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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment dated July 7, 2026, in which claims 1, 3, and 7 were amended, has been entered.
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(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (U.S. Pub. 2023/0238372) in view of Aoki (U.S. Pub. 2023/0387374).
Regarding claim 1, Lee [Figs.7-14] discloses an electronic device, comprising:
a substrate [SUB] [Fig.7];
a first conductive layer [AND/COM], disposed on the substrate and comprising a first power line [Para.117];
an insulating layer [VIA4/PAS4], disposed on the first conductive layer and having a first opening, wherein the first opening exposes the first power line [AND/COM] [Fig.7];
a second conductive layer [ELT1/ELT2], disposed on the insulating layer and comprising a first conductive element, wherein at least a portion of the first conductive element is disposed in the first opening and electrically connected to the first power line [AND/COM]; and
an electronic element [ED1/ED2], disposed on the insulating layer and electrically connected to the first power line [Fig.7].
Lee fails to explicitly disclose wherein in a thickness direction of the substrate, the first opening, the first power line and the first conductive element do not overlap with the electronic element. However, Aoki [Figs.1-8] discloses an electronic device wherein in a thickness direction of the substrate 20], the first opening [OP1/OP2], the first power line [SL1/SL2] and the first conductive element [CN1/CN2] do not overlap with the electronic element [Fig.8] [Note the circuitry of Fig.8 is located in the NDA. The electronic element [10 of Fig.6 or PX of Figs.1-2 are in the DA region]. It would have been obvious to provide wherein in a thickness direction of the substrate, the first opening, the first power line and the first conductive element do not overlap with the electronic element, since it has been held that applying a known technique to a known process in order to yield predictable results would have been obvious. Further, it would have been obvious to try one of the known methods with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claims 2-14 and 16-20 Lee [Figs.7-14] discloses an electronic device, comprising:
wherein the first conductive element [AND/COM] comprises nickel [Para.274];
wherein in the thickness direction of the substrate, the first power line and the electronic element are disposed in a staggered manner [Figs.7,9];
wherein the insulating layer has a second opening, and the first conductive layer further comprises a second power line, wherein the second opening exposes the second power line;
wherein the second conductive layer further comprises a second conductive element, and at least a portion of the second conductive element is disposed in the second opening and electrically connected to the second power line [Fig.7 discloses multiple AND/COM conductors and multiple electronic elements ED1-3];
wherein the second conductive element overlaps with the second power line in a normal direction of the substrate [Fig.7];
wherein the second conductive element [AND/COM is in contact with the second power line [Para.117];
wherein in the thickness direction of the substrate, the second power line does not overlap with the electronic element [Aoki; Figs.1-2,6-8; Discussed above];
further comprising:
a driving element, electrically connected to the first power line and the second power line, respectively,
wherein the first power line and the second power line transmit different power signals, respectively [Figs.7-14; appears readily apparent] [Also see Aoki Figs.1-2,8];
wherein the insulating layer has a third opening, and the first conductive layer further comprises a first conductive pad, wherein the third opening exposes the first conductive pad;
wherein the second conductive layer further comprises a third conductive element, and at least a portion of the third conductive element is disposed in the third opening and electrically connected to the first conductive pad [Fig.7 discloses multiple AND/COM conductors and multiple electronic elements ED1-3];
wherein the third conductive element overlaps the first conductive pad in a normal direction of the substrate [Fig.7];
wherein the electronic element is bonded to the first conductive pad [Fig.7];
further comprising:
a transistor [TFT], disposed on the substrate [SUB] and comprising an electrode,
wherein the first conductive layer comprises the electrode [TFT is electrically connected to AND] [Fig.7];
wherein the first conductive element overlaps with the first power line in a normal direction of the substrate [Fig.7];
wherein the first conductive element is in contact with the first power line [Para.117] [Fig.7];
wherein the first power line comprises a main line and a branch, the main line extends in a first direction, the branch extends in a second direction, the first direction and the second direction are different, and at least a portion of the first conductive element extends in the first direction [Appears readily apparent; Figs.7-13] [Also see Aoki Figs.1-2,6-8];
wherein the at least a portion of the first conductive element overlaps with the main line of the first power line in a normal direction of the substrate [Fig.7];
wherein the first power line comprises a main line and a branch, the main line extends in a first direction, the branch extends in a second direction, the first direction and the second direction are different, and at least a portion of the first conductive element extends in the second direction [Appears readily apparent; Figs.7-13] [Also see Aoki Figs.1-2,6-8];
wherein the at least a portion of the first conductive element overlaps with the branch of the first power line in a normal direction of the substrate [Appears readily apparent; Figs.7-13] [Also see Aoki Figs.1-2,6-8];
further comprising:
a third conductive layer, disposed on the first conductive element and covering the first conductive element [Fig.7 discloses multiple AND/COM conductors and multiple electronic elements ED1-3].
Regarding claim 15, Lee fails to explicitly disclose the limitations of the claims, but it would seem obvious to design as required wherein a width of the first conductive element is greater than a width of the first power line. It has been held that applying a known technique to a known process in order to yield predictable results would have been obvious. Further, it would have been obvious to try one of the known methods with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Overall, Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive. The claims stand rejected and the Action is made Final.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BAC H AU whose telephone number is (571)272-8795. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-6:00PM.
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/BAC H AU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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