Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/440,974

DISPLAY APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Feb 14, 2024
Priority
Aug 18, 2023 — RE 10-2023-0108549
Examiner
MIYOSHI, JESSE Y
Art Unit
2898
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
57%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 2m
Est. Remaining
76%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 57% of resolved cases
57%
Career Allowance Rate
276 granted / 484 resolved
-11.0% vs TC avg
Strong +19% interview lift
Without
With
+18.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 7m
Avg Prosecution
30 currently pending
Career history
541
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
§103
75.6%
+35.6% vs TC avg
§102
16.0%
-24.0% vs TC avg
§112
5.2%
-34.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 484 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 . Election/Restrictions Applicant’s election without traverse of device embodiment 2 as shown in fig. 9 (claims 1-20 readable thereon) in the reply filed on 5/5/2026 is acknowledged. 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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim et al. (US PGPub 2021/0167144; hereinafter “Lim”) in view of Kimura et al. (US PGPub 2016/0103359; hereinafter “Kimura”). Re claim 1: Lim teaches (e.g. fig. 6) a display apparatus comprising: a substrate (SUB as shown in fig. 6); a first light emitting device (light emitting layer EL within G as shown in fig. 6; e.g. paragraph 110; hereinafter “1LED”) and a light receiving device (light receiving layer RL within SPX as shown in fig. 6; e.g. paragraph 111; hereinafter “LRD”) disposed on the substrate (SUB) and positioned adjacent to each other (LED and LRD are adjacent to each other); and a light blocking layer (black matrix BM as light blocking layers BM_D and BM_S; e.g. paragraphs 133 and 136; hereinafter “LBL”) disposed on the first light emitting device (1LED) and the light receiving device (LRD) and including a first upper opening (opening in BD_D; hereinafter “1UO”) vertically aligned with the first light emitting device (1LED) and a sensing upper opening (opening in BD_S; hereinafter “SUO”) vertically aligned with the light receiving device (LRD), wherein the light blocking layer (LBL) comprises a black pigment (light blocking layer BM may include organic light blocking material including at least one of carbon black and/or titanium black; e.g. paragraph 133). Lim is silent as to explicitly teaching the light blocking layer comprises a black pigment and a blue pigment. Kimura teaches the light blocking layer (black matrix BM) comprises a black pigment (carbon pigment; e.g. paragraphs 207 and 222) and a blue pigment (10% or less of the mass ratio is an organic pigment such as blue pigment; e.g. paragraph 222). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing, absent unexpected results, to use the added blue pigment to the black matrix as taught by Kimura in the device of Lim in order to have the predictable result of improving the half value wavelength to be within 800nm (see paragraph 229 of Kimura). Re claim 2: Lim in view of Kimura teaches the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of the black pigment to the blue pigment is greater than about 10:0 and less than or equal to about 7:1 (the blue pigment is 10% or less; e.g. paragraph 222 of Kimura). Re claim 3: Lim in view of Kimura teaches the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the black pigment comprises at least one of a carbon black and an organic black pigment (carbon black; e.g. paragraph 133 of Lim and paragraph 222 of Kimura). Re claim 4: Lim in view of Kimura teaches the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the blue pigment (blue 15:6; e.g. paragraph 229 of Kimura) comprises at least one of C.I. pigment blues 15, 15:1, 15:2, 15:3, 15:4, and 15:6. Re claim 5: Lim in view of Kimura teaches the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light blocking layer further comprises a violet pigment (violet V23; e.g. paragraph 229 of Kimura), and the violet pigment comprises at least one of C.I. pigment violets 1, 19, 23, 27, 29, 30, 32, 37, 40, 42, and 50. Re claim 6: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a touch sensor layer (touch conducting layers TCL1,TCL2 of touch sensing layer TSL; e.g. paragraph 59) arranged between the first light emitting device (1LED) and the light receiving device (LRD) and the light blocking layer (LBL) and comprising a plurality of touch conductive patterns (touch conducting layers TCL1,TCL2 of touch sensing layer TSL; e.g. paragraph 119) and a plurality of touch insulating layers (touch insulating layers TIL,TCNT,TPVX of touch sensing layer TSL; e.g. paragraph 119). Re claim 7: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 6, wherein a lower surface of the light blocking layer (LBL) contacts a layer comprising an inorganic material (TPVX is an inorganic film; e.g. paragraph 127 of Lim). Re claim 8: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 7, wherein the lower surface of the light blocking layer (LBL) contacts a touch insulating layer (TPVX is an inorganic film; e.g. paragraph 127 of Lim) included in the touch sensor layer (TSL). Re claim 9: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 6, further comprising an encapsulation layer (encapsulation layer TFEL; e.g. paragraph 64, 65) arranged between the first light emitting device (LED) and the touch sensor layer (TSL) and comprising at least one inorganic layer and at least one organic layer (one inorganic layer and one organic layer; e.g. paragraph 64 and 65). Re claim 10: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a first color filter (color filter CF_D; e.g. paragraph 140) in the first upper opening (1UO); and a sensing color filter (color filter CF_S; e.g. paragraph 140) in the sensing upper opening (SUO). Re claim 11: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first color filter (CF_D) and the sensing color filter (CF_S) transmit light in a same wavelength band (CF_D may be a green filter; e.g. paragraph 141; CF_S may be formed of a green color filter; e.g. paragraph 143). Re claim 12: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first color filter (CF_D) and the sensing color filter (CF_S) transmit light in an about 495 nm to about 580 nm wavelength band (CF_D may be a green filter; e.g. paragraph 141; CF_S may be formed of a green color filter; e.g. paragraph 143). Re claim 13: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary layer (BA) disposed on the light blocking layer (LBL) and including a first auxiliary opening (TA) vertically aligned with the first upper opening (1UO) and a sensing auxiliary opening (opening in TCL2) vertically aligned with the sensing upper opening (USO). Re claim 14: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the auxiliary layer (BA) absorbs light in an about 380 nm to about 495 nm wavelength band (made from same material as BM_S). Re claim 15: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the auxiliary layer (TA of BA transmits light) transmits light in an about 495 nm to about 580 nm wavelength band or transmits light in an about 580 nm to about 780 nm wavelength band. Re claim 16: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first light emitting device (1LED) comprises a pixel electrode (ANO_D), an emission layer (EL) disposed on the pixel electrode (ANO_D), and an opposite electrode (CAT) disposed on the emission layer (EL), and the light receiving device (LRD) comprises a sensing electrode (ANO_S), an active layer (RL) disposed on the sensing electrode (ANO_S), and an opposite electrode (CAT) arranged on the active layer (RL). Re claim 17: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a pixel definition layer (BK_D, BK_S) disposed on the pixel electrode (ANO_D) and the sensing electrode (ANO_S) and including a first lower opening (opening in BK_D) vertically aligned with the first upper opening (1UO) and a sensing lower opening (opening BK_S) vertically aligned with the sensing upper opening (SUO). Re claim 18: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a second light emitting device (sub pixel B having a blue color filter; hereinafter “2LED”) and a third light emitting device (sub pixel R having a red color filter; hereinafter “3LED”) disposed on the substrate (SUB), and the first light emitting device (1LED), the second light emitting device (2LED), and the third light emitting device (3LED) are positioned apart from each other in a plan view (fig. 4 shows the sub pixels being apart from each other). Re claim 19: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first light emitting device (1LED is a green sub pixel G) emits light in an about 495 nm to about 580 nm wavelength band, the second light emitting device (2LED is a blue sub pixel B) emits light in an about 380 nm to about 495 nm wavelength band, the third light emitting device (3LED is a red sub pixel R) emits light in an about 580 nm to about 780 nm wavelength band, and the light receiving device (LRD) detects light in an about 495 nm to about 580 nm wavelength band (LRD is provided with a green color filter; e.g. paragraph 143). Re claim 20: Lim teaches the display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a cover window (CW) disposed on the light blocking layer (LBL). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JESSE Y MIYOSHI whose telephone number is (571)270-1629. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8:30AM-5:00PM. 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, Jessica Manno can be reached at 571-272-2339. 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. /JESSE Y MIYOSHI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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Prosecution Timeline

Feb 14, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 22, 2026
Non-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

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
57%
Grant Probability
76%
With Interview (+18.7%)
3y 7m (~1y 2m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 484 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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