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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/22/24 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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)(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 1-3, 5, 7, 9, and 11-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Im et al., US 2025/0072228.
The applied reference has a common assignee and inventor with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Regarding claim 1, Im teaches (at least in Figure 5) a display device comprising: an inorganic insulating layer (117) disposed on a substrate (100); a hydrogen supply layer (131 and 132) disposed on the inorganic insulating layer; a pixel electrode (211 and 212) contacting the hydrogen supply layer; and an interlayer (221 and 222) that receives a hydrogen ion from the hydrogen supply layer ([0131]) and is disposed on the pixel electrode (see Figure 5).
Regarding claim 2, Im teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches an organic insulating layer (119) disposed on the inorganic insulating layer, wherein the hydrogen supply layer is disposed on the organic insulating layer (131 and 132 are disposed on organic layer 119).
Regarding claim 3, Im teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 2 and further teaches an upper surface of the hydrogen supply layer contacts the pixel electrode (upper surface of 131 and 132 contacts pixel electrodes 211 and 212).
Regarding claim 5, Im teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 2 and further teaches the organic insulating layer (119) includes a first opening penetrating the organic insulating layer (via for pixel electrode to contact TR1 and TR2), and the hydrogen supply layer (131 and 132) includes a second opening overlapping a first opening in a plan view (see Figure 5).
Regarding claim 7, Im teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches an organic insulating layer (120) disposed on the inorganic insulating layer (117), wherein the hydrogen supply layer (131 and 132) is disposed between the inorganic insulating layer and the organic insulating layer (see Figure 5).
Regarding claim 9, Im teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 7 and further teaches the organic insulating layer (120) includes a first opening (PX1, PX2), and the hydrogen supply layer (131, 132) includes a second opening overlapping a first opening in a plan view (opening for pixel electrode to reach TR1, and overlaps with pixels).
Regarding claim 11, Im teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches a common electrode (230) disposed on the interlayer (221, 222), wherein the interlayer includes a light-emitting layer ([0131]) and an electron auxiliary layer that supplies an electron to the light-emitting layer ([0124]).
Regarding claim 12, Im teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 11 and further teaches the light-emitting layer includes a quantum dot, and the electron auxiliary layer includes a metal oxide ([0128]).
Regarding claim 13, Im teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 12 and further teaches electron auxiliary layer includes at least one of a zinc oxide and a zinc manganese oxide ([0128]).
Regarding claim 14, Im teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches the hydrogen supply layer includes a silicon nitride ([0131]).
Regarding claim 15, Im teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches the hydrogen supply layer includes a silicon oxide ([0131]).
Regarding claim 16, Im teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches the hydrogen supply layer includes an amorphous silicon ([0131]).
Regarding claim 17, Im teaches a method of manufacturing a display device (see at least Figure 5 and [0002]), the method comprising: forming an inorganic insulating layer (117) on a substrate (100); forming a hydrogen supply layer (131 and 132) on the inorganic insulating layer; forming a pixel electrode (211 and 212)contacting the hydrogen supply layer on the hydrogen supply layer; and forming an interlayer (221 and 222) that receives a hydrogen ion from the hydrogen supply layer on the pixel electrode ([0131]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 6, 8, 10, and 18-20 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: The prior art teaches a display device comprising a hydrogen supply layer, but fails to teach the hydrogen supply layer contacts the pixel electrode in a recess in an organic layer. The prior art also fails to teach or suggest etching the preliminary insulating layer and hydrogen supply layer or performing a hydrogen plasma treatment on a portion of the hydrogen supply layer.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim et al., US 2024/0414976 teaches a display device comprising a hydrogen supply layer in contact with a pixel electrode, but fails to teach the hydrogen supply layer contacts the pixel electrode in a recess in an organic layer.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARY-ELLEN BOWMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5383. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday; 7:00 am-5:00 pm.
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MARY ELLEN BOWMAN
Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/MARY ELLEN BOWMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
