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 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 1-2, 5-6, and 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sung (US 2023/0180530).
Regarding independent claim 1, Sung teaches a display device comprising a substrate (Fig. 2, Element BS; ¶ [0072]) having a plurality of subpixels (Fig. 2, Element PXA; ¶ [0059]) a transistor in each of the plurality of subpixels (¶ [0077]); a first bank layer (Fig. 2, Element PDL; ¶ [0069]) surrounding the plurality of subpixels; an auxiliary electrode (Fig. 5, Element CE-b; ¶ [0116]) on the first bank layer; a light emitting diode (Fig. 2, Element ED; ¶ [0069]) in each of the plurality of subpixels, the light emitting diode including a first electrode (Fig. 2, Element AE; ¶ [0080]), an emitting layer (Fig. 2, Element EL; ¶ [0080]) on the first electrode and a second electrode (Fig. 2, Element CE; ¶ [0080]) on the emitting layer; and a first encapsulating layer (Fig. 5, Element IL1; ¶ [0137]) on the light emitting diode in each of the plurality of subpixels, wherein the auxiliary electrode and the first bank layer have an undercut shape (Fig. 5), and wherein the second electrode contacts the auxiliary electrode such that the second electrodes of adjacent two of the plurality of subpixels are electrically connected to each other (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 2, Sung teaches the emitting layer and the second electrode disposed in a region surrounded by the first bank layer (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 5, Sung teaches the first bank layer including an inorganic material (¶ [0095]).
Regarding claim 6, Sung teaches a second bank layer (Fig. 5, Element EL-b; ¶ [0113]) on the auxiliary electrode.
Regarding claim 14, Sung teaches a second encapsulating layer of an organic material (Fig. 5, Element MN; ¶ [0122]) over the substrate; and a third encapsulating layer of an inorganic material (Fig. 5, Element IL2; ¶ [0122]) on the second encapsulating layer.
Regarding independent claim 15, Sung teaches a display device comprising: a substrate (Fig. 2, Element BS; ¶ [0072]) having a plurality of subpixels (Fig. 2, Element PXA; ¶ [0059]); a bank layer (Fig. 2, Element PDL; ¶ [0069]) surrounding the plurality of subpixels; a light emitting diode (Fig. 2, Element ED; ¶ [0069]) in each of the plurality of subpixels, the light emitting diode including a first electrode (Fig. 2, Element AE; ¶ [0080]), an emitting layer (Fig. 2, Element EL; ¶ [0080]) on the first electrode and a second electrode (Fig. 2, Element CE; ¶ [0080]) on the emitting layer; a first encapsulating layer (Fig. 5, Element IL1; ¶ [0137]) in each of the plurality of subpixels; and an auxiliary electrode (Fig. 5, Element CE-b; ¶ [0116]) between adjacent two of the plurality of subpixels, the auxiliary electrode electrically connecting the second electrodes of the adjacent two of the plurality of subpixels (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 16, Sung teaches the bank layer and the auxiliary electrode having an undercut shape (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 17, Sung teaches a top surface of the second electrode electrically contacting a bottom surface of the auxiliary electrode (Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 18, Sung teaches the bank layer including a first pattern (Fig. 5, Element BFL; ¶ [0095]) and a second pattern (Fig. 5, Element OL; ¶ [0095]) on the first pattern and having an undercut shape on the auxiliary electrode (Fig. 5), wherein a bottom surface of the second electrode electrically contacts a top surface of the auxiliary electrode (Fig. 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4 and 7-13 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding claim 3, the prior art of record neither shows or suggests a display device comprising, in addition to other limitations of the claim, a top surface of the second electrode being flush with a top surface of the first bank layer such that the top surface of the second electrode contacts a bottom surface of the auxiliary electrode.
Regarding claim 4, the prior art of record neither shows or suggests a display device comprising, in addition to other limitations of the claim, a top surface of the first encapsulating layer being flush with a top surface of the auxiliary electrode.
Regarding claim 7, the prior art of record neither shows or suggests a display device comprising, in addition to other limitations of the claim, the second bank layer including a first pattern on the auxiliary electrode; and a second pattern on the first pattern.
Due to their dependencies upon claim 7, claims 8-13 are also allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim (US 2024/0057409) teaches a display device with dummy electrodes. Baek (US 2023/0059253) teaches a display device with protrusions having grooves. Pang (US 9,735,212) teaches a white organic light emitting display device with separated layer including a charge generation layer.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kevin Quarterman whose telephone number is (571)272-2461. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Greece can be reached at (571) 272-3711. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Kevin Quarterman/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875 28 August 2026
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