Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/835,971

DISPLAY MODULE AND DISPLAY DEVICE

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Aug 05, 2024
Priority
Feb 21, 2022 — RE 10-2022-0022380 +1 more
Examiner
SLUTSKER, JULIA
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
LG Electronics Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
77%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
5m
Est. Remaining
89%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 77% — above average
77%
Career Allowance Rate
832 granted / 1082 resolved
+16.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +12% lift
Without
With
+12.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 5m
Avg Prosecution
39 currently pending
Career history
1127
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.7%
-39.3% vs TC avg
§103
49.5%
+9.5% vs TC avg
§102
22.4%
-17.6% vs TC avg
§112
21.1%
-18.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1082 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 § 103 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 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. Claim(s) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP’365 (JP 2012003365, cited in IDS, Machine Translation is provided) in view of Hsiao (US 2016/0259160). Regarding claim 1, JP’365 discloses a display module (152), comprising: a first panel having a plurality of pixels disposed to form an array, each of the pixels including a light emitting part and a light transmitting part; and a second panel (153) disposed on a rear surface of the first panel and having a plurality of shade shutters corresponding to a plurality of the pixels ([0055]), respectively, a transparent electrode (802) positioned in each of the diffusing part and the collecting part; and first (806) and second fluids (804) positioned in the diffusing part and the collecting part so as not be mixed with each other ([0154]-[0168]; claims 7 and 8; Figs. 3 and 11), wherein the first fluid moves between the diffusing part or the collecting part according to a voltage applied to the transparent electrode (802) and wherein one of the first fluid and the second fluid is transparent (806) while the other is opaque (804). JP’365 does not disclose shade shutter comprising: a diffusing part having a first thickness; a collecting part positioned at one side of the diffusing part and having a second thickness greater than the first thickness. Hsiao however discloses a diffusing part having a first thickness; a collecting part (219) positioned at one side of the diffusing part and having a second thickness greater than the first thickness ([0031]- [0037]; Fig. 2). It would have been therefore obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify JP’365 with Hsiao to have a diffusing part having a first thickness; a collecting part positioned at one side of the diffusing part and having a second thickness greater than the first thickness for the purpose of fabrication electro-wetting display panel (Hsiao, Abstract). Regarding claim 13, JP’365 discloses a display device, comprising: a first panel (152) having a plurality of pixels disposed to form an array, each of the pixels including a light emitting part and a light transmitting part; a second panel (153) disposed on a rear surface of the first panel and having a plurality of shade shutters corresponding to a plurality of the pixels, respectively ([0055]); and a controller (154) controlling the light emitting part of the first panel to output an image and controlling the shade shutters of the second panel to adjust a contrast ratio ([0073[-[0777]);;[0159]) (Figs. 4 and 11),; a transparent electrode (804); (806) positioned in each of the diffusing part and the collecting part; and first and second fluids positioned in the diffusing part and the collecting part so as not be mixed with each other, wherein one of the first fluid and the second fluid is transparent (806) while the other is opaque (804) and wherein the controller applies a power to the transparent electrode to move the first fluid from the collecting part to the diffusing part ([0073[-[0777]); [0159]). JP’365 does not disclose the shade shutter comprising: a diffusing part having a first thickness; a collecting part positioned at one side of the diffusing part and having a second thickness greater than the first thickness Hsiao however discloses a diffusing part having a first thickness; a collecting part (219) positioned at one side of the diffusing part and having a second thickness greater than the first thickness ([0031]- [0037]; Fig. 2). It would have been therefore obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify JP’365 with Hsiao to have a diffusing part having a first thickness; a collecting part positioned at one side of the diffusing part and having a second thickness greater than the first thickness for the purpose of fabrication electro-wetting display panel (Hsiao, Abstract). Regarding claim 2, JP’365 discloses wherein the first fluid is opaque, wherein the first fluid diffuses to the diffusing part to switch the second panel to be opaque (804) based on applying power to the transparent electrode (802), and wherein the first fluid moves from the diffusing part to the collecting part based on not applying the power to the transparent electrode ([0154]- [0168]; claim 8, Figs. 4 and 11). Regarding claim 3, JP’365 discloses wherein the first fluid is transparent (806) and wherein based on not applying power to the transparent electrode, the first fluid moves from the diffusing part to the collecting part to switch the second panel to be opaque (804) ([0154]- [0168]; claim 8, Figs. 4 and 11). Regarding claim 4, Hsiao discloses wherein the first fluid is a polar fluid (217) and wherein the second fluid is a non-polar fluid (218) ([0031]). Regarding claim 5, Hsiao discloses wherein a range of the first fluid spread to the diffusing part varies according to a magnitude of a voltage applied to the transparent electrode ([0033]). Regarding claim 6, Hsiao discloses the transparent electrode comprising: a first transparent electrode (213) disposed on the diffusing part; and a second transparent electrode (216) disposed in the collecting part, wherein based on applying power, a potential difference is generated between the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode (p0033]; Fig.2). Regarding claim 7, Hsiao discloses wherein the collecting part (219) is disposed to overlap the light emitting part and smaller than the light emitting part ([0031]; [0032]; Fig. 2). Regarding claim 8, Hsiao discloses wherein the diffusing part and the collecting part include a hydrophobic insulating layer (214) covering the transparent electrode [0031]; Fig.2). Regarding claim 9, Hsiao discloses wherein the hydrophobic insulating layer (214) formed on the diffusing part includes an uneven portion on a surface thereof ([0031]; Fig.2). Regarding claim 10, Hsiao discloses wherein the shade shutter (215) comprises a partition positioned around the diffusing part to allow the first fluid positioned in the diffusing part ([0031]; Fig.2). Regarding claim 11, JP’365 does not disclose wherein the first panel includes a side wiring at an end thereof to transmit a control signal to the light emitting part and wherein the second panel omits the shade shutter at a position corresponding to the side wiring. JP’365 however discloses that fist display unit (153) and the display control unit (154) (Fig.7). It would have been therefore obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was fled to have the first panel includes a side wiring at an end thereof to transmit a control signal to the light emitting part and wherein the second panel omits the shade shutter at a position corresponding to the side wiring for the purpose of fabrication a display panel with improved contrast (JP’365, Abstract). Regarding claim 12, JP’365 discloses [wherein the light emitting part comprises a color filter of red, blue, and green, an organic light emitting diode, and a TFT ([0070]; [0093]). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JULIA SLUTSKER whose telephone number is (571)270-3849. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9 am-6 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, Matthew Landau can be reached at 571-272-1731. 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. /JULIA SLUTSKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 05, 2024
Application Filed
Aug 04, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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DISPLAY DEVICE USING SEMICONDUCTOR LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICES
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2y 6m to grant Granted Jul 07, 2026
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
89%
With Interview (+12.5%)
2y 5m (~5m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1082 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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