DETAILED ACTION
This Notice is responsive to communication filed on 01/02/2026.
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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 01/02/2026 under 37 C.F.R. 1.111 has been entered. Claims 10, 11, 15, and 17-19 remain pending in the application. Claim 14 has been cancelled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claims 10-11, 15, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ahn et al. (US 20210264837).
Regarding claim 10, Ahn teaches a flexible electronic device, comprising:
a flexible substrate Fig. 3: 111 (para. 0059);
an insulating layer Fig. 3: 113 (para. 0102) disposed on the flexible substrate Fig. 3: 111 and comprising a plurality of first portions Fig. 3: RA/113 (Fig. 3 shows cross sectional view of one portion, Fig. 1 shows perspective view of multiple portions);
a first layer Fig. 3: 112 disposed between the insulating layer Fig. 3: 113 and the flexible substrate Fig. 3: 111,
wherein the first layer Fig. 3: 112 comprises a plurality of second portions Fig. 3: RA/112 (Fig. 3 shows cross sectional view of one portion, Fig. 1 shows perspective view of multiple portions) and a plurality of connecting portions Fig. 3: SA/112S (Fig. 1 shows plurality), and at least one of the plurality of connecting portions Fig. 3: SA/112S connects two adjacent ones of the plurality of second portions Fig. 3: RA/112 (two adjacent ones corresponding to Fig. 1); and
a plurality of transistors Fig. 3: 150 disposed on the insulating layer Fig. 3: 113 and comprising at least one first transistor Fig. 3: 150 and at least one second transistor (TFT corresponding to another RA section which are adjacent to each other, shown in Fig. 1; para. 105), wherein the at least one first transistor Fig. 3: 150 and the at least one second transistor Fig. 3: 150 (corresponding to another RA section) are respectively disposed on two adjacent ones of the plurality of first portions Fig. 3: RA/113;
wherein the plurality of first portions Fig. 3: RA/113 are not overlapped with the plurality of connecting portions Fig. 3: SA/112S;
wherein the two adjacent ones of the plurality of first portions Fig. 3: RA/113 are isolated from each other (para. 0103 teaches buffer layer 113 is not formed to the pliable areas SA).
Regarding claim 11, Ahn teaches the flexible electronic device as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of the plurality of first portions Fig. 3: RA/113 is disposed on one of the plurality of second portions Fig. 3: RA/112 (para. 0102).
Regarding claim 15, Ahn teaches the flexible electronic device as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a conductive wire Fig. 3: 181/182 coupled to the at least one first transistor Fig. 3: 150 and the at least one second transistor Fig. 3: 150 (corresponding to a second RA section), wherein the conductive wire Fig. 3: 181/182 contacts the at least one of the plurality of connecting portions Fig. 3: SA/112S (shown in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 19, Park teaches the flexible electronic device as claimed in claim 10, further comprising an electronic element Fig. 3: 160 disposed on one of the two adjacent ones of the plurality of first portions Fig. 3: RA/113 and coupled to the at least one first transistor or the at least one second transistor Fig. 3: 150 (coupling via 143).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahn et al. (US 20210264837) as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Bu et al. (CN 113451538).
Regarding claim 17, although Ahn teaches the substantial features of the claimed invention, Ahn fails to explicitly teach the flexible electronic device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an adhesive layer disposed between the first layer and the flexible substrate. However, Bu teaches the flexible electronic device as claimed in claim 11, further comprising an adhesive layer Fig. 20: 150 disposed between the first layer Fig. 20: 40 and the flexible substrate Fig. 20: 110 (para. 38 teaches an adhesive layer disposed on the substrate and then island disposed on the adhesive layer). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Ahn and Bu for the purpose of making the connection between the pixel island and the flexible substrate more firmly, and improving the reliability of the flexible panel (para. 14).
Regarding claim 18, although Ahn teaches the substantial features of the claimed invention, Ahn fails to explicitly teach the flexible electronic device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a plurality of third portions disposed under the plurality of second portions. However, Bu teaches the flexible electronic device as claimed in claim 17, wherein the adhesive layer Fig. 20: 150 comprises a plurality of third portions Fig. 20: 150 disposed under the plurality of second portions Fig. 20: 40 (shown in Fig. 20; para. 38 also teaches the adhesive layer 20 not included in the connection part 130 and metal layer 20). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the teachings of Park and Bu for the purpose of setting the adhesive layer in the regions not comprising the metal layer and the connection part to prevent the adhesive layer from affecting the connection between the metal layer and the connecting portion, thereby ensuring electrical conduction between the metal layer and the connecting portion of the island (para. 38).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 10 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 NKECHINYERE ESIABA whose telephone number is (571)272-0720. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10am-5pm EST.
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/Nkechinyere Esiaba/Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/Kretelia Graham/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2817 April 22, 2026
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