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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I in the reply filed on 3/27/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 13-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim.
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 1-12 are 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.
Regarding claim 1, the following limitations are unclear to the examiner:
The limitation “a first thickness detection module configured to detect at each pressurization step” is unclear as the limitation “each pressurization step” is very broad and there needs to be limit to how many pressurization steps are there or how many pressurization steps are there.
Further more the limitation claims “a change in thickness of the stretched film that is pressurized and stretched by the film pressurizing module” is unclear because the film pressurizing module is only configured to pressurize the stretched film not stretching the stretched film. Examiner request applicant to clarify.
The limitation “a second thickness detection module configured to detect at each pressurization step” is unclear as the limitation “each pressurization step” is very broad and there needs to be limit to how many pressurization steps are there or how many pressurization steps are there.
Also the limitation “arrangement information of the light emitting elements” is unclear as how is the term arrangement information described and what exactly constitutes by the term arrangement information.
Also the limitation “change information” is unclear as how is the term change information described and what exactly constitutes by the term change information.
Note: The dependent claims necessarily inherit the indefiniteness of the claims on which they depend.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Lee et al (US 2022/0199681)
Amador et al (US 6432744)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RATISHA MEHTA whose telephone number is (571)270-7473. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9:00am - 5:00 pm.
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, Eliseo Ramos Feliciano can be reached at 571-272-7925. 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.
/RATISHA MEHTA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
Prosecution Insights