Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/685,512

DISPLAY SUBSTRATE AND DISPLAY APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Feb 22, 2024
Priority
May 13, 2022 — CN PCT/CN2022/092606 +1 more
Examiner
SANDVIK, BENJAMIN P
Art Unit
2812
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
77%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3m
Est. Remaining
83%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 77% — above average
77%
Career Allowance Rate
888 granted / 1159 resolved
+8.6% vs TC avg
Moderate +6% lift
Without
With
+6.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 8m
Avg Prosecution
26 currently pending
Career history
1181
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.4%
-39.6% vs TC avg
§103
86.9%
+46.9% vs TC avg
§102
6.4%
-33.6% vs TC avg
§112
1.9%
-38.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1159 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . 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)(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. Claims 1, 2, 5, 6, 11-14, and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al (U.S. Pub #2021/0225269). With respect to claim 1, Yang teaches a display substrate, comprising: a base substrate (Figs. 13-14, BS) comprising a first region and a second region located on at least one side of the first region; a plurality of first pixel circuits located in the second region (Fig. 13-14, R1); a plurality of first light emitting elements (Figs. 13-14, 11 and Paragraph 121) located in the first display region (Fig. 13-14, R2); and a plurality of connection lines (Fig. 13-14, 300); wherein at least one first pixel circuit among the plurality of first pixel circuits is electrically connected with at least one first light emitting element among the plurality of first light emitting elements through at least one connection line among the plurality of connection lines (Paragraph 121); the plurality of connection lines at least comprise a plurality of first connection lines located in a first connection layer, wherein the plurality of first connection lines comprise at least one first-type first connection line (Fig. 13-14, i.e. 301); the at least one first-type first connection line comprises a first connection segment, a second connection segment (Fig. 13, segment of 300 that extends diagonally to the X-Y directions), and a third connection segment connected in sequence, wherein the first connection segment (Fig. 13, segment of 300 that extends in the Y direction and connected to 11) is connected with the at least one first light emitting element, the third connection segment (Fig. 13, segment of 300 that extends in X direction and extends outside of R2) extends from the first region to the second region and is electrically connected with a first pixel circuit in the second region (Fig. 14, R1); extension directions of the first connection segment, the second connection segment, and the third connection segment are different from each other. With respect to claim 2, Yang teaches that the first connection segment and the second connection segment of the at least one first-type first connection line are connected and form a first corner along a clockwise direction, the second connection segment and the third connection segment are connected and form a second corner along a counter-clockwise direction, and the first corner is smaller than the second corner (Fig. 13, the third segment of 300 which extends outside region R2 is longer than the first segment, hence the corner portion including the first segment is smaller than the corner portion including the third segment). With respect to claim 4, Yang teaches that the plurality of first connection lines further comprise at least one second-type first connection line (Fig. 13, 301); the first connection segment and the second connection segment of the at least one first-type first connection line (Fig. 13, 303) are located on a side of the at least one second-type first connection line close to a center of the first region (Fig. 13, R2). With respect to claim 5, Yang teaches that the at least one second-type first connection line comprises a fourth connection segment and a fifth connection segment connected in sequence, wherein the fourth connection segment is electrically connected with at least one first light emitting element and extends from the first region to the second region, and the fifth connection segment is electrically connected with a first pixel circuit in the second region; an extension direction (see Fig. 15, other connection lines can extend in the opposite direction along the X axis) of the fourth connection segment is different from an extension direction of the fifth connection segment, and the extension direction of the fifth connection segment is approximately the same as an extension direction of the third connection segment of the first-type first connection line. With respect to claim 6, Yang teaches that the plurality of connection lines further comprise a plurality of second connection lines located in a second connection layer (Fig. 14, connection layers IL3-IL5), and the second connection layer is located on a side of the first connection layer away from the base substrate; a first light emitting element (Figs. 13-14, EML/11) electrically connected with at least one second connection line among the plurality of second connection lines is located between a first light emitting element electrically connected with the at least one first-type first connection line and a first light emitting element electrically connected with the at least one second-type first connection line. With respect to claim 11, Yang teaches that the first region has a plurality of sub-pixel regions arranged in an array (see Fig. 5, and Paragraph 21 and 179), each sub-pixel region is provided with a switching hole (Fig. 14, via hole for electrode E1), and an anode of the first light emitting element is electrically connected with a corresponding connection line (Fig. 14, 300) through the switching hole. With respect to claim 12, Yang teaches that in a row of sub-pixel regions, switching holes within adjacent sub-pixel regions are misaligned in a row direction (see Fig. 22). With respect to claim 13, Yang teaches that a column of sub-pixel regions comprises a plurality of first sub-pixel region units (Fig. 5A, 115) arranged in sequence, each first sub-pixel region unit comprises two adjacent sub-pixel regions, and two switching holes (Fig. 5A, switching holes corresponding to dots) within each first sub-pixel region unit are close to a junction position of the two sub-pixel regions. With respect to claim 14, Yang teaches that four sub-pixel regions arranged in a 2 x 2 array (Fig. 5A, sub-pixels 115) are used as one second sub-pixel region unit, and four switching holes within each second sub-pixel region unit are centrally arranged with a center of the second sub-pixel region unit as a center (Fig. 5A, 112). With respect to claim 17, Yang teaches that a material of the plurality of connection lines comprises a transparent conductive material (Paragraph 111). With respect to claim 18, Yang teaches a plurality of second pixel circuits (Fig. 15, plurality of pixel circuits 251, Paragraph 98) and a plurality of second light emitting elements (Fig. 15, plurality of elements 11) located in the second region, wherein at least one second pixel circuit among the plurality of second pixel circuits is electrically connected with at least one second light emitting element among the plurality of second light emitting elements. With respect to claim 19, Yang teaches a display apparatus, comprising a display substrate according claim 1 (Paragraph 199). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 3, 7-10, 15, 16 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. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN P SANDVIK whose telephone number is (571)272-8446. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 10-6. 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. /BENJAMIN P SANDVIK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Feb 22, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 12, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (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
77%
Grant Probability
83%
With Interview (+6.2%)
2y 8m (~3m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1159 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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