Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/347,496

DISPLAY APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Jul 05, 2023
Priority
Aug 31, 2022 — RE 10-2022-0110319
Examiner
CRAWFORD EASON, LATANYA N
Art Unit
2813
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
OA Round
2 (Non-Final)
78%
Grant Probability
Favorable
2-3
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
79%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 78% — above average
78%
Career Allowance Rate
724 granted / 924 resolved
+10.4% vs TC avg
Minimal +0% lift
Without
With
+0.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 8m
Avg Prosecution
24 currently pending
Career history
961
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
§103
83.4%
+43.4% vs TC avg
§102
10.6%
-29.4% vs TC avg
§112
3.7%
-36.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 924 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Common Ownership/English translation The statement of common ownership and the English translation of the Priority Application has been acknowledged. Jeoung et al (US Pub no. 2022/0285468 A1)has been withdrawn. Allowable Subject Matter The indicated allowability of claims 6-8,10,& 17-19 are withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference(s) to Seo (US Pub no. 2022/0102470 A1). Rejections based on the newly cited reference(s) follow. 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) 1-3, 5-14, & 16-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon (US Pub no. 2021/0036070 A1) in view of Seo (US Pub no. 2022/0102470 A1) Regarding claim 1, Jeon et al discloses A display apparatus comprising: a substrate (100)[0067]comprising: a first auxiliary pixel area(Pa in the x direction on the left side) fig. 1[0065] ; a second auxiliary pixel area(Pa in x direction right side) adjacent to the first auxiliary pixel area in a first direction[0065] fig. 1; a third auxiliary pixel area (Pa- in the Y direction)adjacent to the first auxiliary pixel area(Pa in the x-direction left side) in a second direction crossing the first direction fig. 1; and a transmission area (TA)between the first auxiliary pixel area(Pa in the x direction on the left side) and the second auxiliary pixel area (Pa in x direction right side), and between the first auxiliary pixel area (Pa in the x direction on the left side) and the third auxiliary pixel area(Pa- in the Y direction) [0060-0061] fig. 1; a pixel-defining layer (119)comprising: a first auxiliary opening(OP1) in the first auxiliary pixel area(Pa in the x direction on the left side) to expose a central portion of a first auxiliary pixel electrode(221’) under the pixel-defining layer(119)[0185]; a second auxiliary opening (OP2) in the second auxiliary pixel area(Pa in x direction right side) to expose a central portion of a second auxiliary pixel electrode(221’) under the pixel-defining layer(119)[0185]; and a third auxiliary opening in the third auxiliary pixel area to expose a central portion of a third auxiliary pixel electrode under the pixel-defining layer (PA has the same structure for each of PA) see fig. 1 Jeon et al fails to teach an auxiliary connection wiring under the first auxiliary pixel electrode , the second auxiliary pixel electrode, or the third auxiliary pixel electrode, and extending from the first auxiliary pixel area, the second auxiliary pixel area, or the third auxiliary pixel area to the transmission area; and an organic layer at the transmission area. However, Seo et al discloses an auxiliary connection wiring (TWL) under the first auxiliary pixel electrode( 121’) and extending from the first auxiliary pixel area, to the transmission area(TA) fig. 6; and an organic layer (117)at the transmission area TA[0135][0158]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Jeon et al with the teachings of Seo et al to provide high integration and electrical connection to the auxiliary pixel circuit without diminishing the transmittance of the transmission area. Regarding claim 2, Seo et al discloses wherein a portion of the auxiliary connection wiring (TWL)is located at the transmission area (TA), and wherein the organic layer (117)is on the portion of the auxiliary connection wiring(TWL) located at the transmission area(TA) fig. 6[0135][0158]. Regarding claim 3, Seo et al discloses wherein the organic layer (117)[0158]covers the portion of the auxiliary connection wiring(TWL) located at the transmission area(TA) fig. 6. Regarding claim 5, Seo et al discloses wherein the organic layer(117) comprises a transparent organic insulating material(117), and does not include a light-blocking material[0158] fig. 6. Regarding claim 6, Seo et al discloses further comprising: an opposite electrode (123)on the first auxiliary pixel electrode(121’), the second auxiliary pixel electrode(121’), and the third auxiliary pixel electrode(121’)[0117][0119-0120][0164][0052]; a first common layer(122a) between the first auxiliary pixel electrode (121’)and a first auxiliary emission layer(122b’), between the second auxiliary pixel electrode(121’) and a second auxiliary emission layer(122b’), and between the third auxiliary pixel electrode(121’) and a third auxiliary emission layer(122b’)[0165-0166] fig. 6; and a second common layer (122c)between the first auxiliary emission layer(122b’) and the opposite electrode(123), between the second auxiliary emission layer (122b’) and the opposite electrode(123), and between the third auxiliary emission layer (122b’) and the opposite electrode(123)(fig. 6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Jeon et al with the teachings of Seo et al to provide voltage uniformity. Regarding claim 7, Seo et al discloses wherein a portion of the opposite electrode(123), a portion of the first common layer(122a), and a portion of the second common layer (122c)are located at the transmission area(TA) fig. 6. Regarding claim 8, Jeon et al discloses wherein the portion of the opposite electrode(123) located at the transmission area (TA) is on the organic layer(117), and the portion of the first common layer(122a) located at the transmission area(TA) and the portion of the second common layer(122c) located at the transmission area(TA)are located between the organic layer (117)and the opposite electrode(123) fig. 6. Regarding claim 9, Jeon et al discloses wherein the transmission area (TA) surrounds the first auxiliary pixel area, the second auxiliary pixel area, and the third auxiliary pixel area (Pa) fig. 11. Regarding claim 10, Seo et al discloses wherein: (fig. 5) the auxiliary connection wiring comprises a first auxiliary connection wiring(TWL of the plurality of Pa), a second auxiliary connection wiring(TWL of the plurality of Pa), and a third auxiliary connection wiring(TWL of the plurality of Pa) fig. 5[0117]; the first auxiliary pixel area(Pa) comprises a plurality of first auxiliary pixel areas(Pr’, Pg’,Pb’); the second auxiliary pixel area (Pa)comprises a plurality of second auxiliary pixel areas(Pr’, Pg’,Pb’); the third auxiliary pixel area (Pa) comprises a plurality of third auxiliary pixel areas(Pr’, Pg’,Pb’)[0117]; the first auxiliary connection wiring (TWL) electrically connects a plurality of first auxiliary pixel electrodes (121’)located at the plurality of first auxiliary pixel areas(Pa) to each other fig. 5/fig. 6; the second auxiliary connection wiring (TWL of the plurality of Pa)electrically connects a plurality of second auxiliary pixel electrodes(TWL of the plurality of Pa) located at the plurality of second auxiliary pixel areas(Pa) to each other[0062] fig. 6; and the third auxiliary connection wiring (TWL of the plurality of Pa) electrically connects a plurality of third auxiliary pixel electrodes (121’)located at the plurality of third auxiliary pixel areas to each other fig. 5/fig. 6. Regarding claim 11, Jeon et al discloses further comprising a component (300) overlapping with the first auxiliary pixel area(Pa), the second auxiliary pixel area(Pa), the third auxiliary pixel area(Pa), and the transmission area(Ta) [0075]. Regarding claim 12, Jeon et al discloses A display apparatus comprising: a substrate (100)[0067]comprising a plurality of first auxiliary pixel areas(Pa) fig. 1, and a transmission area(TA) between the plurality of first auxiliary pixel areas(PA) fig. 1[0065]; a pixel-defining layer(119) having first auxiliary openings(OP1) located at the plurality of first auxiliary pixel areas(Pa) to each other to expose central portions of first auxiliary pixel electrodes (221)under the pixel-defining layer(119)[0185]. Jeon et al fails to teach a first auxiliary connection wiring under the first auxiliary pixel electrodes, and extending to the transmission area; and an organic layer at the transmission area. However, Seo et al discloses a first auxiliary connection wiring (TWL) under the first auxiliary pixel electrodes(121’), and extending to the transmission area(TA) fig. 6; and an organic layer(117) at the transmission area (TA)[0158][0135]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Jeon et al with the teachings of Jeong et al to provide high integration and electrical connection to the auxiliary pixel circuit without diminishing the transmittance of the transmission area. Regarding claim 13, Seo et al discloses wherein a portion of the first auxiliary connection wiring(TWL) is located at the transmission area(TA), and wherein the organic layer(117) is on the portion of the first auxiliary connection wiring(TWL) located at the transmission area(TA) fig. 6. Regarding claim 14, Seo et al discloses wherein the organic layer (117)covers the portion of the first auxiliary connection wiring(TWL) located at the transmission area(TA) fig. 6. Regarding claim 16, Seo et al discloses wherein the organic layer (117b)comprises a transparent organic insulating material, and does not include a light-blocking material[0158]. Regarding claim 17, Jeon et al discloses further comprising: an opposite electrode (233a/223)on the first auxiliary pixel electrodes(221’)[0131]; a first common layer (222a)between the first auxiliary pixel electrodes(221’) and first auxiliary emission layers(222b’); and a second common layer(222c) between the first auxiliary emission layers (222b’)and the opposite electrode(233a/223) fig. 13[0187][0185]. Regarding claim 18, Jeon et al discloses wherein a portion of the opposite electrode(233a/223), a portion of the first common layer(222a), and a portion of the second common layer(222c) are located at the transmission area(TA) fig. 13. Regarding claim 19, Jeon et al discloses wherein the portion of the opposite electrode (233a/223)located at the transmission area(TA) is on the organic layer(117)[0181], and wherein the portion of the first common layer(222a) located at the transmission area(TA) and the portion of the second common layer (222c)located at the transmission area(TA) are between the organic layer and the opposite electrode(233a/223) fig. 13. Regarding claim 20, Jeon et al discloses wherein the transmission area (TA) surrounds each of the plurality of first auxiliary pixel areas (Pa) fig. 11. Regarding claim 21, Seo et al discloses wherein the first auxiliary connection Wiring(TWL) electrically connects the first auxiliary pixel electrodes(121’) at the plurality of first auxiliary pixel areas(Pa) to each other (fig. 5/fig. 6). Regarding claim 22, Jeon et al discloses further comprising a component(300) overlapping with the plurality of first auxiliary pixel areas (Pa)and the transmission area (TA)[0075]. Claim(s) 4 & 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon (US Pub no. 2021/0036070 A1) in view of Seo (US Pub no. 2022/0102470 A1)as applied to claim 1 and claim 12 and further in view of Park (US Patent 11,282,905 B2) Regarding claim 4, Jeon et al as modified by Seo et al discloses all the claim limitations of claim 1 but fails to teach wherein the pixel-defining layer comprises a light-blocking material. However, Park et al discloses wherein the pixel-defining layer (450) comprises a light-blocking material (col. 8, lines 65-67). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to further modify Jeon et al & Seo et al with the teachings of Park et al to prevent externally incident light from being advanced toward the circuit device. Regarding claim 15, Jeon et al as modified by Seo et al discloses all the claim limitations of claim 12 but fails to teach wherein the pixel-defining layer comprises a light-blocking material. However, Park et al discloses wherein the pixel-defining layer (450) comprises a light-blocking material(col. 8, lines 65-67). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to further modify Jeon et al & Seo et al with the teachings of Park et al to prevent externally incident light from being advanced toward the circuit device. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LATANYA N CRAWFORD EASON whose telephone number is (571)270-3208. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 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, Steven B Gauthier can be reached at (571)270-0373. 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. /LATANYA N CRAWFORD EASON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2813
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Prosecution Timeline

Jul 05, 2023
Application Filed
Oct 22, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Dec 30, 2025
Response Filed
May 11, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

2-3
Expected OA Rounds
78%
Grant Probability
79%
With Interview (+0.3%)
2y 8m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 924 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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