Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/501,819

DISPLAY APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Nov 03, 2023
Examiner
DUREN, TIMOTHY EDWARD
Art Unit
2817
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
LG Display Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
82%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 5m
To Grant
85%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 82% — above average
82%
Career Allow Rate
22 granted / 27 resolved
+13.5% vs TC avg
Minimal +3% lift
Without
With
+3.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 5m
Avg Prosecution
54 currently pending
Career history
81
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
51.0%
+11.0% vs TC avg
§102
32.3%
-7.7% vs TC avg
§112
16.7%
-23.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 27 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
DETAILED ACTION 1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . General Remarks 2. 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 for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection. 3. When responding to this office action, applicants are advised to provide the examiner with paragraph numbers in the application and/or references cited to assist the examiner in locating appropriate paragraphs. 4. Per MPEP 2111 and 2111.01, the claims are given their broadest reasonable interpretation and the words of the claims are given their plain meaning consistent with the specification without importing claim limitations from the specification. Specification 5. 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. The following title is suggested: “Vehicle display Apparatus with Reduced Warping” Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 6. 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 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. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 7. Claims 1, 14-16 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Son, Sung-Sik et al. (Pub No. US 20210204454 A1) (hereinafter, Son). Son, Figs 4-5: Cross-sections of display apparatuses PNG media_image1.png 368 206 media_image1.png Greyscale PNG media_image2.png 294 363 media_image2.png Greyscale Re Claim 1, Son teaches a display apparatus, comprising: a display panel (Panel; 110; Fig 4; ¶[0040]); a cover member (Cover member; 180; Fig 4; ¶[0040]) disposed on a front surface (Panel 110 on rear surface of cover member 180; ¶[0040]) of the display panel; a set frame (Heat dissipation sheet/Guide plate; 400/200; Figs 3A/5; ¶[0062]) arranged on a back surface (Rear surface of 180; Fig 4) of the cover member, the set frame including a fastening member (Guide plate; 200; Fig 5; ¶[0062]); a core plate (Intermediate plate; 700; Fig 5; ¶[0062]) arranged on a back surface (Rear surface of 200; Fig 5) of the set frame, the core plate including a coupling block (Coupling portion; 220; Fig 5; ¶[0062]); a fastener (Heat-conductive tape; 500; Fig 5; ¶[0062]) coupled to the coupling block and the fastening member to couple (Guide plate 200 couples heat dissipation sheet 400 to the intermediate plate 700; Fig 5) the set frame to the core plate; and a stress distribution device (Bent extended portion; 210; Fig 5; ¶[0068]) arranged on the fastening member, the stress distribution device configured to disperse stress (Absorb vibrations/shocks between panel 110 and intermediate plate 700; ¶[0068]) applied to the cover member as a result of the coupling of the set frame to the core plate with the fastener. Re Claim 14, Son teaches a display apparatus, comprising: a display panel (Panel; 110; Fig 4; ¶[0040]); a cover (Cover member; 180; Fig 4; ¶[0040]) disposed on the display panel; a frame (Heat dissipation sheet/Guide plate; 400/200; Figs 3A/5; ¶[0062]) on the cover, the frame including a fastening member (Guide plate; 200; Fig 5; ¶[0062]); a fastener (Heat-conductive tape; 500; Fig 5; ¶[0062]) configured to be received by the fastening member to couple (Guide plate 200 couples heat dissipation sheet 400 to the intermediate plate 700; Fig 5) the frame to the cover; and a stress distribution device (Bent extended portion and cavity below with distance (d); 210/d; Fig 5; ¶[0068]) on the fastening member, the stress distribution device having a width (Bent extended portion 210 has a greater width than heat-conductive tape 500; Fig 5; ¶¶[0062, 0068]) that is greater than a width of the fastening member to disperse stress (Absorb vibrations/shocks between panel 110 and intermediate plate 700; ¶[0068]) applied to the cover in response to the coupling of the frame to the cover via the fastener. Son, Fig 3A: Perspective view of rear surface of display apparatus including set frame PNG media_image3.png 431 303 media_image3.png Greyscale Re Claim 15, Son teaches the display apparatus of claim 14, wherein the frame (Heat dissipation sheet/Guide plate; 400/200; Figs 3A/5; ¶[0062]) is a set frame (Heat dissipation sheet/Guide plate; 400/200; Figs 3A/5; ¶[0062]), the display apparatus further comprising: a core plate (Intermediate plate; 700; Fig 5; ¶[0062]) disposed on the set frame, the core plate including a coupling block (Coupling portion; 220; Fig 5; ¶[0062]) aligned with the fastening member (Guide plate; 200; Fig 5; ¶[0062]). Re Claim 16, Son teaches the display apparatus of claim 15, wherein the core plate (Intermediate plate; 700; Fig 5; ¶[0062]) is coupled to the set frame (Heat dissipation sheet/Guide plate; 400/200; Figs 3A/5; ¶[0062]) via the fastener (Heat-conductive tape and internal components (not labelled) adjacent to coupling portion 220; 500; Fig 5; ¶[0062]) inserted through the coupling block (Coupling portion; 220; Fig 5; ¶[0062]) and the fastening member (Guide plate; 200; Fig 5; ¶[0062]). Re Claim 18, Son teaches a display apparatus of claim 15, wherein the hollow cavity (Cavity below bent extended portion 210 with distance (d); d; Fig 5; ¶[0068]) is arranged around a location (Above cover member 180; Fig 5) on the cover aligned with the fastener (Heat-conductive tape; 500; Fig 5; ¶[0062]), the hollow cavity configured to disperse stress (Per ¶[0071] When the spacing distance d is greater than 2 mm, the bent section of the bent extended portion 210 is lengthened, and thus shock-absorbing performance may be deteriorated) away from the location on the cover (Cover member; 180; Fig 4; ¶[0040]) aligned with the fastener (Heat-conductive tape; 500; Fig 5; ¶[0062]). Re Claim 19, Son teaches the display apparatus of claim 17, wherein the stress distribution device (Bent extended portion/cavity below with distance (d)/internal components adjacent to coupling portion 220 (not labelled); 210/d; Fig 5; ¶[0068]) further includes least one support member (Internal components adjacent to coupling block 220 (not labelled); Fig 5), the at least one support member on the expansion member (Bent extended portion and cavity below with distance (d); 210/d; Fig 5; ¶[0068]) and on the fastening member (Guide plate; 200; Fig 5; ¶[0062]). Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 8. 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. 9. Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Son, Sung-Sik et al. (Pub No. US 20210204454 A1) (hereinafter, Son) as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of Awano, Masaharu et al. (Pub No. CN 105992483 A) (hereinafter, Awano). Re Claim 17, Son teaches the display apparatus of claim 15, wherein the stress distribution device (Bent extended portion and cavity below with distance (d); 210/d; Fig 5; ¶[0068]) includes an expansion member (Bent extended portion and cavity below with distance (d); 210/d; Fig 5; ¶[0068]). However, Son does not teach a hollow cavity inside the expansion member. In the same field of endeavor, Awano teaches a hollow cavity (Gap; G; Fig 17; ¶[0066]; Note: See attached disclosure of Awano for paragraph numbers) inside the expansion member (Chassis and base portion; 8/121; Fig 17; ¶[0066]). Awano, Fig 17: Expansion member including hollow cavity PNG media_image4.png 234 392 media_image4.png Greyscale Accordingly, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have combined the hollow cavity inside the expansion member, as taught by Awano, with the semiconductor device as taught by Son. One would have been motivated to do this with a reasonable expectation of success because inserting a hollow cavity inside the expansion member (between bent extension portion 210 and coupling portion 220; Fig 5) would provide additional absorption to vibrations that would be transferred between intermediate plate and the guide plate of Son (¶[0071]). Allowable Subject Matter 10. Claims 2-13 and 20 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. Regarding claim 2, the closest prior art Son, Sung-Sik et al. (Pub No. US 20210204454 A1) (hereinafter, Son) and Nakamura, Daiki et al. (Pub No. WO 2018178797 A1) (hereinafter, Nakamura) either singularly or in combination fails to anticipate or render obvious “The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stress distribution device further includes: an expansion member arranged at a lower portion of the fastening member and extending outward from the fastening member; and a stress-free space inside the expansion member and in communication with a fastening hole in the coupling block,” in combination with all other limitations in the claim(s) as claimed and defined by applicant. In the instant case, re claim 2, Son teaches an expansion member in space comprising of distance d (Fig 5) which may anticipate the stress-free space of claim 2, however, the space of distance d does not comprise of being in communication with a fastening hole in the coupling block (Coupling portion; 220) disposed above the fastening member (Guide plate, 200). Furthermore, referring to Fig. 10C, Nakamura teaches a stress-free space (Guide portion; 502a), wherein “[the] guide portion is provided between a printed circuit board and a flexible display panel to prevent breakage by overload at a bend portion of the flexible printed circuit board” (¶[0027]). The stress-free space, however, is not located nor in communication with a fastening hole in a coupling block, therefore to combine the elements of Nakamura with that of Son would not render a predictable result, as neither reference has a stress-free space which in communication with a coupling block of any kind. Regarding claim 20, the closest prior art Son, Sung-Sik et al. (Pub No. US 20210204454 A1) (hereinafter, Son) and Awano, Masaharu et al. (Pub No. CN 105992483 A) (hereinafter, Awano) either singularly or in combination fails to anticipate or render obvious “The display apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one support member is a plurality of support braces spaced from each other radially around the fastening member,” in combination with all other limitations in the claim(s) as claimed and defined by applicant. In the instant case, re claim 20, combining the fastening member (Chassis; 8; Fig 17) of Awano with the fastening member (Guide plate; 200; Fig 5; ¶[0062]) of Son would not be obvious to try, as the fastening member of Son must connect the frame to the cover, would not require support braces extending radially around it due to the design of the device (Fig 5), wherein the fastening member occupies the complete space of the surrounding components already. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. [1] Park, Soo Hyun et al. (Pub No. KR 20200072852 A) discloses the present invention relates to a display device of which the structure is altered such that, when a display panel is fastened in a cover structure in the display device, the display panel or a board can be connected without damage to a flexible cable provided to apply signals or deformation of a cover shield, thereby improving reliability in fastening. According to the present invention, the display device comprises: a display panel having a substrate, an array unit, and a touch sensor unit stacked together; a plurality of signal transmission films having one side connected to one side of the array unit, spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and folded to a lower surface of the display panel; a first flexible film connected to one side of the touch sensor unit; a source printed circuit board connected to the other side of the plurality of signal transmission films on the lower surface of the display panel; a cover shield having a through hole of the first flexible film and covering a surface and a side surface of the source printed circuit board from the lower surface of the display panel; and a protrusion unit protruding from an inner surface of the cover shield toward the lower surface of the display panel between signal transmission films that are spaced apart from each other and adjacent to the through hole. [2] Figge, Hans-Ulrich et al. (Pub No. US 11248645 B2) discloses a fastener having a damping function with which at least a first and a second component can be connected via a screw connection. The fastener consists of the following components: an elastically deformable outer sleeve, a support sleeve arranged therein and a screw sleeve with telescopic portion arranged in the outer sleeve. When establishing the connection between the components, the outer sleeve folds, whereby the support sleeve and the screw sleeve are moved into each other. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY EDWARD DUREN whose telephone number is (703)756-1426. The examiner can normally be reached 07:30 - 17:00 PST. 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, Eliseo Ramos-Feliciano can be reached at (571) 272-7925. 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. /T.E.D./ Examiner Art Unit 2817 /ELISEO RAMOS FELICIANO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2817
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 03, 2023
Application Filed
Jan 29, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §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
82%
Grant Probability
85%
With Interview (+3.3%)
3y 5m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 27 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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