Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/606,735

DATA OUTPUT APPARATUS AND SYSTEM THEREOF

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Mar 15, 2024
Examiner
SHEN, PEIJIE
Art Unit
2622
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Lenovo (Beijing) Limited
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
79%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
2y 6m
To Grant
97%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 79% — above average
79%
Career Allow Rate
266 granted / 337 resolved
+16.9% vs TC avg
Strong +18% interview lift
Without
With
+18.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
16 currently pending
Career history
353
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.8%
-38.2% vs TC avg
§103
49.5%
+9.5% vs TC avg
§102
22.1%
-17.9% vs TC avg
§112
22.7%
-17.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 337 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
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 . Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114 A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed has been entered. 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 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 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. Claims 1and 8, recite, “wherein the first display assembly is disposed at a first side of the data output apparatus, the communication device and the first connection device are provided at a third side of the data output apparatus, the third side is located on a same side of the data output apparatus as the first side, and the third side is coplanar with the first side or the third side and the first side form a continuous curved surface.” Herein, the term of first side, third side, and same side are recited while it appears the term side are used with inconsistent and varying meaning rendering claim indefinite for one of ordinary skill to ascertain the structure of claimed invention: “first side” and “third side” are first claimed separately, hinting the first/third side shall have different orientation or direction but then then described together as located on a “same side”, with the term “side” is apparently addressed to cover a different scope. The claims are therefore indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor regards as the invention. Claims 2, 3, and 9 further contain term “second side” or “third side” with indefinite scope as addressed in claims 1 and 8 above. Claims 4-7, 10-20 are rejected for dependency on rejected independent claim 1 and 8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Moser, US 20210041915 A1, and Alva et al, US 2020/0245483 discloses the concept of a first connection device of a data output apparatus and a first display assembly of the data output apparatus being disposed to be coplanar or form a continuous curved surface with each other. The following claim drafted by the examiner and considered to distinguish patentably over the art of record in this application, presented to applicant for consideration: 1. (Currently Amended) A data output apparatus comprising: a first connection device, configured to be detachably connected to a second connection device of a processing apparatus to maintain a positional relationship between the data output apparatus and the processing apparatus; a communication device, configured to receive display data sent by the processing apparatus; and a display device configured to output the display data and including a first display assembly and a second display assembly, a position of the first display assembly being fixed relative to a position of the second display assembly[[,]]; wherein the first display assembly is disposed [[at]]in a first area of a first side surface of the data output apparatus, the communication device and the first connection device are disposed in a second area of the first side surface second area is coplanar with the first area second area area wherein the second display assembly is disposed at a second side surface of the data output apparatus, the first side surface being opposite to the second side surface and is connected to the second side surface via four connection sides, the first display assembly and the second display assembly face opposite directions, and the first display assembly and a connecting surface of the first connection device and the second connection device within the second area of the first side surface face a same direction. 2. (Cancelled) 3. (Cancelled) 8. (Currently Amended) A data output apparatus comprising: a data output apparatus including: a first connection device, a first communication device; and a display device including a first display assemble and a second display assembly, a processing apparatus including a second connection device, a second communication device; and a processing device; wherein: the first connection device and the second connection device are configured to be detachably connected to each other to maintain a positional relationship between the data output apparatus and the processing apparatus; the processing device is configured to generate display data; the second communication device is configured to transmit the display data to the first communication device; the first communication device is configured to receive display data; the display device is configured to output the display data; wherein the first display assembly is disposed [[at]]in a first area of a first side surface of the data output apparatus, the communication device and the first connection device are disposed in a second area of the first side surface ,second area is coplanar with the first area second area area wherein the second display assembly is disposed at a second side surface of the data output apparatus, the first side surface being opposite to the second side surface and is connected to the second side surface via four connection sides, the first display assembly and the second display assembly face opposite directions, and the first display assembly and a connecting surface of the first connection device and the second connection device within the second area of the first side surface face a same direction. 9. (Cancelled) (see paragraph 49, fig. 4, 7 as annotated below for support for suggested amendment) PNG media_image1.png 1020 1077 media_image1.png Greyscale PNG media_image2.png 882 2133 media_image2.png Greyscale Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PEIJIE SHEN whose telephone number is (571)272-5522. 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, Patrick Edouard can be reached at 5712727603. 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. /PEIJIE SHEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2622 /PATRICK N EDOUARD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2622
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Prosecution Timeline

Mar 15, 2024
Application Filed
Apr 05, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §112
Jul 14, 2025
Response Filed
Oct 18, 2025
Final Rejection — §112
Dec 22, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Jan 23, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Jan 29, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Feb 19, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12567390
METHOD OF GENERATING COMPENSATION DATA AND DISPLAY DEVICE
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 03, 2026
Patent 12563897
DISPLAY PANEL
2y 5m to grant Granted Feb 24, 2026
Patent 12530082
HAPTIC TOUCH MODULE AND A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE HAPTIC TOUCH MODULE
2y 5m to grant Granted Jan 20, 2026
Patent 12525163
PIXEL CIRCUIT AND DISPLAY APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME
2y 5m to grant Granted Jan 13, 2026
Patent 12512077
DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING DISPLAY DEVICE
2y 5m to grant Granted Dec 30, 2025
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
79%
Grant Probability
97%
With Interview (+18.1%)
2y 6m
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 337 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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