the bank (126) and overlaps the first pixel electrode (104) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above).
Regarding Claim 8: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 6 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein the wing portion of the first inorganic layer (116) overlaps the second common electrode (114) in a thickness direction of the substrate (102) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above).
Regarding Claim 9: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 6 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein a lower surface of the connection portion of the second inorganic layer (116) contacts the first inorganic layer (116) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above).
Regarding Claim 10: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 6 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein the second inorganic layer (116) further comprises: a first wing portion (156) disposed on the wing portion (156) of the first inorganic layer and spaced apart from an upper surface of the wing portion (156) of the first inorganic layer (116) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above); and
a second wing portion (156) disposed on the bank (126) and spaced apart from the upper surface of the bank (126) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above).
Note: making separable inorganic layer is not sufficient by itself to patentably distinguish over integral inorganic layer unless there are new or unexpected results.
Furthermore, the configuration of the claimed first and second inorganic layers was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed first and second inorganic layers was significant.
Regarding Claim 11: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 6 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein a third pixel electrode (104) disposed on the substrate (102) and spaced apart from the first pixel electrode (104) and the second pixel electrode (104) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above);
a third light-emitting layer (112) disposed on the third pixel electrode (104) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above); and
a third common electrode (114) disposed on the third light-emitting layer (112) and the bank (126) and spaced apart from the first common electrode (114) and the second common electrode (114) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above).
Regarding Claim 12: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 11 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein the third common electrode (114) is disposed on an entirety of a fifth side surface of the bank (126), an entirety of a sixth side surface different from the fifth side surface of the bank (126), and at least a portion of the upper surface of the bank (126) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above).
Regarding Claim 13: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 12 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein a width (D7b’) of the third common electrode (150c) disposed on the upper surface of the bank (130) is different from a width (D7a) of the second common electrode (150a) disposed on the upper surface of the bank (130) (see Im, Figs.2 and 11-13 as shown above).
Regarding Claim 14: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 10 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein an organic encapsulation layer (116) disposed between the wing portion (156) of the first inorganic layer (116) and the first wing portion (156) of the second inorganic layer (116) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above).
Note: making separable inorganic layer is not sufficient by itself to patentably distinguish over integral inorganic layer unless there are new or unexpected results.
Furthermore, the configuration of the claimed first and second inorganic layers was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed first and second inorganic layers was significant.
Regarding Claim 15: WU discloses a display device (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above and ¶ [0002]) comprising:
a substrate (102) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above);
a first pixel electrode (104), a second pixel electrode (104), and a third pixel electrode (104) spaced apart from each other on the substrate (102) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above);
a pixel defining layer (126) disposed on the substrate (102) and exposing the first pixel electrode (104), the second pixel electrode (104), and the third pixel electrode (104) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above);
a bank (110) disposed on the pixel defining layer (126) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above);
a first light-emitting layer (112) on the first pixel electrode (104) and a first common electrode (114) on the first light-emitting layer (112) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above);
a second light-emitting layer (112) disposed on the second pixel electrode (104) and a second common electrode (114) on the second light-emitting layer (112) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above);
a third light-emitting layer (112) disposed on the third pixel electrode (104) and a third common electrode (114) on the third light-emitting layer (112) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above); and
a first inorganic layer (116) comprising a body portion (155) disposed on the first common electrode (114), and a wing portion (156) disposed on the bank (126) and spaced apart from an upper surface of the bank (126) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above),
wherein the wing portion (156) of the first inorganic layer (116) overlaps the second common electrode (114) and the third common electrode (114) in a thickness direction of the substrate (102) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above).
WU is silent upon explicitly disclosing wherein a width of the first common electrode and a width of the second common electrode are different from each other.
For support see Im, which teaches wherein a width (D3+ D7b) of the first common electrode (150b) and a width (D1+D7c) of the second common electrode are different from each other (see Im, Figs.2 and 11 as shown above, ¶ [0156]- ¶ [0159]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WU and IM to enable the width of the first common electrode and the width of the second common electrode of WU to be different from each other as taught by Im in order to ensure high efficiency and stability.
Regarding Claim 16: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 15 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein a second inorganic layer (116) comprising a body portion (155) disposed on the second common electrode (114), and a connection portion disposed between the bank (126) and the wing portion (156) of the first inorganic layer (116) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above),
wherein the connection portion of the second inorganic layer (116) comprises a side surface which further protrudes than a side surface of the bank (126) and overlaps the first pixel electrode (104) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above).
Note: making separable inorganic layer is not sufficient by itself to patentably distinguish over integral inorganic layer unless there are new or unexpected results.
Furthermore, the configuration of the claimed first and second inorganic layers was a matter of choice which a person of ordinary skill in the art would have found obvious absent persuasive evidence that the particular configuration of the claimed first and second inorganic layers was significant.
Regarding Claim 17: WU as modified teaches a display device as set forth in claim 15 as above. The combination of WU and Im further teaches wherein the first common electrode (150b), the second common electrode (150a), and the third common electrode (150c) have different cross-sectional shapes from each other (see Im, Figs.2 and 11-13 as shown above).
Claim(s) 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WU et al. (U.S. 2025/0008823 A1, hereinafter refer to WU) and Im et al. (U.S. 2014/0306198 A1, hereinafter refer to Im) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Zeng et al. (U.S. 2024/0284726 A1, hereinafter refer to Zeng).
Regarding Claim 3: WU as modified teaches a display device as applied to claim 1 above. The combination of WU and Im is silent upon explicitly disclosing wherein the width of the first common electrode is smaller than a width of the first pixel electrode, and the width of the second common electrode is smaller than a width of the second pixel electrode.
For support see Zeng, which teaches wherein the width of the first common electrode (222) is smaller than a width of the first pixel electrode (221), and the width of the second common electrode (222) is smaller than a width of the second pixel electrode (221) (see Zeng, Fig.2 as shown below and ¶ [0024]).
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Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of WU, Im and Zeng to enable the width of the first common electrode to be smaller than a width of the first pixel electrode, and the width of the second common electrode to be smaller than a width of the second pixel electrode as taught by Zeng in order to eliminate mutual interference between driving signals of a circuit of the substrate and the touch electrode.
Claim(s) 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WU et al. (U.S. 2025/0008823 A1, hereinafter refer to WU) in view of Nakayama (JP 2003007460 A, hereinafter refer to Nakayama).
JP 2003007460 A (hereinafter refer to Nakayama) is relied upon solely for the English language translation of JP 2003007460 A.
Regarding Claim 18: WU discloses a method for fabrication of a display device (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above and ¶ [0002]), the method comprising:
forming a plurality of pixel electrodes (104) spaced apart from each other on a substrate (102) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above),
forming a pixel defining material layer (126) on the plurality of pixel electrodes (104) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above), and
forming a bank material layer (110) on the pixel defining material layer (126) (see WU, Figs.1A, 2A, and 6I as shown above).
WU is silent upon explicitly disclosing wherein forming a first photoresist pattern on the bank material layer;
etching the bank material layer which is not covered by the first photoresist pattern; and
etching a side surface of the bank material layer and exposing a lower surface of the first photoresist pattern.
For support see Nakayama, which teaches wherein forming a first photoresist pattern (107) on the bank material layer (106) (see Nakayama, Fig.3 as shown below and abstract);
etching the bank material layer (106) which is not covered by the first photoresist pattern (107) (see Nakayama, Figs.3 (1)- 3(3)) as shown below and abstract); and
etching a side surface of the bank material layer (106) and exposing a lower surface of the first photoresist pattern (107) (see Nakayama, Figs.3 (1)- 3(3)) as shown below and abstract).
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Thus, it would have been within the scope of one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of WU and Nakayama to enable the known processing conditions for patterning the WU’s bank layer according to the teachings of Nakayama because one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the invention would have been motivated to look to alternative suitable methods of performing the disclosed bank layer step of WU and art recognized suitability for an intended purpose has been recognized to be motivation to combine. MPEP § 2144.07.
Regarding Claim 19: WU as modified teaches a method for fabrication of a display device as set forth in claim 18 as above. The combination of WU and Nakayama further teaches wherein the etching the bank material layer (106) which is not covered by the first photoresist pattern (107) comprises an anisotropic dry etching process (see Nakayama, Figs.3 (1)- 3(3)) as shown above and abstract), and
the etching the side surface of the bank material layer (106) and the exposing the lower surface of the first photoresist pattern (107) comprises an isotropic wet etching process (see Nakayama, Figs.3 (1)- 3(3)) as shown above and abstract).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BITEW A DINKE whose telephone number is (571)272-0534. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7 a.m. - 5 p.m..
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/BITEW A DINKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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