DETAILED ACTION/EXAMINER’S COMMENT
This Office action responds to the communication filed on 01/06/2026.
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 . In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for a 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.
Amendment Status
Applicant’s response filed on 01/06/2026 in reply to the non-final rejection mailed on 10/16/2025, has been entered. The present Office action is made with all previously suggested amendments being fully considered.
Claims 8-11 & 13-14 are cancelled. Claim 12 is rejected on the basis of MPEP 608.01(n)(V) "If the base claim has been canceled, a claim which is directly or indirectly dependent thereon should be rejected as incomplete. If the base claim is rejected, the dependent claim should be objected to rather than rejected, if it is otherwise allowable." Therefore, Claim 12 is rejected as incomplete, since it depends on cancelled claim 11.
Claims 1-7 & 15-20 will be examined in this Office action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jang T (US 20230069883).
Regarding Claim 1, Jang T (see, e.g., fig. 25, fig. 63) shows a display apparatus, comprising:
a circuit board 98 (see, e.g., fig. 25, para.0128):
a light emitting device (see, e.g., fig. 63, para.0223) disposed on the circuit board:
and a bump pad 92Ac, 93Ac, 93Bc, & 93Cc (functioning as bonding electrode posts 92P & 93P, see, e.g., fig. 25, fig. 27, para.0223) electrically connected to the circuit board and the light emitting device (see, e.g., fig. 27, para.0130):
wherein the light emitting device AA, BB, & CC includes (see, e.g., fig. 63):
a first light emitter AA,
a second light emitter CC,
and a third light emitter BB
disposed at a position above the circuit board between the first light emitter and the second light emitter (see, e.g., annotated figure 1, para.0220):
a planarization layer 76 (see, e.g., para.0225) covering side surfaces and an upper surface of at least a region of the first, second and third light emitter such that the planarization layer completely surrounds at least a portion of each of the first, second, and third light emitter (see, e.g., annotated figure 2);
and light emitting device pads including
a first pad 92Aa (see, e.g., para.0225) electrically connected with the first light emitter AA,
and a second pad 92Ca (see, e.g., para.0225) electrically connected to the second light emitter CC;
and connection pads 92Ab & 92Cb, disposed on the planarization layer;
wherein the connection pads are electrically connected to the light emitting device pads through the planarization layer (see, e.g., fig. 63, para.0223),
and wherein at least a region of each of the connection pads 92Ab & 92Cb extends from an upper region of the light emitting device to an inner surface of the planarization layer formed between the planarization layer and the light emitting device (see, e.g., annotated figure 3)
Regarding Claim 2, Jang T (see, e.g., annotated figure 1, fig. 63, para.0223) shows the display apparatus of claim 1,
wherein: the planarization layer 76 has an opening exposing the light emitting device pads;
and the connection pads are electrically connected to the light emitting device pads through the opening (see, e.g., annotated figure 1).
Regarding Claim 3, Jang T (see, e.g., fig. 63, para.0225) shows the display apparatus of claim 2,
further comprising a protection layer 99 (encapsulant, see, e.g., para.0225) covering the opening.
Regarding Claim 4, Jang T (see, e.g., annotated figure 1, fig. 63, para.0225) shows the display apparatus of claim 3,
wherein the protection layer covers the connection pads,
and has openings exposing the connection pads (base of 92Ac, 93Ac, 93Bc, & 93Cc, see, e.g., annotated figure 1).
Regarding Claim 5, Jang T (see, e.g., fig. 63, para.0224) shows the display apparatus of claim 1,
further comprising: a transparent substrate 80 (see, e.g., para.0224);
and an adhesive layer 81 (see, e.g., para.0224) disposed between the transparent substrate and the light emitting device.
Regarding Claim 6, Jang T (see, e.g., fig. 63, para.0223) shows the display apparatus of claim 5,
further comprising a light blocking layer BM disposed on the transparent substrate to define a light emitting region,
wherein the light emitting device is disposed on the light emitting region.
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.
Claims 7, 15, 16, & 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Jang T (US 20230069883) in view of Jang (US 20200365568).
Regarding Claim 7, Jang T (see, e.g., fig. 63) shows the display apparatus of claim 1,
Jang T, however, fails to show
wherein the light emitting device is formed in plural.
Jang (see, e.g., fig. 13, para.0113), in a similar device to Jang T, teaches that light-emitting devices formed in plural would be a suitable and obvious configuration for light-emitting devices.
It would have been obvious at the time of filing the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the light-emitting devices formed in plural of Jang in the device of Jang T as a suitable and obvious configuration for light-emitting devices.
Regarding Claim 15, Jang T (see, e.g., fig. 63) shows the display apparatus of claim 2,
Jang T, however, fails to show
wherein an inner surface of the planarization layer defining the opening includes an inclined surface, and at least one of the connection pads disposed on an upper surface of the planarization layer is connected to at least one of the light emitting device pads disposed on the inner surface of the planarization layer at a first angle.
Jang (see, e.g., fig. 1d, annotated figure 1d, para.0079 para.0096, para.0104), in a similar device to Jang T, teaches a configuration wherein
wherein an inner surface of the planarization layer 81, 83, & 90 defining the opening 50CHa includes an inclined surface,
and at least one of the connection pads 50ce & 50c disposed on an upper surface of the planarization layer is connected to at least one of the light emitting device pads disposed on the inner surface of the planarization layer at a first angle G.
Jang (see, e.g., para.0079) teaches the inclined angle and surface of the planarization layer, its openings, and connection pads would improve adhesion of the overall device to the circuit board.
It would have been obvious at the time of filing the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the configuration of Jang in the device of Jang T to improve adhesion of the overall device to the circuit board.
Regarding Claim 16, Jang T (see, e.g., fig. 63), in view of Jang (see, e.g., fig. 1d, annotated figure 1d), shows the display apparatus of claim 15,
wherein at least one of the connection pads 92Ab & 92Cb is formed along a side surface of the first light emitter and the inner surface of the planarization layer to form a groove (see, e.g., fig. 1d),
and a bottom surface of the groove is formed toward a light emission direction.
Regarding Claim 17, Jang T (see, e.g., fig. 63), in view of Jang (annotated figure 1d), shows the display apparatus of claim 15,
wherein a distance between the connection pads 92Ab & 92Cb formed on the inner surface of the planarization layer increases as being disposed further away from the third light emitter.
Jang shows a distance between the connection pads 92Ab & 92Cb increasing away from the third light emitter BB (see, e.g., annotated figure 1d).
Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jang (US 20200365568).
Regarding Claim 18, Jang (see, e.g., figs. 1a-d, fig. 13) shows a display apparatus, comprising:
a circuit board 11p (see, e.g., fig. 13, para.0113):
and a light emitting device 100 disposed on the circuit board (see, e.g., annotated figure 13),
wherein the light emitting device comprises:
a light emitting source 20, 30, & 40 (see, e.g., para.0060-0063);
a planarization layer 81 (see, e.g., para.0095) covering side surfaces and an upper surface of the light emitting source;
and connection pads 20ce, 30ce, 40ce, & 50ce (see, e.g., para.0071-0077) disposed on the planarization layer;
wherein the light emitting source comprises:
a first light emitter 20,
a second light emitter 40,
and a third light emitter 30
disposed at a position above the circuit board between the first light emitter and second light emitter, (see, e.g., fig. 13, annotated figure 13, para.0113)
wherein the planarization layer completely surrounds at least a portion of each of the first, second, and third light emitter; (see, e.g., para.0067)
and light emitting device pads 21n, 25p, 35p, & 45p (see, e.g., para. 0061, para.0065, para.0069) electrically connected to the first, second, and third light emitter,
wherein the connection pads are electrically connected to the light emitting device pads through the planarization layer (through contact holes 50CHa, 50CHb, & 20CH, see, e.g., para.0074, para.0098),
wherein at least a portion of each of the connection pads 20ce, 30ce, 40ce & 50ce is disposed on the planarization layer outside of an upper region of the light emitting source (see, e.g., annotated figure 13),
and wherein the connection pads are bonded to the circuit board (see, e.g., fig. 13, para0113).
Regarding Claim 19, Jang (see, e.g., figs. 1c-d) shows the display apparatus of claim 18,
wherein: the light emitting device further comprises at least one interconnection layer 20c, 30c, 40c, & 50c (see, e.g., para.0069) disposed on the planarization layer 81;
the light emitting device includes a plurality of light emitting regions (regions corresponding to first, second, and third light emitters 20, 30, & 40);
the planarization layer covers side surfaces and upper surfaces of the plurality of light emitting regions (see, e.g., figs. 1c-d);
the connection pads are disposed over the interconnection layer;
and the connection pads are electrically connected to the light emitting device pads through the interconnection layer.
Regarding Claim 20, Jang (see, e.g., figs. 1c-d) shows the display apparatus of claim 19,
wherein: the light emitting device further comprises:
a first intermediate layer 83 (see, e.g., para.0067) disposed on the planarization layer 81;
and a second intermediate layer 90 (see, e.g., para.0056) disposed on the first intermediate layer;
the interconnection layer includes
a first interconnection layer 20pd, 30pd, 40pd & 50pd (see, e.g., para.0076) disposed between the planarization layer 81 and the first intermediate layer 83,
and a second interconnection layer disposed 20bp, 30bp, 40bp, & 50bp (see, e.g., para.0103) between the first intermediate layer 83 and the second intermediate layer 90;
and at least one of the connection pads is disposed on the second intermediate layer and electrically connected to at least one of the light emitting device pads through the first and second interconnection layers (see, e.g., para.0069).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 7, filed 01/06/2026, with respect to the objections to drawings and claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112 (a) & 35 U.S.C. 112 (b) have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objections to drawings and claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112 (a) & 35 U.S.C. 112 (b) have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 2, 11, & 14 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the references in the manner applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-8, 11-13, & 15-20, Jang (US 20230069883) referred to as “Jang T” overcomes the amendments, see paragraphs 5-26 above.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FERNANDO JOSE RAMOS-DIAZ whose telephone number is (571) 270-5855. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wael Fahmy can be reached on 571-272-1705. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/F.R.D./ Examiner, Art Unit 2814
Examiner, Art Unit 2814
/WAEL M FAHMY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2814