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 .
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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election without traverse of Species A of Group I directed to Fig. 1 and 4 (claims 1-13) in the reply filed on November 8th, 2025 is acknowledged.
However, claims 5 and 6 recites “second concavo-convex structure” which belongs to Figs. 9, 10 and 12-13. Claim 9 recites the connection structure is disposed on a sidewall of the first connecting electrode” which belongs to Figs. 2, 3, 5, 8 and 13. Claim 10 recites “the insulating glue is fixed to both the sidewall of the first connecting electrode and the sidewall of the second connecting electrode” which belongs to Figs. 6, 7, and 8. Therefore, claims 5-7, 9, 10-12 and 14-23 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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.
Claims 1-4 and 8 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites “a first connecting electrode” in line 3 and “a light-emitting device” in line 4 as single element. However, claim 1 later recites “the first connecting electrodes” and “the light-emitting devices” in line 7 as plural elements. It is unclear to the examiner if claim 1 reciting one of the first connecting electrode and one of the light-emitting device or the plurality of the first connecting electrodes and the plurality of the light-emitting devices.
Claim 2-4 and 8 are rejected for being depending on claim 1 and having the above issues incorporating into the claims.
Claim 8 recites “a same light-emitting device” in line 4. It is unclear to the examiner if claim 8 refers back to the light-emitting device in line 4 of claim 1 or a different light-emitting device.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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 1-4, 8 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KIM et al. (Pub. No.: US 2021/0027673 A1), hereinafter as Kim.
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a display panel in Figs. 3A, comprising: a substrate (substrate 110) (see [0036]); a first connecting electrode (pad 191) disposed on a side of the substrate (upper surface of substrate 110) (see [0086]); a light-emitting device (LED 160) comprising at least one second connecting electrode (p-electrode 165) (see [0088]); and conductive particles (some conductive balls of adhesive layer AD between pad 191 and p-electrode 165) disposed between the second connecting electrode and the first connecting electrode (see [0093]); and wherein the first connecting electrodes and the light-emitting devices are connected by a connecting structure (pad 191 and LED 160 are connected by insulating base member of a portion of adhesive layer AD) (due to 112 rejection above, the examiner made the assumption that there is only one first connection electrode and one light-emitting device) (see [0093-0094]); wherein the connecting structure is disposed between the first connecting electrode and the second connecting electrode (insulating base member of the portion of adhesive layer AD between pad 191 and p-electrode 165) (see Fig. 3A), and/or, the connecting structure is disposed on a sidewall of the first connecting electrode and a sidewall of the second connecting electrode (this part is not given patentable weight).
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses the display panel according to claim 1, wherein the connecting structure is formed by a curing reaction (heat applied to adhesive layer AD) (see [0094]).
Furthermore, it should be known that even though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process.” In re Thorpe, 777 F.2d 695, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985). Since claim 2 is directed to a device, the method of forming the connecting structure is not germane to the issue of patentability of the device itself. Therefore, the limitation of “…formed by a curing reaction” stated in claim 2 has not been given any patentable weight. MPEP 2113 [R-1].
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses the display panel according to claim 2, wherein at least portion of the conductive particles are dispersed in the connecting structure (adhesive AD comprising conductive balls dispersed in insulating base member) (see Fig. 3A and [0094]).
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses the display panel according to claim 2, wherein the light-emitting device is at least one of a micro light-emitting diode or a mini light-emitting diode (light emitting diode LED 160) (see [0088]).
Regarding claim 8, Kim discloses the display panel according to claim 2, wherein the light-emitting device comprises two second connecting electrodes (p-electrode 165 and n-electrode 164) (see Fig. 3A and [0088]); and the connecting structure is not disposed on opposite sidewalls of the two second connecting electrodes of a same light-emitting device (the insulating base member of adhesive AD is not disposed on opposing sidewalls of p-electrode 165 and n-electrode 164) (see Fig. 3A).
Regarding claim 13, Kim discloses a display apparatus (stretchable display device in Fig. 1) comprising a display panel in Figs. 3A, wherein the display panel comprising: a substrate (substrate 110) (see [0036]); a first connecting electrode (pad 191) disposed on a side of the substrate (upper surface of substrate 110) (see [0086]); a light-emitting device (LED 160) comprising at least one second connecting electrode (p-electrode 165) (see [0088]); and conductive particles (some conductive balls of adhesive layer AD between pad 191 and p-electrode 165) disposed between the second connecting electrode and the first connecting electrode (see [0093]); and wherein the first connecting electrode and the light-emitting device are connected by a connecting structure (pad 191 and LED 160 are connected by insulating base member of a portion of adhesive layer AD) (see [0093-0094]); wherein the connecting structure is disposed between the first connecting electrode and the second connecting electrode (insulating base member of the portion of adhesive layer AD between pad 191 and p-electrode 165) (see Fig. 3A), and/or, the connecting structure is disposed on a sidewall of the first connecting electrode and a sidewall of the second connecting electrode (this part is not given patentable weight).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CUONG B NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1509 (Email: CuongB.Nguyen@uspto.gov). The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven H. Loke can be reached on (571) 272-1657. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CUONG B NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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