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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on September 15th, 2026, has been received. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendments
Acknowledgment is made of the amendment filed 09/15/2026 (“A.NE”), in which: claim 1 is amended; claims 5 and 8 are cancelled; no new claims are added; and the rejection of the claims are traversed. Claims 1 – 4, 6, and 9 – 16 are currently pending an Office action on the merits as follows, wherein claims 3 and 9 – 16 are withdrawn from consideration.
In view of the Response After Final Action (“A.NE”) filed on 09/15/2026, PROSECUTION IS HEREBY REOPENED. See Non-Final Rejection set forth below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 – 2, 4, and 6 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Rejections
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.
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 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.
Claims 1 – 2, 4, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (US 20170358265 A1), and further in view of Han et al. (US 20180116532 A1) and Fabien et al. (US 20200403117 A1).
Regarding independent claim 1, Wang teaches a display device comprising:
a first layer (Fig. 2; second semiconductor laminate 202) and a second layer (Fig. 2; first semiconductor laminate 101), wherein the first layer comprises a source driver (Fig. 2; second peripheral circuit 250)…
wherein the second layer comprises a gate driver (Fig. 2; pixel-driver array 110), a plurality of pixels (Fig. 4; pixel display elements 301) each comprising a light-emitting element (Wang: [0003] teaches light-emitting elements, e.g., OLED), and …
wherein an opening portion (Fig. 2; opening including the fourth via 63 connecting the first and second layers. See at least [0037]) and a first terminal ([0085] discloses a terminal of the second semiconductor laminate 202, i.e., the first layer) are provided in the first layer, …
wherein the first terminal is electrically connected to the source driver ( Fig. 2),
wherein the pixels are provided on a first surface (Fig. 2; second surface 101b; and Fig. 4) of the second layer,
wherein a second terminal (Fig. 2; terminal from which fourth via 63 extends from in the second layer) is provided in the second layer (Fig. 1) and …
wherein the second terminal is electrically connected to the pixels ([0030])
wherein the first terminal is electrically connected to the second terminal (Fig. 2), …
wherein the first layer and the second layer are laminated ([0030]), and …
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For clarity, examiner provides an annotated excerpt from Fig. 2 showing the first and second terminals.
However, Wang remains silent regarding:
wherein the first layer comprises a first component of a sensor, …
a second layer comprising a second component of the sensor, …
wherein the first component of the sensor is provided in the opening portion, …
wherein a second terminal is provided on a second surface of the second layer which is opposite to the first surface, …
wherein a bump is provided between the first layer and the second layer, …
wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are in direct contact with the bump.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Han et al. (US 20180116532 A1) teaches an electron device (Fig. 10) an integrated circuit (IC) element 679 disposed in the groove portion 663 (also see Figs. 4A – 4C and 6 in relationship to light sources 311/photodiode 313 and the first (350) and second (370) circuit boards; also see Fig. 3 for teaching of a main circuit board, e.g., main circuit board 260). At the very least, the examiner respectfully submits that the IC element 679 is partially nested in main circuit board 660 (Fig. 10); such that Han discloses a first component (Fig. 10; portion of IC element 679) of the sensor (Fig. 10; biometric sensor module 670 including IC element 679) included in an opening (Fig. 10; groove 663) of a first layer (main circuit board 660); such that the first component of the sensor is provided in the opening portion (Fig. 10). Additionally, Han teaches a second layer (Fig. 10; first circuit layer 675) that includes a second component of the sensor (Fig. 10; the rest of biometric sensor module 670 including IC element 679). Thus, the examiner asserts that Han’s disclosure may be used to modify the display device of Wang to form a display device wherein the first layer comprises a first component of a sensor, a second layer comprising a second component of the sensor, wherein the first component of the sensor is provided in the opening portion.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify Wang’s display device to include Han’s display device structure wherein an opening is formed in their display device layers/chips to accommodate a sensor and connections between the device circuit and the sensor, because such a modification is the result of combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. More specifically, Wang’s display device as modified by Han’s opening and sensor can yield a predictable result of allowing the display device to receive data/signals/stimuli from other components of the display device or the environment in which the display device is operated since the sensor is configured to receive data/signals/stimuli from other components of the display device or the environment in which the display device is operated. Since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable before the effective filing date of the instant invention.
Additionally, in the same field of endeavor, Fabien discloses a structure of joining a thin-film circuit layer 1604, i.e., a second layer, to a backplane 1704 including drive circuitry, i.e., a first layer; wherein a second terminal (Fig. 17; first pad 1708-1) is provided on a second surface of the second layer which is opposite to the first surface; wherein a bump is provided between the first layer and the second layer. Further, Fabien discloses a first terminal (Fig. 17; second pad 1708-2), wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are in direct contact with the bump (Fig. 17). Examiner asserts that the bump structure is analogous to what Han disclosed in Fig. 6. Han teaches pads 391 of the IC element 390 (interpreted as bumps; see unlabeled bump structures under IC element 679) that are between the first layer and the second layer.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the display device of Wang, further in view of Han, to include Fabien’s display device structure wherein terminals of the first and second layers are connected through a bump structure, because such a modification is based on the use of known techniques to improve similar devices in the same way. More specifically, Fabien’s first and second layers are comparable to the first and second layers of Wang, further in view Han, because their respective layers have similar functionality and relative placement between structures of their respective display devices. Therefore, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the display device of Wang, further in view of Han, to include Fabien’s display device structure wherein terminals of the first and second layers are connected through a bump structure with the predictable result of electrically connecting the first and second layers of the display device of Wang, further in view of Han.
Regarding dependent claim 2, Wang, further in view of Han and Fabien, teach the display device according to claim 1, wherein:
the sensor functions as MEMS (Han: [0040] and [0056]).
Regarding dependent claim 4, Wang, further in view of Han and Fabien, teach the display device according to claim 1, wherein:
the second layer has a larger area than the first layer, and the second layer
comprises a region overlapping with the first layer.
Han shows in Fig. 3 that the second layer (main circuit board 260) has a larger area than the first layer (second face 215 interpreted to be an area of the first layer); wherein the relative sizing taught by Han may be applied to the structure of Wang to yield the display device wherein the second layer has a larger area than the first layer, and the second layer comprises a region overlapping with the first layer.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the display device of Wang, further in view of Han and Fabien, to include Han’s teaching of the second layer extending beyond the first layer, because such a modification is based on the use of known techniques to improve similar devices in the same way. More specifically, Han’s first and second layers are comparable to the first and second layers of Wang, because their respective first and second layers include similar device circuitry/components with analogous functionality, e.g., source and gate drivers. Therefore, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the display device of Wang, further in view of Han and Fabien, to include Han’s teaching of the second layer extending beyond the first layer with the predictable result of providing a larger area over which the pixels of the display device may be disposed.
Regarding dependent claim 6, Wang, further in view of Han and Fabien, teach the display device according to claim 1, wherein:
the first terminal and the second terminal are provided in a position overlapping with a wiring to which the plurality of pixels are connected.
Fabien shows in Fig. 17 that the first terminal and the second terminal overlap, analogous to what is shown in Fig. 2 of Wang. Further, Fabien shows in Fig. 17 that the first terminal and the second terminal are provided in a position overlapping with a wiring to which the plurality of pixels (Fig. 17; LEDs 1614-1 and 1614-2) are connected. This structure may be implemented into the structure of Wang by altering the position of the peripheral circuits disclosed by Wang. Thus, Fabien may be used to modify the display device of Wang to yield the display device wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are provided in a position overlapping with a wiring to which the plurality of pixels are connected.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the display device of Wang, further in view of Han and Fabien, to include Fabien’s display device structure wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are provided in a position overlapping with a wiring to which the plurality of pixels are connected, because such a modification is based on the use of known techniques to improve similar devices in the same way. More specifically, Fabien’s display device circuitry included in their first and second layers is comparable to the display device circuitry in Wang’s first and second layers because they have analogous functionality, such as forming source drivers and gate drivers. Therefore, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the display device of Wang, further in view of Han and Fabien, to include Fabien’s display device structure wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are provided in a position overlapping with a wiring to which the plurality of pixels are connected with the predictable result of adjusting the space taken up by peripheral circuitry over the substrate(s) of the display device.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 10313798 B2 – considered for Fig. 9.
US 9029962 B1 – considered for teaching of MEMS in cavity.
US 20150360937 A1 – considered for Figs. 1 – 6.
US 8351634 B2 – considered for teaching of MEMS in cavity.
US 20170045918 A1 – previously relied on.
US 20180293420 A1 – considered for its teaching of a sensor housed in an opening (Fig. 9).
US 20030015768 A1 – considered for teaching that a biometric sensor may be a MEMS ([0153]).
US 10923023 B1 – considered for its teaching of a similar display device with similar structures.
US 20150348905 A1 – considered for its teaching of MEMS
US 20170186778 A1, US 20160019856 A1, US 20200020752 A1, US 20100182282 A1, and US 20120327060 A1 – previously relied upon
US 10115369 B2 and US 11217635 B2 – considered for their citation in the IDS submitted by the applicant on 12/04/2024.
US 20180026218 A1 – teaches a display device with similar features.
US 12048227 B2 – teaches a display device with similar features.
US 11710751 B2 – teaches similar connective features for a display device.
US 20210210718 A1 – teaches the inclusion of a sensor in an opening 301 for a display device (Fig. 2A).
US 20150293546 A1 – teaches a gate-driver-on-array (GOA) display device.
US 20180012536 A1 – teaches a display device with similar features.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARIO A AUTORE whose telephone number is (571)270-0059. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8 am - 5 pm.
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, Chad Dicke can be reached on (571) 270-7996. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MARIO A. AUTORE JR.
Examiner
Art Unit 2897
/MARIO ANDRES AUTORE JR/Examiner, Art Unit 2897 /CHAD M DICKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
Prosecution Insights