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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species E, drawn to Fig. 8, in the reply filed on 02/12/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 6-14, 16, and 20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 02/12/2026.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the feature(s) “a third routing trace in the first metal layer; and the third routing trace overlaps the first routing trace within the first opening at the second edge of the first routing trace” in combination with “a first routing trace in a first metal layer” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the elected claim(s). The feature(s) “a plurality of metal layers between the first layer of opaque material and the chiplet micro-driver and the photodetector” (emphasis added), to the extent understood, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the elected claims. No new matter should be entered.
The drawings are objected to because:
Numerous features cannot be discerned due to crowding in the drawings.
In Fig. 3B, it is unclear why µLEDs appear to be present in a periphery outside the visible area of the display panel.
It is unclear where reference character 400 points. See Figs. 4A-B, for example.
It is unclear to what feature(s) reference character 404 points. See Figs. 4A-B, for example.
It is unclear to what feature(s) reference character 408 points. See Figs. 4A-B, for example.
Fewer than all letters, numerals, and reference characters measure at least 1/8 inch in height as required by 37 CFR 1.84(p)(3). See Fig. 4A, for example.
Shading does not conform to the standards set forth in 37 CFR 1.84(m), which recites “shading in views is encouraged if it aids in understanding the invention and if it does not reduce legibility. ... Spaced lines for shading are preferred. These lines must be thin, as few in number as practicable, and they must contrast with the rest of the drawings. ... Solid black shading areas are not permitted, except when used to represent bar graphs or color.”
In Fig. 4A, a key does not match the appearance of the drawings.
No black matrix 414 appears in Fig. 4A; thus, it is unclear in what structure openings 420 exist.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference characters "408" and "602" and "802" appear to be used to designate a photodetector. Reference characters “414”, “604”, and “804” appear to be used to designate a black matrix.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “404” has been used to designate both a shaded feature and an unshaded feature. See Fig. 4B, for example. Reference character “418” has been used to designate both a shaded feature (see Fig. 4A) and an unshaded feature (see Fig. 4B). Reference character “420” has been used to designate both a shaded feature (see Fig. 4A) and an unshaded feature (see Fig. 4B). Reference character 620 appears to be used to designate multiple routing traces in different metal layers. Reference character 721 appears to be used to designate multiple routing traces in different metal layers. Reference character 820 appears to be used to designate multiple routing traces in different metal layers.
It is unclear whether or not 802 refers to both a photodetector and a micro-driver. See Fig. 8.
Separate views are not separately labeled. See Fig. 5. The Examiner suggests Figs. 5A and 5B, for example.
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.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In [0059], the SPEC recites “Micro-driver metal layers M1-P6”. This is inconsistent with the absence of P6 in Fig. 5.
Appropriate correction is required.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claims 1-5, 15, and 17-19 are 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.
Independent claim 1 recites “a plurality of metal layers between the first layer of opaque material and the chiplet micro-driver and the photodetector”. The word “between” implies a relationship between two objects, rather than among three objects. The meaning of “between” is unclear in the context of three recited objections joined by “and … and”.
A similar recitation in independent claim 17 is similarly indefinite.
Claim 5 recites “a third routing trace in the first metal layer; and the third routing trace overlaps the first routing trace within the first opening at the second edge of the first routing trace”. This contradicts “a first routing trace in a first metal layer” as recited in parent claim 3. It is unclear how a third routing trace in a first metal layer could possibly overlap a first routing trace positioned in that same first metal layer. Furthermore, the limitation “the third routing trace overlaps the first routing trace within the first opening at the second edge of the first routing trace” is misdescriptive of Fig. 8, to which elected Species E is drawn. See third routing trace T3A and T3B in Fig. 8, for example, wherein neither T3A nor T3B exists within opening 800. Because the third routing trace does not exist within the first opening, no portion of the first routing trace could possibly be construed as overlapped by a third routing trace within the first opening.
Claim 19 recites “one or more first portions of the one or more of the plurality of metal layers include a first routing trace in a first metal layer and a second routing trace in a second metal layer, different from the first metal layer, the first routing trace overlapping the second routing trace”. The recitation of two routing traces is consistent with more than one first portion, but is inconsistent with merely one first portion. The Examiner suggests --a plurality of first portions of
Other elected claims are indefinite by virtue of dependency from at least one indefinite claim.
Regarding claims 1-5, 15, and 17-19: In the absence of a reasonably definite interpretation of a claim, it is improper to rely on speculative assumptions regarding the meaning of a claim and then base a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 on these assumptions (In re Steele, 305 F.2d 859,134 USPQ 292 (CCPA 1962)). See MPEP 2143.03.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Julie Anne Watko whose telephone number is (571)272-7597. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Tuesday 9AM-5PM, Wednesday 10:30AM-5PM, Thursday-Friday 9AM-5PM, and occasional Saturdays.
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, Ke Xiao can be reached at 571-272-7776. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
JULIE ANNE WATKO
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2627
/Julie Anne Watko/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627
04/27/2026
Prosecution Insights