Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/466,864

DISPLAY DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Sep 14, 2023
Examiner
WILLIAMS, JOSEPH L
Art Unit
2875
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
82%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 5m
To Grant
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 82% — above average
82%
Career Allow Rate
765 granted / 928 resolved
+14.4% vs TC avg
Strong +15% interview lift
Without
With
+15.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 5m
Avg Prosecution
20 currently pending
Career history
948
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.3%
-38.7% vs TC avg
§103
37.5%
-2.5% vs TC avg
§102
42.4%
+2.4% vs TC avg
§112
11.9%
-28.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 928 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §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 . Priority Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Specification The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. 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 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Woo et al. (US 11,670,243). Regarding independent claim 1, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches in figure 2 and the corresponding text, a display device (DD) comprising: a display panel (DP) disposed in a receiving member (HU); a circuit board (FCB) coupled to the display panel; an optical layer (RPP) on the display panel; a conductive layer (ISU) on one surface of the optical layer facing the circuit board; and a pad (PP) disposed between the conductive layer and the circuit board, wherein the conductive layer contacts the receiving member. Regarding dependent claim 2, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the display panel comprises: a display element layer including a light emitting element (ED); a color filter layer (in RPP) on the display element layer; and an overcoat layer (resin layer in RPP) on the color filter layer. Regarding dependent claim 3, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the conductive layer is disposed between the optical layer and the overcoat layer. Regarding dependent claim 4, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the conductive layer is electrically connected to the circuit board through the pad. Regarding dependent claim 5, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the receiving member includes a conductive material (metal frame). Regarding dependent claim 6, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the display panel includes a display area including pixels and a non-display area surrounding at least one side of the display area. Regarding dependent claim 7, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches a light blocking pattern (black matrix of RPP) overlapping the non-display area in a plan view. Regarding dependent claim 8, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the light blocking pattern is disposed between the optical layer and the conductive layer. Regarding dependent claim 9, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches a protective layer (BML) at least partially covering the display panel and the circuit board. Regarding dependent claim 10, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the protective layer is disposed between the conductive layer and the circuit board. 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. Claims 11-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Woo et al. (US 11,670,243), of record, in view of Jang et al. (CN1601349A). Regarding independent claim 11, Woo et al. (‘243) similar to claim 1 above, teaches all of the claimed limitations except for the optical layer includes a first area having a first thickness and a second area having a second thickness less than the first thickness, and the second area of the optical layer overlaps the pad in a plan view. Further regarding claim 11, Jang et al. (‘349A) teaches throughout the text a display device comprised of, in part, the optical layer includes a first area having a first thickness and a second area having a second thickness less than the first thickness, and the second area of the optical layer overlaps the pad in a plan view for the purpose of affecting the transmission of the light wavelengths. Hence, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the optical layer thickness of Jang in the RPP layer of Woo for the purpose of affecting the transmission of the light wavelengths. Regarding dependent claim 12, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches a light blocking pattern (black matrix of RPP) overlapping the non-display area in a plan view. Regarding dependent claim 13, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the light blocking pattern is disposed between the optical layer and the conductive layer. Regarding dependent claim 14, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches a protective layer disposed between the second area of the optical layer and the circuit board. Regarding dependent claim 15, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the protective layer at least partially covers the conductive layer. Regarding dependent claim 16, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the display panel comprises: a display element layer including a light emitting element (ED); a color filter layer (in RPP) on the display element layer; and an overcoat layer (resin layer in RPP) on the color filter layer. Regarding dependent claim 17, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the conductive layer is disposed between the optical layer and the overcoat layer. Regarding dependent claim 18, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches in figure 9 the light emitting element comprises: a first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer; and an active layer disposed between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. Regarding dependent claim 19, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the receiving member includes a conductive material. Regarding dependent claim 20, Woo et al. (‘243) teaches the conductive layer contacts the receiving member. Contact Information Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH L WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-2465. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6:30 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 R. 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. JOSEPH L. WILLIAMS Primary Examiner Art Unit 2875 /JOSEPH L WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 14, 2023
Application Filed
Jan 08, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12604643
DISPLAY PANEL HAVING TOTAL REFLECTION INTERFACE FORMED BY LOW REFRACTION LAYER AND HIGH REFRACTION AND DISPLAY DEVICE
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12593508
Display Substrate, Display Substrate Motherboard and Display Apparatus
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12591153
VIEWING ANGLE CONTROL ELEMENT AND DISPLAY MODULE
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12588333
DISPLAY PANEL, MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF, AND DISPLAY APPARATUS
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12581803
DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 17, 2026
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
82%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+15.4%)
2y 5m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 928 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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