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 Office Action is in response to the application filed July 12, 2024.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because there is no reference character for the edge. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim 1 is 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.
It is not understood as to what all constitutes the edge. Is it the overflow region, the package region or the combination of the overflow region and the package region?
Claims 2-8 are rejected as being dependent upon rejected claim 1.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities: “great” should have been greater in line 4. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 4 is 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.
The convex portion does not overlap the organic layer; the convex portion is actually under the organic layer.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 1-4 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Qin et al. (CN 110120464 A).
In regard to claim 1, Qin et al. teach an electronic device, comprising: a substrate 10 having an edge (boundary between central region and region on the right); an active region (region on the left) located on the substrate 10; a plurality of recesses (recess under reference characters 33/36/37 and the recess at the right end of the center region), wherein the plurality of recesses (recess under reference characters 33/36/37 and the recess at the right end of the center region) are located between the active region (region on the left) and the edge (boundary between central region and region on the right) in a top view; a first non-organic layer 35 and a second non-organic layer 37 disposed on the substrate 10; wherein in a cross-sectional view, the second non-organic layer 37 is disposed on the first non-organic layer 35, and the first non-organic layer 35 directly contacts the second non-organic layer 37 at a point which is located in a central portion (area under reference characters 33/36/37) of one of the plurality of recesses (area under reference characters 33/36/37); and an organic layer 36, disposed between the first non-organic layer 35 and the second non-organic layer 37, and a portion (in area under reference characters 33/36/37) of the organic layer 36 is located in the one of the plurality of recesses (area under reference characters 33/36/37) (Figures 1 and 16, pages 10-23).
In regard to claim 2, Qin et al. teach in the cross-sectional view, an included angle at the point and formed by a first interface between the organic layer 36 and the first non-organic layer 35 and a second interface between the organic layer 36 and the second non-organic layer 37 is great than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees (Figures 1 and 16, pages 10-23).
In regard to claim 3, Qin et al. teach the plurality of recesses (recess under reference characters 33/36/37 and the recess at the right end of the center region) extending in a same direction in the top view (Figures 1 and 16, pages 10-23).
In regard to claim 4, Qin et al. teach a convex portion (the convex portion of 37, under reference character 37) overlapping the organic layer 36 (Figures 1 and 16, pages 10-23).
In regard to claim 8, Qin et al. teach in the cross-sectional view, the first non-organic layer 35 having a curved portion (under reference character 33) in the one of the plurality of recesses (area under reference characters 33/36/37) (Figures 1 and 16, pages 10-23).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 6-7 are objected to as being dependent upon objected claim 5.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The following patents are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to electronic devices:
Jang et al. (US 2020/0168671 A1) Qin (CN 110690264 A)
Sung et al. (US 10,541,380 B1) Yin (CN 111129324 A).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IDA M SOWARD whose telephone number is (571)272-1845. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday, 7am to 5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Leonard Chang can be reached at 571-270-3691. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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IMS
August 24, 2026
/IDA M SOWARD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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