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 .
This OA is in response to the claims filled on 8/10/2023 that has been entered, wherein claims 1-18 are pending.
Election/Restriction
Restriction to one of the following inventions is required under 35 U.S.C. 121:
I. Claims 1-6, drawn to apparatus for transferring an electronic component, classified in H10P 72/0446.
II. Claim 7-18, drawn to method for bonding an electronic component, classified in H10W 72/07232.
The inventions are independent or distinct, each from the other because:
Inventions I and II are related as process and apparatus for its practice. The inventions are distinct if it can be shown that either: (1) the process as claimed can be practiced by another and materially different apparatus or by hand, or (2) the apparatus as claimed can be used to practice another and materially different process. (MPEP § 806.05(e)). In this case, the process of claim 7 can be practiced by another and materially different apparatus than the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus of claim 1, does not have a provider of thermal energy to bond the electronic component onto the bonded surface of the target substrate from the carrier substrate, as required by the process of claim 7.
Restriction for examination purposes as indicated is proper because all the inventions listed in this action are independent or distinct for the reasons given above and there would be a serious search and/or examination burden if restriction were not required because one or more of the following reasons apply:
Invention I and II have acquired a sperate status in the art as evidence by their different classification.
Applicant is advised that the reply to this requirement to be complete must include (i) an election of an invention to be examined even though the requirement may be traversed (37 CFR 1.143) and (ii) identification of the claims encompassing the elected invention.
The election of an invention may be made with or without traverse. To reserve a right to petition, the election must be made with traverse. If the reply does not distinctly and specifically point out supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election shall be treated as an election without traverse. Traversal must be presented at the time of election in order to be considered timely. Failure to timely traverse the requirement will result in the loss of right to petition under 37 CFR 1.144. If claims are added after the election, applicant must indicate which of these claims are readable upon the elected invention.
Should applicant traverse on the ground that the inventions are not patentably distinct, applicant should submit evidence or identify such evidence now of record showing the inventions to be obvious variants or clearly admit on the record that this is the case. In either instance, if the examiner finds one of the inventions unpatentable over the prior art, the evidence or admission may be used in a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) of the other invention.
During a telephone conversation with Belinda Lee on 2/12 a provisional election was made to prosecute the invention of Invention II, claims 7-18. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)). Affirmation of this election must be made by applicant in replying to this Office action. Claims 1-6 withdrawn from further consideration by the examiner, 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a non-elected invention.
Applicant is reminded that upon the cancelation of claims to a non-elected invention, the inventorship must be corrected in compliance with 37 CFR 1.48(a) if one or more of the currently named inventors is no longer an inventor of at least one claim remaining in the application. A request to correct inventorship under 37 CFR 1.48(a) must be accompanied by an application data sheet in accordance with 37 CFR 1.76 that identifies each inventor by his or her legal name and by the processing fee required under 37 CFR 1.17(i).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 8/10/2023 and 7/19/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7-18 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the carrying substrate" in line 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. In “the carrying substrate” the same or different than a carrier substrate of line 2? For the purpose of examination “the carrying substrate” will be interpreted as “the carrier substrate”.
Claims 8-18 depend on claim 7 and inherit its deficiencies.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 7-10, 12-13 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao et al. (US 2022/0238358 A1) in view of Nakamura et al. (US 2010/0327043 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Liao teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 9-12), comprising:
providing a carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) having a carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032) on which the electronic component(C, ¶0032) to be bonded is disposed and a non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) which is opposite to the carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032);
providing a target substrate(P, ¶0032) having a bonded surface and a non-bonded surface which is opposite to the bonded surface;
positioning the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) and the target substrate(P, ¶0032) with the carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) facing the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032);
making the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) and the target substrate(P, ¶0032) move toward each other until the electronic component(C, ¶0032) on the carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) be in contact with the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032);
applying(S104, ¶0032) a flexible push(gas, ¶0035) to the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) or to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032), in order for the electronic component(C, ¶0032) on the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) to attain a more complete contact with the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032);
applying a thermal energy(laser beam, ¶0036) to bond the electronic component(C, ¶0032) onto the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032) from the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032).
Liao is not relied on to teach a plurality of flexible pushes(gas, ¶0035).
Nakamura teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 8) comprising a plurality of flexible pushes(19a, ¶0035). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Liao, to include a plurality of flexible pushes, as taught by Nakamura, in order to reduce the variations in height of each electronic component as measured from an upper surface of the target substrate(¶0035).
Regarding claim 8, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 7, wherein the flexible pushes(gas, ¶0035) is applied to the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) or to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032) respectively.
Liao is not relied on to teach a plurality of flexible pushes(gas, ¶0035).
Nakamura teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 8) comprising a plurality of flexible pushes(19a, ¶0035). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Liao, to include a plurality of flexible pushes, as taught by Nakamura, in order to reduce the variations in height of each electronic component as measured from an upper surface of the target substrate(¶0035).
Regarding claim 9, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 8, wherein the flexible push(gas, ¶0035) is applied outward from a central portion of the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) or of the non-bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032).
Liao is not relied on to teach a plurality of flexible pushes(gas, ¶0035).
Nakamura teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 8) comprising a plurality of flexible pushes(19a, ¶0035). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Liao, to include a plurality of flexible pushes, as taught by Nakamura, in order to reduce the variations in height of each electronic component as measured from an upper surface of the target substrate(¶0035).
Regarding claim 10, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 8, wherein the flexible pushes(gas, ¶0035) is applied from a side of the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) or of the non-bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032) to an opposite side thereto.
Liao is not relied on to teach a plurality of flexible pushes(gas, ¶0035).
Nakamura teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 8) comprising a plurality of flexible pushes(19a, ¶0035). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Liao, to include a plurality of flexible pushes, as taught by Nakamura, in order to reduce the variations in height of each electronic component as measured from an upper surface of the target substrate(¶0035).
Regarding claim 12, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 7, wherein the thermal energy(laser beam, ¶0036) is generated by a laser beam(¶0036).
Regarding claim 13, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 7, wherein the target substrate(P, ¶0032) is a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate(¶0045).
Regarding claim 15, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 14, wherein the thermal energy(laser beam, ¶0036) is applied to the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032).
Regarding claim 16, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 7, further comprising applying a solder(B, ¶0036) to either the electronic component(C, ¶0032) or the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032), prior to applying the thermal energy(laser beam, ¶0036).
Regarding claim 17, Liao teaches 7he method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 7, wherein the electronic component(C, ¶0032) is a light-emitting diode (LED) chip(¶0003).
Claims 7-13 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao et al. (US 2022/0238358 A1) in view of Menguc et al. (US 11,107,948 B1).
Regarding claim 7, Liao teaches a method for bonding an electronic component (Figs. 9-12), comprising:
providing a carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) having a carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032) on which the electronic component(C, ¶0032) to be bonded is disposed and a non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) which is opposite to the carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032);
providing a target substrate(P, ¶0032) having a bonded surface and a non-bonded surface which is opposite to the bonded surface;
positioning the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) and the target substrate(P, ¶0032) with the carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) facing the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032);
making the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) and the target substrate(P, ¶0032) move toward each other until the electronic component(C, ¶0032) on the carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) be in contact with the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032);
applying(S104, ¶0032) a flexible push(gas, ¶0035) to the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) or to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032), in order for the electronic component(C, ¶0032) on the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) to attain a more complete contact with the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032);
applying a thermal energy(laser beam, ¶0036) to bond the electronic component(C, ¶0032) onto the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032) from the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032).
Liao is not relied on to teach a plurality of flexible pushes(gas, ¶0035).
Menguc teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 2) comprising a plurality of flexible pushes(245, 250, col. 4, lines 36-44). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Liao, to include a plurality of flexible pushes, as taught by Nakamura, so that each electronic component can be picked up and placed onto a target substrate independently(col. 3, line 65-col. 4, line 36).
Regarding claim 8, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 7, wherein the flexible pushes(gas, ¶0035) is applied to the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) or to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032) respectively.
Liao is not relied on to teach a plurality of flexible pushes(gas, ¶0035).
Menguc teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 2) comprising a plurality of flexible pushes(245, 250, col. 4, lines 36-44). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Liao, to include a plurality of flexible pushes, as taught by Nakamura, so that each electronic component can be picked up and placed onto a target substrate independently(col. 3, line 65-col. 4, line 36).
Regarding claim 9, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 8, wherein the flexible push(gas, ¶0035) is applied outward from a central portion of the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) or of the non-bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032).
Liao is not relied on to teach a plurality of flexible pushes(gas, ¶0035).
Menguc teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 2) comprising a plurality of flexible pushes(245, 250, col. 4, lines 36-44). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Liao, to include a plurality of flexible pushes, as taught by Nakamura, so that each electronic component can be picked up and placed onto a target substrate independently(col. 3, line 65-col. 4, line 36).
Regarding claim 10, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 8, wherein the flexible pushes(gas, ¶0035) is applied from a side of the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) or of the non-bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032) to an opposite side thereto.
Liao is not relied on to teach a plurality of flexible pushes(gas, ¶0035).
Menguc teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 2) comprising a plurality of flexible pushes(245, 250, col. 4, lines 36-44). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Liao, to include a plurality of flexible pushes, as taught by Nakamura, so that each electronic component can be picked up and placed onto a target substrate independently(col. 3, line 65-col. 4, line 36).
Regarding claim 11, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 7, but is not relied on to teach the plurality of flexible pushes are generated by a plurality of air bags.
Menguc teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 2) wherein the plurality of flexible pushes(245, 250, col. 4, lines 36-44) are generated by a plurality of air bags(col. 4, lines 45-57). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Liao, so that the plurality of flexible pushes are generated by a plurality of air bags, as taught by Nakamura, in order to facilitate alignment of the carrier substrate with the target substrate via an imaging device placed above the carrier substrate and so that each electronic component can be picked up and placed onto a target substrate independently(col. 3, line 65-col. 4, line 36).
Regarding claim 12, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 7, wherein the thermal energy(laser beam, ¶0036) is generated by a laser beam(¶0036).
Regarding claim 13, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 7, wherein the target substrate(P, ¶0032) is a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate(¶0045).
Regarding claim 15, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 14, wherein the thermal energy(laser beam, ¶0036) is applied to the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032).
Regarding claim 16, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 7, further comprising applying a solder(B, ¶0036) to either the electronic component(C, ¶0032) or the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032), prior to applying the thermal energy(laser beam, ¶0036).
Regarding claim 17, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 7, wherein the electronic component(C, ¶0032) is a light-emitting diode (LED) chip(¶0003).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao et al. (US 2022/0238358 A1) and Menguc et al. (US 11,107,948 B1) as applied to claim 7 above, further in view of Lee et al. (US 2007/0051295 A1).
Regarding claim 14, Liao teaches the method for bonding the electronic component(C, ¶0032) according to claim 7, but is not relied on to teach the plurality of flexible pushes are applied to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032).
Menguc teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 2) comprising a plurality of flexible pushes(245, 250, col. 4, lines 36-44). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Liao, to include a plurality of flexible pushes, as taught by Nakamura, so that each electronic component can be picked up and placed onto a target substrate independently(col. 3, line 65-col. 4, line 36).
Liao and Menguc are not relied on to teach the plurality of flexible pushes are applied to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate.
Lee teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Fig. 10) wherein the plurality of flexible pushes are applied to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate. Modifying the method of Liao in view of Menguc and Lee would result in the plurality of flexible pushes are applied to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Liao, in view of Menguc, so that the plurality of flexible pushes are applied to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate, as taught by Lee, in order to bonding various-sized substrates including relatively large-sized substrates(¶0110).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Menguc et al. (US 11,107,948 B1) in view of Liao et al. (US 2022/0238358 A1).
Regarding claim 18, Menguc teaches a method for manufacturing an LED display(Fig. 2), comprising using the method of
providing a target substrate(275) having a bonded surface and a non-bonded surface which is opposite to the bonded surface;
making the target substrate(275) move until the electronic component(210, col. 5, lines 23-45) in contact with the bonded surface of the target substrate(275);
applying a plurality of flexible pushes in order for the electronic component(210, col. 5, lines 23-45) to attain a more complete contact with the bonded surface of the target substrate(275);
applying a thermal energy(laser beam, col. 5, lines 46-col. 6 line 11) to bond the electronic component(210, col. 5, lines 23-45) onto the bonded surface of the target substrate(275),
wherein the electronic component(210, col. 5, lines 23-45) is a light-emitting diode (LED) chip(210, col. 5, lines 23-45),
to bond(210, col. 5, lines 46-col. 6 line 11) the LED chip(210, col. 5, lines 23-45).
Menguc is not relied on to teach providing a carrier substrate having a carrying surface on which the electronic component(210, col. 5, lines 23-45) to be bonded is disposed and a non-carrying surface which is opposite to the carrying surface; positioning the carrier substrate and the target substrate(275) with the carrying surface of the carrier substrate facing the bonded surface of the target substrate(275); making the carrier substrate and the target substrate(275) move toward each other until the electronic component(210, col. 5, lines 23-45) on the carrying surface of the carrier substrate be in contact with the bonded surface of the target substrate(275), applying a plurality of flexible pushes to the non-carrying surface of the carrier substrate or to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate, applying a thermal energy(laser beam, col. 5, lines 46-col. 6 line 11) to bond the electronic component onto the bonded surface of the target substrate(275) from the carrier substrate.
Liao teaches a method for bonding an electronic component(Figs. 9-12), comprising:
providing a carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) having a carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032) on which the electronic component(C, ¶0032) to be bonded is disposed and a non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) which is opposite to the carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032);
positioning the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) and the target substrate(P, ¶0032) with the carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) facing the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032); making the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) and the target substrate(P, ¶0032) move toward each other until the electronic component(C, ¶0032) on the carrying surface(S1001, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) be in contact with the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032); applying(S104, ¶0032) a flexible push(gas, ¶0035) to the non-carrying surface(S1002, ¶0032) of the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) or to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032), in order for the electronic component(C, ¶0032) on the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032) to attain a more complete contact with the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032); applying a thermal energy(laser beam, ¶0036) to bond the electronic component(C, ¶0032) onto the bonded surface of the target substrate(P, ¶0032) from the carrier substrate(S, ¶0032). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Menguc, to include providing a carrier substrate having a carrying surface on which the electronic component to be bonded is disposed and a non-carrying surface which is opposite to the carrying surface; positioning the carrier substrate and the target substrate with the carrying surface of the carrier substrate facing the bonded surface of the target substrate; making the carrier substrate and the target substrate move toward each other until the electronic component on the carrying surface of the carrier substrate be in contact with the bonded surface of the target substrate, applying a plurality of flexible pushes to the non-carrying surface of the carrier substrate or to the non-bonded surface of the target substrate, applying a thermal energy to bond the electronic component onto the bonded surface of the target substrate from the carrier substrate, as taught by Liao, in order to enhance the electrical connection between the electronic component and the target substrate(¶0038).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ma et al. (US 11,152,328 B2) Discoes a method of bonding an electronic component.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA DYKES whose telephone number is (571)270-3161. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30 am-5 pm.
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/LAURA M DYKES/ Examiner, Art Unit 2892