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 § 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, 3, 4, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ka et al. (US 20130141314 A1, hereafter Ka) in view of Cok (US 20100265224 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ka teaches a display device, comprising:
a plurality of first light-emitting elements (Figs. 1 and 2, [0047], [0058]-[0059], where there is a light-emitting element LED coupled to each of the plurality of PX_R);
a plurality of second light-emitting elements (Figs. 1 and 2, [0047], [0058]-[0059], where there is a light-emitting element LED coupled to each of the plurality of PX_G);
a data transfer line (L1-Lk) (Fig. 1, [0065]-[0066], where there are lines L1-Lk);
a first data line (D1) extending in a first direction (Fig. 1, [0047]-[0048]);
a second data line (D2) extending in the first direction and adjacent to the first data line along the first direction (Fig. 1, [0047]-[0048]);
a plurality of first pixel circuits (PX_R) coupled to the first data line and respectively coupled to the plurality of first light-emitting elements (Figs. 1 and 2, [0047], [0058]-[0059], where there is a light-emitting element LED coupled to each of the plurality of PX_R);
a plurality of second pixel circuits coupled to the second data line and respectively coupled to the plurality of second light-emitting elements (Figs. 1 and 2, [0047], [0058]-[0059], where there is a light-emitting element LED coupled to each of the plurality of PX_G);
a first switch circuit (TA1) configured to control electrical coupling between the first data line and the data transfer line (Fig. 1, [0066]-[0067], where the TFT TA1 connects L1 and D1); and
a second switch circuit (TB2) configured to control electrical coupling between the second data line and the data transfer line (Fig. 1, [0066]-[0067], where the TFT TB2 connects L2 and D2), wherein
the first data line is supplied with a signal for causing each of the plurality of first light-emitting elements to emit light from the data transfer line via the first switch circuit (Figs. 1 and 2, [0065]-[0067], where there is a light-emitting element LED coupled to each of the plurality of PX_R),
the second data line is supplied with a signal for causing each of the plurality of second light-emitting elements to emit light from the data transfer line via the second switch circuit (Figs. 1 and 2, [0065]-[0067], where there is a light-emitting element LED coupled to each of the plurality of PX_G).
But, Ka does not explicitly teach the display device where in a plan view, the first switch circuit overlaps at least one of the plurality of first light-emitting elements. However, this was well known in the art as evidenced by Cok (Figs. 1A-1D and 10, [0043]-[044], [0060], where there is overlap between driver chiplets 20A, 20B, etc. [the switch circuit] and OLEDs 20 in the pixel group 32A, 32B, etc.). Both Ka and Cok teach display devices having a plurality of light emitting elements connected to switch circuits. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Ka according to the teachings of Cok so as to reduce of the size of the display panel (Cok [0086]).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Ka and Cok would show the display device according to claim 1. Cok in the combination further teaches the display device wherein in the plan view, the first switch circuit is arranged in a region between two first pixel circuits of the plurality of first pixel circuits (Fig. 10, [0043], [0060], where the chiplets 20 are arranged between electrodes 12, 16 in the pixel groups).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Ka and Cok would show the display device according to claim 1. Cok in the combination further teaches the display device wherein in the plan view, the first switch circuit is arranged in a region between an arrangement region of the plurality of first pixel circuits and an arrangement region of the plurality of second pixel circuits (Fig. 10, [0043], [0060], where the chiplets 20 within a given pixel group are furthermore between pixel groups to either side).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Ka and Cok would show the display device according to claim 1. Ka further teaches an electronic apparatus comprising the display device (Fig. 1, [0046]-[0047], where the display unit is part of a display device).
Claims 2 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ka et al. (US 20130141314 A1, hereafter Ka) in view of Cok (US 20100265224 A1) and Dao et al. (US 12424600 B1, hereafter Dao).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Ka and Cok would show the display device according to claim 1. But, the combination does not teach the display device wherein the plurality of first light-emitting elements are arranged at a first pitch in the first direction, the plurality of first pixel circuits are arranged at a second pitch in the first direction, and the second pitch is smaller than the first pitch. However, this was well known in the art as evidenced by Dao (Fig. 8A, Col. 18 lines 29-63, where different pitches can be selected for the light-emitting elements and pixel circuits). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ka with the teaching of Dao as to provide a higher resolution display (Dao Col. 21 lines 43-50).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Ka, Cok, and Dao would show the display device according to claim 2. Dao in the combination further teaches the display device wherein a product of a difference between the first pitch and the second pitch and the number of the first light-emitting elements is equal to or less than the first pitch (Fig. 8A, Col. 18 lines 29-63, where different pitches can be selected for the light-emitting elements and pixel circuits such that the product of a difference is less than the first pitch).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER D MCLOONE whose telephone number is (571)272-4631. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 AM - 5 PM.
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/PETER D MCLOONE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621