Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/578,354

FLAT PANEL DETECTOR AND DETECTING APPARATUS

Final Rejection §112
Filed
Jan 11, 2024
Examiner
HO, ALLEN C
Art Unit
2884
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
OA Round
2 (Final)
87%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
2y 10m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 87% — above average
87%
Career Allow Rate
848 granted / 976 resolved
+18.9% vs TC avg
Strong +18% interview lift
Without
With
+17.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
36 currently pending
Career history
1012
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
5.1%
-34.9% vs TC avg
§103
23.2%
-16.8% vs TC avg
§102
23.6%
-16.4% vs TC avg
§112
43.4%
+3.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 976 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
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 . Drawings The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, end portions of the bias signal lines are connected together by a short- circuiting bar, and the short-circuiting bar is bound and connected with a driving chip by a signal lead-out line claimed in claim 11 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Claim Objections Claims 1-15 are objected to because of the following informalities: (Proposed Amendments) A flat panel detector, comprising: a base substrate, a plurality of driving chips, a plurality of scanning lines, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of bias signal lines, and a plurality of detecting units arranged in an array, the plurality of scanning lines, the plurality of data lines, the plurality of bias signal lines, and the plurality of detecting units are disposed on the base substrate; wherein each of the plurality of detecting units comprises a switch sub-circuit and a photosensitive device; control terminals of switch sub-circuits in detecting units located in a same row are connected with a same scanning line; first terminals of switch sub-circuits in detecting units located in a same column are connected with a same data line; in each detecting unit, a second terminal of the switch sub-circuit is connected with a first terminal of the photosensitive device; second terminals of photosensitive devices of the detecting units located in the same column are connected with a same bias signal line; and the plurality of bias signal lines [[are]] is divided into a plurality of signal line groups, and bias signal lines in different signal line groups are insulated from each other and are connected with different driving chips. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: 7. (Proposed Amendments) The flat panel detector according to claim 1, further comprising a photoelectric conversion layer on a side of the plurality of detecting units away from the base substrate, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer is configured to convert X-rays into visible light. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities: 15. (Currently Amended) The detecting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein in a case where the plurality of bias signal lines and the plurality of data lines are disposed on a same side of the plurality of detecting units, orthographic projections of the plurality of bias signal lines and the plurality of data [[line]] lines on the base substrate are at least partially overlapped. Appropriate correction is required Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION. —The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claims 11 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 11 recites a limitation “the short-circuiting bar” in line 6, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim. Furthermore, it is unclear whether the limitation refers to a first short-circuiting bar of the plurality of first short-circuiting bars or a second short-circuiting bar of the plurality of second short-circuiting bars. See objections to claim 11 in previous Office action. Claim 14 recites a limitation “the first signal sub-line” in line 3, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim. Claim 14 recites a limitation “the second signal sub-line” in lines 3-4, which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation in the claim. Allowable Subject Matter The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: With respect to claims 1-6, 8, and 9, Jung et al. (U. S. Patent No. 7,985,954 B2) disclosed a flat panel detector, comprising: a base substrate (110), a plurality of scanning lines (G1-Gn), a plurality of data lines (D1-Dm), a plurality of bias signal lines (B1-Bm), and a plurality of detecting units (PIN diodes Ds) arranged in an array, the plurality of scanning lines, the plurality of data lines, the plurality of bias signal lines, and the plurality of detecting units are disposed on the base substrate; wherein each of the plurality of detecting units comprises a switch sub-circuit (Qs) and a photosensitive device (PIN diode Ds); control terminals of switch sub-circuits in detecting units located in a same row are connected with a same scanning line (FIG. 2); first terminals of switch sub-circuits in detecting units located in a same column are connected with a same data line (FIG. 2); in each detecting unit, a second terminal of the switch sub-circuit is connected with a first terminal of the photosensitive device (FIG. 2); second terminals of photosensitive devices of the detecting units located in the same column are connected with a same bias signal line (FIG. 2). However, the prior art failed to disclose or fairly suggested that the flat panel detector, further comprising: a plurality of driving chips, the plurality of bias signal lines is divided into a plurality of signal line groups, and bias signal lines in different signal line groups are insulated from each other and are connected with different driving chips. Response to Amendment Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to the specification have been fully considered. The objection of the specification has been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claims 1-9 have been fully considered. The objections of claims 1-9 have been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claim 2 have been fully considered. The objections of claim 2 have been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claim 3 have been fully considered. The objections of claim 3 have been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claim 4 have been fully considered. The objections of claim 4 have been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claims 5, 6, 8, and 9 have been fully considered. The objection of claims 5, 6, 8, and 9 has been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claims 8 and 9 have been fully considered. The objections of claims 8 and 9 have been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claim 7 have been fully considered. The objections of claim 7 have been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claims 10-15 have been fully considered. The objections of claims 10-15 have been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claim 11 have been fully considered. The objections of claim 11 have been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claim 12 have been fully considered. The objections of claim 12 have been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claim 13 have been fully considered. The objections of claim 13 have been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claim 14 have been fully considered. The objections of claim 14 have been withdrawn. Applicant’s amendments filed 29 December 2025 with respect to claim 7 have been fully considered. The rejection of claim 7 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph, has been withdrawn. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Zhang et al. (U. S. Patent No. 12,461,254 B2) disclosed an electronic device comprising a photoelectric detector. Kimura et al. (U. S. Patent No. 6,399,950 B1) disclosed a two-dimensional radiation detector. Applicant’s amendment necessitated a new ground of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Allen C. Ho, whose telephone number is (571) 272-2491. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10AM - 6PM. 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, David J. Makiya, can be reached at (571) 272-2273. 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. Allen C. Ho, Ph.D. Primary Examiner Art Unit 2884 /Allen C. Ho/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884 Allen.Ho@uspto.gov
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 11, 2024
Application Filed
Sep 24, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §112
Dec 29, 2025
Response Filed
Mar 11, 2026
Final Rejection — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12599353
VISUALIZATION OF TOUCH PANEL TO OBJECT DISTANCE IN X-RAY IMAGING
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12582841
WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, RADIOTHERAPY SYSTEM, AND WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT METHOD
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12585034
ELECTRONIC DEVICE COMPRISING A FILTER, A SCINTILLATOR, A SENSOR, AND A SUBSTRATE
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12582367
X-RAY DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE AND MEDICAL COUCH DEVICE COMPRISING A COUCHTOP, A DRIVE MECHANSM, A CONSOLE, AND PROCESSING CIRCUITRY
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12571727
APPARATUS COMPRISING INFRARED CAMERAS AND A TEMPERATURE SOURCE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING CRACKS IN SAMPLES BY INFRARED RADIATION
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 10, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

AI Strategy Recommendation

Get an AI-powered prosecution strategy using examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Powered by AI — typically takes 5-10 seconds

Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
87%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+17.5%)
2y 10m
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 976 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

Sign in with your work email

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month