Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 26, 2026
Application No. 19/210,015

DISPLAY DEVICE

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
May 16, 2025
Priority
Aug 23, 2024 — RE 10-2024-0113313
Examiner
FARAGALLA, MICHAEL A
Art Unit
2624
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
1y 5m
Est. Remaining
94%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allowance Rate
872 granted / 1020 resolved
+23.5% vs TC avg
Moderate +8% lift
Without
With
+8.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
32 currently pending
Career history
1058
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.4%
-38.6% vs TC avg
§103
73.8%
+33.8% vs TC avg
§102
11.1%
-28.9% vs TC avg
§112
6.8%
-33.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1020 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 . Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114 A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 09/17/2026 has been entered. 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. Claims 1 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al (Publication number: US 2021/0020109) in view of Jeong et al (Publication number: US 2021/0118374). Consider Claim 1, Lin et al shows a display device (see figure 2), comprising: (a) A display panel in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a display area to display an image; and a gate driver supplying gate scan signals to the plurality of pixels in units of horizontal lines (see figures 2 and 7). (b) Wherein the plurality of pixels include: a first transistor connected between a driving voltage line and a second node (see figure 3; and paragraphs 54-56); (The first transistor is read as Tdrive, and the second node is read as Node3). (c) A sixth transistor connected between the second node and a common voltage line (see figure 3; and paragraphs 54-56); (The sixth transistor is read as Tem2). (d) A light emitting element connected between the sixth transistor and the common voltage line (see figure 3; and paragraph 57); (Read as OLED 304, and the common voltage line is read as VSSEL). (e) A fourth transistor connected between the second node and an initialization voltage line (see figure 3; the fourth transistor is read as Tini1). (f) The gate driver generates another gate scan signal by delaying a phase of one of the gate scan signals, and supplies the another gate scan signal of which the phase is delayed to the plurality of pixels (see figure 4; and paragraphs 65-69); (see scanning signals scan1(n); scan2(n-1); and scan2(n)). However, Lin et al does not specifically show delaying a phase of a second gate scan signal among the gate scan signals, the second gate scan signal being different from the first gate scan signal, and supplying the first gate scan signal and the second gate scan signal to the plurality of pixels. In the same field of endeavor, Jeong et al shows delaying a phase of a second gate scan signal among the gate scan signals, the second gate scan signal being different from the first gate scan signal, and supplying the first gate scan signal and the second gate scan signal to the plurality of pixels (see paragraph 101); (The first scan signal of a logic low level, such as “Sro1”, is output from the first scan signal generation circuit SR[1], and after a predetermined time, delay a second scan signal of a logic low level, such as “Sro2”, is output from the second scan signal generation circuit). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the scan signal delay of Jeong et al into the teaching of Lin et al in order to simplify circuit configuration (see Jeong et al; paragraphs 5-7). Consider Claim 19, Lin et al shows an electronic device including a display device, the electronic device (see figure 2), comprising: (a) A display panel in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a display area to display an image; and a gate driver supplying gate scan signals to the plurality of pixels in units of horizontal lines (see figures 2 and 7). (b) Wherein the plurality of pixels include: a first transistor connected between a driving voltage line and a second node (see figure 3; and paragraphs 54-56); (The first transistor is read as Tdrive, and the second node is read as Node3). (c) A sixth transistor connected between the second node and a common voltage line (see figure 3; and paragraphs 54-56); (The sixth transistor is read as Tem2). (d) A light emitting element connected between the sixth transistor and the common voltage line (see figure 3; and paragraph 57); (Read as OLED 304, and the common voltage line is read as VSSEL). (e) A fourth transistor connected between the second node and an initialization voltage line (see figure 3; the fourth transistor is read as Tini1). (f) The gate driver generates another gate scan signal by delaying a phase of one of the gate scan signals, and supplies the another gate scan signal of which the phase is delayed to the plurality of pixels (see figure 4; and paragraphs 65-69); (see scanning signals scan1(n); scan2(n-1); and scan2(n)). However, Lin et al does not specifically show delaying a phase of a second gate scan signal among the gate scan signals, the second gate scan signal being different from the first gate scan signal, and supplying the first gate scan signal and the second gate scan signal to the plurality of pixels. In the same field of endeavor, Jeong et al shows delaying a phase of a second gate scan signal among the gate scan signals, the second gate scan signal being different from the first gate scan signal, and supplying the first gate scan signal and the second gate scan signal to the plurality of pixels (see paragraph 101); (The first scan signal of a logic low level, such as “Sro1”, is output from the first scan signal generation circuit SR[1], and after a predetermined time, delay a second scan signal of a logic low level, such as “Sro2”, is output from the second scan signal generation circuit). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the scan signal delay of Jeong et al into the teaching of Lin et al in order to simplify circuit configuration (see Jeong et al; paragraphs 5-7). Claim 2 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al (Publication number: US 2021/0020109) in view of Sun et al (Publication number: US 2024/0257732) in view of Jeong et al (Publication number: US 2021/0118374). Consider Claim 2, Lin et al shows that the plurality of pixels further include: (a) A second transistor connected between a data line and a first node (see figure 3); (The second transistor is read as Tdata). (b) A third transistor connected between a third node and the second node (see figure 3); (The third transistor is read as Toxide). (c) An eighth transistor connected between an anode electrode of the light emitting element and a light emitting initialization line (see figure 3); (The eighth transistor is read as Tini2). (d) The first transistor is connected between the first node and the second node, and a gate electrode of the first transistor is connected to the third node (see Tdrive that is connected between Node3 (read second node, and Node1 (read as first node). Further the gate of Tdrive is connected to Node2 (read as third node). However, Lin et al does not specifically show a fifth transistor connected between the driving voltage line and the first node; a seventh transistor connected between a bias voltage line and the first node. In related art, Sun et al shows a fifth transistor connected between the driving voltage line and the first node; a seventh transistor connected between a bias voltage line and the first node (see figure 54 and paragraphs 433-436); (see T5 in figure 5 of Sun et al that is connected in a similar manner to T5 of the instant application. Further, T0 is read as the seventh transistor). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate T5 and T0 of Sun et al into the driving circuit of Lin et al in order to improve hysteresis problems (see Sun et al; paragraphs 433-436). However, Lin et al, and Sun et al does not specifically show delaying a phase of a second gate scan signal among the gate scan signals, the second gate scan signal being different from the first gate scan signal, and supplying the first gate scan signal and the second gate scan signal to the plurality of pixels. In the same field of endeavor, Jeong et al shows delaying a phase of a second gate scan signal among the gate scan signals, the second gate scan signal being different from the first gate scan signal, and supplying the first gate scan signal and the second gate scan signal to the plurality of pixels (see paragraph 101); (The first scan signal of a logic low level, such as “Sro1”, is output from the first scan signal generation circuit SR[1], and after a predetermined time, delay a second scan signal of a logic low level, such as “Sro2”, is output from the second scan signal generation circuit). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the scan signal delay of Jeong et al into the teaching of Lin et al, and Sun et al in order to simplify circuit configuration (see Jeong et al; paragraphs 5-7). Consider Claim 13, Lin et al shows a display device (see figure 2), comprising: (a) A display panel in which a plurality of pixels are arranged in a display area to display an image; and a gate driver supplying gate scan signals to the plurality of pixels in units of horizontal lines (see figures 2 and 7). (b) Wherein the gate driver generates another gate scan signal by delaying a phase of one of the gate scan signals, and supplies the another gate scan signal of which the phase is delayed to the plurality of pixels (see figure 4; and paragraphs 65-69); (see scanning signals scan1(n); scan2(n-1); and scan2(n)). (c) The plurality of pixels include: a first transistor connected between a driving voltage line and a second node (see figure 3; and paragraphs 54-56); (The first transistor is read as Tdrive, and the second node is read as Node3). (d) A second transistor connected between a data line and a first node (see figure 3); (The second transistor is read as Tdata). (e) A third transistor connected between a third node and the second node (see figure 3); (The third transistor is read as Toxide). (f) A fourth transistor connected between the second node and an initialization voltage line (see figure 3; the fourth transistor is read as Tini1). (g) A sixth transistor connected between the second node and a common voltage line (see figure 3; and paragraphs 54-56); (The sixth transistor is read as Tem2). (h) An eighth transistor connected between an anode electrode of a light emitting element and a light emitting initialization line (see figure 3); (The eighth transistor is read as Tini2). (i) The light emitting element connected between the sixth transistor and the common voltage line (see Tdrive that is connected between Node3 (read second node, and Node1 (read as first node). Further the gate of Tdrive is connected to Node2 (read as third node). However, Lin et al does not specifically show a fifth transistor connected between the driving voltage line and the first node; a seventh transistor connected between a bias voltage line and the first node. In related art, Sun et al shows a fifth transistor connected between the driving voltage line and the first node; a seventh transistor connected between a bias voltage line and the first node (see figure 54 and paragraphs 433-436); (see T5 in figure 5 of Sun et al that is connected in a similar manner to T5 of the instant application. Further, T0 is read as the seventh transistor). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate T5 and T0 of Sun et al into the driving circuit of Lin et al in order to improve hysteresis problems (see Sun et al; paragraphs 433-436). However, Lin et al, and Sun et al does not specifically show delaying a phase of a second gate scan signal among the gate scan signals, the second gate scan signal being different from the first gate scan signal, and supplying the first gate scan signal and the second gate scan signal to the plurality of pixels. In the same field of endeavor, Jeong et al shows delaying a phase of a second gate scan signal among the gate scan signals, the second gate scan signal being different from the first gate scan signal, and supplying the first gate scan signal and the second gate scan signal to the plurality of pixels (see paragraph 101); (The first scan signal of a logic low level, such as “Sro1”, is output from the first scan signal generation circuit SR[1], and after a predetermined time, delay a second scan signal of a logic low level, such as “Sro2”, is output from the second scan signal generation circuit). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the scan signal delay of Jeong et al into the teaching of Lin et al, and Sun et al in order to simplify circuit configuration (see Jeong et al; paragraphs 5-7). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 3-12, 14-18, and 20 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. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL A FARAGALLA whose telephone number is (571)270-1107. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00. 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. /MICHAEL A FARAGALLA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624 09/27/2026
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Show 1 earlier event
Jan 02, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Apr 02, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 17, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103
Aug 17, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Aug 17, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Sep 17, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Sep 27, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Sep 30, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12763001
DISPLAY PANEL DRIVING CIRCUIT AND DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME
1y 10m to grant Granted Oct 13, 2026
Patent 12751188
LIGHT EMITTING DISPLAY DEVICE
1y 7m to grant Granted Sep 29, 2026
Patent 12724509
INPUT SENSING UNIT AND DISPLAY DEVICE INCLUDING THE SAME
3y 0m to grant Granted Sep 01, 2026
Patent 12726257
ELECTRONIC DEVICE COMPRISING A METASURFACE
2y 12m to grant Granted Sep 01, 2026
Patent 12717423
INPUT METHOD EDITOR FOR REMOTE APPLICATIONS
4y 11m to grant Granted Aug 25, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
86%
Grant Probability
94%
With Interview (+8.2%)
2y 11m (~1y 5m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 1020 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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