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
Claims 5-8 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 7/13/2026. The election filed 7/13/2026 elects the species of the bond pad connection portion as depicted in Fig. 6 and the system top view as depicted in Fig. 16.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 –
(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.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2012/0044432 A1 (Yeh).
Re claim 1, Yeh teaches an electronic device (display 10), comprising:
a substrate (substrate 100), comprising a peripheral region (non-display region);
a first pad (first pad 110/contact layers 142) disposed on the peripheral region of the substrate, wherein the first pad has a first conductive layer (first pad 110) and a second conductive layer (contact layers 142) disposed on the first conductive layer; and
a first insulating layer (second insulating layer 130) disposed on the first conductive layer, the first insulating layer having a plurality of openings arranged along a first direction (Y direction) and exposing a portion of the first conductive layer of the first pad (Figs. 5-6), wherein the second conductive layer of the first pad is disposed on at least a portion of the first insulating layer and electrically connected to the first conductive layer of the first pad through the plurality of openings (Fig. 6), wherein in a top view of the electronic device, in a second direction (X direction) perpendicular to the first direction, a width of the second conductive layer of the first pad is greater than a width of the first conductive layer of the first pad (Fig. 6).
PNG
media_image1.png
640
472
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
414
588
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Re claim 2, Yeh teaches wherein the first conductive layer includes a metal layer ([0028]).
Re claim 3, Yeh teaches wherein the first conductive layer includes multiple layers ([0028]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2012/0044432 A1 (Yeh) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of US 2019/0229446 A1 (Kim).
Re claim 4, Yeh teaches the electronic device as claimed in claim 1, Yeh is silent with regards to the materials used for the second conductive layer. However, Yeh teaches a display device wherein there are contact pads sandwiching nanoparticles in the bond layer.
Kim teaches a display device having contact pads wherein the conductive layer of the contact pads in contact with the conductive particles includes an oxygen-containing conductive layer or an oxide layer ([0071]).
It would have been obvious to the ordinary skilled artisan at the time of filing to add the invention of Kim including forming the conductive layer in contact with the particles being an oxide conductive material.
The motivation to do so is that Yeh is completely silent with regards to the appropriate materials for the conductive layer in contact with the conductive particles therefore the ordinary skilled artisan would look to Kim to find an appropriate material for this same purpose.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIGITTE A PATERSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1752. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00AM-5:00PM.
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, William Kraig can be reached at 571-272-8660. 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.
BRIGITTE A. PATERSON
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2896
/BRIGITTE A PATERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896
Prosecution Insights