Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/943,831

DISPLAY PANEL

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Nov 11, 2024
Priority
Feb 26, 2024 — provisional 63/558,094 +1 more
Examiner
RAABE, CHRISTOPHER M
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
HannStar Display Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
68%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 0m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 68% — above average
68%
Career Allowance Rate
558 granted / 821 resolved
+8.0% vs TC avg
Strong +28% interview lift
Without
With
+27.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 8m
Avg Prosecution
20 currently pending
Career history
841
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.2%
-39.8% vs TC avg
§103
81.0%
+41.0% vs TC avg
§102
16.7%
-23.3% vs TC avg
§112
0.6%
-39.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 821 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 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Katsumoto et al. (USPN 2012/0013839). With regard to claim 1, Katsumoto et al. disclose a display panel, comprising: a first substrate (161) and a second substrate (191), disposed to overlap along a stacking direction; a liquid crystal layer (116), disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; a plurality of data lines (SL), disposed on the first substrate; a plurality of scan lines (GL), disposed on the first substrate and intersecting the plurality of data lines; a plurality of pixel structures (Pij), disposed on the first substrate, wherein each of plurality of pixel structures has an active device (131) and a pixel electrode (151), the active device is electrically connected to the pixel electrode (via 134), one of the plurality of data lines (via 133), and one of the plurality of scan lines (via 132); a first common electrode layer (142), disposed on the first substrate and overlapping the plurality of pixel structures; a plurality of bridge patterns (144), disposed on the first substrate and being electrically connected to the first common electrode layer; a plurality of first spacers (194), disposed on the second substrate and respectively abutting the plurality of bridge patterns along the stacking direction; and a second common electrode layer (152), disposed on the second substrate and covering the first spacers to be electrically connected to the plurality of bridge patterns (see fig. 6). With regard to claim 2, Katsumoto et al. disclose the display panel according to claim 1, wherein the first common electrode (142) layer has a plurality of openings therebetween), and the plurality of openings respectively overlap the plurality of pixel electrodes (151) of the plurality of pixel structures along the stacking direction (see fig. 5). With regard to claim 3, Katsumoto et al. disclose the display panel according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of bridge patterns (144) and the plurality of pixel electrodes (151) of the plurality of pixel structures are of a same film layer (see fig. 6). With regard to claim 4, Katsumoto et al. disclose the display panel according to claim 1, wherein the first common electrode layer (144) overlaps the plurality of pixel electrodes (151) of the plurality of pixel structures (see fig. 5). With regard to claim 5, Katsumoto et al. disclose the display panel according to claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of pixel structures further has a first transfer pattern (134) disposed between the pixel electrode (151) and the active device (131), the pixel electrode is electrically connected to the active device through the first transfer pattern, a second transfer pattern (143) is disposed between each of the plurality of bridge patterns (144) and the first common electrode layer (142), each of the plurality of bridge patterns is electrically connected to the first common electrode layer through the second transfer pattern, and the first transfer pattern and the second transfer pattern are of a same film layer (see fig. 6). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 6-12 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. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art does not disclose nor render obvious, in combination with the other limitations of the claims, a capacitor electrode as claimed, reflective layer with opening as claimed or spacer as claimed. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. USPN 2016/0357286, 2022/0107523, 2019/0064403. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Christopher Raabe whose telephone number is (571)272-8434. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 0530-1430. 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 R Greece can be reached at (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. /CHRISTOPHER M RAABE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 11, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 01, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12684941
LIGHT EXTRACTION SUBSTRATE AND ORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING DEVICE INCLUDING SAME
3y 1m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12684955
Light Emitting Display Device
2y 11m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12684700
STRETCHABLE DEVICE
1y 10m to grant Granted Jul 14, 2026
Patent 12672469
LIGHT EMITTING DISPLAY DEVICE
2y 8m to grant Granted Jun 30, 2026
Patent 12666804
DISPLAY DEVICE
3y 0m to grant Granted Jun 23, 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
68%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+27.6%)
2y 8m (~1y 0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 821 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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