Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/926,720

TEST CIRCUIT AND DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Oct 25, 2024
Priority
Nov 01, 2023 — RE 10-2023-0149165
Examiner
NGUYEN, VINH P
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
6m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allowance Rate
1186 granted / 1373 resolved
+26.4% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+16.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 3m
Avg Prosecution
21 currently pending
Career history
1387
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
4.0%
-36.0% vs TC avg
§103
51.6%
+11.6% vs TC avg
§102
7.9%
-32.1% vs TC avg
§112
26.8%
-13.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1373 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
CTNF 18/926,720 CTNF 64821 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Drawings 06-36 AIA The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the feature of “a second test circuit disposed in a second test area positioned in the non-display area”, “a second metal pattern”, “a second test gate driver”, ”a third area” and “a fourth area” as recited in claim 20 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance. Specification 06-11 AIA 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 § 112 07-30-02 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. 07-34-01 Claims 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. In claim 17, it is unclear what “a gate drive” is. Is it different from “a first test gate driver”? In claim 20, it is unclear what “a second test circuit”, a second metal pattern”, “a second test gate driver”, “a third area” and “a fourth area” are. The specification does not provide details about them. The dependent claims not specifically addressed share the same indefiniteness as they depend from rejected base claims. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-16 are allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art does not disclose A test circuit comprising: a metal pattern disposed in a first area; a test gate driver disposed in a second area adjacent to the first area and including a plurality of test stages, each of which outputs a test gate signal; and a plurality of test gate lines overlapping the metal pattern in a plan view, connected to the plurality of test stages, respectively, each including a first metal line and a second metal line connected in series with the first metal line, and which receives the test gate signal as recited in claim 1. Claims 2-13 depend from claim 1, they are also allowed accordingly. The prior art does not disclose A test circuit comprising: a metal pattern disposed in a first area; a test gate driver disposed in a second area adjacent to the first area and including a plurality of test stages, each of which outputs a test gate signal; and a plurality of test gate lines overlapping the metal pattern in a plan view, connected to the plurality of test stages, respectively, each having a zigzag shape in the plan view, and which receives the test gate signal as recited in claim 14. Claims 15-16 depend from claim 14, they are also allowed accordingly. 13-03 Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.” Conclusion Searches for claims 17-20 were performed and no prior art was found to meet the limitations of these claims 17-20. However, these claims are not allowed due to their deficiencies as mentioned in the current office action. 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Park et al (Pat# 9,196552) disclose Display Device And Manufacturing And Testing Methods Thereof. Yuan et al (Pat# 12,250,867) disclose Display Panel And Test Method Thereof, Display Apparatus. Jinsung et al (Pat# 11,749,178) disclose Display Device For Providing Test Data Signals Of Different Voltage Levels To Different Areas Of A Display Panel In A Test Mode. Shin et al (Pat# 11,062,631) disclose Display Device And Method Of Testing Display Device. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VINH P NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1964. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:00am-4:00pm. 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, Phan Huy can be reached on 571-272-7924 . 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. /VINH P NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/926,720 Page 2 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/926,720 Page 3 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/926,720 Page 4 Art Unit: 2858 Application/Control Number: 18/926,720 Page 5 Art Unit: 2858
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 25, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 18, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
86%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+16.2%)
2y 3m (~6m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1373 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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