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 .
Remark
This Office Action is in response to applicant’s preliminary amendment filed on August 30, 2024, which has been entered into the file.
By this amendment, the applicant has amended claim 7 and has newly added claims 18-20.
Claims 1-20 remain pending in this application.
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 1-20 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The phrase “a plurality of light filtering units and a plurality of second light shielding members arranged at a side of the first light shielding member away from the base substrate” recited in claims 1 and 13 is indefinite and confusing since it is not clear how to interpret that the light filtering units and the second light shielding being away from the base substrate. In light of the figures of the instant application, the filtering units and the second light shielding are being arranged on the base substrate, so it is not clear how to interpret the phrase “away from the base substrate”.
The phrase of “light shielding pattern” recited in claims 7, 8, and 16-20 is confusing and indefinite since it is not clear how does this light shielding pattern relates to the first light shielding member and the second light shielding member. This phrase makes the scopes of claims very unclear.
The scopes of the claims are unclear and claims 2-12 and 18-20 inherit the rejection from their base claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 1-3 and 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US patent application publication by Zhu et al (US 2017/0045776 A1).
Zhu et al, teaches with regard to claim 1, a display substrate (101, Figures 5 and 6) serves as the base substrate, a black matrix (109) that is comprised of a plurality of first light shielding members arranged on the base substrate and extending in a first direction, (please see Figure 6, is a sectional view with a line formed extends parallel to a gate line of the base substrate, please see paragraph [0034]), and a plurality of filtering units (108) and the black matrix with a plurality of second shielding members arranged at a side of the first light shielding member, (please see Figure 5, is a sectional view with a line formed extends parallel to the data line of the substrate, paragraph [0034]). The plurality of light filtering units (108) are arranged at intervals and the second light shielding members (109) fill in gap between adjacent light filtering units, (please see Figure 5). The second light shielding member extending in a second direction and the first direction intersecting the second direction, (please see Figures 5 and 6).
Zhu et al teaches that the display substrate further comprises an overcoat (205) which is planarization layer (please see paragraph [0031]) that is arranged at a side of the plurality of filtering units and the plurality of second light shielding members away from the base substrate (101, Figure 6). Zhu et al also teaches to include a spacer (206) that is arranged at a side of the planarization layer (205) away from the base substrate.
This reference has met all the limitations of the claims. It however does not teach explicitly that the filtering units and the second light shielding members are arranged away from the baes substrate. But this feature is rejected under 35 USC 112, second paragraph, for the reasons set forth above. It therefore cannot be examined further.
With regard to claim 2, this reference does not teach explicitly that the surfaces of the plurality of filtering units and the plurality of second light shielding members at a side away from the base substrate have a roughness of less than or equal to 0.5mm. However, Zhu et al does teach that the planarization layer is disposed at the surfaces of the plurality of filtering units and the plurality of second light shielding members at a side away from the base substrate, which means either the surface roughness is small or being smoothed out by the planarization layer.
With regard to claim 3, Zhu et al teaches that the height difference between the light filtering units (108, Figures 5 and 6) and the adjacent second light shielding member is a direction perpendicular to the base substrate away from the base substrate is less than 0.5mm, since they are essential have the same height.
With regard to claims 11 and 12, Zhu et al teaches that the orthogonal projection of a first surface of the spacer (206) at a side away from the base substrate onto the base substrate is spaced apart from a boundary of an orthogonal projection of a second surface of the spacer at a side closer to the base substrate onto the base substrate, (please see Figures 5 and 6). Zhu et al also teaches that the height to the width of the spacer has a definite ratio. Although this reference does not teach that the spaced apart of the two orthogonal projections has a distance value as claimed and the ratio of the height to width of the spacer has a value of claimed, such modifications are considered to be obvious matters of design choices to one skilled in the art for designing the spacer to have a desired dimensions. The dimensions and shape of the spacer do not seem to change the operation of the display substrate.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of the US patent application publication by Yao (US 2024/0074275 A1).
The display substrate taught by Zhu et al as described in claim 1 above has met all the limitations of the claim.
With regard to claim 4, Zhu et al teaches that the overcoat or the planarization layer (205, Figures 5 and 6) has a definite thickness but does not teach explicitly that it is less than 1 mm. Such modification is considered to be obvious matters of design choice to one skilled in the art since the thickness required for the planarization layer is to cover light filtering unit and the light shielding member. Yao in the same field of endeavor teaches the planarization layer typically has a thickness of 1 mm to 10 mm, (please see paragraph [0091]). It would then have been obvious to one skilled in the art to apply the teachings of Yao to design the thickness of the planarization layer to be about 1 mm.
Claim(s) 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of the US patent application publication by Tung et al (US 2008/0273130 A1).
The display substrate taught by Zhu et al as described in claim 1 above has met all the limitations of the claim.
With regard to claims 5 and 6, Zhu et al does not teach explicitly that the black matrix of the light shielding member is made by the claimed materials. However typical black matrix is made of materials such as silver (Ag), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), molybdenum (Mo), or titanium (Ti) as explicitly taught by Tung et al, (please see paragraph [0041]). It would then have been obvious to one skilled in the art to apply the teachings of Tung et al to make the black matrix or light shielding member made by the art well known materials. Since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended used as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Claim(s) 7, 18, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al as applied to claim 1-3 above, and further in view of the US patent application publication by Liu et al (US 2019/0064616A1).
The display substrate taught by Zhu et al as described in claim 1 above has met all the limitations of the claim.
With regard to claims 7, 18 and 19, Zhu et al does not teach explicitly to include a light shielding pattern arranged between the spacer and the planarization layer. Liu et al in the same field of endeavor teaches a display substrate wherein a light shielding patten (250, Figure 2) may be disposed between the planarization layer (240) and the spacer (252). It would then have been obvious to modify the display substrate to include a light shielding pattern or layer between the planarization layer and the spacer for the benefit of providing different design for the substrate. Liu et al teaches that the orthogonal projection of the spacer onto the base substrate is arranged within an orthogonal projection of the light shielding patterns onto the base substrate, (please see Figure 2). The boundary of the orthogonal projection of the spacer onto the base substrate is spaced from a boundary of the orthogonal projection of the light shielding pattern onto the base substrate. Although this reference does not teach explicitly that the spaced distance is between 0 mm and 0.8 mm, such feature is considered to be obvious matters of design choice to one skilled in the art for the benefit of providing a desired design to achieve desired function.
Claim(s) 8 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al and Liu et al as applied to claims 1 and 7 above, and further in view of the US patent application publication by Xu et al (US 2019/00518576A1).
The display substrate taught by Zhu et al in combination with the teachings of Liu et al as described in claims 1 and 7 above has met all the limitations of the claim.
With regard to claim 8, these references do not teach to further comprise an auxiliary pattern arranged between the light shielding pattern and the spacer. Xu et al in the same field of endeavor teaches a display substrate that is comprised of an auxiliary layer (216, Figure 3, please see paragraph [0027]) that is interposed between the spacer layer (205) and the black matrix or light shielding pattern (208). It would then have been obvious to one skilled in the art to apply the teachings of Xu et al to further provide an auxiliary layer to provide additional function for the spacer layer. Xu et al teaches that the orthogonal projection of the spacer onto the base substrate is arranged within an orthogonal projection of the auxiliary layer onto the base substrate and the boundary of the orthogonal projection of the spacer onto the base substrate is spaced apart from a boundary of the orthogonal projection of the auxiliary pattern onto the base substrate, however it does not teach explicitly that the spaced apart distance is of 0 mm to 0.8 mm. But this feature is considered to be obvious design choice to one skilled in the art to provide a desired design for the auxiliary layer.
With regard to claim 9, Xu et al teaches that the boundary of the orthogonal projection of the light shielding pattern onto the base substrate is spaced apart from the boundary of the orthogonal projection of the auxiliary pattern onto the base substrate, however does not teach explicitly that the spaced apart distance is of 0 mm to 0.4 mm. But this feature is considered to be obvious matters of design choice to one skilled in the art to provide a desired design.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al and Liu et al as applied to claims 1 and 7 above, and further in view of the US patent application publication by Tung et al (US 2008/0273130A1).
The display substrate taught by Zhu et al in combination with the teachings of Liu et al as described in claims 1 and 7 above has met all the limitations of the claim.
With regard to claim 10, Zhu et al does not teach explicitly that the black matrix of the light shielding member/pattern is made by the claimed materials. However typical black matrix is made of materials such as silver (Ag), gold (Au), aluminum (Al), molybdenum (Mo), or titanium (Ti) as explicitly taught by Tung et al, (please see paragraph [0041]). It would then have been obvious to one skilled in the art to apply the teachings of Tung et al to make the black matrix or light shielding member made by the art well known materials. Since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended used as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Claim(s) 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US patent application publication by Ryu (US 2005/0243266A1).
Ryu, teaches with regard to claim 13, a method for fabricating a display substrate that is comprised of a step of providing a substrate (110, Figure 5A) serves as the base substrate, a step of forming a black matrix (115, Figure 5B) that is comprised of a plurality of first light shielding members arranged on the base substrate and extending in a first direction, step of forming a plurality of filtering units (120a, 120b, 120c, Figures 5C to 5F) at a side of the first light shielding member, the plurality of filtering units are arranged at intervals. The black matrix (115) also includes a plurality of second light shielding member such that each second light shielding member fills a gap between adjacent light filtering units, (please see Figure 5F). The second light shielding member may extend in a second direction and the first direction intersects the second direction, since the black matrix with the light shielding members is formed at the boundary region of the pixel P in the open portions (113a, 113b and 113c, please see paragraph [0057]). Ryu teaches an overcoat layer (125, Figure 5F) serves as the planarization layer is formed at a side of the plurality of filtering units and the plurality of second light shielding member away from the base substrate and spacer (150, Figures 5G to 5I) at a side of the planarization layer (125) away from the base substrate, (please see paragraphs [0054] to [0065]).
This reference has met all the limitations of the claims. It however does not teach explicitly that the filtering units and the second light shielding members are arranged away from the baes substrate. But this feature is rejected under 35 USC 112, second paragraph, for the reasons set forth above. It therefore cannot be examined further.
With regard to claim 14, Ryu teaches that typical display comprises a gate line and a data line, (please see Figure 1). It is either implicitly true or obvious modification to one skilled in the art to make the first light shielding members extend along the data line and to make the second light shielding members extend along the gate line.
With regard to claim 15, Ryu teaches that the black matrix may comprise metal thin film, (please see paragraph [0021]). Ryu teaches that the black matrix material (112, Figure 5A) is formed on the base substrate (110) and patterning the material to form the plurality of light shielding members.
Claim(s) 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryu as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of the US patent application publication by Liu et al (US 2019/0064616A1) and Xu et al (US 2019/0051857 A1).
The method for fabricating a display substrate taught by Ryu as described in claim 13 above has met all the limitations of the claim.
With regard to claim 16, Ryu does not teach explicitly to include a light shielding pattern arranged between the spacer and the planarization layer. Liu et al in the same field of endeavor teaches a display substrate wherein a light shielding patten (250, Figure 2) may be disposed between the planarization layer (240) and the spacer (252). It would then have been obvious to modify the display substrate to include a light shielding pattern or layer between the planarization layer and the spacer for the benefit of providing different design for the substrate. Liu et al teaches that the orthogonal projection of the spacer onto the base substrate is arranged within an orthogonal projection of the light shielding patterns onto the base substrate, (please see Figure 2). The boundary of the orthogonal projection of the spacer onto the base substrate is spaced from a boundary of the orthogonal projection of the light shielding pattern onto the base substrate.
These references do not teach to further comprise an auxiliary pattern arranged between the light shielding pattern and the spacer. Xu et al in the same field of endeavor teaches a display substrate that is comprised of an auxiliary layer (216, Figure 3, please see paragraph [0027]) that is interposed between the spacer layer (205) and the black matrix or light shielding pattern (208). It would then have been obvious to one skilled in the art to apply the teachings of Xu et al to further provide an auxiliary layer to provide additional function for the spacer layer.
With regard to claim 17, Ryu teaches that the various layers are formed by using masks to expose the layer materials, (please see Figures 5A to 5I), it is within general level skilled in the art to apply the typical mask and exposing method and the etching method to form the various layers.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al and Yao as applied to claims 1 and 4 above, and further in view of the US patent application publication by Liu et al (US 2019/0064616A1).
The display substrate taught by Zhu et al in combination with the teachings of Yao as described in claims 1 and 4 above has met all the limitations of the claim.
With regard to claim 20, Zhu et al does not teach explicitly to include a light shielding pattern arranged between the spacer and the planarization layer. Liu et al in the same field of endeavor teaches a display substrate wherein a light shielding patten (250, Figure 2) may be disposed between the planarization layer (240) and the spacer (252). It would then have been obvious to modify the display substrate to include a light shielding pattern or layer between the planarization layer and the spacer for the benefit of providing different design for the substrate. Liu et al teaches that the orthogonal projection of the spacer onto the base substrate is arranged within an orthogonal projection of the light shielding patterns onto the base substrate, (please see Figure 2). The boundary of the orthogonal projection of the spacer onto the base substrate is spaced from a boundary of the orthogonal projection of the light shielding pattern onto the base substrate. Although this reference does not teach explicitly that the spaced distance is between 0 mm and 8 mm, such feature is considered to be obvious matters of design choice to one skilled in the art for the benefit of providing a desired design to achieve desired function.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US patent application publication by Luo (US 2022/0255040 A1) teaches display substrate that is comprised of black matrix, filtering units, auxiliary layer, planarization layer.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AUDREY Y CHANG whose telephone number is (571)272-2309. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 9:00AM-4:30PM.
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AUDREY Y. CHANG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2872
/AUDREY Y CHANG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
Prosecution Insights