DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of invention Group I and Species III (FIGs. 6-7), encompassing claims 1-8, in the reply filed on 9/7/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 9-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention and species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 9/7/2026.
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.
Claims 1-8 are 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 reciting “each of the plurality of first pixel encapsulation layers … seals the first pixel opening” renders the claim indefinite due to improper antecedent basis and unclear correspondence. A plurality of first pixel openings were previously recited in the claim. It is unclear if the recitation to “the first pixel opening” is intended to refer to one of the plurality of first pixel openings, some of the plurality of the first pixel openings, or each of the plurality of the first pixel openings. Furthermore, it is unclear if each of the plurality of the first pixel encapsulation layers seals the same one of the first pixel opening, or each of the plurality of the first pixel encapsulation layers seals a respective one of the first pixel openings, or each of the plurality of the first pixel encapsulation layers seals each one of the first pixel openings, each of the plurality of the first pixel encapsulation layers seals some of the plurality of the first pixel openings,.
Claim 2 reciting “a first CPM layer” renders the claim indefinite. CPM is not a known acronym or trademark name. It is unclear what is intended by “CPM” and what is it intended to encompass.
Claim 4 reciting “the first pixel opening” renders the claim indefinite due to improper antecedent basis. A plurality of first pixel openings were previously recited in the claim 1. It is unclear if the recitation to “the first pixel opening” is intended to refer to one of the plurality of first pixel openings, some of the plurality of the first pixel openings, or each of the plurality of the first pixel openings.
Claim 6 reciting “the first pixel opening” renders the claim indefinite due to improper antecedent basis. A plurality of first pixel openings were previously recited in the claim 1. It is unclear if the recitation to “the first pixel opening” is intended to refer to one of the plurality of first pixel openings, some of the plurality of the first pixel openings, or each of the plurality of the first pixel openings.
Claim 8 reciting “the first CPM layer is a UV resistant transparent CPM layer” renders the claim indefinite. It is unclear what is required for a layer to be “UV resistant”. Applicant’s disclosure does clarity the intended meaning of “UV resistant”. It is also unclear what is the property is the layer UV resistant to. E.g. is the resistant a measure of degradation of the layer or resistant to transmittance of UV light?
Other claims are rejected for depending on a rejected claim.
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim et al. US 2024/0147773 A1 (Kim).
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In re claim 1, as best understood, Kim discloses (e.g. FIGs. 6-10) a display panel DP, comprising a flexible substrate BL (¶ 101), a first pixel definition layer PDL, a plurality of first pixel structures OL (disconnected OL in FIG. 10B, ¶ 221), a plurality of first cathode layers CE (disconnected CE in FIG. 10B, ¶ 221), and a plurality of first pixel encapsulation layers TFL (layers of TFL, see FIGs. 6A-6B); wherein
the first pixel definition layer PDL is attached to the flexible substrate BL and a plurality of first pixel openings OP are defined in the first pixel definition layer PDL;
the plurality of first pixel structures OL (disconnected in FIG. 10B) are respectively disposed in the plurality of first pixel openings OP and attached to the flexible substrate BL;
each of the plurality of first cathode layers CE (disconnected in FIG. 10B) is disposed in each of the plurality of first pixel openings OP and attached to each of the plurality of first pixel structures OL; and
each of the plurality of first pixel encapsulation layers (layers of TFL) is disposed outside each of the plurality of first cathode layers CE at each of the plurality of first pixel openings OP and seals “the first pixel opening” OP (see FIGs. 6A-6B).
In re claim 2, as best understood, Kim discloses (e.g. FIG. 10B) further comprising: “a first CPM layer” DMP;
wherein the first CPM layer DMP is disposed on a side, away from the flexible substrate BL, of the first pixel definition layer PDL (top side of PDL) and attached to the first pixel definition layer PDL; and
a plurality of first cathode openings are arranged in the first CPM layer DMP (openings of DMP corresponding to pixel regions PX), wherein the plurality of first cathode openings (openings of DMP corresponding to pixel regions PX) correspond to the plurality of first pixel structures OL in terms of position (disconnected OL in pixel regions PX).
In re claim 3, Kim discloses (e.g. FIG. 10B) wherein an orthographic projection of the first CPM layer (middle part of DMP between SP1 and SP3) is not overlapped with an orthographic projection of each of the plurality of first cathode layers (disconnected CE in pixel regions PX) along a thickness direction of the flexible substrate.
In re claim 4, as best understood, Kim discloses (e.g. FIGs. 6-10) wherein an angle between an inner side wall of “the first pixel opening” OP and a side, close to the flexible substrate BL, of the first pixel definition layer PDL (bottom side of the PDL) is less than a first predetermined angle threshold (no specific “predetermined angle threshold” has been claimed that would distinguish over any angle that is larger than the angle formed by Kim’s PDL sidewall and bottom surface).
In re claim 5, Kim discloses (e.g. FIGs. 6-10) wherein a thickness of the first pixel definition layer PDL is greater than a first predetermined thickness threshold (no specific “predetermined thickness threshold” has been claimed that would distinguish over any thickness that is less than the thickness of Kim’s PDL).
In re claim 6, as best understood, Kim discloses (e.g. FIGs. 10B) wherein a plurality of first annular partition grooves SP1,SP3 are disposed in a side, away from the flexible substrate BL, of the first pixel definition layer PDL (top side of PDL), wherein the first annular partition grooves SP1,SP3 surround an outer side of “the first pixel opening” OP (in pixel regions PX, ¶ 221).
In re claim 7, Kim discloses (e.g. FIG. 10B) wherein the first CPM layer DMP is a transparent CPM layer (e.g. IGZO, ¶ 219, no specific “transparent CPM” material that would distinguish over Kim’s DMP made of, e.g. IGZO).
In re claim 8, as best understood, Kim discloses (e.g. FIG. 10) wherein the first CPM layer DMP is a “UV resistant” transparent CPM layer (as best understood, no specific “UV resistant” transparent material claimed that would distinguish over Kim’s DMP layer that is considered to be having some degree of resistance property to transmittance of UV, however minimal).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lee et al. US 2023/0345766 A1 teaches (FIG. 10) a display panel comprising pixel defining layer having grooves VP.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YU CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7881. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9AM-5PM ET.
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/YU CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896
YU CHEN
Examiner
Art Unit 2896
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