Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/729,121

ARRAY SUBSTRATE AND DISPLAY APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jul 15, 2024
Priority
Sep 26, 2023 — nonprovisional of PCTCN2023121348
Examiner
RAHMAN, MOHAMMAD A
Art Unit
2898
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
87%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
7m
Est. Remaining
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 87% — above average
87%
Career Allowance Rate
486 granted / 559 resolved
+18.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+10.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 8m
Avg Prosecution
39 currently pending
Career history
583
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.8%
-37.2% vs TC avg
§103
46.8%
+6.8% vs TC avg
§102
30.2%
-9.8% vs TC avg
§112
18.5%
-21.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 559 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . DETAILED ACTION Claims 1-19, 22 are pending and have been examined. Priority Acknowledgment is made that the instant application is a 371 of PCT/CN2023/121348. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) that forms the basis for the rejection set forth in this Office action: (a) NOVELTY; PRIOR ART.—A person shall be entitled to a patent unless— (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; Notes: when present, semicolon separated fields within the parenthesis (; ;) represent, for example, as (30A; Fig 2B; [0128]) = (element 30A; Figure No. 2B; Paragraph No. [0128]). For brevity, the texts “Element”, “Figure No.” and “Paragraph No.” shall be excluded, though; additional clarification notes may be added within each field. The number of fields may be fewer or more than three indicated above. These conventions are used throughout this document. Claims 1-2, 19, 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (WO 2023039830 A1 – hereinafter Wang). Regarding Claim 1, Wang teaches an array substrate (see the entire document; Figs. 1-8C; specifically, ([0088] - [0114]), and as cited below), comprising a plurality of pixel driving circuits (Fig. 1): wherein a respective pixel driving circuit of the plurality of pixel driving circuits comprises a driving transistor (Td – Fig. 3B – [0100]), a first light emitting control transistor (T4), and a third reset transistor (Tr2); active layers of the driving transistor, the first light emitting control transistor, and the third reset transistor are in a first semiconductor material layer (SML1 – Fig. 4A – 4D – [0100]); a first electrode (Sd – [0101]) of the driving transistor, a second electrode (D3) of the first light emitting control transistor (T4), and a second electrode of the third reset transistor (Tr2) are in the first semiconductor material layer (SML1 which are detailed in [0100]); the first electrode of the driving transistor (Td), the second electrode of the first light emitting control transistor (T4), and the second electrode of the third reset transistor (Tr2) are parts of a unitary structure (see [0103]); and the first electrode of the driving transistor (Td), the second electrode of the first light emitting control transistor (T4), and the second electrode of the third reset transistor (Tr2) are connected to each other by one or more portions of the first semiconductor material layer (see [0089], [0114] for details). Regarding Claim 2, Wang teaches the array substrate of claim 1, further comprising: a first light emitting control electrode pad (ACP – [0121]) on the first semiconductor material layer; and a plurality of light emitting control signal lines (EM[n] – [0088] – Fig. 3A) on a side of the first light emitting control electrode pad away from the first semiconductor material layer; wherein the first light emitting control electrode pad comprises a gate electrode (GL_N[n]) of the first light emitting control transistor; and a respective light emitting control signal line of the plurality of light emitting control signal lines is connected to the first light emitting control electrode pad through a via (see [0088]). Regarding Claim 22, Wang teaches a display apparatus, comprising the array substrate of claim 1, and one or more integrated circuits connected to the array substrate ([0035]). Regarding Claim 19, Wang teaches an array substrate (see the entire document; Figs. 1-8C; specifically, ([0088] - [0114]), and as cited below), comprising a plurality of pixel driving circuits (Fig. 1): wherein a respective pixel driving circuit (Fig. 3A) of the plurality of pixel driving circuits comprises: a second node connecting line (N3 – Fig. 2 – [0089]), a first light emitting control transistor (T4), a third reset transistor (Tr2); the second node connecting line (N3) is connected to a second electrode (upper electrode in Fig. 2) of the first light emitting control transistor (T4), and connected to a second electrode (left electrode of Tr2) of the third reset transistor (Tr2); and the second node connecting line (N3) is in a same layer as active layers of the first light emitting control transistor and the third reset transistor ([0102], [0111], [0114]). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 3-18 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. The following is the Examiner’s Reasons for Allowance: The prior art fails to disclose and would not have rendered obvious: Regarding claim 3: The array substrate of claim 1, further comprising a second light emitting control electrode pad on the first semiconductor material layer; and a plurality of light emitting control signal lines on a side of the second light emitting control electrode pad away from the first semiconductor material layer; wherein the respective pixel driving circuit further comprises a second light emitting control transistor; the second light emitting control electrode pad comprises a gate electrode of the second light emitting control transistor; and a respective light emitting control signal line of the plurality of light emitting control signal lines is connected to the second light emitting control electrode pad through a via. Regarding claim 4: The array substrate of claim 2, wherein the respective pixel driving circuit further comprises a storage capacitor comprising a first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode; the first light emitting control electrode pad and the first capacitor electrode are in a first gate metal layer; the second capacitor electrode is in a second gate metal layer on a side of the first gate metal layer away from the first semiconductor material layer; the plurality of light emitting control signal lines are in a first signal line layer on a side of the second gate metal layer away from the first gate metal layer. Claim 5 depends from claim 4. Regarding claim 6: The array substrate of claim 1, further comprising a first voltage connecting pad and a plurality of first voltage supply lines; wherein an active layer of the first light emitting control transistor, the first voltage connecting pad, and the plurality of first voltage supply lines are in three different layers; and a respective first voltage supply line of the plurality of first voltage supply lines is connected to the first voltage connecting pad, and the first voltage connecting pad is connected to a first electrode of the first light emitting control transistor. Claims 7-12 depend from claim 6. Regarding claim 13: The array substrate of claim 1, wherein the respective pixel driving circuit further comprises a first reset transistor and a second reset transistor; wherein the array substrate further comprises: a plurality of third reset signal lines configured to provide a third reset signal to first electrodes of third reset transistors in the plurality of pixel driving circuits; and a plurality of first reset signal lines configured to provide a first reset signal to first electrodes of first reset transistors in the plurality of pixel driving circuits, and/ or a plurality of second reset signal lines configured to provide a second reset signal to first electrodes of second reset transistors in the plurality of pixel driving circuits; wherein the plurality of first reset signal lines, the plurality of second reset signal lines, and the plurality of third reset signal lines extend along a direction substantially parallel to a first direction. Regarding claim 14: The array substrate of claim 1, wherein the array substrate further comprises: a plurality of third reset signal lines configured to provide a third reset signal to first electrodes of third reset transistors in the plurality of pixel driving circuits; a plurality of first low voltage supply lines; a plurality of fourth reset signal lines; a plurality of fifth reset signal lines; a plurality of sixth reset signal lines; and a plurality of second low voltage supply lines; wherein the plurality of third reset signal lines and the plurality of first low voltage signal lines extend along a direction substantially parallel to a first direction; the plurality of fourth reset signal lines, the plurality of fifth reset signal lines, the plurality of sixth reset signal lines, and the plurality of second low voltage supply lines extend along a direction substantially parallel to a second direction; the second direction is different from the first direction; and the plurality of fourth reset signal lines, the plurality of fifth reset signal lines, the plurality of sixth reset signal lines, and the plurality of second low voltage supply lines are in a same layer on a side of the plurality of third reset signal lines and the plurality of first low voltage signal lines away from the first semiconductor material layer. Claims 15-16 depend from claims 14. Regarding claim 17: The array substrate of claim 1, further comprising a first respective anode, a second respective anode, a third respective anode, and a fourth respective anode; wherein the first respective anode is an anode for a subpixel of a first color, the second respective anode is an anode for a subpixel of a second color, the third respective anode and the fourth respective anode are anodes for two subpixels of a third color; an orthographic projection of the third respective anode on the base substrate at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of two adjacent second voltage supply lines of the plurality of second voltage supply lines on the base substrate, and at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of one of a respective fourth reset signal line, a respective fifth reset signal line, a respective sixth reset signal line, and a respective second low voltage supply line on the base substrate; and an orthographic projection of the fourth respective anode on the base substrate at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of two adjacent second voltage supply lines of the plurality of second voltage supply lines on the base substrate, and at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of one of a respective fourth reset signal line, a respective fifth reset signal line, a respective sixth reset signal line, and a respective second low voltage supply line on the base substrate. Claim 18 depends from claim 17. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMAD A. RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571) 270-0168 and email is mohammad.rahman5@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00 PM. 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, Julio J. Maldonado can be reached on (571) 272-1864. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MOHAMMAD A RAHMAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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Prosecution Timeline

Jul 15, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 27, 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
87%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+10.9%)
2y 8m (~7m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 559 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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