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, 9, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim (US 2024/0206228).
Regarding independent claim 1, Kim teaches a display device comprising a substrate (Fig. 4, Element 111; ¶ [0107]); a plurality of sub-pixels (Fig. 4, Elements T_SP/B_SP; ¶ [0075]) on the substrate, the plurality of sub-pixels comprising a sub-pixel including an emissive area and a circuit area (Figs. 4 and 10, Element 120; ¶s [0112], [0126]); a first overcoat layer (Fig. 4, Element 115e; ¶ [0146]) on the substrate; a first sub anode electrode (Fig. 4, Element 131a; ¶ [0153]) on the first overcoat layer; a second overcoat layer (Fig. 4, Element 131b; ¶ [0153]) on a portion of the first sub anode electrode that is in the emissive area; a second sub anode electrode (Fig. 4, Element 131c; ¶ [0153]) on the second overcoat layer in the emissive area, the second sub anode electrode overlapping the first sub anode electrode in the emissive area; an organic light emitting layer (Fig. 4, Element 132; ¶ [0107]) covering the first sub anode electrode, the second overcoat layer, and the second sub anode electrode in the emissive area; and a cathode electrode (Fig. 4, Element 133; ¶ [0107]) on the organic light emitting layer in the emissive area.
Regarding claim 9, Kim teaches a bank layer (Fig. 4, Element 115g; ¶ [0155]) defining the emissive area of the sub-pixel; wherein the organic light emitting layer covers the first sub anode electrode, the second overcoat layer, the second sub anode electrode, and the bank layer.
Regarding claim 17, Kim teaches the cathode electrode on an upper surface and a side surface of the second overcoat layer and reflects light generated from the organic light emitting layer in a direction towards the substrate (¶ [0181]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 20-24 are allowed.
Claims 2-8, 10-16, and 18-19 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 2, the prior art of record neither shows or suggests a display comprising, in addition to other limitations of the claim, the first sub anode electrode comprising a first emitter in the emissive area; a first contact in the circuit area, the first contact contacting a transistor in the circuit area; and a first connector that connects the first emitter and the first contact, and wherein the second sub anode the first sub anode electrode or the second sub anode electrode includes a break through an entire thickness of the first sub anode electrode or an entire thickness of the second sub anode electrode responsive to a subpixel that includes the first sub anode electrode and the second sub anode electrode being defective second emitter in the emissive area; a second contact in the circuit area, the second contact electrically connecting the second sub anode electrode to the transistor; and a second connector connecting the second emitter and the second contact.
Due to their dependencies upon claim 2, claims 3-8, 10-16, and 18-19 are also allowable.
Regarding independent claim 20, the prior art of record neither shows or suggests a display comprising, in addition to other limitations of the claim, a first overcoat layer on an emissive area and a circuit area; a second overcoat layer in the emissive area without the second overcoat layer extending to the circuit area, the second overcoat layer including an upper surface and an inclined side surface that extends from the upper surface to a first sub anode electrode; a second sub anode electrode that is on the upper surface of the second overcoat layer in the emissive area; a light emitting layer over the second sub anode electrode and the second overcoat layer in the emissive area, the light emitting layer including a first inclined portion having an end that contacts a portion of the first sub anode electrode in the emissive area and extends toward the upper surface of the second overcoat layer along the inclined side surface of the second overcoat layer, and a second portion that extends from the first inclined portion of the light emitting layer and contacts the second sub anode electrode and the upper surface of the second overcoat layer; and a cathode electrode on the light emitting layer in the emissive area, the cathode electrode including a first inclined portion having an end that is closer to the substrate than the second sub anode electrode but farther from the substrate than the end of the first inclined portion of the light emitting layer and extends along the first inclined portion of the light emitting layer, and a second portion of the cathode electrode that extends from the first inclined portion of the cathode electrode and contacts the second portion of the light emitting layer such that the second portion of the cathode electrode overlaps the second sub anode electrode and the second overcoat layer.
Due to their dependencies upon claim 20, claims 21-24 are also allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Im (US 2016/0351638) teaches an organic light emitting display device with a pad area including a signal pad.
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 26 June 2026
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