Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/281,329

DISPLAY APPARATUS, DISPLAY MODULE, ELECTRONIC DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING DISPLAY APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Sep 11, 2023
Examiner
BOWMAN, MARY ELLEN
Art Unit
2875
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
82%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 0m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 82% — above average
82%
Career Allow Rate
1138 granted / 1395 resolved
+13.6% vs TC avg
Strong +18% interview lift
Without
With
+18.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 0m
Avg Prosecution
25 currently pending
Career history
1420
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.2%
-39.8% vs TC avg
§103
53.4%
+13.4% vs TC avg
§102
29.3%
-10.7% vs TC avg
§112
6.2%
-33.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1395 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Priority Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/21/23 and 11/2/23 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. 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. Claims 1, 3-5 and 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ho et al., KR 10-2020-0082491. Regarding claim 1, Ho teaches a display apparatus (Figure 4) comprising: a first light-emitting device (P1); a second light-emitting device (P2); a first insulating layer (125); a second insulating layer (127); a first coloring layer (CF1); and a second coloring layer (CF2), wherein the first light-emitting device comprises a first pixel electrode (121), a first light- emitting layer over the first pixel electrode (131-133), and a common electrode (140) over the first light- emitting layer, wherein the second light-emitting device comprises a second pixel electrode (122), a second light-emitting layer over the second pixel electrode (131-133), and the common electrode (140) over the second light-emitting layer, wherein an end portion of the first pixel electrode and an end portion of the second pixel electrode are covered with the first insulating layer (125, see Figure 4)), wherein the second insulating layer (127) is over the first insulating layer (see Figure 4), wherein the second insulating layer covers side surfaces of the first light-emitting layer and the second light-emitting layer (131-133), wherein the first coloring layer is placed to overlap with the first light-emitting device (CF1 over P1 light emitting device, Figure 4), wherein the second coloring layer is placed to overlap with the second light- emitting device (CF2 is over P2 light emitting device, Figure 4), wherein the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device are configured to emit white light ([0061, 0065, 0069]), and wherein the first coloring layer and the second coloring layer are configured to transmit visible light of different colors ([0089]). Regarding claim 3, Ho teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches the first light-emitting device comprises a common layer (130) between the first light-emitting layer and the common electrode ([0061]), wherein the second light-emitting device comprises the common layer between the second light-emitting layer and the common electrode (131-133), and wherein the common layer comprises at least one of a hole-injection layer, a hole-inhibition layer, a hole-transport layer, an electron-transport layer, an electron- inhibition layer, and an electron-injection layer (133, [0106]). Regarding claim 4, Ho teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches the first light-emitting layer and the second light-emitting layer comprise the same material ([0065 and 0069]). Regarding claim 5, Ho teaches (at least in Figure 4) a display apparatus comprising: a first light-emitting device (in P1, Figure 4); a second light-emitting device (in P2, Figure 4); a first insulating layer (125); a second insulating layer (127); a first coloring layer (CF1); and a second coloring layer (CF2), wherein the first light-emitting device comprises a first pixel electrode (121), a first light- emitting unit over the first pixel electrode (131-133), a first charge-generation layer over the first light-emitting unit (id), a second light-emitting unit over the first charge-generation layer (id), and a common electrode (140) over the second light-emitting unit, wherein the second light-emitting device comprises a second pixel electrode (122), a third light-emitting unit over the second pixel electrode (131-133), a second charge-generation layer over the third light-emitting unit (id), a fourth light-emitting unit over the second charge- generation layer (id), and the common electrode (140) over the fourth light-emitting unit, wherein an end portion of the first pixel electrode and an end portion of the second pixel electrode are covered with the first insulating layer (125), wherein the second insulating layer (127) is over the first insulating layer, wherein the second insulating layer covers side surfaces of the first pixel electrode (see Figure 4), the second pixel electrode, the first charge-generation layer, and the second charge-generation layer, wherein the first coloring layer (CF1) is placed to overlap with the first light-emitting device, wherein the second coloring layer (CF2) is placed to overlap with the second light- emitting device, wherein the first light-emitting device and the second light-emitting device are configured to emit white light ([0061, 0065, 0069]), and wherein the first coloring layer and the second coloring layer are configured to transmit visible light of different colors ([0089]). Regarding claim 7, Ho teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 5 and further teaches the first light-emitting device comprises a common layer between the second light-emitting unit and the common electrode (130 including 131-133), wherein the second light-emitting device comprises the common layer (130) between the fourth light-emitting unit and the common electrode, and wherein the common layer comprises at least one of a hole-injection layer, a hole-inhibition layer, a hole-transport layer, an electron-transport layer, an electron- inhibition layer, and an electron-injection layer ([0106])). Regarding claim 8, Ho teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 5 and further teaches the first light-emitting unit and the third light-emitting unit comprise the same material ([0065 and 0069]), wherein the first charge-generation layer and the second charge-generation layer comprise the same material (131-133), and wherein the second light-emitting unit and the fourth light-emitting unit comprise the same material ([0065 and 0069]). Regarding claim 9, Ho teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 1 and further teaches at least one of a connector and an integrated circuit ([0023] integrated circuit). Regarding claim 10, Ho teaches the invention as explained above regarding claim 9 and further teaches at least one of a housing, a battery, a camera, a speaker, and a microphone (Figure 11a, housing). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 2, 6, 16 and 17 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. Claims 11-15, 18 and 19 are allowed. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art fails to teach or suggest a third insulating layer, wherein the second insulating layer comprises an inorganic material and the third insulating layer comprises an organic material and overlaps the first insulating layer and the side surfaces of the first light emitting layer and the second light emitting layer with the second insulating layer therebetween. Further, the prior art fails to teach or suggest forming a first insulating film covering at least a top surface of the first insulating layer, a side surface of the second layer, a side surface of the third layer, a side surface and a top surface of the second sacrificial layer, and a side surface and a top surface of the third sacrificial layer, in conjunction with the remaining limitations of the independent claims. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hirano et al., US 6120338 teaches a first insulating layer covering the end surfaces of the pixel electrode and a second insulating layer covering the side surfaces of the EL layer. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARY-ELLEN BOWMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5383. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday; 7:00 am-5:00 pm. 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, James Greece can be reached at (571) 272-3711. 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. MARY ELLEN BOWMAN Examiner Art Unit 2875 /MARY ELLEN BOWMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 11, 2023
Application Filed
Feb 28, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12592168
SPLICING SCREEN AND DISPLAY DEVICE
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12588399
DISPLAY DEVICE
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12581770
MANUFACTURING METHOD OF DISPLAY PANEL AND DISPLAY DEVICE
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 17, 2026
Patent 12571530
SOLID-STATE LIGHTING FIXTURES WITH SOCKET CONNECTIONS FOR ACCESSORIES AND ACCESSORIES FOR USE THEREWITH
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 10, 2026
Patent 12565987
CONDUCTIVE MOUNTING STRUCTURES FOR LIGHTING LAMPS
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 03, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

AI Strategy Recommendation

Get an AI-powered prosecution strategy using examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Powered by AI — typically takes 5-10 seconds

Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
82%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+18.5%)
2y 0m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1395 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

Sign in with your work email

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month