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 . Claims 1-20 are pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: there is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation “exposing the portions”. Appropriate correction is required. In support of compact prosecution the cited Claim 1 limitation is construed: “exposing
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-7, 9-10, 14, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (US 2023/0093856).
Regarding Claims 1 and 14 (Original), Kim teaches a display device and a manufacturing method of a display device, comprising:
a substrate [fig. 3 @SUB1];
pixels [fig. 7 @TFTL and fig. 7 @EML or fig. 3 @DU in DA] disposed on the substrate [figs. 3 and 7 @SUB1];
a base layer [figs 3 and 7 @SUB2] disposed on the pixels [fig. 3 @DU in DA];
a first conductive pattern [fig. 7 @210, BP1] disposed on the base layer [fig. 7 @SUB2];
a touch insulating layer [fig. 7 @215] disposed on the base layer [fig. 7 @SUB2],
the touch insulating layer [fig. 7 @215] including contact holes defined therein [¶0178, “The first touch insulating layer 215 may include a first contact hole CNT1 and a second contact hole CNT2”],
the contact holes [fig. 7 @CNT1 and CNT2] overlap portions of the first conductive pattern [fig. 7 @210, BP1] and
exposing the portions [fig. 7 illustrates portions where CNT1 and CNT2 directly contact 210] of the first conductive pattern [fig. 7 @210, BP1];
second conductive patterns [fig. 7 @220, SP1, IE1] disposed on the touch insulating layer [fig. 7 @215]; and
conductive films [comprises the conductive material providing electrical contact taught by ¶0178] disposed [¶0178, “… The first main pattern SP1 (IE1, fig. 7 @ 220) and the first connection pattern BP1 (fig. 7 @210) may be electrically connected through the first contact hole CNT1, and the first connection pattern BP1 and the first island electrode IEI may be electrically connected through the second contact hole CNT2”] within the contact holes and contacting the exposed portions [fig. 7 illustrates portions where CNT1 and CNT2 directly contact 210] of the first conductive pattern [fig. 7 @210],
wherein a first portion [fig. 7 portion of 220 not in direct contact with 210] of the second conductive patterns [fig. 7 @220, IE1] are disposed in the contact holes [fig. 7 @CNT1 and CNT2] and
are electrically connected to the first conductive pattern [fig. 7 @210, BP1] through the conductive films [¶0178].
Regarding Claim 2 (Original), Kim teaches the display device of Claim 1, wherein
the contact holes [figs. 6 and 7 @CNT1 and CNT2] penetrate the touch insulating layer [fig. 7 @215] between the first conductive pattern [fig. 7 @210] and a first-second conductive pattern [fig. 6 @IE1] of the second conductive patterns [fig. 7 @220], and
between the first conductive pattern [figs. 6 and 7 @210] and a second-second conductive pattern [fig. 6 @SP1] of the second conductive patterns [fig. 7 @220].
Regarding Claim 4 (Original), Kim teaches the display device of Claim 1, wherein:
the first portion of the second conductive patterns [fig. 7 portion of 220 not in direct contact with 210] are spaced apart from the first conductive pattern [fig. 7 @210] and the touch insulating layer [fig. 7 @215] with the conductive films interposed [portion of 220 lining hole formed for CNT2] therebetween.
Regarding Claims 5 and 16 (Original), Kim teaches the display device of Claim 1 and the method of Claim 14, wherein:
the conductive films [comprises the conductive material providing electrical contact taught by ¶0178] cover inner surfaces of the contact holes [fig. 7 illustrates conductive material formed in CNT2 covers side of hole created in 215].
Regarding Claims 6 and 17 (Original), Kim teaches the display device of Claim 1 and the method of Claim 14, wherein
each of the conductive films [conductive material formed as a film in CNT1 and CNT2] directly contacts a first conductive pattern of the first conductive patterns [fig. 7 @210 (BP1)] and a second conductive pattern of the second conductive patterns [figs. 6 and 7 @ 220 (SP1)].
Regarding Claim 7 (Original), Kim teaches the display device of Claim 1, wherein:
each of the second conductive patterns [fig. 7 @220] includes:
a (2-1)-th conductive pattern [fig. 7 @220 (IE1)] disposed directly on the touch insulating layer [ fig. 7 @ 215]; and
a (2-2)-th conductive pattern [fig. 6 @IE1 (SP1)] disposed inside one of the contact holes [fig. 6 @CNT1] and directly connected to the (2-1)-th conductive pattern [fig. 7 @220 (IE1)],
the (2-2)-th conductive pattern [fig. 6 @IE1 (SP1)] is the first portion of the second conductive patterns [fig. 7 portion of 220 minus CNT1 not in direct contact with 210].
Regarding Claims 9 and 18 (Original), Kim teaches the display device of Claim 1 and the method of Claim 14, wherein:
the contact holes [fig. 6 @CNT1 and CNT2] have an aspect ratio greater than or equal to 1 [fig. 6 illustrates square contact holes which have an aspect ratio of 1].
Regarding Claim 10 (Original), Kim teaches the display device of Claim 1, wherein:
the touch insulating layer [fig. 7 @215] includes an organic insulating material [¶0177, “The first touch insulating layer 215 and the second touch insulating layer 230 may include … an organic insulating material”].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the Examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the Examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 3 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Takahashi (US 2012/0228110). All reference is to Kim unless otherwise indicated.
Regarding Claims 3 and 15 (Original), Kim teaches the display device of Claim 1 and the method of Claim 14
Kim does not teach the conductive films include a conductive material formed through a chemical vapor deposition process
Takahashi teaches a conductive film [fig. 17 @13] includes a conductive material formed through a chemical vapor deposition process [¶0053, “ Examples of a method of forming the transparent conductive film 13 include … a CVD method …”]
Before the application was filed it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the concept of using a CVD process to form a transparent conductive film, as taught by Takahashi into the display device and display method taught by Kim in order to create a highly uniform, pure, and dense thin film on complex shapes using a wide variety of conductive materials.
Claims 11-13 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Moon (US 2020/0401274). All reference is to Kim unless otherwise indicated.
Regarding Claims 11 and 19 (Original), Kim teaches the display device of Claim 1 and the method of Claim 14
Kim does not teach a thin film encapsulation layer is disposed on the pixels, the thin film encapsulation layer including at least one organic film and at least one inorganic film
Moon teaches a thin film encapsulation layer [¶0066, “Referring to FIG. 3, the display device 10 may include a substrate 101, a thin film transistor layer TFTL, a light emitting element layer EML, a thin film Encapsulation layer TFEL, and a touch sensing layer TSL] is disposed on the pixels [fig. 3 @EML],
the thin film encapsulation layer including at least one organic film and at least one inorganic film [¶0071, “The thin film encapsulation layer TFEL may be disposed on the light emitting element layer EML … the thin film encapsulation layer TFEL may include at least one inorganic film … For this purpose, the thin film encapsulation layer TFEL may include at least one organic film”]
Before the application was filed it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the concept of forming a thin film encapsulation layer, comprising an organic and an inorganic film, over a light emission layer, as taught by Moon into the display device and display method taught by Kim in order to prevent (or mitigate) oxygen or moisture from penetrating the light emitting element layer EML and protect the light emitting element layer EML from foreign matter, such as dust (Moon: ¶0071).
Regarding Claim 12 (Original), Kim in view of Moon teaches the display device of Claim 11, wherein
the base layer [Moon: construed as ¶0073 adhesive layer] is disposed on the thin film encapsulation layer [Moon: ¶0073, “ The touch sensing layer TSL may be disposed on the thin film encapsulation layer TFEL. When the touch sensing layer TSL is disposed directly on the thin film encapsulation layer TFEL, the thickness of the display device 10 may be reduced as compared to when a separate touch panel including the touch sensing layer TSL is attached onto the thin film encapsulation layer TFEL using, for instance, an adhesive layer”].
Regarding Claim 13 (Original), Kim in view of Moon teaches the display device of Claim 11, wherein
the base layer [Moon: construed as ¶0073 adhesive layer] comprises an uppermost layer of the thin film encapsulation layer [Moon: ¶0073 teaches touch sensing layer attached to thin film encapsulation layer by an adhesive layer (base layer)].
Regarding Claim 20 (Original), Kim in view of Moon teaches the manufacturing method of Claim 19, wherein
the base layer [Moon: construed as ¶0073 adhesive layer] is disposed on the thin film encapsulation layer or
is an uppermost layer of the thin film encapsulation layer [alternate limitation not addressed].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to Douglas Wilson whose telephone number is (571)272-5640. The Examiner can normally be reached 1000-1700 EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Patrick Edouard can be reached at 571-272-7603. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Douglas Wilson/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2622