CTNF 18/354,617 CTNF 82520 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after 16 March 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Response to Applicant This Office Action is in response to Applicant’s reply filed on 02 March 2026. Election/Restrictions 08-25 AIA Applicant's election with traverse of invention I and species 2 in the reply filed on 02 March 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there is no search and/or examination burden because the method claims have all limitations of the device claims, and the listed species belong to a single group of patentable indistinct species . This is not found persuasive because invention I does not require using a photomask to pattern the second electrode layer, and invention I can be made by another and material different process, such as, using selective etching to pattern the second electrode material layer. The listed species have mutually exclusive characteristics, such as, a side of the second electrode being indented or flush with a side of the first transparent conductive layer, and the transparent conductive layer on top the electrode layer or the electrode layer on top of the transparent conductive layer. Therefore, the species are independent or distinct as disclosed the listed species have mutually exclusive characteristics. Claims 3, 5-7 and 11-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to nonelected invention and species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 02 March 2026 . The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 18 July 2023 and 11 May 2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and have been considered by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 9 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by O’Rourke et al. (U.S. Pub. 2016/0013243) . Claim 1: O’Rourke et al. discloses an electronic device, in Fig. 6, comprising: a substrate (25; paragraph 37); a first electrode layer (32; paragraph 58), disposed on the substrate (25); a photodiode (33; paragraph 58), disposed on the first electrode layer (32) and electrically connected to the first electrode layer (32); an insulating layer (37; paragraph 58), disposed on the photodiode (33); a second electrode layer (20; paragraph 58), disposed on the insulating layer and electrically connected to the photodiode; and a first transparent conductive layer (19; paragraphs 46 and 58), disposed on the insulating layer (37) and contacting the second electrode layer (20). Claim 2: O’Rourke et al. the electronic device according to claim 1, and in Fig. 6, further discloses wherein the first transparent conductive layer (19) is disposed on the second electrode layer (20). Claim 4: O’Rourke et al. the electronic device according to claim 2, and in Fig. 6, further discloses wherein the second electrode layer (20) has a first side edge (left side edge of 20), the first transparent conductive layer (19) has a second side edge (left side edge of 19), the first side edge (left side edge of 20) is adjacent to the second side edge (left side edge of 19), and the second side edge (left side edge of 19) is flush with the first side edge (left side edge of 20). Claim 9: O’Rourke et al. the electronic device according to claim 1, and in Fig. 6, further discloses wherein the second electrode layer (20) has a first side edge (left side edge of 20), the first transparent conductive layer (19) has a second side edge (left side edge of 19), the first side edge (left side edge of 20) is adjacent to the second side edge (left side edge of 19), and a distance between the first side edge (left side edge of 20) and the second side edge (left side edge of 19) in a first direction (vertical direction) is between 0 µm and 0.5 µm (20 is on top of 19). Claim 10: O’Rourke et al. the electronic device according to claim 1, and in Fig. 6, further discloses comprising an active element (11; paragraph 58), wherein the active element (11) is disposed on the substrate (25) and is electrically connected to the photodiode (33) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over O’Rourke et al . Claim 8: O’Rourke et al. discloses the electronic device according to claim 1, and in Fig. 6, further discloses comprising a conductive layer (34; paragraph 58), wherein the conductive layer (34) is disposed between the insulating layer (37) and the photodiode (33). O’Rourke et al., in the embodiment of Fig. 6, appears not to explicitly disclose the conductive layer is a transparent conductive layer. O’Rourke et al., however, further discloses a transparent material, such as ITO, is a suitable material for a conductive layer (paragraph 57). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing of the invention to modify the embodiment of Fig. 6 of O’Rourke et al., with the further disclosure of O’Rourke et al. to have made the conductive layer from a transparent material, such as ITO, because the selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended purpose is obvious (see, for example, M.P.E.P. § 2144.07, and precedents cited therein). O’Rourke et al. would therefore disclose a second transparent conductive layer, wherein the second transparent conductive layer is disposed between the insulating layer and the photodiode. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN LIN whose telephone number is (571)270-1274. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10am-6pm EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joshua Benitez can be reached at 571-270-1435. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /J.L/ Examiner, Art Unit 2815 /JOSHUA BENITEZ ROSARIO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2815 Application/Control Number: 18/354,617 Page 2 Art Unit: 2815 Application/Control Number: 18/354,617 Page 3 Art Unit: 2815 Application/Control Number: 18/354,617 Page 4 Art Unit: 2815 Application/Control Number: 18/354,617 Page 5 Art Unit: 2815 Application/Control Number: 18/354,617 Page 6 Art Unit: 2815 Application/Control Number: 18/354,617 Page 7 Art Unit: 2815
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