Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/995,948

TOUCH DISPLAY MODULE, TOUCH DISPLAY APPARATUS AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Jan 17, 2025
Examiner
LEE, NICHOLAS J
Art Unit
2624
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
82%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 3m
To Grant
93%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 82% — above average
82%
Career Allow Rate
779 granted / 951 resolved
+19.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+10.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 3m
Avg Prosecution
19 currently pending
Career history
970
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.0%
-37.0% vs TC avg
§103
55.8%
+15.8% vs TC avg
§102
28.7%
-11.3% vs TC avg
§112
6.6%
-33.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 951 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
DETAILED ACTION Allowable Subject Matter Claims 4, 6-10, 12, 14-15, 17, 19 and 22-23 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. 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)(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) 1-3, 24 and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a2 as being anticipated by US Patent Pub. 2022/0171498 A1 to Oh et al (“Oh”). As to claim 1, Oh discloses a touch display module (See Fig. 1-2, 100), having a display area (See Fig. 4, AA) and a non-display area connected to the display area (See Fig. 4; See the lines P-TL and X-TL routed in an area outside of AA.), wherein the touch display module comprises: a base substrate (Fig. 2, SUB); a first lead (X-TP), provided on a side of the base substrate and located in the non-display area, and being configured to input a first signal (See Fig. 5; Lines X-TP provide a touch driving signal to the touch electrodes X-TEL1-16.); a second lead (P-TP), an orthographic projection of the second lead on the base substrate being on a side of an orthographic projection of the first lead on the base substrate away from the display area (See Fig. 4; P-TP is disposed outside of AA), the second lead being configured to input a second signal, the second signal having a same frequency and being in an opposite direction with the first signal (¶ 0118; P-TP supplies a pseudo touch driving signal opposite in phase to the touch driving signal to counterbalance the electromagnetic interference caused by the touch driving signal.). As to claim 2, Oh discloses wherein during a non-touch driving period, the second lead inputs a reference signal (See Fig. 7; Oh discloses P-TEL inputs a signal between driving of the X-TEL lines where P-TEL does not drive a signal.). As to claim 3, Oh discloses wherein the second lead is provided adjacent to the first lead, and the second lead is parallel to the first lead (See Fig. 4; P-TL is parallel to X-TL). As to claim 24, the same rejection or discussion is used as in the rejection of claim 1. As to claim 25, the same rejection or discussion is used as in the rejection of claim 1. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Pub. 2022/0171498 A1 to Oh et al (“Oh”) in view of US Patent Pub. 2020/0167038 A1 to Lee et al (“Lee”). As to claim 5, Oh fails to disclose wherein a dam away from the display area is provided in the non-display area, and the second lead is located on a side of the dam away from the display area or on a side of the dam close to the display area. Lee discloses wherein a dam (See Fig. 9, DAM1/DAM2) away from the display area is provided in the non-display area, and the second lead is located on a side of the dam away from the display area or on a side of the dam close to the display area (See Fig. 9; Leads X-TP and Y-TP are arranged on the side of the dams away from the display area.). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Oh with the teachings of Lee wherein a dam away from the display area is provided in the non-display area, and the second lead is located on a side of the dam away from the display area or on a side of the dam close to the display area, as suggested by Lee thereby similarly using known configurations for providing dam structures in touch display devices. Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Pub. 2022/0171498 A1 to Oh et al (“Oh”) in view of US Patent Pub. 2017/0154704 A1 to Kanna. As to claim 11, Oh fails to disclose wherein a width of the second lead is 30 um-200 um. Kanna discloses wherein a width of the wiring leads is 30 um-200 um (¶ 0332). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Oh with the teachings of Kanna wherein a width of the second lead is 30 um-200 um., as suggested by Kanan thereby similarly using known configurations of widths for wiring connections within touch display devices. Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Pub. 2022/0171498 A1 to Oh et al (“Oh”) in view of US Patent Pub. 2020/0081568 A1 to Xu et al (“Xu”). As to claim 13, Oh fails to discloses wherein the non-display area further comprises a binding area, the binding area is provided with a binding pin, and the first lead and the second lead are bound to the binding pin. Xu discloses wherein the non-display area further comprises a binding area, the binding area is provided with a binding pin, and the first lead and the second lead are bound to the binding pin (See Fig. 1; Xu discloses a binding area such that connecting lines are bound to binding pins 41/42.). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Oh with the teachings of Xu wherein the non-display area further comprises a binding area, the binding area is provided with a binding pin, and the first lead and the second lead are bound to the binding pin, as suggested by Xu thereby similarly using known configurations of binding pins such that wiring leads are connected to pin for transmitting signals to a touch display device. Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Pub. 2022/0171498 A1 to Oh et al (“Oh”) in view of US Patent Pub. 2020/0133415 A1 to Choi et al (“Choi”). As to claim 16, Oh fails to disclose wherein the touch display module further comprises a second grounding line, and an orthographic projection of the second grounding line on the base substrate is on the side of the orthographic projection of the second lead on the base substrate away from the display area. Choi discloses wherein the touch display module further comprises a second grounding line (See Fig. 9, 462), and an orthographic projection of the second grounding line on the base substrate is on the side of the orthographic projection of the second lead on the base substrate away from the display area (See Fig. 9; Choi discloses a grounding lines 461/462 arranged in the outer most region of the non-display area and outside of the leads 415/425.). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Oh with the teachings of Choi wherein the touch display module further comprises a second grounding line, and an orthographic projection of the second grounding line on the base substrate is on the side of the orthographic projection of the second lead on the base substrate away from the display area, as suggested by Choi thereby similarly using known configurations for providing grounding lines in touch display devices. Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Pub. 2022/0171498 A1 to Oh et al (“Oh”) in view of US Patent Pub. 2020/0167038 A1 to Lee et al (“Lee”). As to claim 18, Oh discloses a touch display module applied to an in-vehicle display apparatus (See Fig. 1-2, 100), having a display area (See Fig. 4, AA) and a non-display area connected to the display area (See Fig. 4; See the lines P-TL and X-TL routed in an area outside of AA.), wherein the touch display module comprises: a base substrate (Fig. 2, SUB); a first lead (X-TP), provided on a side of the base substrate and located in the non-display area, and being configured to input a first signal (See Fig. 5; Lines X-TP provide a touch driving signal to the touch electrodes X-TEL1-16.); a second lead (P-TP), an orthographic projection of the second lead on the base substrate being on a side of an orthographic projection of the first lead on the base substrate away from the display area (See Fig. 4; P-TP is disposed outside of AA), the second lead being configured to input a second signal, the second signal having a same frequency and being in an opposite direction with the first signal (¶ 0118; P-TP supplies a pseudo touch driving signal opposite in phase to the touch driving signal to counterbalance the electromagnetic interference caused by the touch driving signal.); and a haptic control layer (See Fig. 3) comprising a first touch electrode portion (X-TEL) and a second touch electrode portion (Y-TEL), wherein one of the first touch electrode portion and the second touch electrode portion is interconnected. Oh fails to disclose a haptic control layer, comprising a plurality of touch units, each of the touch units comprising sub-touch units arranged in an array, each of the sub-touch units comprising a first touch electrode portion and a second touch electrode portion, wherein one of the first touch electrode portion and the second touch electrode portion is interconnected, and the other of the first touch electrode portion and the second touch electrode portion is connected through a bridging layer, and a plurality of first touch electrode portions on a same straight line form a first touch electrode, a plurality of second touch electrode portions on a same straight line form a second touch electrode, the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode are connected to one first lead, respectively. Lee discloses a haptic control layer (See Fig. 9), comprising a plurality of touch units (X-TE, Y-TE), each of the touch units comprising sub-touch units arranged in an array (See Fig. 9), each of the sub-touch units comprising a first touch electrode portion (X-TE) and a second touch electrode portion (Y-TE), wherein one of the first touch electrode portion and the second touch electrode portion is interconnected (See Fig. 9; The electrodes X-TE and Y-TE arranged in the X direction are connected.), and the other of the first touch electrode portion and the second touch electrode portion is connected through a bridging layer (See Fig. 9; The electrodes X-TE and Y-TE arranged in the Y direction are connected via a bridge.), and a plurality of first touch electrode portions on a same straight line form a first touch electrode, a plurality of second touch electrode portions on a same straight line form a second touch electrode, the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode are connected to one first lead, respectively (See Fig. 9). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Oh with the teachings of Lee of a haptic control layer, comprising a plurality of touch units, each of the touch units comprising sub-touch units arranged in an array, each of the sub-touch units comprising a first touch electrode portion and a second touch electrode portion, wherein one of the first touch electrode portion and the second touch electrode portion is interconnected, and the other of the first touch electrode portion and the second touch electrode portion is connected through a bridging layer, and a plurality of first touch electrode portions on a same straight line form a first touch electrode, a plurality of second touch electrode portions on a same straight line form a second touch electrode, the first touch electrode and the second touch electrode are connected to one first lead, respectively, as suggested by Lee thereby similarly using known configurations of haptic control layers in the touch display device of Oh. Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Pub. 2022/0171498 A1 to Oh et al (“Oh”) in view of US Patent Pub. 2020/0167038 A1 to Lee et al (“Lee”), and further in view of US Patent Pub. 2014/0009428 A1 to Coulson et al (“Coulson”). As to claim 20, Oh in view of Lee fails to disclose wherein the first touch electrode portion and the second touch electrode portion are coordinated through an interdigitated structure. Coulson discloses wherein the first touch electrode portion and the second touch electrode portion are coordinated through an interdigitated structure (See Fig. 18). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Oh in view of Lee with the teachings of Coulson wherein the first touch electrode portion and the second touch electrode portion are coordinated through an interdigitated structure, as suggested by Coulson thereby similarly using known configurations of electrode configurations in the electrode configuration in the touch display device of Oh modified. Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Pub. 2022/0171498 A1 to Oh et al (“Oh”) in view of US Patent Pub. 2020/0167038 A1 to Lee et al (“Lee”), and further in view of US Patent Pub. 2014/0009428 A1 to Coulson et al (“Coulson”), and further in view of US Patent Pub. 2016/0246425 A1 to Liu et al (“Liu”). As to claim 21, Oh in view of Lee and Coulson fails to disclose wherein the interdigitated structure comprises a first interdigitated portion provided on the first touch electrode portion and a second interdigitated portion provided on the second touch electrode portion, the first interdigitated portion and the second interdigitated portion are insulated on the same layer and nested with each other. Liu discloses wherein the interdigitated structure comprises a first interdigitated portion provided on the first touch electrode portion and a second interdigitated portion provided on the second touch electrode portion, the first interdigitated portion and the second interdigitated portion are insulated on the same layer and nested with each other (¶ 0040, “the touch scan electrodes 1 and the touch sense electrodes 2 are formed into an interdigitated electrode array structure, and the touch scan electrodes 1 and the touch sense electrodes 2 are formed in the same layer and insulated with each other”). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified Oh in view of Lee and Coulson with the teachings of Liu wherein the interdigitated structure comprises a first interdigitated portion provided on the first touch electrode portion and a second interdigitated portion provided on the second touch electrode portion, the first interdigitated portion and the second interdigitated portion are insulated on the same layer and nested with each other, as suggested by Liu thereby similarly using known configurations of electrode configurations in the electrode configuration in the touch display device of Oh modified Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS J LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-7354. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10-6PM. 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 Eason can be reached at 571-270-7230. 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. /NICHOLAS J LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 17, 2025
Application Filed
Feb 21, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

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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
82%
Grant Probability
93%
With Interview (+10.9%)
2y 3m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 951 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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