Detailed Action
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
2. A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/16/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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 of this title, 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.
4. Claims 1, 3-4, and 8-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Chen (US 20220198175 A1; Chen’175) in view of Chen (US 20200043400 A1; Chen’400).
Regarding claim 1, Chen’175 (e.g., Figs. 4-5 and 7-9) discloses an electronic device, comprising:
a substrate (substrate 110) comprising a surface (surface 111);
a first insulating layer (insulating layer B1) disposed on the surface (surface 111) of the substrate (substrate 110), wherein the first insulating layer (insulating layer B1) comprises a first hole (hole H13);
a second insulating substrate (insulating layer I7) disposed on the first insulating laver (insulating layer B1), wherein the second insulating laver (insulating layer I7) comprises a second hole (a hole for pad P1) and a third hole (a hole for pad P2), and the second hole (a hole for pad P1) and the third hole (a hole for pad P1) are separated;
a photosensor (optical sensor 120A; [0048] and [0052]) disposed in the first hole (hole H13) of the first insulating layer (insulating layer B1);
a light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 130A; [0048]);
a first connecting element (pad P1; [0062]) electrically connected to and overlapped with the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 130A), wherein the first connecting element (pad P1) is disposed in the second hole (hole for pad P1) of the second insulating layer (insulating layer I7); and
a second connecting element (pad P2; [0062]) electrically connected to and overlapped with the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 130A), wherein the second connecting element (pad P2) is disposed in the third hole (hole for pad P2) of the second insulating layer (insulating layer I7), wherein the first connecting element (pad P1) and the second connecting element (pad P2) are structurally separated along a direction parallel to the surface (surface 111) of the substrate (substrate 110).
Chen’175 discloses a light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 130A; [0048]) disposed on the second insulating layer (insulating layer I7), but does not disclose a third insulating layer and the light-emitting unit disposed in a hole (fourth hole) of the third insulating layer. However, Chen’400 (e.g., Fig. 1) discloses a light-emitting unit (light-emitting element LD) and a third insulating layer (insulating layer OC) comprising a fourth hole (hole for to accommodate the light-emitting element LD), and the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element LD) disposed in the fourth hole of the third insulating layer (insulating layer OC). In addition, Chen’400 (e.g., Fig. 1) also discloses a first connecting element (first pad BP) and a second connecting element (second pad BP) electrically connected to and overlapped with the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element LD). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from Chen’400 to the electronic device of Chen’175. The combination/motivation would be to provide a cover layer to protect the light-emitting element.
Regarding claim 3, Chen’175 in view of Chen’400 discloses the electronic device of claim 1, Chen’175 (e.g., Figs. 4-5 and 7-9) discloses wherein the photosensor (optical sensor 120A) is not overlapped with the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 130A).
Regarding claim 4, Chen’175 in view of Chen’400 discloses the electronic device of claim 1, Chen’175 (e.g., Figs. 4-5 and 7-9) discloses the electronic device further comprising: a semiconductor structure (transistor T2; [0036]) electrically connected to the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 130A) through the first connecting element (pad P1).
Regarding claim 8, Chen’175 in view of Chen’400 discloses the electronic device of claim 1, Chen’175 (e.g., Figs. 4-5 and 7-9) discloses wherein the first connecting element (pad P1) is connected with a first end of the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 130A), and the second connecting element (pad P2) is connected with a second end of the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 130A).
Regarding claim 9, Chen’175 in view of Chen’400 discloses the electronic device of claim 8, Chen’175 (e.g., Figs. 4-5 and 7-9) discloses wherein the first end of the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 130A) is disposed opposite to the second end of the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 130A) along the direction parallel to the surface of the substrate (e.g., Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 10, Chen’175 in view of Chen’400 discloses the electronic device of claim 1, Chen’175 (e.g., Figs. 4-5 and 7-9) discloses wherein the first connecting element (pad P1) and the second connecting element (pad P1) are disposed oppositely along the direction parallel to the surface of the substrate (e.g., Fig. 5), and the first connecting element (pad P1) and the second connecting element (pad P1) are not structurally contacted (e.g., Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 11, Chen’175 in view of Chen’400 discloses the electronic device of claim 1, Chen’175 (e.g., Figs. 4-5 and 7-9) discloses the electronic device further comprising: a first active element (transistor T1 a; [0051]) disposed on the surface of the substrate (substrate 110) and electrically connected to the photosensor (optical sensor 120A); and a second active element (transistor T2; [0036]) disposed on the surface of the substrate (substrate 110) and electrically connected to the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 130A).
Regarding claim 12, Chen’175 in view of Chen’400 discloses the electronic device of claim 1, Chen’175 (e.g., Figs. 4-5 and 7-9) discloses the electronic device further comprising: a first driving element (transistor T1 a; [0051]) disposed on the surface of the substrate (substrate 110) and electrically connected to the photosensor (optical sensor 120A); and a second driving element (transistor T2; [0036]) disposed on the surface of the substrate (substrate 110) and electrically connected to the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 130A).
5. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Chen (US 20220198175 A1; Chen’175) in view of Chen (US 20200043400 A1; Chen’400) and further in view of Baek (US 20220190061 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Chen’175 in view of Chen’400 discloses the electronic device of claim 1, but does not disclose a color filter layer overlapped with at least a part of the light-emitting unit. However, Baek (e.g., Figs. 7 and 9) discloses an electronic device similar to that disclosed by Chen’175, comprising: a light-emitting unit (light-emitting unit LD), a photosensor (optical sensor PD), and a color filter layer (color filter layer CF1) overlapped with at least a part of the light-emitting unit (light-emitting unit LD). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the color filter as taught from Baek to the electronic device of Chen’400. The combination/motivation would be to provide a color filter to cut off unwanted emission light and to improve detection sensitivity.
6. Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over Chen (US 20220198175 A1; Chen’175) in view of Chen (US 20200043400 A1; Chen’400) and further in view of EMURA (US 20220173283 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Chen’175 in view of Chen’400 discloses the electronic device of claim 1, but does not disclose a wavelength conversion layer overlapped with at least a part of the light-emitting unit. However, EMURA (e.g., Figs. 1A and 3) discloses a light-emitting unit same as that disclosed by Chen’175 and Chen’400, further comprising: a wavelength conversion layer (wavelength conversion layer 30; [0032]) overlapped with at least a part of the light-emitting unit (light-emitting element 10). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching from EMURA to the electronic device of Chen’400. The combination/motivation would be to provide an emission light with a desired color to improve detection sensitivity.
Response to Arguments
7. Regarding claim 1, applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection. In view of amendments, the references of Chen (US 20220198175 A1) in view of Chen (US 20200043400 A1) have been used for new ground rejection.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YUZHEN SHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1407. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00-18:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chanh Nguyen can be reached on 571-272-7772. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YUZHEN SHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623
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