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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Dependent claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. The claim recites “The inspection method”, but the independent claim does not recite an inspection method. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
It appears the claim should be dependent upon claim 9, not claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-11 and 13-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding independent claim 1, the prior art of record neither shows nor suggest a substrate comprising: a display area including a plurality of pixels; a surrounding area that surrounds the display area; and an inspection pad portion provided in the surrounding area, wherein the inspection pad portion comprises: a plurality of first pads and a plurality of second pads aligned in a first direction; a plurality of third pads aligned in the first direction, and arranged at positions displaced from the plurality of first pads in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and a plurality of first conductive lines connecting the plurality of first pads with the plurality of third pads, respectively.
Due to their dependency, claims 2-8 are necessarily allowable.
Regarding independent claim 9, the prior art of record neither shows nor suggest an inspection method of inspecting a substrate using a head comprising a plurality of probes, the substrate comprising a display area including a plurality of pixels, a surrounding area that surrounds the display area, and an inspection pad portion provided in the surrounding area, wherein the inspection pad portion comprises a plurality of first pads and a plurality of second pads aligned in a first direction, a plurality of third pads aligned in the first direction, and arranged at positions displaced from the plurality of first pads in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a plurality of first conductive lines connecting the plurality of first pads with the plurality of third pads, respectively, the inspection method comprising: bringing the plurality of probes into contact with at least the plurality of first pads or the plurality of third pads, and the plurality of second pads; and inspecting the substrate by supplying inspection signals via the plurality of probes.
Due to their dependency, claims 9-11 and 13-17 are necessarily allowable.
Regarding independent claim 18, the prior art of record neither shows nor suggest a display device manufacturing method, comprising: preparing a substrate comprising a display area including a plurality of pixels, a surrounding area that surrounds the display area, and an inspection pad portion provided in the surrounding area, wherein the inspection pad portion comprises a plurality of first pads and a plurality of second pads aligned in a first direction, a plurality of third pads aligned in the first direction, and arranged at positions displaced from the plurality of first pads in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a plurality of first conductive lines connecting the plurality of first pads with the plurality of third pads, respectively; bringing the plurality of probes that a head comprises into contact with at least the plurality of first pads or the plurality of third pads, and the plurality of second pads; inspecting the substrate by supplying inspection signals via the plurality of probes; and cutting the inspection pad portion from the substrate.
Due to their dependency, claims 19-20 are necessarily allowable.
The closest prior art of record, Lee et al. (US 2019/0064239) teaches (see figure 1) an inspection pad with first, second, and third pads, but does not teach the claimed plurality of first, second, and third pads nor the location of the pads from each other
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH L WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-2465. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6:30 AM- 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, JAMES R. GREECE can be reached at (571) 272-3711. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JOSEPH L. WILLIAMS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/JOSEPH L WILLIAMS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
