Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/914,648

DISPLAY DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Oct 14, 2024
Priority
Dec 21, 2023 — TW 112150168
Examiner
HINES, ANNE M
Art Unit
2875
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
AUO Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allowance Rate
794 granted / 927 resolved
+17.7% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+10.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 3m
Avg Prosecution
10 currently pending
Career history
935
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.9%
-39.1% vs TC avg
§103
41.2%
+1.2% vs TC avg
§102
36.4%
-3.6% vs TC avg
§112
19.1%
-20.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 927 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 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. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1 and 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Xia (US 2023/0180585). Regarding claim 1, Xia discloses a display device (Fig. 1), comprising: an array substrate having a plurality of light-emitting elements disposed thereon (1044 & 1045 & 1046; Paragraph [0042]); a first organic layer on the array substrate and covering the light-emitting elements (105; Paragraph [0042]); a second organic layer on the first organic layer (1061; Paragraph [0046]); a third organic layer on the second organic layer, wherein the third organic layer has a portion extending downward through the second organic layer (1062; Paragraph [0046]); and a plurality of micro lenses over the third organic layer and disposed corresponding to the light-emitting elements, respectively (1064; Paragraph [0045]). Regarding claim 11, Xia discloses a display device (Fig. 1), comprising: an array substrate having a light-emitting element disposed thereon (1044 & 1045 & 1046; Paragraph [0042]); a focusing layer over the array substrate and comprising: a first organic layer covering the light-emitting element (105; Paragraph [0042]); a second organic layer over the first organic layer and having a plurality of portions separated from one another (1061; Paragraph [0046]); and a third organic layer over the second organic layer and having an extending portion between two adjacent ones of the portions of the second organic layer (1062; Paragraph [0046]); and a micro lens over the third organic layer and over the light-emitting element (1064; Paragraph [0045]). Regarding claim 12, Xia further discloses wherein the extending portion of the third organic layer is in contact with the first organic layer (Fig. 1, 1062 & 105). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 2-10 and 13-17 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. Specifically, in claim 2, the prior art fails to teach or suggest the requirement wherein a first insulating layer covering the second organic layer, wherein the first insulating layer is between the second organic layer and the third organic layer and between the portion of the third organic layer and the first organic layer. Claims 3-5 are objected to based on their dependence from claim 2. Specifically, in claim 6, the prior art fails to teach or suggest the requirement wherein a fourth organic layer on the third organic layer, wherein the fourth organic layer has a portion extending downward through the third organic layer. Claims 7-8 are objected to based on their dependence from claim 6. Specifically, in claim 9, the prior art fails to teach or suggest the requirement wherein the array substrate comprises: a circuit substrate; a first passivation layer on the circuit substrate; a first metal layer on the first passivation layer, wherein the first metal layer has a portion extending downward through the first passivation layer and electrically connected to the circuit substrate; a second passivation layer covering the first metal layer and the first passivation layer; a second metal layer on the second passivation layer, wherein the second metal layer has a portion extending downward through the second passivation layer and electrically connected to the first metal layer; and a third passivation layer covering the second metal layer and having a portion extending downward through the second passivation layer. Claim 10 is objected to based on its dependence from claim 9. Specifically, in claim 13, the prior art fails to teach or suggest the requirement wherein the focusing layer further comprises a first insulating layer covering the second organic layer, wherein the first insulating layer is between the portions of the second organic layer and the extending portion of the third organic layer. Claims 14-17 are objected to based on their dependence from claim 13. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANNE M HINES whose telephone number is (571)272-2285. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8:00-4:30. 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, James Greece, can be reached on 571-272-3711. 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. /Anne M Hines/ Primary Examiner Art Unit 2879
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 14, 2024
Application Filed
Sep 21, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12751195
DISPLAY DEVICE, METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING DISPLAY DEVICE, DISPLAY MODULE, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE
3y 0m to grant Granted Sep 29, 2026
Patent 12751136
ORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE DISPLAY DEVICE
2y 11m to grant Granted Sep 29, 2026
Patent 12747856
LED LAMP
1y 11m to grant Granted Sep 29, 2026
Patent 12740238
DISPLAY PANEL AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME
3y 1m to grant Granted Sep 15, 2026
Patent 12736820
REFLECTIVE LCD BASED VIRTUAL REALITY SYSTEM
2y 6m to grant Granted Sep 15, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

Strategy Recommendation AI-generated — please review before filing

Get a prosecution strategy drawn from examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Typically takes 5-10 seconds — AI-generated, attorney review required before filing

Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
86%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+10.8%)
2y 3m (~3m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 927 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

Sign in with your work email

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month