Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/397,556

DISPLAY APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Dec 27, 2023
Examiner
KEAGY, ROSE ALYSSA
Art Unit
2818
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Auo Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
96%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 4m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 96% — above average
96%
Career Allow Rate
24 granted / 25 resolved
+28.0% vs TC avg
Moderate +7% lift
Without
With
+7.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 4m
Avg Prosecution
24 currently pending
Career history
49
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
54.1%
+14.1% vs TC avg
§102
29.5%
-10.5% vs TC avg
§112
16.4%
-23.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 25 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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis ( i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 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 and 6- 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (“Wang”), US 2022 / 0367581, in view of Li, US 2021/0335966. Regarding Claim 1, Wang discloses a display apparatus (Fig. 3; ¶ 0052) , comprising: a driving backplane ( 1; Fig. 3; ¶ 0076 “ driving backplane 1 ” ) ; a plurality of light emitting components (21; Fig. 3; ¶ 0077 “ plurality of first electrodes 21 ”) , disposed on the driving backplane (¶ 0077 “ located at one side of the driving backplane 1 ”) , and electrically connected to the driving backplane (¶ 0136) ; a first bank layer (8 , 8’ ; Fig. 3; ¶ 0077, 0089) , disposed on the driving backplane (Fig. 3; ¶ 0078) , wherein the first bank layer has a plurality of first openings (Fig. 3; ¶ 0078 “ layer 8 is located between two adjacent first electrodes 21 ” therefore the openings are above light emitting components 21) and a plurality of oblique surfaces (81; Fig. 3; ¶ 0091 “ layer 8 has a cutoff side surface 81 facing the first electrode 21 ”; ¶ 0091 angle “ β may be one of 60°, 65°, 70° ” therefore surfaces 81 are oblique surface s of bank layer 8) defining the first openings (Fig. 3) , the light emitting components respectively overlap with the first openings of the first bank layer (Fig. 3; ¶ 0078 “ layer 8 is located between two adjacent first electrodes 21 ” therefore light emitting components 21 overlap with the first openings of t he first bank layer 8 ) , and the oblique surfaces of the first bank layer are oblique relative to the driving backplane (Fig. 3; ¶ 0091 “ layer 8 can shrink from the driving backplane 1 towards a direction away from the driving backplane 1 ”). Wang does not disclose a plurality of scattering particles, disposed on a plurality of light emitting surfaces of the light emitting components, wherein a plurality of air gaps exist between the scattering particles and the oblique surfaces of the first bank layer. Li discloses a plurality of scattering particles (not labeled in layer 4; Fig. 4; ¶ 0037 “ the optical film layer 4 is added with scattering particles (not illustrated) inside to refract or scatter light. ”) , disposed on a plurality of light emitting surfaces (Fig. 4; ¶ 0036 the scattering particles are vertically above the surfaces of light emitting components 22) of the light emitting components (22; Figs. 3-4; ¶ 0033 “ electrode layer 22 ”, ¶ 0034 “ electrode layer 22 is spaced at intervals on the substrate 21 ”) , wherein a plurality of air gaps (25, 232; Figs. 2 -4; ¶ 0034 “ opening 232 between any two adjacent dams 231 ”, ¶ 0035 “ region 25 ” ) exist between ( Fig. 4 A first air gap labeled 232 is between layer 4 and the oblique surface of both adjacent bank layers 233. Plus, in the horizontal direction, a second air gap labeled 25 is between the leftmost portion of layer 4 and the oblique surface of 233 adjacent to the right side of 25, and the second air gap 25 is between the rightmost portion of layer 4 and the oblique surface of 233 adjacent to the left side of 25 ) the scattering particles (in layer 4) and the oblique surfaces of the first bank layer (233; Fig. 4; ¶ 0034-0035 “ dam bodies 233 ” noting the oblique surfaces of the first bank layer 233 ) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Wang to have a plurality of scattering particles, disposed on a plurality of light emitting surfaces of the light emitting components, wherein a plurality of air gaps exist between the scattering particles and the oblique surfaces of the first bank layer , as taught by Li, in order to “achieve uniform illumination of pixels” (Li ¶ 0024), thereby “improving color uniformity and angles of view ” and improving “ product quality ” (Li ¶ 0024). Regarding Claim 2, Li discloses wherein a refractive index of one of the scattering particles (¶ 0037 “ The scattering particles are made of silicon dioxide or silicon oxide ” the index of refraction of silicon dioxide is known to be 1.52 ) is between a refractive index of one of the air gaps (air gaps 25 and 232 , as discussed in the Claim 1 rejection supra, are made of air, the index of refraction of air is known to be 1.0 ) and a refractive index of one of the light emitting components (¶ 0035 “ The electrode layer 22 is an anode and can be made of a conventional pixel electrode material, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), indium tin oxide/silver/indium tin oxide (ITO/Ag/ITO), or graphene. ” The index of refraction of indium tin oxide is known to be 1.86) . Regarding Claim 3, Li discloses wherein a refractive index of one of the scattering particles falls within a range between 1.5 and 2 ( ¶ 0037 “The scattering particles are made of silicon dioxide or silicon oxide” the index of refraction of silicon dioxide is known to be 1.52 ) . Regarding Claim 6, Wang discloses wherein the light emitting surfaces (Fig. 3 layer 214 is the surface layer of light emitting components 21) of the light emitting components (21; Fig. 3) respectively include a plurality of rough surfaces (Fig. 3; ¶ 0130 “A periphery of the protective conductive layer 214 extends at a certain slope towards the driving backplane…to form the climbing portion 211.” therefore layer 214 has a plurality of rough surfaces on the left side 211 and right side 211 of the light emitting components 21). Wang does not disclose each of the rough surfaces is provided with a portion of the scattering particles. Li discloses each of the rough surfaces (surfaces of 22; Fig. 4; ¶ 0033 “electrode layer 22”) is provided with a portion of the scattering particles (not labeled in layer 4; Fig. 4; ¶ 0036 the scattering particles in layer 4 are vertically above the surfaces of light emitting components 22, ¶ 0037 “the optical film layer 4 is added with scattering particles (not illustrated) inside to refract or scatter light.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Wang to have each of the rough surfaces is provided with a portion of the scattering particles, as taught by Li, in order to “achieve uniform illumination of pixels” (Li ¶ 0024), thereby “improving color uniformity and angles of view” and improving “product quality” (Li ¶ 0024). Regarding Claim 7, Wang does not disclose further comprising: a lens component, disposed on the first bank layer, wherein the scattering particles, the oblique surfaces of the first bank layer and the lens component surroundingly form the air gaps. Li discloses further comprising: a lens component (5; Fig. 4; ¶ 0036) , disposed on the first bank layer (Fig. 4; ¶ 0036 “5 disposed on the pixel defining layer 23 ” noting that layer 23 includes first bank layer 233) , wherein the scattering particles, the oblique surfaces of the first bank layer and the lens component surroundingly form the air gaps (Fig. 4 the scattering particles in layer 4, the oblique surfaces of the first bank layer 233, and the lens component 5 surroundingly form the air gaps 25, 232) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Wang to have further comprising: a lens component, disposed on the first bank layer, wherein the scattering particles, the oblique surfaces of the first bank layer and the lens component surroundingly form the air gaps, as taught by Li, in order to “achieve uniform illumination of pixels” (Li ¶ 0024), thereby “improving color uniformity and angles of view” and improving “product quality” (Li ¶ 0024). Claim s 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (“Wang”), US 2022/0367581, and Li, US 2021/0335966, as applied to independent Claim 1 above, in view of Mezouari et al. (“ Mezouari ”), US 2024/0021656 (the US counterpart to GB 2601495 (that was published 2-8-2023 and is) listed in the IDS). Regarding Claim 4, Wang as modified by Li does not disclose wherein a body of the first bank layer has a height in a first direction perpendicular to the driving backplane, the body of the first bank layer has a maximum width in a second direction parallel to the driving backplane, and a ratio of the height to the width is less than or equal to 6 . Mezouari discloses wherein a body of the first bank layer (20; Fig. 1; ¶ 0042 “layer 20”) has a height in a first direction perpendicular to (Figs. 1, 17; ¶ 0047 “ 3 micron thickness ”) the driving backplane (10; Fig. 1; ¶ 0042) , the body of the first bank layer has a maximum width in a second direction parallel to (Figs. 1, 17; ¶ 0063 “ 1.3 microns at their base (i.e. at the interface between the dielectric layer 20 and the LED wafer layer 10) ”) the driving backplane, and a ratio of the height to the width (¶ 0047, 0063 the ratio of the 3 micron height to the 1.3 micron width is 3.9 ) is less than or equal to 6 (3.9 is less than 6) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Wang as modified to have wherein a body of the first bank layer has a height in a first direction perpendicular to the driving backplane, the body of the first bank layer has a maximum width in a second direction parallel to the driving backplane, and a ratio of the height to the width is less than or equal to 6 , as taught by Mezouari , because “ a low stress silicon dioxide layer of approximately 3 micron thickness ” ( Mezouari ¶ 0047) “ prevent s damage to the micro LED devices on the wafer ” ( Mezouari ¶ 0047). Regarding Claim 5, Wang as modified by Li does not disclose wherein the light emitting components are arranged at an interval in the second direction, and a width of each of the first openings is less than or equal to the interval. Mezouari discloses wherein the light emitting components are arranged at an interval in the second direction ( Fig. 17; ¶ 0042 “ apertures 25 have … openings 1.7 microns across at the interface with the LED wafer 10 ”, ¶ 0063 “ 1.3 microns at their base (i.e. at the interface between the dielectric layer 20 and the LED wafer layer 10) ” therefore the interval is 1.7 microns + 1.3 microns = 3 microns ) , and a width of each of the first openings (Figs. 1, 17; ¶ 0042 “apertures 25 have…openings 1.7 microns across at the interface with the LED wafer 10” ) is less than or equal to the interval (1.7 is less than 3) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Wang as modified to have wherein the light emitting components are arranged at an interval in the second direction, and a width of each of the first openings is less than or equal to the interval , as taught by Mezouari , in order to “ ensure the LEDs are not damaged or compromised by high temperature processing ” ( Mezouari ¶ 0011) and “prevent ing damage to the micro LED devices on the wafer” ( Mezouari ¶ 0047). Claim 8 i s rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (“Wang”), US 2022/0367581, and Li, US 2021/0335966, as applied to independent Claim 1 above, in view of Kuo et al. (“Kuo”), US 2017/0133357. Wang as modified by Li does not disclose further comprising: a second bank layer, disposed between the first bank layer and the driving backplane, wherein the second bank layer has a plurality of second openings, the second openings of the second bank layer respectively overlap with the first openings of the first bank layer, and the light emitting components and the scattering particles are disposed in the second openings of the second bank layer. Kuo discloses further comprising: a second bank layer (142a2; Fig. 1A; ¶ 0035) , disposed between ( Fig. 1A; ¶0035 “bank portion 144a1 is stacked on the…bank portion 142a1”, ¶ 0036 “bottom surface 141a1 is a surface of the … bank portion 142a1 adjacent to the array substrate 110” ) the first bank layer (144a1 ; Fig. 1A; ¶ 0035 ) and the driving backplane (110; Fig. 1A; ¶ 0034 “ micro light-emitting diodes 130 are electrically connected to the array substrate 11 ”) , wherein the second bank layer has a plurality of second openings (C; Fig. 1A; ¶ 0034 “ the plurality of accommodating regions C can be separated by the adjacent bank structures 140a1 ”) , the second openings of the second bank layer respectively overlap with the first openings of the first bank layer (Fig. 1A; ¶ 0034 “ the plurality of accommodating regions C can be separated by the adjacent bank structures 140a1 ”) , and the light emitting components (130, 130a, 130b, 130c; Fig. 1A; ¶ 0034 “ micro light- emitting diodes 130 is located in at least one of the accommodating regions C ”) and the scattering particles ( 165; Fig. 5; ¶ 0045 “ scattering material 165 disposed in at least one of the accommodating regions C and covering at least the micro light-emitting diodes 130 ” ) are disposed in the second openings ( ¶ 0034 “micro light-emitting diodes 130 is located in at least one of the accommodating regions C” , ¶ 0045 “scattering material 165 disposed in at least one of the accommodating regions C ”) of the second bank layer (Fig. 5) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Wang as modified to have further comprising: a second bank layer, disposed between the first bank layer and the driving backplane, wherein the second bank layer has a plurality of second openings, the second openings of the second bank layer respectively overlap with the first openings of the first bank layer, and the light emitting components and the scattering particles are disposed in the second openings of the second bank layer , as taught by Kuo, in order to “ adjust the light shape (light-emitting angle) ” of the light emitting components (Kuo ¶ 0045) and reduce “ optical cross-talk ” (Kuo ¶ 0040), thereby providing “ a wider flexibility of the design ”, “ better light-emitting efficiency ”, and “ a better optical display performance ” (Kuo ¶ 0040). Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Naganuma , US 2017/0141167, discloses a display apparatus with a driving backplane, a plurality of light emitting components and a bank layer with a plurality of openings. Jung et al., KR 20220056284, discloses a display apparatus with a driving backplane, a plurality of light emitting components and a bank layer with a plurality of openings. Lee et al., CN 114649387, discloses a display device with a plurality of light emitting components, a bank layer with a plurality of openings, and a lens component. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT Rose Keagy whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571) 270-3455 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Mon-Fri. 8am-5pm (CT) . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT Jeff Natalini can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT (571) 272-2266 . 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. /R.K./ Examiner, Art Unit 2818 /JEFF W NATALINI/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2818
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Dec 27, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 30, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
96%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+7.1%)
3y 4m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 25 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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