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 .
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Song et al.
Regarding claim 1, Song et al teach a substrate assembly for an optical sensor module, the substrate assembly comprising: a light-emitting device (111) mounted on a first region of a substrate (10); a metal shielding assembly (14) comprising a first metal shielding assembled to the substrate over the first region; and wherein the first metal shielding comprises a first opening (141) providing an optical path for light emitted by the light-emitting device, the first opening being dimensioned such that the light emitting device can be inserted through (Figures 10 and 11 shows the dimension of element 111 can be inserted from 141) the first opening inside the first metal shielding.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 6/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues Song et al does not teach “assembled to the substrate”. The term assembled to is defined, according to Merriam Webster, as fit together the parts of. In this instance, Song et al is understood to teach a first metal shielding assembled to the substrate.
Applicant further argues Song et al does not teach “the first opening being dimensioned such that the light-emitting device can be inserted through the first opening inside the first metal shielding”. Claim 1 does not require the light emitting device being inserted, while it only requires the dimension is so that light emitting device can be inserted. Song et al teaches at least the 2D dimension of the light emitting device is smaller than the opening therefore it has been concluded the light emitting device can be inserted through the aperture.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-17 are allowed.
Claims 2-14 are 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.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 TONY KO whose telephone number is (571)272-1926. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9-5pm.
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, Georgia Epps can be reached at 571-272-2328. 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.
/TONY KO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2878
TK