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, 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KANG et al (US 2021/0375804).
Regarding claim 1, KANG discloses an electronic device (abstract) comprising: a display panel including a first pad CF-PD (Figure 4, 6, 9); a data driver including a second pad CP-CFD disposed to overlap the first pad in a thickness direction of the display panel and disposed on the display panel (Figure 4, 6, 9); and an adhesive layer ALY disposed between the display panel and the data driver (Figure 6,9), wherein the first pad includes: a first conductive pattern CPD2 (Figure 6,9); an insulating pattern IL1,IL2 disposed on the first conductive pattern and configured to define a protrusion protruding in a direction from the display panel toward the data driver (Figure 3, 6,9); and a second conductive pattern CPD1 disposed on the insulating pattern, wherein the second conductive pattern is in contact with and electrically connected to the data driver, the data driver includes a groove OP defined in a surface thereof facing the display panel, and a length of the groove in a first direction perpendicular to the thickness direction is smaller than or equal to a length of a top surface of the second conductive pattern in the first direction (Figure 6, 7; paragraph 29, 116-117, 127).
Regarding claim 6, KANG discloses an electronic device (abstract; Figure 1) comprising: a display panel including a first pad CF-PD (Figure 4, 6, 9); a data driver including a second pad CP-CFD disposed to overlap the first pad in a thickness direction of the display panel and disposed on the display panel (Figure 4, 6, 9); and an adhesive layer ALY disposed between the display panel and the data driver (Figure 6,9), wherein the first pad includes: a first conductive pattern CPD2 (Figure 6,9); an insulating pattern IL1,IL2 disposed on the first conductive pattern and configured to define a protrusion protruding in a direction from the display panel toward the data driver (Figure 3, 6,9); and a second conductive pattern CPD1 disposed on the insulating pattern, wherein protruding portions of the second conductive pattern corresponding to the plurality of protrusions of the insulating pattern are in contact with and electrically connected to the data driver, the data driver defines a plurality of grooves OP arranged in a surface thereof facing the display panel and spaced apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, a length of each of the plurality of grooves in a first direction perpendicular to both the thickness direction and the second direction is smaller than or equal to a length of each of top surfaces of the protruding portions of the second conductive pattern in the first direction, and a length of each of the plurality of grooves in the second direction is smaller than or equal to a length of each of the top surfaces of the protruding portions of the second conductive pattern in the second direction (Figure 6, 7; paragraph 29, 116-117, 127).
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) 9,10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KANG et al (US 2021/0375804).
Regarding claim 9, see the rejections of the parent claim concerning the subject matter this claim is dependent upon. Although KANG discloses the adhesive layer is can be injected with conductive particles, KANG does not expressly disclose wherein the adhesive layer is a non- conductive film. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to provide a non-conductive adhesive layer, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416. Furthermore, as conductive particles are provided between contact pads, such a material would provide insulation for the surrounding area.
Regarding claim 10, see the rejections of the parent claim concerning the subject matter this claim is dependent upon. However, KANG does not expressly disclose wherein the insulating pattern includes a polymer. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to provide a polymer, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5,7,8 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Prior Art fails to disclose wherein the data driver includes: an insulating layer defining a plurality of openings exposing a portion of the second pad and disposed under the second pad; and a conductive layer in which the plurality of grooves are defined and which is disposed under the insulating layer while covering the exposed portion of the second pad, wherein the protruding portions of the second conductive pattern are in contact with and electrically connected to the conductive layer of the data driver.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. References provided in the PTO-892 not disclosed in the Office Action are provided as a general state in the art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARIEL A BALAOING whose telephone number is (571)272-7317. The examiner can normally be reached 8AM-4AM M-F.
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/ARIEL A BALAOING/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624