`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`www .uspto.gov
`
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`
`
`
` FILING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKETNO.
`
`CONFIRMATIONNO.
`
`14/533,561
`
`11/05/2014
`
`Jun Fujiyoshi
`
`0520-52005CX1
`
`5811
`
`sersanie
`
`Hau
`at
`Hauptman Ham, LLP
`2318 Mill Road
`Suite 1400
`Alexandria, VA 22314
`
`
`
`CHUNG, DAVID Y
`
`
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`2871
`
`MAIL DATE
`
`05/18/2016
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`PAPER
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`
` 14/533,561 FUJIYOSHI ET AL.
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventor toFile)
`Office Action Summary
`
`2871DAVID CHUNG No
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address--
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`
`-
`-
`
`Status
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on
`L] A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filedon___
`2a)L] This action is FINAL.
`2b)X] This action is non-final.
`3)L] An election was made bythe applicant in responseto a restriction requirementset forth during the interview on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)L] Sincethis application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordancewith the practice under Ex parte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5) Claim(s) 1-20 is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`6)L] Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`7) Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected.
`8)L] Claim(s)___ is/are objectedto.
`
`9)L] Claim(s)
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement.
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`hito-//Awww.usoto.gov/oatenis/init events/
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` nvindex.isp or send an inquiry to PPHfeecback@uspto.aoy.
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`Application Papers
`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)KX] The drawing(s)filed on 05 November 2014 is/are: a)[X] accepted or b)[_] objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`a)X] All
`b)[-] Some** c)L] None ofthe:
`1.X] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.L] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.L] Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`““ See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`
`
`Attachment(s)
`3) TC Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`1) X Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date.
`.
`.
`4) O Other
`—_
`2) X Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date 05 November 2014.
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20160516
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/533,561
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 2
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`The present application is being examined underthe pre-AlA first to invent
`
`provisions.
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis
`
`for all obviousnessrejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described
`as set forth in section 102 of thistitle, if the differences between the subject matter sought to
`be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been
`obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which
`said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the
`invention was made.
`
`Claims 1-20 rejected under pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable
`
`over Kim et al. (US 2007/0296884) in view of Rheeet al. (US 2004/0179160).
`
`Asto claims 1 and 2, Kim disclosesin figures 2A and 2B, a liquid crystal display
`
`comprising: a thin film transistor 128 and a pixel electrode 134 formed above a
`
`substrate 110; a passivation layer 130 formed betweenthe drain electrode 126bof the
`
`thin film transistor and the pixel electrode; wherein the drain electrode and the pixel
`
`electrode are connected through a contact hole 132a formedin the passivation layer;
`
`wherein the sidewall of the contact hole is tapered; wherein an underlying layer 122
`
`beneath the passivation layer 130, in contact with the passivation layer, includes a
`
`lowermost plane substantially parallel to the substrate and an uppermost plane
`
`substantially parallel to the substrate; wherein the lowermost plane overlaps the
`
`sidewall of the contact hole 132a in a plan view; wherein the uppermost plane is further
`
`from the substrate than the lowermost plane and is spaced apart from the sidewall by
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/533,561
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 3
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`the drain electrode 126b; wherein a single step of the underlying layer 122 extends
`
`between the uppermost plane and the lowermostplane.
`
`Kim doesnot disclose that the passivation layeris a color filter comprising an
`
`organic insulation film. Rhee disclosesin figure 1, color filters 230R, 230G and 230B
`
`comprising an organic material. See paragraph [0036]. Rhee teachesthat providing
`
`the colorfilters under the pixel electrodes allows the width of the black matrix to be
`
`reduced, increasing aperture ratio. See paragraph [0057].
`
`It would have been obvious
`
`to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify Kim by providing the
`
`color filters of Rhee in order to increase the apertureratio.
`
`Asto claims 3-5, Kim discloses in figures 2A and 2B, an underlying layer 122
`
`which is located above a scan signalline 112.
`
`Asto claim 6, Kim disclosesin figures 2A and 2B that the uppermost plane
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`overlaps with the scan signalline 112 in a plan view whereas the lowermost plane does
`
`not.
`
`Asto claim 7, Kim discloses that the underlying layer 122 may be an inorganic
`
`insulating film such assilicon nitride. See paragraph [0034].
`
`Asto claim 8, Kim disclosesin figures 2A and 2B that the step is formed by a
`
`difference in the numberof layers that are formed underthe passivation layer 130.
`
`Asto claim 9, Kim doesnot disclose that the distance from a position at which
`
`the sidewall intersects with the lowermost plane to an end of the lowermost plane
`
`abutting the step is no greater than 1 um. However, it would have been obvious to one
`
`of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify Kim in this fashion in orderto
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/533,561
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 4
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`maximize the aperture ratio of the display by minimizing the size of the thin film
`
`transistor.
`
`Asto claim 10, Kim disclosesin figures 2A and 2B, a liquid crystal display
`
`comprising: a thin film transistor 128 and a pixel electrode 134 formed above a
`
`substrate 110; a passivation layer 130 formed betweenthe drain electrode 126b of the
`
`thin film transistor and the pixel electrode; wherein the drain electrode and the pixel
`
`electrode are connected through a contact hole 132a formedin the passivation layer;
`
`wherein the sidewall of the contact hole is tapered; wherein an underlying layer 122
`
`beneath the passivation layer 130, in contact with the passivation layer, includes a
`
`lowermost plane substantially parallel to the substrate and an uppermost plane
`
`substantially parallel to the substrate; wherein the lowermost plane overlaps the
`
`sidewall of the contact hole 132a in a plan view; wherein the uppermost plane is further
`
`from the substrate than the lowermostplane and is spaced apart from the sidewall by
`
`the drain electrode 126b; wherein a single step of the underlying layer 122 extends
`
`between the uppermost plane and the lowermostplane.
`
`Kim doesnotdisclose that the passivation layer is a color filter comprising an
`
`organic insulation film. Rhee disclosesin figure 1, color filters 230R, 230G and 230B
`
`comprising an organic material. See paragraph [0036]. Rhee teachesthat providing
`
`the colorfilters under the pixel electrodes allows the width of the black matrix to be
`
`reduced, increasing aperture ratio. See paragraph [0057].
`
`It would have been obvious
`
`to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify Kim by providing the
`
`color filters of Rhee in order to increase the apertureratio.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/533,561
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 5
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`Asto claim 11, Kim disclosesin figures 2A and 2B, an underlying layer 122
`
`which is located above a scan signalline 112.
`
`Asto claim 12, Kim disclosesin figures 2A and 2B that the uppermost plane
`
`overlaps with the scan signalline 112 in a plan view whereas the lowermost plane does
`
`not.
`
`Asto claim 13, Kim does notdisclose that the distance from a position at which
`
`the sidewall intersects with the lowermost plane to an end of the lowermost plane
`
`abutting the step is no greater than 1 um. However, it would have been obvious to one
`
`of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify Kim in this fashion in order to
`
`maximize the aperture ratio of the display by minimizing the size of the thin film
`
`transistor.
`
`Asto claim 14, Rheedisclosesin figure 1, a colorfilter layer that includesa first
`
`color filter 230G superposed on a part of a second color filter 230R. Kim disclosesin
`
`figure 2B, an underlying layer 122 that includes an upper surface(first plane) anda
`
`lower surface (Second plane). The upper surface of the underlying layer 122 of Kim
`
`would overlap the end portion of the second color filter 230R of Rhee. The lower
`
`surface of the underlying layer 122 of Kim would be spaced apart from the end portion
`
`of the second color filter 230R of Rhee. Kim further disclosesin figure 2B, a step
`
`extending between the upperand lowersurfaces of the underlying layer 122.
`
`Asto claim 15, Kim disclosesin figures 2A and 2B, a liquid crystal display
`
`comprising: a thin film transistor 128 and a pixel electrode 134 formed above a
`
`substrate 110; a passivation layer 130 formed between the drain electrode 126b of the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/533,561
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 6
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`thin film transistor and the pixel electrode; wherein the drain electrode and the pixel
`
`electrode are connected through a contact hole 132a formedin the passivation layer;
`
`wherein the sidewall of the contact hole is tapered; wherein an underlying layer 122
`
`beneath the passivation layer 130, in contact with the passivation layer, includes a lower
`
`surface(first plane) substantially parallel to the substrate and an upper surface (second
`
`plane) substantially parallel to the substrate; wherein the lower surface overlaps the
`
`sidewall of the contact hole 132a in a plan view; wherein the uppersurfaceis further
`
`from the substrate than the lower surface and is spaced apart from the sidewall by the
`
`drain electrode 126b; wherein a first step of the underlying layer 122 extends between
`
`the upper and lower surfaces.
`
`Kim doesnotdisclose that the passivation layer is a color filter comprising an
`
`organic insulation film. Rhee disclosesin figure 1, color filters 230R, 230G and 230B
`
`comprising an organic material. See paragraph [0036]. Rhee teachesthat providing
`
`the colorfilters under the pixel electrodes allows the width of the black matrix to be
`
`reduced, increasing aperture ratio. See paragraph [0057].
`
`It would have been obvious
`
`to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify Kim by providing the
`
`color filters of Rhee in order to increase the apertureratio.
`
`Asto claim 16, Rheedisclosesin figure 1, a colorfilter layer that includesa first
`
`color filter 230G superposed on a part of a second color filter 230R. Kim discloses in
`
`figure 2B, an underlying layer 122 that includes an uppersurface(third plane) and a
`
`lower surface (fourth plane). The upper surface of the underlying layer 122 of Kim
`
`would overlap the end portion of the second color filter 230R of Rhee. The lower
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/533,561
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 7
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`surface of the underlying layer 122 of Kim would be spaced apart from the end portion
`
`of the second color filter 230R of Rhee. Kim further disclosesin figure 2B, a step
`
`extending betweenthe upper and lowersurfaces of the underlying layer 122.
`
`Asto claim 17, Kim disclosesin figures 2A and 2B, a scan signal line 112
`
`located under the uppersurface of the underlying layer 122.
`
`Asto claim 18, Kim disclosesin figures 2A and 2B that the underlying layer 122
`
`is located above a scan signal line 112; wherein the first plane overlaps with the scan
`
`signal line in a plan view whereas the second plane does not.
`
`Asto claim 19, Kim disclosesin figure 2B, a step in the underlying layer in the
`
`vicinity of semiconductor layer 118 andin the vicinity of contact 132b. These steps
`
`surround contact 132a.
`
`Asto claim 20, Kim does not disclose that the distance from a position at which
`
`the sidewall intersects with the lowermost plane to an end of the lowermost plane
`
`abutting the step is no greater than 1 um. However, it would have been obvious to one
`
`of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to modify Kim in this fashion in orderto
`
`maximize the aperture ratio of the display by minimizing the size of the thin film
`
`transistor.
`
`Conclusion
`
`Anyinquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to David Chung whosetelephone numberis (571) 272-
`
`2288. The examiner can normally be reached Mondaythrough Friday, 8:30 AM - 5:00
`
`PM.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/533,561
`Art Unit: 2871
`
`Page 8
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, Ed Glick can be reached at (571) 272-2490. The fax phone numberfor the
`
`organization wherethis application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
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`
`/David Y. Chung/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2871
`
`/Edward Glick/
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2871
`
`