DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) is acknowledged. In addition, acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 19/232,883, filed on June 10, 2025.
Oath/Declaration
Oath/Declaration as filed on June 10, 2025 is noted by the Examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In particular, limitation “the same in material” recited in twelfth line of the claim is unclear at least because the claim uses term “the same in material” for a first time without previously reciting the term in the claim, or in a claim from which the claim 13 depends. Therefore, Examiner suggests the limitation “the same in material” should be amended, without adding new matter, in a manner that resolves the antecedent basis issue. Accordingly, any claims dependent on claim 1 are objected to based on same above reasoning.
Claims 14 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In particular, limitation “the same in material” recited in third line of each of the claims is unclear at least because the claim uses term “the same in material” for a first time without previously reciting the term in the claims, or in a claim from which the claims 14 or 17 depend. Therefore, Examiner suggests the limitation “the same in material” should be amended, without adding new matter, in a manner that resolves the antecedent basis issue. Accordingly, any claims dependent on claims 14 or 17 are objected to based on same above reasoning.
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 of this title, 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, 4-6, 9-13, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication 2020/0083302 A1 (hereinafter Park I), in view of Tang et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication 2020/0411608 A1 (hereinafter Tang).
Regarding claim 1, Park I teaches an electronic device comprising: a first substrate; a light emitting unit disposed on the first substrate; a sensing unit disposed on the first substrate and adjacent to the light emitting unit (1000, 100, 310, 230 FIG. 2A, paragraphs[0079]-[0082] of Park I teaches as shown in at least FIG. 2A, the OLED panel 1000 may include a substrate 100, an OLED 310 on the substrate 100, and a driver 200 on the OLED 310, where the driver 200 may be configured to drive the OLED 310; as shown in FIG. 2A, the driver 200 may be between the substrate 100 and the OLED 310, but example embodiments are not limited thereto; while FIG. 2A illustrates the driver 200 as being distal from a front surface 1000a of the OLED panel 1000 in relation to the OLED light emitter 300, such that the visible light sensor 230 is between the OLED 310 and the substrate 100, it will be understood that, in some example embodiments, the driver 200 may be proximate to front surface 1000a in relation to the OLED light emitter 300, such that the OLED light emitter 300, and thus the OLED 310, is between the driver 200 and the substrate 100, and thus the OLED 310 is between the visible light sensor 230 and the substrate 100, and See also at least paragraph[0003] of Park I (i.e., Park I teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel that includes a light emitter having an OLED disposed on a substrate, and a visible light sensor disposed on the substrate and adjacent to the OLED, wherein the OLED is interposed between the substrate and a cover glass));
a first transistor disposed on the first substrate and electrically connected to the light emitting unit (210 FIG. 2A, paragraph[0091] of Park I teaches the driver 200 is formed on the substrate 100, and it includes an OLED driving transistor 210, an OLED switching transistor 220, a visible light sensor 230, black shields 215 and 225, and an interlayer insulating layer 240; the OLED driving transistor 210 may drive the OLED 310; the OLED driving transistor 210, the OLED switching transistor 220, and the visible light sensor 230 may be formed on a same plane, as shown in FIG. 2A for example; when they are formed on the same plane, a process for forming an OLED driving transistor 210, an OLED switching transistor 220, and a visible light sensor 230 may be simultaneously performed, so there is no need to manufacture an additional processing mask and the number of processing stages may be reduced, compared to the case of forming the same on a different plane; and further, the panel may be manufactured to be thinner than the case of forming the same on the different plane, which me be further preferable in realization of the flexible panel (i.e., Park I teaches an OLED driving transistor that drives the OLED));
a second transistor disposed on the first substrate and electrically connected to the first transistor, wherein a semiconductor of the first transistor is different from a semiconductor of the second transistor in material (220 FIGS. 2A-2B and 8, paragraphs[0181] of Park I teaches the OLED switching transistor 220 includes a gate connected to a gate line (n+1), a first end connected to a data line (Data), and a second end connected to the gate of the OLED driving transistor 210, and See also at least paragraphs[0091], [0095]-[0096], [0099], [0103], and [0180] of Park I (i.e., Park I teaches an OLED switching transistor having a second end connected to a gate of the driving transistor and disposed on the substrate, wherein a gate electrode and electrode layer of the switching transistor is different from a gate electrode and electrode layer of the OLED driving transistor)); and
a third transistor disposed on the first substrate and electrically connected to the sensing unit, wherein a semiconductor of the third transistor and one of the semiconductor of the first transistor and the semiconductor of the second transistor (250 FIGS. 2A-2B and 8, paragraphs[0181] of Park I teaches the OLED switching transistor 220 includes a gate connected to a gate line (n+1), a first end connected to a data line (Data), and a second end connected to the gate of the OLED driving transistor 210, and See also at least paragraphs[0091], [0095]-[0096], [0099], [0103], and [0180] of Park I (i.e., Park I teaches a visible light sensor switch transistor that is included in the driver, connected to the visible light sensor, and disposed on the substrate)); but does not expressly teach are the same in material.
However, Tang teaches are the same in material (250 FIG. 3A, paragraphs[0087] of Tang teaches the switching transistor 27 includes a gate electrode 271, a gate insulating layer 272, an active layer 273 and a source-drain electrode layer (including a source electrode 274 and a drain electrode 275); a type, a material and a structure of the switching transistor 27 are not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure; for example, the structure may be of a top gate type, a bottom gate type, a double-gate type, or the like, and the active layer 273 of the switching transistor 27 may be made of, for example, an organic material or an inorganic material, for example, an organic semiconductor material, such as PBTTT (poly(2,5-bis(3-alkylthiophene-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene)), PDBT-co-TT, PDQT, PDVT-10, dinaphtho-thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DNTT), pentacene, or the like; for example, the switching transistor 27 may be of an N-type or a P-type; and for example, the drain electrode 275 of the switching transistor 27 is electrically connected with the first electrode 261 of the photodiode 26, and See also at least paragraph[0098] of Tang (i.e., Tang teaches a switching transistor that is connected to a photodiode that are both made of organic material)).
Furthermore, Park I and Tang are considered to be analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor with respect to a display panel, and involve the same problem of forming the display panel with a suitable photosensor. Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the apparatus of Park I based on Tang wherein the semiconductor of the third transistor and one of the semiconductor of the first transistor and the semiconductor of the second transistor are the same in material. One reason for the modification as taught by Tang is to improve photosensitive precision of a display panel (paragraph[0016] of Tang). The same motivation and rationale to combine for claim 1 mentioned above, in light of corresponding statement of grounds of rejection, applies to each respective dependent claim mentioned in the corresponding statement of grounds of rejection.
Regarding claim 2, Park I and Tang teach the electronic device of Claim 1, wherein the light emitting unit is a diode (FIG. 2A, paragraphs[0079]-[0082] of Park I teaches as shown in at least FIG. 2A, the OLED panel 1000 may include a substrate 100, an OLED 310 on the substrate 100, and a driver 200 on the OLED 310, where the driver 200 may be configured to drive the OLED 310; as shown in FIG. 2A, the driver 200 may be between the substrate 100 and the OLED 310, but example embodiments are not limited thereto; while FIG. 2A illustrates the driver 200 as being distal from a front surface 1000a of the OLED panel 1000 in relation to the OLED light emitter 300, such that the visible light sensor 230 is between the OLED 310 and the substrate 100, it will be understood that, in some example embodiments, the driver 200 may be proximate to front surface 1000a in relation to the OLED light emitter 300, such that the OLED light emitter 300, and thus the OLED 310, is between the driver 200 and the substrate 100, and thus the OLED 310 is between the visible light sensor 230 and the substrate 100, and See also at least paragraph[0003] of Park I (i.e., Park I teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel that includes an OLED disposed on a substrate, and a visible light sensor disposed on the substrate and adjacent to the OLED)).
Regarding claim 4, Park I and Tang teach the electronic device of Claim 2, wherein the light emitting unit is an organic diode (FIG. 2A, paragraphs[0079]-[0082] of Park I teaches as shown in at least FIG. 2A, the OLED panel 1000 may include a substrate 100, an OLED 310 on the substrate 100, and a driver 200 on the OLED 310, where the driver 200 may be configured to drive the OLED 310; as shown in FIG. 2A, the driver 200 may be between the substrate 100 and the OLED 310, but example embodiments are not limited thereto; while FIG. 2A illustrates the driver 200 as being distal from a front surface 1000a of the OLED panel 1000 in relation to the OLED light emitter 300, such that the visible light sensor 230 is between the OLED 310 and the substrate 100, it will be understood that, in some example embodiments, the driver 200 may be proximate to front surface 1000a in relation to the OLED light emitter 300, such that the OLED light emitter 300, and thus the OLED 310, is between the driver 200 and the substrate 100, and thus the OLED 310 is between the visible light sensor 230 and the substrate 100, and See also at least paragraph[0003] of Park I (i.e., Park I teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel that includes an OLED disposed on a substrate, and a visible light sensor disposed on the substrate and adjacent to the OLED)).
Regarding claim 5, Park I and Tang teach the electronic device of Claim 1, wherein the semiconductor of the first transistor comprises low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (FIGS. 2A and 3A, paragraphs[0078] of Tang teaches the first transistor 24 includes a gate electrode 241, a gate insulating layer 242, an active layer 243, a source electrode 244 and a drain electrode 245, and the drain electrode 245 is electrically connected with the first electrode 251 of the light-emitting element 23; a type, a material and a structure of the first transistor 24 are not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and for example, the first transistor 24 may be of a top gate type, a bottom gate type, or the like; and the active layer 243 of the first transistor 24 may be made of amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon (low temperature polycrystalline silicon and high temperature polycrystalline silicon), an oxide semiconductor (for example, IGZO), or the like, and the first transistor 24 may be of an N type or a P type, and See also at least paragraphs[0087], [0098], and [0125]-[0126] of Tang (i.e., Tang teaches a first transistor that is made of a low temperature polycrystalline silicon or an oxide semiconductor such as IGZO and connected to a light-emitting element)).
Regarding claim 6, Park I and Tang teach the electronic device of Claim 5, wherein the semiconductor of the second transistor comprises indium gallium zinc oxide (FIG. 3A, paragraphs[0078] of Tang teaches the first transistor 24 includes a gate electrode 241, a gate insulating layer 242, an active layer 243, a source electrode 244 and a drain electrode 245, and the drain electrode 245 is electrically connected with the first electrode 251 of the light-emitting element 23; a type, a material and a structure of the first transistor 24 are not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and for example, the first transistor 24 may be of a top gate type, a bottom gate type, or the like; and the active layer 243 of the first transistor 24 may be made of amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon (low temperature polycrystalline silicon and high temperature polycrystalline silicon), an oxide semiconductor (for example, IGZO), or the like, and the first transistor 24 may be of an N type or a P type, and See also at least paragraphs[0087], and [0098] of Tang (i.e., Tang teaches a first transistor that is made of a low temperature polycrystalline silicon or an oxide semiconductor such as IGZO and connected to a light-emitting element)).
Regarding claim 9, Park I and Tang teach the electronic device of Claim 1, further comprising a second substrate arranged opposite to the first substrate,wherein the light emitting unit is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate (1000, 100, 310, 230 FIG. 2A, paragraphs[0079]-[0082] of Park I teaches as shown in at least FIG. 2A, the OLED panel 1000 may include a substrate 100, an OLED 310 on the substrate 100, and a driver 200 on the OLED 310, where the driver 200 may be configured to drive the OLED 310; as shown in FIG. 2A, the driver 200 may be between the substrate 100 and the OLED 310, but example embodiments are not limited thereto; while FIG. 2A illustrates the driver 200 as being distal from a front surface 1000a of the OLED panel 1000 in relation to the OLED light emitter 300, such that the visible light sensor 230 is between the OLED 310 and the substrate 100, it will be understood that, in some example embodiments, the driver 200 may be proximate to front surface 1000a in relation to the OLED light emitter 300, such that the OLED light emitter 300, and thus the OLED 310, is between the driver 200 and the substrate 100, and thus the OLED 310 is between the visible light sensor 230 and the substrate 100, and See also at least paragraphs[0003], and [0090] of Park I (i.e., Park I teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel that includes a light emitter having an OLED disposed on a substrate, and a visible light sensor disposed on the substrate and adjacent to the OLED, wherein the OLED is interposed between the substrate and a cover glass)).
Regarding claim 10, Park I and Tang teach the electronic device of Claim 1, further comprising an organic layer disposed on the light emitting unit (312 FIG. 2A, paragraphs[0084] of Park I teaches the OLED light emitter 300 is stacked on the driver 200 to display an image; as shown in FIG. 2A, the OLED light emitter 300 includes an OLED 310 including an organic emission layer 312 and a first electrode 311 and a second electrode 313 formed on the bottom and the top of the organic emission layer 312, respectively, such that the organic emission layer 312 is between the first and second electrodes 311, 313; and the OLED 310 may emit visible light having various wavelength spectra, and See also at least paragraphs[0003], [0079]-[0082], and [0090] of Park I (i.e., Park I teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel that includes a light emitter having an OLED disposed on a substrate, and a visible light sensor disposed on the substrate and adjacent to the OLED, wherein the OLED is interposed between the substrate and a cover glass, and wherein an organic emission layer is disposed on the OLED)).
Regarding claim 11, Park I and Tang teach the electronic device of Claim 1, further comprising a buffer layer disposed on the first substrate, wherein the buffer layer is disposed between the first substrate and one of the first transistor and the second transistor (240 FIG. 2A, paragraph[0091] of Park I teaches the driver 200 is formed on the substrate 100, and it includes an OLED driving transistor 210, an OLED switching transistor 220, a visible light sensor 230, black shields 215 and 225, and an interlayer insulating layer 240; the OLED driving transistor 210 may drive the OLED 310; the OLED driving transistor 210, the OLED switching transistor 220, and the visible light sensor 230 may be formed on a same plane, as shown in FIG. 2A for example; when they are formed on the same plane, a process for forming an OLED driving transistor 210, an OLED switching transistor 220, and a visible light sensor 230 may be simultaneously performed, so there is no need to manufacture an additional processing mask and the number of processing stages may be reduced, compared to the case of forming the same on a different plane; and further, the panel may be manufactured to be thinner than the case of forming the same on the different plane, which me be further preferable in realization of the flexible panel, and See also at least paragraphs[0003], [0079]-[0082], [0084], and [0090] of Park I (i.e., Park I teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel that includes a light emitter having an OLED disposed on a substrate, and a visible light sensor disposed on the substrate and adjacent to the OLED, wherein the OLED is interposed between the substrate and a cover glass, and wherein an organic emission layer is disposed on the OLED, and wherein an interlayer insulating layer is disposed on the substrate and interposed between the OLED driving transistor and the OLED switching transistor)).
Regarding claim 12, Park I and Tang teach the electronic device of Claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is configured to detect an image (FIG. 2A, paragraph[0104] of Park I teaches charges received by the visible light sensor 230 are read, pass through an image processor to acquire a fingerprint image of the finger 400, and a fingerprint recognition may be performed based upon the acquisition of image, and See also at least paragraphs[0003], and [0079]-[0082] of Park I (i.e., Park I teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel that includes a light emitter having an OLED disposed on a substrate, and a visible light sensor disposed on the substrate and adjacent to the OLED, wherein the OLED is interposed between the substrate and a cover glass, and wherein the visible light sensor is used to acquire a fingerprint image)).
Regarding claim 13, Park I and Tang teach the electronic device of Claim 1, wherein the sensing unit is configured to detect a fingerprint (FIG. 2A, paragraph[0104] of Park I teaches charges received by the visible light sensor 230 are read, pass through an image processor to acquire a fingerprint image of the finger 400, and a fingerprint recognition may be performed based upon the acquisition of image, and See also at least paragraphs[0003], and [0079]-[0082] of Park I (i.e., Park I teaches an organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel that includes a light emitter having an OLED disposed on a substrate, and a visible light sensor disposed on the substrate and adjacent to the OLED, wherein the OLED is interposed between the substrate and a cover glass, and wherein the visible light sensor is used to acquire a fingerprint image)).
Regarding claim 20, Park I and Tang teach the electronic device of Claim 1, wherein the semiconductor of the third transistor is not overlapped with one of the semiconductor of the first transistor and the semiconductor of the second transistor (FIG. 3A, paragraphs[0078] of Tang teaches the first transistor 24 includes a gate electrode 241, a gate insulating layer 242, an active layer 243, a source electrode 244 and a drain electrode 245, and the drain electrode 245 is electrically connected with the first electrode 251 of the light-emitting element 23; a type, a material and a structure of the first transistor 24 are not limited in the embodiments of the present disclosure, and for example, the first transistor 24 may be of a top gate type, a bottom gate type, or the like; and the active layer 243 of the first transistor 24 may be made of amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon (low temperature polycrystalline silicon and high temperature polycrystalline silicon), an oxide semiconductor (for example, IGZO), or the like, and the first transistor 24 may be of an N type or a P type, and See also at least paragraphs[0087], and [0098] of Tang (i.e., Tang teaches a first transistor that is made of a low temperature polycrystalline silicon or an oxide semiconductor such as IGZO and connected to a light-emitting element, wherein semiconductor material of a switching transistor, which is connected to a photodiode, does not overlap with the semiconductor material of the first transistor)).
Potentially Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 7-8, and 14-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten to overcome applicable objection(s) indicated above, and if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, because for each of claims 3, 7-8, and 14-19 the prior art references of record do not teach the combination of all element limitations as presently claimed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABDUL-SAMAD A ADEDIRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-3128. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amr Awad can be reached on 571-272-7764. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ABDUL-SAMAD A ADEDIRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
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