Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/014,012

DISPLAY DEVICE USING MICRO LED

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Dec 30, 2022
Priority
Jul 03, 2020 — nonprovisional of PCTKR2020008741
Examiner
TRAN, TONY
Art Unit
2893
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
LG Electronics Inc.
OA Round
4 (Final)
70%
Grant Probability
Favorable
5-6
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 70% — above average
70%
Career Allowance Rate
619 granted / 878 resolved
+2.5% vs TC avg
Strong +34% interview lift
Without
With
+33.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
52 currently pending
Career history
924
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.8%
-39.2% vs TC avg
§103
61.0%
+21.0% vs TC avg
§102
32.9%
-7.1% vs TC avg
§112
3.6%
-36.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 878 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 Claim Objections Claims 19-20 objected to because of the following informalities: they depended on withdrawn claim 16, therefore, they should label as “withdrawn”. Appropriate correction is required. 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. Claim(s) 1-7 and 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bibl (Pub. No.: US 2015/0318328) in view of Huang (Pub. No.: US 2020/0020272). PNG media_image1.png 715 1094 media_image1.png Greyscale Re claim 1, Bibl teaches a display device using a light-emitting element, the display device comprising: a base substrate ([BS], FGIS. 3D [as shown above]); a TFT substrate [TS] disposed on the base substrate and including: a thin film transistor (TFT) (T2) for driving an active matrix, and a connection pad ([CP], FIG. 3D [as shown above]) connected to the TFT; a light emitting package (400, FIG. 6D, ¶ [0068]) including a unit pixel disposed on the TFT substrate and electrically connected to the connection pad [CP], wherein the light emitting package includes a transparent resin layer (148, [0084]), a wiring layer (140, FIG. 5D) disposed on the TFT substrate (102), and at least one light-emitting element (400) disposed between the TFT substrate and the transparent resin layer, wherein the at least one light-emitting element is electrically connected to the wiring layer (140, FIG. 3D) to constitute a sub-pixel (108, FIG. 5F, [0006]); and a connection wiring (142) electrically connecting the wiring layer (140) and the connection pad [CP]. Bibl fails to teach an adhesive layer disposed on the TFT to cover the TFT and attach the light emitting package to the TFT substrate, wherein the at least one light-emitting element is partially embedded into the adhesive layer of the TFT substrate for attachment, and wherein the adhesive layer is disposed between the base substrate and an insulating layer positioned below the transparent resin layer, and the adhesive layer is in contact with the base substrate or in contact with the insulating layer in at least a partial region. Huang teaches an adhesive layer (1490’, FIG. 16, ¶ [0092]) disposed on the TFT to cover the TFT (1440) and attach the light emitting package (640) to the TFT substrate ([TS], FIG. 6 [as shown below]), wherein the at least one light-emitting element (uLED) is partially embedded into the adhesive layer (1490’) of the TFT substrate for attachment, and PNG media_image2.png 623 879 media_image2.png Greyscale wherein the adhesive layer (1490’) is disposed between the base substrate (1410) and an insulating layer (1495, note that Examiner miss-label here instead of 1470 as stated in the previous office action) positioned below the transparent resin layer (PCB 1450, [0090], note that “An insulator is a component that forms the entire connector and protects the contacts (wires). It is mainly made of resin”), and the adhesive layer (1490’) is in contact with the insulating layer (1495) in at least a partial region. It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to include the above said teaching for the purpose of enhancing the LED connectivity with different anode and cathode location as taught by Huang. Re claim 2, in the combination, Bibl teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the at least one light-emitting element includes light-emitting elements that emit red (400R, FIG. 5E, [0077]), green (400G), and blue light (400B, [0078]) and that are attached to the transparent resin layer (148) and electrically connected to the respective wiring layer (140). Re claim 3, in the combination, Bibl, FIG. 6D teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the transparent resin layer (148) is smaller than a thickness of the light-emitting element (400). Re claim 4, in the combination, Huang, FIG. 16 teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the insulating layer (1495) covers the TFT (uLED), and wherein the adhesive layer (1490’) is disposed between the insulating layer (1495) and the wiring layer (1482). Re claim 5, in the combination, Bibl, FIG. 3D [as shown above] teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the connection wiring (142) electrically connects the wiring layer (140) and the connection pad [CP]. PNG media_image3.png 587 855 media_image3.png Greyscale Re claim 6, in the combination, Huang teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein a first wiring layer [FW] connected to the connection pad [CP] and a first electrode (682, FIG. 6 [as shown above]) of the light- emitting element (680); and a second wiring layer [SW] connected to a second electrode (684) of the light-emitting element (680). Re claim 7, in the combination, Huang, FIG. 6 teaches the display device of claim 6, wherein the second wiring layer [SW] is connected to a common electrode (of cathode electrode 1484 of FIG. 14, [0090]). PNG media_image4.png 739 726 media_image4.png Greyscale Re claim 11, in the combination, Bibl, FIG. 7 [as shown above] teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the connection pad of the TFT substrate includes four connection pads for each pixel, wherein the four connection pads include: three connection pads [TforTSP] for connecting three sub-pixels (400R/G/B); and one connection pad [ComP] for connecting a common electrode (144). Re claim 12, in the combination, Bibl, FIG. 6D and 7 teaches the display device of claim 10, wherein the TFT (T2) is disposed between the four connection pads (TforTSP]/[ComP]). Re claim 13, in the combination, Bibl, FIG. 6D and 7 teaches the display device of claim 12, wherein the TFTs (T2) are disposed between the four connection pads in a cross shape (TforTSP]/[ComP]). Re claim 14, in the combination, Bibl, FIG. 6D and 7 teaches the display device of claim 13, wherein pixel electrodes of the respective sub-pixels (400R/G/B) are disposed along both sides of the TFTs (T2) arranged in the cross shape. Re claim 15, in the combination, Bibl, FIG. 6D and 7 teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the reflective film (420, FIG. 4D, [0070]) is disposed below the light-emitting element (400). Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1-7 and 11-15 on the remarks filed on 07/22/2026 have been considered but are not persuasive because of the Examiner miss-label the insulating layer 1495 instead of 1470 as stated in the previous office action, therefore, Huang teaches an adhesive layer (1490’, FIG. 16 as shown above, ¶ [0092]) disposed on the TFT to cover the TFT (1440) and attach the light emitting package (640) to the TFT substrate [TS], wherein the at least one light-emitting element (uLED) is partially embedded into the adhesive layer (1490’) of the TFT substrate for attachment, and wherein the adhesive layer (1490’) is disposed between the base substrate (1410) and an insulating layer (1495, note that the Examiner is miss-label here) positioned below the transparent resin layer (1450, note that “An insulator is a component that forms the entire connector and protects the contacts (wires). It is mainly made of resin”), and the adhesive layer (1490’) is in contact with the insulating layer (1495) in at least a partial region. 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 TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1749. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8AM-5PM, EST. 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, Britt Hanley can be reached at 571-270-3042. 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 TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Show 2 earlier events
Oct 16, 2025
Response Filed
Dec 03, 2025
Final Rejection mailed — §103
Feb 23, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Feb 27, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Mar 10, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
May 06, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jul 22, 2026
Response Filed
Sep 01, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

5-6
Expected OA Rounds
70%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+33.5%)
2y 9m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 878 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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