Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/792,654

DISPLAY APPARATUS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Aug 02, 2024
Priority
Dec 29, 2023 — RE 10-2023-0197606
Examiner
CHOWDHURY, AFROZA Y
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
73%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
8m
Est. Remaining
66%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 73% — above average
73%
Career Allowance Rate
606 granted / 834 resolved
+12.7% vs TC avg
Minimal -6% lift
Without
With
+-6.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
16 currently pending
Career history
848
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.0%
-39.0% vs TC avg
§103
53.5%
+13.5% vs TC avg
§102
21.0%
-19.0% vs TC avg
§112
12.9%
-27.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 834 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 . Specification The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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. 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 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yoon et al. (US 20210013286). As to claim 1, Yoon discloses a display apparatus (Fig. 1) comprising: a substrate (Fig. 6(100)) comprising a display area (Fig. 6(DA)) and a peripheral area (Fig. 6(PA)) outside the display area ([0104]); a common voltage supply line (Fig. 6(420)) located in the peripheral area (Fig. 6(PA), [0108]); a protective conductive layer (Fig. 6(421)) directly contacting the common voltage supply line (Fig. 6(420), [0108]); and a common electrode (Fig. 6(330)) extending from the display area to the peripheral area and directly contacting the protective conductive layer (Fig. 6(421), [0108]: opposite (common) electrode 330 can be electrically connected to the common voltage line 420 through the protective conductive layer 421), wherein an end of the common electrode (Fig. 6(330)) adjacent to an edge of the substrate is closer to the edge of the substrate than an end of the protective conductive layer (Fig. 6(421)) adjacent to the edge of the substrate (Fig. 6, [0108] – [0109]). As to claim 2, Yoon teaches the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protective conductive layer (Fig. 6(421)) directly contacts a top surface of the common voltage supply line (Fig. 6(420)). As to claim 17, Yoon discloses a display apparatus (Fig. 1) comprising: a substrate (Fig. 6(100)) comprising a display area (Fig. 6(DA)) and a peripheral area (Fig. 6(PA)) outside the display area ([0104]); a common voltage supply line (Fig. 6(420)) located in the peripheral area (Fig. 6(PA), [0108]); a protective conductive layer (Fig. 6(421)) directly contacting the common voltage supply line (Fig. 6(420), [0108]); and a common electrode (Fig. 6(330)) extending from the display area to the peripheral area and directly contacting the protective conductive layer (Fig. 6(421), [0108]: opposite (common) electrode 330 can be electrically connected to the common voltage line 420 through the protective conductive layer 421), wherein when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate (Fig. 6(100)), an area of a portion of the common electrode (Fig. 6(330)) overlapping the common voltage supply line (Fig. 6(420)) is greater than an area of a portion of the protective conductive layer overlapping the common voltage supply line (Fig. 6, [0108] – [0109]). As to claim 18, Yoon teaches the display apparatus of claim 17, wherein an end of the common voltage supply line adjacent to an edge of the substrate is closer to the edge of the substrate than an end of the protective conductive layer adjacent to the edge of the substrate (Fig. 6, [0108] – [0109]). As to claim 19, Yoon teaches the display apparatus of claim 17, wherein the protective conductive layer (Fig. 6(421) directly contacts a top surface of the common voltage supply line (Fig. 6(420)). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 3-16 and 20-24 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. Claims 25-27 are allowed. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding claim 25, Yoon discloses a display apparatus (Fig. 1) comprising: a substrate (Fig. 6(100)) comprising a display area (Fig. 6(DA)) and a peripheral area (Fig. 6(PA)) outside the display area ([0104]); a common voltage supply line (Fig. 6(420)) located in the peripheral area (Fig. 6(PA), [0108]); a protective conductive layer (Fig. 6(421)) covering an entirety of the portion of the top surface of the common voltage supply line (Fig. 6(420)) exposed by the first opening ([0110]); and a common electrode (Fig. 6(330)) extending from the display area (Fig. 6(DA)) to the peripheral area (Fig. 6(PA)) and covering an entirety of the portion of the top surface of the protective conductive layer (Fig. 6(421)) exposed by the second opening (Fig. 6), wherein the protective conductive layer (Fig. 6(421)) electrically connects the common voltage supply line (Fig. 6(420)) to the common electrode (Fig. 6(330), [0108]), and wherein an end of the common electrode adjacent to an edge of the substrate is closer to the edge of the substrate than an end of the protective conductive layer adjacent to the edge of the substrate (Fig. 6, [0108] – [0109]). Yoon has failed to teach “a first insulating layer covering the common voltage supply line, the first insulating layer comprising a first opening exposing a portion of a top surface of the common voltage supply line; and a second insulating layer covering the protective conductive layer, the second insulating layer comprising a second opening exposing a portion of a top surface of the protective conductive layer” in combination with other limitations of claim 25. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AFROZA Y CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-1543. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-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, Nitin Patel can be reached at (571)272-7677. 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. /AFROZA CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2628
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 02, 2024
Application Filed
Aug 06, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

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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
73%
Grant Probability
66%
With Interview (-6.4%)
2y 9m (~8m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 834 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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