Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/682,940

DISPLAY PANEL, METHOD FOR PREPARING SAME, AND DISPLAY DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Feb 12, 2024
Priority
Apr 27, 2022 — CN 202210452974.8 +1 more
Examiner
ERDEM, FAZLI
Art Unit
2812
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allowance Rate
918 granted / 1075 resolved
+17.4% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+15.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 5m
Avg Prosecution
36 currently pending
Career history
1099
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.2%
-39.8% vs TC avg
§103
62.4%
+22.4% vs TC avg
§102
30.5%
-9.5% vs TC avg
§112
3.7%
-36.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1075 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
CTNF 18/682,940 CTNF 79135 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-6, 8, 10, 12-14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 24 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Liu (CN113903766) (Prior art submitted by the applicant on 8/7/2024) Regarding Claim 1, in Fig. 6 and paragraphs 0035-0049, Liu discloses a display panel, comprising: a substrate 100, wherein the substrate comprises a display region 200 and a bezel region 210/300/400, the bezel region surrounding the display region; a light-emitting structure, wherein the light-emitting structure is disposed on the substrate; a light-shielding layer 400, wherein the light-shielding layer is disposed on the substrate where the light-emitting structure is disposed, and the light-shielding layer is disposed in the bezel region; and a cover plate 1000, wherein the cover plate is disposed on a side, distal from the substrate, of the light-light-shielding layer, and the cover plate comprises a first plate body disposed in the display region and a second plate body extending from the first plate body to the bezel region, an orthographic projection of the second plate body on the substrate being within an orthographic projection of the light-shielding layer on the substrate. Regarding Claim 2, in Liu, a color film layer, wherein the color film layer 500 is disposed in the display region, and the color film layer extends to a border of the bezel region 210/300/400 and the display region 200. Regarding Claim 3, in Liu, in Figs. 9 and 10, the light-emitting structure comprises a driver circuit layer 400 and a light-emitting layer, wherein the driver circuit layer comprises a metal wiring, and the light-emitting layer comprises a first electrode layer, a pixel definition layer, a light-emitting function layer, and a second electrode layer that are stacked; wherein the metal wiring comprises an edge metal wiring disposed in the bezel region 210/300/400, an orthographic projection of the edge metal wiring on the substrate being within the orthographic projection of the light-shielding 400 layer on the substrate. Regarding Claim 4, in Liu, a first package layer and a first planarization layer that are disposed between the light-emitting layer and the color film layer 500; wherein the first package layer and the first planarization layer are successively stacked along a direction away from the substrate, and the first package layer and the first planarization layer extend to the bezel region. Regarding Claim 5, in Liu, the light-shielding layer 400 is disposed on a side, distal from the substrate, of the first planarization layer. Regarding Claim 6, in Liu, the light-shielding layer 400 is a color film extension layer arranged in a same layer as the color film layer, and the light- shielding layer comprises at least two layers of the color film layer of different colors. Regarding Claim 8, in Liu, a second planarization layer and a second package layer that are disposed between the color film layer and the cover plate 1000; wherein the second planarization layer and the second package layer are disposed in the display region, the second planarization layer and the second package layer are successively stacked along the direction away from the substrate, and both the second planarization layer and the second package layer extend to the bezel region 210/300/400; and the light-shielding layer 400 is disposed on a side, distal from the substrate, of the second package layer. Regarding Claim 10, in Liu, the light-emitting structure comprises a plurality of sub-pixels in the display region, and the display panel further comprises a black matrix disposed between adjacent sub- pixels in the plurality of sub-pixels; wherein the black matrix is formed by overlaying color films of different colors; and a width of the light-shielding layer 400 along a first direction is greater than or equal to a width of the black matrix between the adjacent sub-pixels, the first direction being a direction pointing from a center of the display region 200 towards the bezel region 210/300/400. Regarding Claim 12, in Liu, an adhesive layer for package, wherein the adhesive layer covers an edge of a side, distal from the display region, of the bezel region 210/300/400. Regarding Claim 13, in Liu, in a case that the display region further comprises the second package layer, the adhesive layer is at least partially disposed on the side, distal from the substrate, of the second package layer. Regarding Claim 14, in Liu, the light-shielding layer 400 comprises an edge light-shielding layer extending between a first edge of the cover plate and the adhesive layer, the first edge being an edge of a side, distal from the display region, of the cover plate. Regarding Claim 16, in Liu, the adhesive layer abuts against an edge of a side, distal from the display region, of the cover plate; wherein a light-shielding overlapping region is present between the orthographic projection of the light-shielding layer on the substrate and an orthographic projection of the adhesive layer on the substrate, and in a case that the display region further comprises the first package layer, in a first direction, a width of the light-shielding 400 overlapping region is greater than a target distance, wherein the target distance is a distance between the edge of the side, distal from the display region, of the light-shielding layer 400 and an edge of a side, distal from the display region, of the first package layer, and the first direction is a direction pointing from a center of the display region 200 towards the bezel region. Regarding Claim 18, in Liu, in a first direction, a distance between the edge of the side, distal from the display region 200, of the light-shielding layer 400 and an edge of a side, distal from the display region, of the cover plate 1000 is less than a distance between the edge of the side, distal from the display region, of the light-shielding layer and an edge of a side, distal from the display region, of the substrate, the first direction being a direction pointing from a center of the display region towards the bezel region 210/300/400. Regarding Claim 19, in Liu, in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, the light-shielding layer 400 comprises an overlapping region overlapped with the cover plate 1000 and a non-overlapping region not overlapped with the cover plate, a thickness of the overlapping regions being less than a thickness of the non-overlapping region, wherein the thickness of the non-overlapping region in the direction perpendicular to the substrate gradually increases along a first direction, the first direction being a direction pointing from a center of the display region towards the bezel region 210/300/400 Regarding Claim 21, in Liu, the cover plate 1000 extends to an edge, distal from the display region, of the bezel region; and in the bezel region, the orthographic projection of the light-shielding layer on the substrate is consistent with an orthographic projection of the cover plate on the substrate. Regarding Claim 24, in Fig. 6 and paragraphs 0035-0049, Liu discloses a display device, comprising: a display panel wherein the display panel comprises: a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a display region 200 and a bezel region 210/300/400, the bezel region surrounding the display region; a light-emitting structure, wherein the light-emitting structure is disposed on the substrate; a light-shielding layer 400, wherein the light-shielding layer is disposed on the substrate where the light-emitting structure is disposed, and the light-shielding layer is disposed in the bezel region; and a cover plate 1000, wherein the cover plate is disposed on a side, distal from the substrate, of the light-light-shielding layer, and the cover plate comprises a first plate body disposed in the display region and a second plate body extending from the first plate body to the bezel region, an orthographic projection of the second plate body on the substrate being within an orthographic projection of the light-shielding layer on the substrate. Regarding Claim 30, Liu discloses a method for preparing a display panel, applicable to preparing the display panel as defined in claim 1, the method comprising: providing a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a display region 200 and a bezel region 210/300/400, the bezel region surrounding the display region; forming a light-emitting structure on the substrate; forming a light-shielding layer 400 on the substrate where the light-emitting structure is formed, wherein the light-shielding layer is disposed in the bezel region; and disposing a cover plate 1000 on a side, distal from the substrate, of the light-shielding layer, wherein the cover plate comprises a first plate body disposed in the display region and a second plate body extending from the first plate body to the bezel region, an orthographic projection of the second plate body on the substrate being within an orthographic projection of the light-shielding layer on the substrate . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 7, 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu CN113903766 in view of Xi CN 108132554 (both submitted by the applicant on 8/7/2024) Regarding Claim 7, Liu discloses everything except to disclose a first alignment mark in the bezel region, wherein the light-emitting structure comprises a plurality of sub-pixels in the display region; wherein in a first direction, a distance between an edge of a side, distal from the display region, of the light-shielding layer and an edge of a side, proximal to the display region, of the first alignment mark is greater than a maximum size of the sub-pixel, the first direction being a direction pointing from a center of the display region towards the bezel region. However, Xi discloses a display device where paragraphs 0050-0053 and Fig. 19, alignment marks are disclosed as 31/32. It would have been obvious to one of having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the required alignment marks in Liu as taught by Xi in order to display device with ease of manufacture. Regarding Claim 9, in Xi, a second alignment mark 31/32 in the bezel region, wherein the second alignment mark is disposed on the side, distal from the substrate, of the light-shielding layer, and the second alignment mark is disposed on a same layer as the cover plate. Regarding Claim 11, in Xiu, in a case that the display panel comprises the second alignment mark 31/32 in the bezel region, an orthographic projection of the second alignment mark on the substrate is within the orthographic projection of the light-shielding layer on the substrate, and the orthographic projection of the second alignment mark on the substrate is not overlapped with an orthographic projection of the cover plate on the substrate. Examiner is including Zhu et al. (20240154074) as pertinent prior art that is NOT relied upon on this rejection but that discloses light leakage prevention structures around cover glass. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FAZLI ERDEM whose telephone number is (571)272-1914. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8am-5pm. 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, Davienne Monbleau can be reached at 571-272-1945. 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. /FAZLI ERDEM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812 6/10/2026 Application/Control Number: 18/682,940 Page 2 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/682,940 Page 3 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/682,940 Page 4 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/682,940 Page 5 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/682,940 Page 6 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/682,940 Page 7 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/682,940 Page 9 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/682,940 Page 10 Art Unit: 2812
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Prosecution Timeline

Feb 12, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 15, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §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
85%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+15.9%)
2y 5m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1075 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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