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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on January 5, 2026 has been entered.
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.
Claims 1-4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2017/146493 A1 to Lim et al. (hereinafter “Lim” – previously cited reference), with US 2019/0067255 A1 being used as the translation of WO 2017/146493 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Lim discloses an electronic device, comprising:
a driving circuit substrate comprising a plurality of active elements (light emitting device package 100 having substrate 120 with plurality of active elements; Fig. 3; paragraphs [0044] and [0050]-[0051]);
a plurality of chips disposed on the driving circuit substrate and electrically connected to the driving circuit substrate (LED chips 151-153 disposed on substrate 120; Fig. 3; paragraph [0044]);
a passivation layer covering the plurality of chips and the driving circuit substrate (passivation layer 170 covering each of LED chips 151-153 and substrate 120; Fig. 3), and
a wall structure disposed between the driving circuit substrate and the passivation layer, wherein the wall structure has a plurality of openings, at least one of the plurality of chips is disposed in one of the plurality of openings (upper electrode 131-134 wall structure disposed between passivation layer 170 and substrate 120 and under LED chips 151-153 with vertical openings disposed between each electrode 131-134 within which LED chips are disposed and cover the vertical openings; Fig. 3), the plurality of openings penetrate through the wall structure, and the plurality of chips are separated from the wall structure in a top view of the electronic device (vertical openings penetrate through upper electrode 131-134 wall structure and the LED chips 151-153 are structurally separate from the wall structure regardless of the view taken; Fig. 3), wherein the passivation layer has a first part on one of the plurality of chips and a second part on a part of the driving circuit substrate, the second part is not overlapped with the plurality of chips, and a first thickness of the first part is less than a second thickness of the second part (passivation layer 170 has first part disposed over LED chips 151-153 and second part disposed over substrate 120, where first part has thickness less than second part; Fig. 3); and wherein a first space between adjacent two of the plurality of chips is different from a second space between another adjacent two of the plurality of chips (space between LED chips 151 and 153 is different than space between LED chips 152 and 153; Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 2, Lim discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first thickness is greater than 1 micrometer (first part of passivation layer 170 has thickness greater than 1 micron as shown by distance D2 being 75 microns or more; Fig. 3; paragraph [0057]).
Regarding claim 3, Lim discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first part is directly on the one of the plurality of chips, and the second part is directly on the part of the driving circuit substrate (first part of passivation layer 170 disposed directly on LED chips 151-153 and second part directly on substrate 120; Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4, Lim discloses the electronic device of claim 3, wherein the passivation layer directly contacts a top surface and two side surfaces of the one of the plurality of chips (passivation layer 170 disposed on top surface and two side surfaces of LED chips 151-153; Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6, Lim discloses the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a non-self-emissive panel and a backlight module, wherein the backlight module comprises the driving circuit substrate, the plurality of chips, and the passivation layer (light emitting device package 100 may be used in an LCD as a backlight unit; paragraphs [0006]-[0008] and [0147]).
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.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim further in view of US 2017/0373014 A1 to Yen et al. (hereinafter “Yen” – previously cited reference).
Regarding claim 5, Lim discloses the electronic device of claim 1. Lim fails to disclose wherein one of the plurality of active elements comprises a transistor.
However, Yen discloses wherein one of the plurality of active elements comprises a transistor (active elements are thin-film transistor elements; paragraph [0026]).
Lim and Yen are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of display devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lim to incorporate the teaching of Yen in order to potentially provide precise pixel control, faster response times, and improved power efficiency.
Claims 7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim further in view of US 2014/0153212 A1 to Chen (hereinafter “Chen” – previously cited reference).
Regarding claim 7, Lim discloses the electronic device of claim 1. Lim fails to disclose wherein the passivation layer comprises epoxy resin.
However, Chen discloses wherein the passivation layer comprises epoxy resin (hybrid backlight LCD unit 40 having protective layer 41 made from epoxy resin; paragraphs [0012], [0022]).
Lim and Chen are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of display devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lim to incorporate the teaching of Chen in order to potentially provide environmental protection, strong adhesion, chemical resistance, and high mechanical strength and durability.
Regarding claim 9, Lim discloses the electronic device of claim 1. Lim fails to disclose a diffuser plate and a brightness enhancement film disposed on the plurality of chips.
However, Chen discloses a diffuser plate and a brightness enhancement film disposed on the plurality of chips (hybrid backlight LCD unit 40 having polarizing film 42, connecting layer 43, and diffusion layer 44 which increases on-axis luminance of incident light for the viewer of the LCD; Fig. 2; paragraph [0022]).
Lim and Chen are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of display devices. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lim to incorporate the teaching of Chen in order to potentially provide uniform light distribution, improved viewing angles, increased on-axis brightness, and improved power efficiency.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed January 5, 2026 have been fully considered. Applicant amended claim 1 and provided associated arguments. Specifically, Applicant asserts that that the LED chips 151-153 would not be considered to be separated from the upper electrode 131-134 wall in a top view. However, given the broadest reasonable interpretation of this claim limitation, Fig. 3 of Lim shows a clear structural demarcation between the chips and the wall, regardless of the viewing perspective. Perhaps Applicant intended to claim something akin to orthographic projections in a top view of the chips and the wall do not overlap. If so, such language would overcome the current rejection, but this language does not appear in claim 1 as amended.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IAN DEGRASSE whose telephone number is (571) 272-0261. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 8:30a until 5:00p.
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/IAN DEGRASSE/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/JEFF W NATALINI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2818