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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicants’ submission filed on 6/4/2026 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 7, & 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Saito et al. (US 6304308).
Regarding claim 1, Saito discloses that an electronic device, comprising:
a first substrate DSUB;
a second substrate USUB disposed opposite to the first substrate DSUB (Fig. 1);
a plurality of first electrodes ORI1 or AL-P disposed on the first substrate DSUB and extending along a first direction (Fig. 1 &2);
an insulating layer PSV1 disposed between the first substrate and the plurality of first electrodes ORI1 (Fig. 1); and
a first spacer SPC-P disposed between the first substrate DSUB and the second substrate USUB, wherein the insulating layer PSV1 has a first opening, the first opening overlaps a first spacing area between two adjacent first electrodes of the plurality of first electrodes AL-P, and a length of the first opening extends along the first direction (Fig. 2 & 3);
wherein the first spacing area has a first part and a second part, the first part overlaps the first spacer SPC-P, and the second part does not overlap the first spacer, wherein along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a width of the first part is greater than a width of the second part, wherein the first spacer and the plurality of the first electrodes are not overlapped in the normal direction of the first substrate (Fig. 2 & 3).
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Reclaim 2, Saito discloses that the plurality of first electrodes AL-Pare arranged along the second direction (Fig. 4).
Reclaim 3, Saito discloses that a width of the first spacing area is greater than a width of the first opening in the second direction (Fig. 3).
Reclaim 5, Saito discloses that a second spacer SPC-P disposed between the first substrate DSUB and the second substrate USUB, wherein the insulating layer PSV1 has a second opening, the first opening comprises a first enlarged part, the second opening comprises a second enlarged part (Fig. 3, where), the first enlarged part and the first spacer (PS1) are overlapped in the normal direction of the first substrate ,the second enlarged part and the second spacer are overlapped in the normal direction of the first substrate, and a size of the first enlarged part is different from a size of the second enlarged part (Fig 3 & 4).
Reclaim 7, Saito discloses that a light shielding unit disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the second opening and the light shielding unit are overlapped in the normal direction of the first substrate (Fig. 1, a black matrix).
Reclaim 10, Saito discloses that a light shielding unit disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the first opening and the light shielding unit are overlapped in the normal direction of the first substrate (Fig. 1 ).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saito et al. (US 6304308).
Reclaim 4, Saito discloses that the plurality of first electrodes are arranged along the second direction (Fig. 2).
Saito fails to specify that a width of the first opening ranges from 1.5 µm to 120 µm in the second direction.
However, notwithstanding, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been led to the recited dimensions through routine experimentation and optimization.
Before effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use a certain width of the first opening, because it would have been to obtain a certain width of the first opening to achieve suitable rigidity of display device.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saito et al. (US 6304308) in view of Hu et al. (US 20190258104).
Reclaim 6, Saito fails to teach that a height of the first spacer is greater than a height of the second spacer.
However, Hu suggests that a height of the first spacer is greater than a height of the second spacer (Fig. 1g).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of applicant(s) claimed invention was made to provide Saito with a height of the first spacer is greater than a height of the second spacer as taught by Hu in order to provide stable disposing of the spacers (para. 0052) and also, the claim would have been obvious because a particular know technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art.
Claim(s) 8-9 & 11-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saito et al. (US 6304308) in view of Zheng (US 20160187701).
Reclaim 8, Saito fails to specify that a part of the first substrate is exposed from the first opening in the normal direction of the first substrate.
However, Zheng suggests that a part of the first substrate is exposed from the first opening in the normal direction of the first substrate (Fig. 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of applicant(s) claimed invention was made to provide Saito with a part of the first substrate is exposed from the first opening in the normal direction of the first substrate as taught by Zheng in order to improve quality of the panel (par. 0080) and also, the claim would have been obvious because a particular know technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art.
Reclaim 9, Saito & Zheng disclose that in a cross-sectional view, the insulating layer has a bottom surface and a side surface, the side surface is adjacent to the first opening, and an included angle between the bottom surface and the side surface ranges from 35° to 65° (Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 11, Saito & Zheng disclose a method for manufacturing an electronic device, comprising the following steps:
providing a first substrate DSUB;
forming an insulating layer PSV1 on the first substrate DSUB (Fig. 1);
forming a conductive layer ORI1 on the insulating layer;
patterning the insulating layer to make the insulating layer has a first opening (Zheng, Fig. 4); and
patterning the conductive layer ORI1 or 508 to form a plurality of first electrodes (Saito in view of Zheng Fig. 3);
providing a second substrate USUB/510 and assembling the second substrate with the first substrate DSUB/520, wherein there is a first spacing area between two adjacent first electrodes of the plurality of first electrodes, and the first spacing area and the first opening are overlapped in a normal direction of the first substrate (Saito in view of Zheng);
wherein a first spacer SPC-P is disposed between the first substrate DSUB and the second substrate USUB, and the first spacer SPC-P and the plurality of first electrodes AL-P are not overlapped in the normal direction of the first substrate (Saito, Fig. 1 & 2);
wherein the first opening overlaps the first spacing area, and a length of the first opening extends along a first direction;
wherein the first spacing area has a first part SPC-P and a second part SSP, the first part overlaps the first spacer, and the second part does not overlap the first spacer, wherein along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, a width of the first part is greater than a width of the second part (Saito, Fig. 3 & 4).
Reclaim 12, Saito & Zheng disclose that the conductive layer AL-P (ORI1) is formed on the insulating layer after the insulating layer is patterned to make the insulating layer has the first opening (Zheng, Fig. 5).
Reclaim 13, Saito & Zheng disclose that the insulating layer is patterned to make the insulating layer has the first opening after the conductive layer is formed on the insulating layer (Saito in view of Zheng).
Reclaim 14, Saito & Zheng disclose that the plurality of first electrodes are arranged along the second direction, and the width of the first spacing area is greater than a width of the first opening in the second direction (Saito in view of Zheng).
Reclaim 15, Saito & Zheng disclose that the plurality of first electrodes are arranged along the second direction, and a width of the first opening ranges from 1.5 µm to 120 um in the second direction (Saito in view of Zheng)
Reclaim 16, Saito & Zheng disclose that a part of the first substrate is exposed from the first opening in the normal direction of the first substrate (Saito in view of Zheng)
Reclaim 17, Saito & Zheng disclose that in a cross-sectional view, the insulating layer has a bottom surface and a side surface, the side surface is adjacent to the first opening, and an included angle between the bottom surface and the side surface ranges from 35° to 65° (Saito in view of Zheng)
Reclaim 18, Saito & Zheng disclose that the first opening comprises a first enlarged part, and the first enlarged part and the first spacer are overlapped in the normal direction of the first substrate (Saito in view of Zheng)
Reclaim 19, Saito & Zheng disclose that a second spacer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein the insulating layer has a second opening, the second opening comprises a second enlarged part, the second enlarged part and the second spacer are overlapped in the normal direction of the first substrate, and a size of the first enlarged part is different from a size of the second enlarged part (Saito in view of Zheng)
Reclaim 20, Saito & Zheng disclose that a light shielding unit is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, and the first opening and the light shielding unit are overlapped in the normal direction of the first substrate (Saito in view of Zheng).
Conclusion
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/SU C KIM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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