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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Species B, drawn to Fig. 3, in the reply filed on 08/14/2026, is acknowledged. Because Applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
No claim has been indicated by Applicant as non-elected.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims.
Therefore, the feature(s) “Li-1>Li>Li+1” must be shown within the context of the elected species.
The feature(s) “Li-1>Li>Li+1” must be shown in combination with the feature(s) “the (i-1)-th fan-out line group comprising the fan-out lines with a length Li-1, the i-th fan-out line group comprising the fan-out lines with a length Li, the (i+1)-th fan-out line group comprising the fan-out lines with a length Li+1” or the feature(s) canceled from the elected claim(s). In other words, the same length within each group must be shown in combination with different lengths between groups.
No new matter should be entered.
The drawings are objected to because:
Fewer than all numbers, letters, and reference characters measure at least 1/8 inch in height as required by 37 CFR 1.84(p)(3).
Shading does not conform to the standards set forth in 37 CFR 1.84(m), which recites “shading in views is encouraged if it aids in understanding the invention and if it does not reduce legibility. ... Spaced lines for shading are preferred. These lines must be thin, as few in number as practicable, and they must contrast with the rest of the drawings. ... Solid black shading areas are not permitted, except when used to represent bar graphs or color.” See Fig. 6, Fig. 13, and Fig. 16, for example, wherein legibility is reduced by shading. See also Fig. 3, for example, wherein the existence of shading within openings k1 impedes understanding of the non-existence of any power signal line material within said openings. See also Fig. 8, wherein it is unclear why shading appears within one opening but not within another opening. See also Fig. 20, for example, which includes solid black shading.
Fewer than all lines, numbers, and letters are “durable, clean, black (except for color drawings), sufficiently dense and dark, and uniformly thick and well-defined” as required by 37 CFR 1.84(l). See Figs. 21-22, for example. See also Fig. 6, wherein it is unclear whether or not fan-out lines exist within the opening where reference character “b1” appears.
Fewer than all drawings are “grouped together and arranged on the sheet(s) without wasting space” as required by 37 CFR 1.84(h).
It is unclear whether non-orthogonal axes are used, or whether some figures are drawn in perspective. Applicant is advised to revise any X and Y axes which are not perpendicular to one another, or to otherwise clarify this discrepancy.
In Fig. 6, it is unclear what structure the reference character “b1” indicates.
Separate figures are not separately labeled. See Fig. 7 and Fig. 9, for example. The Examiner suggests Fig. 7A, Fig. 7B, Fig. 7C, Fig. 9A, Fig. 9B, and Fig. 9C.
Some numbers, letters, and reference characters cross or mingle with lines, contrary to the guidelines appearing in 37 CFR 1.84(p)(3), which recites “Numbers, letters, and reference characters … should not be placed in the drawing so as to interfere with its comprehension. Therefore, they should not cross or mingle with the lines. They should not be placed upon hatched or shaded surfaces.” See Figs. 13-14 and Figs. 16-17, for example.
Figure 21 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g).
Drawing sheet numbers (“1”, “2”, etc.) do not conform to the standards set forth in 37 CFR 1.84(t), which recites “These numbers, if present, must be placed in the middle of the top of the sheet, but not in the margin. The numbers can be placed on the right-hand side if the drawing extends too close to the middle of the top edge of the usable surface. The drawing sheet numbering must be clear and larger than the numbers used as reference characters to avoid confusion. The number of each sheet should be shown by two Arabic numerals placed on either side of an oblique line, with the first being the sheet number and the second being the total number of sheets of drawings, with no other marking.”
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
At [0065] the SPEC recites “As shown in Fig. 4, under a condition that the overlapping lengths L between the power signal line 202 and the fan-out lines 201 in the first fan-out line group P to the M-th fan-out line group P are not equal, the overlapping lengths or overlapping areas between at least one of the openings kl and the fan-out lines 201 in the first fan-out line group P to the M-th fan-out line group P may also be not equal, so that the overlapping areas between the power signal line 202 and the fan-out lines 201 in the first fan-out line group P to the M-th fan-out line group P are the same.” This is inconsistent with the appearance of Fig. 4, wherein overlapping lengths between openings and fan-out lines appear equal, so that the overlapping areas between a power signal line the fan-out lines are not the same.
At [0077], the SPEC recites “Still referring to Fig. 8, according to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, in the direction perpendicular to the plane in which the display panel 20 is located, the shape of the first portion b1 of the opening k1 may include a second patterning with a gradually decreasing width.” This is inconsistent with the appearance of Fig. 8, which is devoid of any axis perpendicular to the X and Y axes.
At [0080], the SPEC recites “the adjustment the overlapping areas”. This is grammatically incorrect. The Examiner suggests --the adjustment of the overlapping areas--.
Appropriate correction is required.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Independent claim 1 recites “each of the fan-out line groups comprising at least one of the fan-out lines”. It is unclear in what sense a single fan-out line could possibly be construed as a group. The Examiner suggests --each of the fan-out line groups comprising at least two of the fan-out lines--.
A similar recitation in independent claim 20 is similarly indefinite.
Independent claim 1 recites “the fan-out lines with a length Li-1” and “the fan-out lines with a length Li”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claims.
Similar recitations in independent claim 20 are similarly indefinite.
Other pending claims are indefinite by virtue of dependency from at least one indefinite claim.
Regarding claims 1-20: In the absence of a reasonably definite interpretation of a claim, it is improper to rely on speculative assumptions regarding the meaning of a claim and then base a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 on these assumptions (In re Steele, 305 F.2d 859,134 USPQ 292 (CCPA 1962)). See MPEP 2143.03.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Jo et al (US 20200175917 A1) shows a display panel (see Fig. 11) wherein “driving power supply line 40 may overlap the fan-out portion 20. The driving power supply line 40 may include a first conduction portion 41 and a second conduction portion 42” [0132]-[0133].
Shyu et al (US 20170294495 A1) shows a display panel wherein “the flexible display may include metal trace strips that serve as power lines. Flexibility enhancement regions such as slot-shaped openings or other openings may be formed in the metal trace strips to enhance flexibility” [ABST].
Xu et al (CN 112669737 A) show overlapping signal traces 20 and test traces 30.
Xu et al (US 20220199651 A1) is an English language equivalent to Xu et al (CN 112669737 A).
Jung et al (US 20200388665 A1) shows power supply lines overlapping fan-out lines (see Fig. 4, for example).
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Julie Anne Watko whose telephone number is (571)272-7597. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Tuesday 9AM-5PM, Wednesday 10:30AM-5PM, Thursday-Friday 9AM-5PM, and occasional Saturdays.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ke Xiao can be reached at 571-272-7776. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
JULIE ANNE WATKO
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2627
/Julie Anne Watko/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627
10/13/2026
