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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claims 1, 2 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0110525 to Park et al.; in view of US 2025/0362774 to Yang et al.; in view of US 2021/0397320 to Ye.; further in view of US 2016/0103534 to Zhang et al.
As per claim 1, Park et al. teach a display substrate (Fig. 19) comprising a display region (Fig. 19, AA/RA/HA) and an opening (Fig. 19, HA) located in the display region, wherein the opening penetrates through the display substrate (Fig. 19, MH, paragraph 64), and the display substrate comprises:
a base substrate (Figs. 5 and 19, BS);
a driving circuit layer (Figs. 5 and 19, paragraph 104, “the pixel transistor TR-P forms the circuit layer DP-C together with the first to third insulating layers 10, 20, and 30 of a plurality of insulating layers”), provided on the base substrate and comprising a first signal line at least partially surrounding the opening (Fig. 8, paragraph 178, signal lines SL1 and SL2 will be construed as part of the driving circuit layer);
a light-emitting component layer (Figs. 5 and 19, paragraph 112, layer DP-D), provided on a side of the driving circuit layer away from the base substrate;
an encapsulation layer (Figs. 5 and 19, layer DP-E), provided on a side of the light-emitting component layer away from the base substrate; and
a touch control layer (Figs. 5 and 19, layer ISU; Fig. 9, see ST/RT/SP1/SP2/BL1/BL2), provided on a side of the encapsulation layer away from the base substrate and comprising a touch control electrode (Fig. 9, SP1/SP2, paragraphs 154-155)
wherein the first signal line at least partially overlaps with a region adjacent to the opening in a direction perpendicular to a main surface of the base substrate (Fig. 8, signal lines SL are routed within region RA, between GV and HA; compensation lines BL are also routed within region RA, between GV and HA), wherein the first signal line (Fig. 8, either one of SL1, SL2, SL3 may be a first line) comprises a first sub-signal line surrounding the opening.
Park et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein a longitudinal cross-section of the first sub-signal line is provided with at least one bent portion.
Yang et al. suggest wherein a longitudinal cross-section of the first sub-signal line (Figs. 9 and 10, TL22; Fig. 19, TL22) is provided with at least one bent portion (paragraph 187, in the bent portions TU of the 2-2 to 2-pth second touch signal lines TL22 to TL2p, a regular taper having a taper angle of 70° or less).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Park et al., so that a longitudinal cross-section of the first sub-signal line is provided with at least one bent portion, such as taught by Yang et al., for the purpose of reducing peeling and poor film formation.
Park and Yang et al. do not teach a touch control compensation electrode, the touch control compensation electrode being electrically connected to the touch control electrode and at least partially surrounding the opening and overlapping the region adjacent to the opening.
Ye teaches a touch control compensation electrode (Fig. 4, electrode 11 and Fig. 5, electrode 21, paragraph 61), the touch control compensation electrode being electrically connected to the touch control electrode and at least partially surrounding the opening and overlapping the region adjacent to the opening (Fig. 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Park and Yang et al., by including a touch control compensation electrode, the touch control compensation electrode being electrically connected to the touch control electrode and at least partially surrounding the opening and overlapping the region adjacent to the opening, such as taught by Ye, for the purpose of strengthening a touch signal.
Park, Yang and Ye et al. do not teach wherein the at least one bent portion bends towards the base substrate in the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the base substrate.
Zhang et al. teach wherein the at least one bent portion bends towards the base substrate in the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the base substrate (Fig. 32, conductive trace 40-2 bends towards the substrate).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Park, Yang and Ye et al., so that the at least one bent portion bends towards the base substrate in the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the base substrate, such as taught by Zhang et al., for the purpose of improving trace durability.
As per claim 2, Park, Yang, Ye and Zhang et al. teach the display substrate according to claim 1, wherein the touch control electrode further comprises a first touch control electrode extending along the first direction (Park, Fig., 9, SP2 extends along DR2), and the first touch control electrode comprises a first sub-touch control electrode (Park, Fig. 9, ST1) and a second sub-touch control electrode that are provided adjacent to each other along the second direction (Park, Fig. 9, ST2); the touch control compensation electrode comprises a second touch control compensation electrode (Ye, Fig. 4, pair of electrodes 11), and the second touch control compensation electrode comprises a fourth sub- compensation electrode (Ye, Fig. 4, left electrode 11) and a fifth sub-compensation electrode (Ye, Fig. 4, left electrode 11) extending along the edge of the opening; and the fourth sub-compensation electrode is electrically connected to the first sub-touch control electrode, and the fifth sub-compensation electrode is electrically connected to the second sub-touch control electrode (Ye, Fig. 4).
As per claim 20, Park et al. teach a display device, comprising a display substrate (Fig. 19), wherein the display substrate comprises: a display region (Fig. 19, AA/RA/HA) and an opening (Fig. 19, HA) located in the display region, wherein the opening penetrates through the display substrate (Fig. 19, MH, paragraph 64), and the display substrate comprises:
a base substrate (Figs. 5 and 19, BS);
a driving circuit layer (Figs. 5 and 19, paragraph 104, “the pixel transistor TR-P forms the circuit layer DP-C together with the first to third insulating layers 10, 20, and 30 of a plurality of insulating layers”), provided on the base substrate and comprising a first signal line at least partially surrounding the opening (Fig. 8, paragraph 178, signal lines SL1 and SL2 will be construed as part of the driving circuit layer);
a light-emitting component layer (Figs. 5 and 19, paragraph 112, layer DP-D), provided on a side of the driving circuit layer away from the base substrate;
an encapsulation layer (Figs. 5 and 19, layer DP-E), provided on a side of the light-emitting component layer away from the base substrate; and
a touch control layer (Figs. 5 and 19, layer ISU; Fig. 9, see ST/RT/SP1/SP2/BL1/BL2), provided on a side of the encapsulation layer away from the base substrate and comprising a touch control electrode (Fig. 9, SP1/SP2, paragraphs 154-155)
wherein the first signal line at least partially overlaps with a region adjacent to the opening in a direction perpendicular to a main surface of the base substrate (Fig. 8, signal lines SL are routed within region RA, between GV and HA; compensation lines BL are also routed within region RA, between GV and HA), wherein the first signal line (Fig. 8, either one of SL1, SL2, SL3 may be a first line) comprises a first sub-signal line surrounding the opening.
Park et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein a longitudinal cross-section of the first sub-signal line is provided with at least one bent portion.
Yang et al. suggest wherein a longitudinal cross-section of the first sub-signal line (Figs. 9 and 10, TL22; Fig. 19, TL22) is provided with at least one bent portion (paragraph 187, in the bent portions TU of the 2-2 to 2-pth second touch signal lines TL22 to TL2p, a regular taper having a taper angle of 70° or less).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Park et al., so that a longitudinal cross-section of the first sub-signal line is provided with at least one bent portion, such as taught by Yang et al., for the purpose of reducing peeling and poor film formation.
Park and Yang et al. do not teach a touch control compensation electrode, the touch control compensation electrode being electrically connected to the touch control electrode and at least partially surrounding the opening and overlapping the region adjacent to the opening.
Ye teaches a touch control compensation electrode (Fig. 4, electrode 11 and Fig. 5, electrode 21, paragraph 61), the touch control compensation electrode being electrically connected to the touch control electrode and at least partially surrounding the opening and overlapping the region adjacent to the opening (Fig. 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Park and Yang et al., by including a touch control compensation electrode, the touch control compensation electrode being electrically connected to the touch control electrode and at least partially surrounding the opening and overlapping the region adjacent to the opening, such as taught by Ye, for the purpose of strengthening a touch signal.
Park, Yang and Ye et al. do not teach wherein the at least one bent portion bends towards the base substrate in the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the base substrate.
Zhang et al. teach wherein the at least one bent portion bends towards the base substrate in the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the base substrate (Fig. 32, conductive trace 40-2 bends towards the substrate).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Park, Yang and Ye et al., so that the at least one bent portion bends towards the base substrate in the direction perpendicular to the main surface of the base substrate, such as taught by Zhang et al., for the purpose of improving trace durability.
Claims 8 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0110525 to Park et al.; in view of US 2025/0362774 to Yang et al.; in view of US 2021/0397320 to Ye; US 2016/0103534 to Zhang et al; further in view of in view of US 2021/0357079 to Song et al.; in view of CN210110300U to Li et al., for which US 2022/0036822 will be used as an equivalent translation.
As per claim 8, Park, Yang, Ye and Zhang et al. teach the display substrate according to claim 1, wherein the first signal line further comprises a second sub-signal line and a third sub-signal line both surrounding the opening (Fig. 8, vertical sections into and out of the opening in addition to bent portion connecting with first sub-signal line), the first sub-signal line is located on a side of the second sub-signal line away from the base substrate, and the third sub-signal line is located on a side of the first sub-signal line away from the base substrate (Park, Figs. 5 and 8, signal lines are routed “away from the substrate”).
Park, Yang, Ye and Zhang et al. do not explicitly teach wherein an included angle between a side wall of the third sub-signal line and the main surface of the base substrate is a2, an included angle between a side wall of the first sub-signal line and the main surface of the base substrate is a3, and an included angle between a side wall of the second sub-signal line and the main surface of the base substrate is a4, then a3 <= a4 and a3 <= a2, where a2 < 75, a3 > 30, and 40 < a4 < 50.
Li et al suggests wherein an included angle between a side wall of the third sub-signal line and the main surface of the base substrate is a2, an included angle between a side wall of the first sub- signal line and the main surface of the base substrate is a3, and an included angle between a side wall of the second sub-signal line and the main surface of the base substrate is a4, then a3 <= a4 and a3 <= a2, where a2 < 75, a3 > 30, and 40 < a4 < 50 (Figs. 1-2, paragraphs 60-62 suggest an angle of about 45 degrees between substrate and side walls. The Office respectfully submits that the claimed limitations seems toread on said disclosure, at least for the case that a2 = a3 = a4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Park, Yang, Ye and Zhang et al., that an included angle between a side wall of the third sub-signal line and the main surface of the base substrate is a2, an included angle between a side wall of the first sub-signal line and the main surface of the base substrate is a3, and an included angle between a side wall of the second sub-signal line and the main surface of the base substrate is a4, then a3 <= a4 and a3 <= a2, where a2 < 75, a3 > 30, and 40 < a4 < 50, such as taught by Li et al, for the purpose of improving manufacturing yield and display resolution.
As per claim 16, Park, Yang, Ye, Zhang and Li et al. teach the display substrate according to claim 8, wherein the driving circuit layer comprises a plurality of pixel driving circuits (Park, Fig. 4), the light-emitting component layer comprises a plurality of light-emitting components, and the plurality of pixel driving circuits are respectively electrically connected to the plurality of light-emitting components to respectively drive the plurality of light-emitting components (Park, Figs. 4-5, OD, ); the pixel driving circuit comprises a thin film transistor (Park, Fig. 4, T1) and a storage capacitor (Park, Fig. 4, Cst), the thin film transistor comprises a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode provided on the base substrate, the source electrode and drain electrode are provided on a side of the gate electrode away from the base substrate (Park, Fig. 5), the storage capacitor comprises a first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode provided on the base substrate, and the second capacitor electrode is provided on a side of the first capacitor electrode away from the base substrate; and the first sub-signal line is provided in a same layer and with a same material as the source electrode and the drain electrode (Park, Fig. 4, Dm is directly connected to source/drain of T1 when T2 is enabled, at least suggesting said line being disposed in the same layer and with the same material as said electrodes that it connects to), and the gate electrode is provided in a same layer and with a same material as the first capacitor electrode (Park, Fig. 4, Cst is directly connected to gate of T1, at least suggesting said capacitor electrodes being disposed in the same layer and material as said gate electrode that it connects to).
As per claim 17, Park, Yang, Ye, Zhang and Li et al. teach the display substrate according to claim 16, wherein the second sub-signal line is provided in a same layer and with a same material as the gate electrode or the second capacitor electrode (Park, paragraph 192, logically, parts may be disposed on the same layer, or on different layers, both scenarios are discussed in paragraph 192, the particular arrangement selected is determined by design constraints).
As per claim 18, Park, Yang, Ye, Zhang and Li et al. teach the display substrate according to claim 16, wherein the pixel driving circuit further comprises a connection electrode provided on a side of the source electrode and the drain electrode away from the base substrate, the light-emitting component is electrically connected to one of the source electrode and the drain electrode through the connection electrode, and the third sub-signal line is provided in a same layer and with a same material as the connection electrode (Park, Figs. 4-5, paragraph 192, logically, parts may be disposed on the same layer, or on different layers, both scenarios are discussed in paragraph 192, the particular arrangement selected is determined by design constraints).
As per claim 19, Park, Yang, Ye, Zhang and Li et al. teach the display substrate according to claim 16, wherein the first signal line is electrically connected to the pixel driving circuit and configured to provide a data signal or a scanning signal to the pixel driving circuit (Park, Fig. 4, DM).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-15 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.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE R SOTO LOPEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5689. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, from 8 am - 5 pm.
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/JOSE R SOTO LOPEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2622
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