Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/560,409

DISPLAY SUBSTRATE AND DISPLAY DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Nov 13, 2023
Examiner
RAABE, CHRISTOPHER M
Art Unit
2875
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
67%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 4m
To Grant
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 67% — above average
67%
Career Allow Rate
531 granted / 793 resolved
-1.0% vs TC avg
Strong +28% interview lift
Without
With
+28.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
31 currently pending
Career history
824
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.1%
-39.9% vs TC avg
§103
57.1%
+17.1% vs TC avg
§102
35.4%
-4.6% vs TC avg
§112
5.7%
-34.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 793 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 § 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)(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. Claim s 1-3, 6- 13, 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by Xu et al. (USPN 2021/0376003) . With regard to claim 1 , Xu et al. disclose a display substrate, comprising: a base substrate (11) ; a black matrix (BM) , located on the base substrate, and comprises a plurality of first openings (corresponding to R,G) , wherein each first opening of the plurality of first openings comprises a first portion (not overlapping 20) and a second portion (overlapping 20) that is wound by the first portion; a pixel definition layer (21) , located between a layer where the black matrix is located and the base substrate, wherein the pixel definition layer comprises a plurality of second openings (at 20) , an orthographic projection of at least one second opening of the plurality of second openings on the base substrate is intersected with an orthographic projection of the second portion on the base substrate, and the orthographic projection of the second opening on the base substrate is not intersected with an orthographic projection of the first portion on the base substrate (see figures) ; a plurality of light emitting devices (20,23,24) , located between the layer where the black matrix is located and the base substrate, wherein at least one light emitting device of the plurality of light emitting devices comprises a reflecting electrode (20) disposed at the second opening; and a shading layer (LSP) , located between the pixel definition layer and the base substrate, and an orthographic projection of the shading layer on the base substrate covers, at least, the orthographic projection of the first portion on the base substrate (See figures) . With regard to claim 2 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 1, wherein: the shading layer comprises a plurality of shading structures (LSP) , an orthographic projection of at least one shading structure of the plurality of shading structures on the base substrate is overlapped with an orthographic projection of the first opening, outside a region where the reflecting electrode is located, on the base substrate, and is overlapped with an orthographic projection of a portion of the black matrix adjacent to the first opening on the base substrate (See figures) . With regard to claim 3 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 1, wherein the shading layer comprises a plurality of shading structures (LSP) , an orthographic projection of at least one shading structure of the plurality of shading structures on the base substrate covers an orthographic projection of the first opening on the base substrate, and covers an orthographic projection of a portion of the black matrix adjacent to the first opening on the base substrate (See figures) . With regard to claim 6 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 2, wherein the shading structure and the reflecting electrode are in an integral structure (See fig. 2) . With regard to claim 7 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 3, further comprising: a planarization layer (19) between a layer where the reflecting electrode is located and the base substrate, wherein the shading structure is located between the base substrate and the planarization layer (see fig. 3) . With regard to claim 8 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 3, further comprising: a planarization layer (19) between a layer where the reflecting electrode is located and the base substrate, wherein the shading structure is located between the base substrate and the layer where the reflecting electrode is located (See fig. 2) . With regard to claim 9 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 1, wherein: the light emitting device further comprises a light emitting functional layer (23) and a transmissive electrode (24) ; the light emitting functional layer is located between a layer where the reflecting electrode is located and a layer where the transmissive electrode is located; and the transmissive electrode is located between the layer where the black matrix is located and the layer where the reflecting electrode is located (see figures) . With regard to claim 10 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 9, wherein transmissive electrodes of the plurality of light emitting devices are in an integral structure (see figures) . With regard to claim 11 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of color resistors (31) located on a side of the black matrix away from the base substrate, wherein the color resistors are disposed at the first openings (See figures) . With regard to claim 12 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 11, wherein: an orthographic projection of the color resistors on the base substrate is intersected with an orthographic projection of the first openings on the base substrate, and intersected with an orthographic projection of an edge of the black matrix adjacent to the first openings on the base substrate (see figures) . With regard to claim 13 , Xu et al. disclose a display device, comprising the display substrate of claim 1. With regard to claim 15 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 2, wherein: the light emitting device further comprises a light emitting functional layer (23) and a transmissive electrode (24) ; the light emitting functional layer is located between a layer where the reflecting electrode is located and a layer where the transmissive electrode is located; and the transmissive electrode is located between the layer where the black matrix is located and the layer where the reflecting electrode is located (see figures) . With regard to claim 16 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 3, wherein: the light emitting device further comprises a light emitting functional layer (23) and a transmissive electrode (24) ; the light emitting functional layer is located between a layer where the reflecting electrode is located and a layer where the transmissive electrode is located; and the transmissive electrode is located between the layer where the black matrix is located and the layer where the reflecting electrode is located (see figures) . With regard to claim 17 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 4, wherein: the light emitting device further comprises a light emitting functional layer (23) and a transmissive electrode (24) ; the light emitting functional layer is located between a layer where the reflecting electrode is located and a layer where the transmissive electrode is located; and the transmissive electrode is located between the layer where the black matrix is located and the layer where the reflecting electrode is located (See figures) . With regard to claim 18 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 2, further comprising: a plurality of color resistors (31) located on a side of the black matrix away from the base substrate, wherein the color resistors are disposed at the first openings (see figures) . With regard to claim 19 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 3, further comprising: a plurality of color resistors (31) located on a side of the black matrix away from the base substrate, wherein the color resistors are disposed at the first openings (see figures) . With regard to claim 20 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 4, further comprising: a plurality of color resistors (31) located on a side of the black matrix away from the base substrate, wherein the color resistors are disposed at the first openings (See figures) . 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. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. Claim s 4,5,14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (as above) . With regard to claim 4 ,14 Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 2, 3 . While Xu et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein the shading structure and the black matrix satisfy the following relationship: a≥12 ⁢ h ⁢ λb, where a is a distance between a boundary of the orthographic projection of the shading structure on the base substrate away from the first opening and a boundary of the orthographic projection of the first opening on the base substrate, b is a distance between parallel sides of the first opening, h is a distance between the layer where the black matrix is located and a layer where the shading structure is located, and λ is a wavelength of incident light , such a configuration is depicted in Figure 2 (given coverage of LSP in 19), and absent explicit description in the disclosure, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to try to use the figures as a guide to realize the device of Xu et al . With regard to claim 5 , Xu et al. disclose t he display substrate of claim 2 , wherein the shading structure is in the same layer as the reflecting electrode (See figure 2). While Xu et al. do not explicitly disclose the material of the shading structure, Xu et al. do disclose an opaque organic material layer (paragraph 143) and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to try a black material in order to achieve the opacity directed by Xu et al . Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. USPN 2021/0399081. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT Christopher Raabe whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-8434 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT M-F 0530-1430 . 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 James R Greece can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT (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. /CHRISTOPHER M RAABE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 13, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 07, 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
67%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+28.5%)
2y 4m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 793 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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