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 .
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the brightness subareas in odd rows and odd columns,” “the brightness subarea blocks in even rows and even columns." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. No relationship between rows, columns, brightness subareas, and/or brightness subarea blocks has previously been defined in the claims. Thus, it is unclear what features are referenced by the these limitations. Further, Claim 10 recites “the brightness subarea blocks in… the 1st brightness subarea block…” and “the brightness subarea blocks in… the 2nd brightness subarea block…” in the second and third blocks of text. It is unclear what is referenced by “brightness subarea blocks” in the “1st brightness subarea block” and/or the “2nd brightness subarea block.”
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 1-3, 5-6, 10-11, 13-15, 17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu et al. (hereinafter “Liu” CN-116129801).
(It should be noted that the Liu reference was submitted by the applicant via Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) on 29 November 2024, and relevant portions of the Liu reference are cited with respect to the English language translation of CN-116129801 attached herein).
As pertaining to Claim 1, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) a light board (100; see Page 6, Ln. 35-40 through Page 7, Ln. 1-12), having a plurality of brightness subareas (10), wherein each of the brightness subareas (10) is provided with a fixed number of light-emitting units (i.e., light emitting devices such as LEDs), the plurality of brightness subareas (10) comprise multiple brightness subareas (10) arranged sequentially in a first direction (i.e., a horizontal direction) and multiple brightness subareas (10) arranged sequentially in a second direction (i.e., a vertical direction), and the first direction (i.e., the horizontal direction) and the second direction (i.e., the vertical direction) intersect;
in two adjacent brightness subareas (10) of the plurality of brightness subareas (10) in the first direction (i.e., the horizontal direction), the light-emitting units (i.e., the LEDs) in one (i.e., a first column) of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) and the light-emitting units (i.e., the LEDs) in the other one (i.e., a second column) of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) light up at different times; and
in two adjacent brightness subareas (10) of the plurality of brightness subareas (10) in the second direction (i.e., the vertical direction), the light-emitting units (i.e., the LEDs) in one (i.e., a first row) of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) and the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in the other one (i.e., a second row) of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) light up at different times;
wherein the light board (100) comprises m (i.e., two) brightness subarea blocks (i.e., arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10); see an arbitrarily defined first brightness subarea block comprising sixteen brightness subareas (10) corresponding to the first two rows and eight columns of (100), and see an arbitrarily defined second brightness subarea block comprising sixteen brightness subareas (10) corresponding to the third and fourth rows and eight columns of (100) in Fig. 4, for example), where m is an integer greater than 1 (i.e., two); each of the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10)) comprises n (i.e., two) brightness subarea groups (i.e., groups of at least two brightness subareas (10); see groups of (10) in each subarea block commonly connected to a same scanning electrode (20)), where n>=2 (i.e., two) and n is an integer; and each of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., groups of at least two brightness subareas (10)) comprises at least three brightness subareas (10); and
the light board (100) comprises mxn (i.e., “2x2” or four) scanning electrodes (20), and each of the scanning electrodes (20) is electrically connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in all of the brightness subareas (10) in one of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., groups of at least two brightness subareas (10); again, see groups of (10) in each subarea block commonly connected to a same scanning electrode (20); and
one phase period (i.e., lighting period) comprises n cycles (i.e., two cycles), during an n-th cycle (i.e., a second cycle), each of the brightness subareas (10) in an n-th brightness subarea group (i.e., a second brightness subarea group (10)) in a 1st brightness subarea block (i.e., an arbitrary subarea block of brightness subareas (10)) to each of the brightness subarea (10) in an n-th brightness subarea group (i.e., a second brightness subarea group (10)) in an m-th brightness subarea block (i.e., a second brightness subarea block of brightness subareas (10)) are lit in sequence (see Fig. 4; again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
As pertaining to Claim 2, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) a plurality of scanning electrodes (see a terminal portion of (20)) electrically connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) and configured to control active states (i.e., emitting states) of the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs),
wherein in the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) in the first direction (i.e., the horizontal direction), one of the scanning electrodes (20) connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in one (i.e., a first column) of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) is different from another one (i.e., a second column) of the scanning electrodes (20) connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) the other one of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10);
in the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) in the second direction (i.e., the vertical direction), one of the scanning electrodes (20) connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in one (i.e., a first row) of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) is different from another one (i.e., a second row) of the scanning electrodes (20) connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) the other one of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10); and
timings of driving signals (i.e., row driving signals) of the scanning electrodes (20) corresponding to the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) in the first direction (i.e., the horizontal direction) are different, and timings of driving signals (i.e., row driving signals) of the scanning electrodes (20) corresponding to the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) in the second direction (i.e., the vertical direction) are different (again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
As pertaining to Claim 3, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) that a number of the scanning electrodes (20) is a (i.e., four), a number of the brightness subareas (10) is b (i.e., thirty-two), and each of the scanning electrodes (20) is electrically connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in b/a (i.e., eight) ones of the brightness subareas (10), where b>=a>=2 and b/a is an integer (again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
As pertaining to Claim 5, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) that each of the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10)) comprises a plurality rows of the brightness subareas (10) and a plurality columns of the brightness subareas (10); and
in each of the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10)), each of the scanning electrodes (20) corresponding to one of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., groups of at least two brightness subareas (10)) is electrically connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in at least one brightness subarea (10) in each row of the brightness subareas (10; see Fig. 4; again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
As pertaining to Claim 6, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) that in each of the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10)), each of the scanning electrodes (20) corresponding to one of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., groups of at least two brightness subareas (10)) is electrically connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in at least one brightness subarea (10) in each column of the brightness subareas (10; see Fig. 4; again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
As pertaining to Claim 10, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) that m=2 and n=2 (i.e., m is 2 such that there are two arbitrarily defined brightness subarea blocks of brightness subareas (10), and n is 2 such that there are two groups of at least two brightness subareas (10) in each arbitrarily defined brightness subarea block; see an arbitrarily defined first brightness subarea block comprising sixteen brightness subareas (10) corresponding to the first two rows and eight columns of (100), and see an arbitrarily defined second brightness subarea block comprising sixteen brightness subareas (10) corresponding to the third and fourth rows and eight columns of (100) in Fig. 4, for example), the light board (100) comprises the 1st brightness subarea block (i.e., see an arbitrarily defined 1st brightness subarea block comprising sixteen brightness subareas (10) corresponding to the first two rows and eight columns of (100)) and a 2nd brightness subarea block (i.e., see an arbitrarily defined 2nd brightness subarea block comprising sixteen brightness subareas (10) corresponding to the third and fourth rows and eight columns of (100)) arranged axially symmetrically (see Fig. 4);
the brightness subareas (10) in odd rows and odd columns and the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., the arbitrarily defined brightness subarea blocks of brightness subareas (10)) in even rows and even columns in the 1st brightness subarea block (i.e., the 1st brightness subarea block corresponding to the first two rows and eight columns of (100)) consist a 1st brightness subarea group (i.e., a brightness subarea group comprising brightness subareas (10)) in the 1st brightness subarea block (i.e., the 1st brightness subarea block corresponding to the first two rows and eight columns of (100)), and the brightness subareas (10) in even rows and odd columns and the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., the arbitrarily defined brightness subarea blocks of brightness subareas (10)) in odd rows and even columns in the 1st brightness subarea block (i.e., the 1st brightness subarea block corresponding to the first two rows and eight columns of (100)) consist a 2nd brightness subarea group (i.e., a brightness subarea group comprising brightness subareas (10)) in the 1st brightness subarea block (i.e., the 1st brightness subarea block corresponding to the first two rows and eight columns of (100));
the brightness subareas (10) in odd rows and odd columns and the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., the arbitrarily defined brightness subarea blocks of brightness subareas (10)) in even rows and even columns in the 2nd brightness subarea block (i.e., the 2nd brightness subarea block corresponding to the third and fourth rows and eight columns of (100)) consist a 1st brightness subarea group (i.e., a brightness subarea group comprising brightness subareas (10)) in the 2nd brightness subarea block (i.e., the 2nd brightness subarea block corresponding to the third and fourth rows and eight columns of (100)), and the brightness subareas (10) in even rows and odd columns and the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., the arbitrarily defined brightness subarea blocks of brightness subareas (10)) in odd rows and even columns in the 2nd brightness subarea block (i.e., the 2nd brightness subarea block corresponding to the third and fourth rows and eight columns of (100)) consist a 2nd brightness subarea group (i.e., a brightness subarea group comprising brightness subareas (10)) in the 2nd brightness subarea block (i.e., the 2nd brightness subarea block corresponding to the third and fourth rows and eight columns of (100));
one phase period (i.e., lighting period) comprises 2 cycles (i.e., two cycles);
during a 1st cycle (i.e., lighting period), the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in each of the brightness subareas (10) in the 1st brightness subarea group (i.e., the brightness subarea group comprising brightness subareas (10) in a first row and first column, second row and second column, etc.) in the 1st brightness subarea block (i.e., the 1st brightness subarea block corresponding to the first two rows and eight columns of (100)) and the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in each of the brightness subareas (10) in the 1st brightness subarea group (i.e., a brightness subarea group comprising brightness subareas (10) in a third row and first column, fourth row and second column, etc.) in the 2nd brightness subarea block (i.e., the 2nd brightness subarea block corresponding to the third and fourth rows and eight columns of (100)) are lit in sequence; and
during a 2nd cycle (i.e., lighting period), the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in each of the brightness subareas (10) in the 2nd brightness subarea group (i.e., the brightness subarea group comprising brightness subareas (10) in a second row and first column, first row and second column, etc.) in the 1st brightness subarea block (i.e., the 1st brightness subarea block corresponding to the first two rows and eight columns of (100)) and the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in each of the brightness subareas (10) in the 2nd brightness subarea group (i.e., the brightness subarea group comprising brightness subareas (10) in a fourth row and first column, third row and second column, etc.) in the 2nd brightness subarea block (i.e., the 2nd brightness subarea block corresponding to the third and fourth rows and eight columns of (100)) are lit in sequence (again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
As pertaining to Claim 11, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) that each of the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10)) comprises three brightness subarea groups (i.e., brightness subarea groups comprising brightness subareas (10) in a first, second, and third row and in a first, second, and third column), each of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., a brightness subarea group comprising brightness subareas (10)) comprises three brightness subareas (10), and nine brightness subareas (10) corresponding to the three brightness subarea groups (i.e., the brightness subarea groups comprising brightness subareas (10) in a first, second, and third row and in a first, second, and third column) define a nine-square grid structure (i.e., corresponding to the first three rows and first three columns of (100)), two of the brightness subareas (10) in each of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., the brightness subarea groups comprising brightness subareas (10) in a first, second, and third row and in a first, second, and third column) are arranged in the same row (i.e., see rows one, two, and three), or two of the brightness subareas (10) in each of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., the brightness subarea groups comprising brightness subareas (10) in a first, second, and third row and in a first, second, and third column) are arranged in the same column (i.e., see columns one, two, and three; again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
As pertaining to Claim 13, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) a display panel, comprising a light board (100; see Page 6, Ln. 35-40 through Page 7, Ln. 1-12), the light board (100) having a plurality of brightness subareas (10), wherein each of the brightness subareas (10) is provided with a fixed number of light-emitting units (i.e., light emitting devices such as LEDs), the plurality of brightness subareas (10) comprise multiple brightness subareas (10) arranged sequentially in a first direction (i.e., a horizontal direction) and multiple brightness subareas (10) arranged sequentially in a second direction (i.e., a vertical direction), and the first direction (i.e., the horizontal direction) and the second direction (i.e., the vertical direction) intersect;
in two adjacent brightness subareas (10) of the plurality of brightness subareas (10) in the first direction (i.e., the horizontal direction), the light-emitting units (i.e., the LEDs) in one (i.e., a first column) of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) and the light-emitting units (i.e., the LEDs) in the other one (i.e., a second column) of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) light up at different times; and
in two adjacent brightness subareas (10) of the plurality of brightness subareas (10) in the second direction (i.e., the vertical direction), the light-emitting units (i.e., the LEDs) in one (i.e., a first row) of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) and the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in the other one (i.e., a second row) of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) light up at different times;
wherein the light board (100) comprises m (i.e., two) brightness subarea blocks (i.e., arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10); see an arbitrarily defined first brightness subarea block comprising sixteen brightness subareas (10) corresponding to the first two rows and eight columns of (100), and see an arbitrarily defined second brightness subarea block comprising sixteen brightness subareas (10) corresponding to the third and fourth rows and eight columns of (100) in Fig. 4, for example), where m is an integer greater than 1 (i.e., two); each of the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10)) comprises n (i.e., two) brightness subarea groups (i.e., groups of at least two brightness subareas (10); see groups of (10) in each subarea block commonly connected to a same scanning electrode (20)), where n>=2 (i.e., two) and n is an integer; and each of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., groups of at least two brightness subareas (10)) comprises at least three brightness subareas (10); and
the light board (100) comprises mxn (i.e., “2x2” or four) scanning electrodes (20), and each of the scanning electrodes (20) is electrically connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in all of the brightness subareas (10) in one of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., groups of at least two brightness subareas (10); again, see groups of (10) in each subarea block commonly connected to a same scanning electrode (20); and
one phase period (i.e., lighting period) comprises n cycles (i.e., two cycles), during an n-th cycle (i.e., a second cycle), each of the brightness subareas (10) in an n-th brightness subarea group (i.e., a second brightness subarea group (10)) in a 1st brightness subarea block (i.e., an arbitrary subarea block of brightness subareas (10)) to each of the brightness subarea (10) in an n-th brightness subarea group (i.e., a second brightness subarea group (10)) in an m-th brightness subarea block (i.e., a second brightness subarea block of brightness subareas (10)) are lit in sequence (see Fig. 4; again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
As pertaining to Claim 14, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) a plurality of scanning electrodes (see a terminal portion of (20)) electrically connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) and configured to control active states (i.e., emitting states) of the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs),
in the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) in the first direction (i.e., the horizontal direction), one of the scanning electrodes (20) connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in one (i.e., a first column) of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) is different from another one (i.e., a second column) of the scanning electrodes (20) connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) the other one of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10);
in the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) in the second direction (i.e., the vertical direction), one of the scanning electrodes (20) connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in one (i.e., a first row) of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) is different from another one (i.e., a second row) of the scanning electrodes (20) connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) the other one of the two adjacent brightness subareas (10); and
timings of driving signals (i.e., row driving signals) of the scanning electrodes (20) corresponding to the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) in the first direction (i.e., the horizontal direction) are different, and timings of driving signals (i.e., row driving signals) of the scanning electrodes (20) corresponding to the two adjacent brightness subareas (10) in the second direction (i.e., the vertical direction) are different (again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
As pertaining to Claim 15, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) that a number of the scanning electrodes (20) is a (i.e., four), a number of the brightness subareas (10) is b (i.e., thirty-two), and each of the scanning electrodes (20) is electrically connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in b/a (i.e., eight) ones of the brightness subareas (10), where b>=a>=2 and b/a is an integer (again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
As pertaining to Claim 17, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) that each of the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10)) comprises a plurality rows of the brightness subareas (10) and a plurality columns of the brightness subareas (10); and
in each of the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10)), each of the scanning electrodes (20) corresponding to one of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., groups of at least two brightness subareas (10)) is electrically connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in at least one brightness subarea (10) in each row of the brightness subareas (10; see Fig. 4); and
in each of the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10)), each of the scanning electrodes (20) corresponding to one of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., groups of at least two brightness subareas (10)) is electrically connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in at least one brightness subarea (10) in each column of the brightness subareas (10; see Fig. 4; again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
As pertaining to Claim 19, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) that each of the brightness subarea blocks (i.e., arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10)) comprises three brightness subarea groups (i.e., brightness subarea groups comprising brightness subareas (10) in a first, second, and third row and in a first, second, and third column), each of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., a brightness subarea group comprising brightness subareas (10)) comprises three brightness subareas (10), and nine brightness subareas (10) corresponding to the three brightness subarea groups (i.e., the brightness subarea groups comprising brightness subareas (10) in a first, second, and third row and in a first, second, and third column) define a nine-square grid structure (i.e., corresponding to the first three rows and first three columns of (100)), two of the brightness subareas (10) in each of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., the brightness subarea groups comprising brightness subareas (10) in a first, second, and third row and in a first, second, and third column) are arranged in the same row (i.e., see rows one, two, and three), or two of the brightness subareas (10) in each of the brightness subarea groups (i.e., the brightness subarea groups comprising brightness subareas (10) in a first, second, and third row and in a first, second, and third column) are arranged in the same column (i.e., see columns one, two, and three; again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
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 23-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu in view of in view of Lee et al. (hereinafter “Lee” US 2013 / 0307833).
As pertaining to Claim 23, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) that the light board (100) further comprises a plurality of scanning lines (i.e., see the lines (20) joining the electrodes at each light-emitting unit in (10)), the scanning electrodes (i.e., the terminal portions of (20)) are connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in the brightness subareas (10) through the scanning lines (again, see the lines (20); again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
Liu does not explicitly disclose that each of the plurality of scanning lines comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion is arranged in the same layer as the scanning electrodes, and the second portion is arranged in a different layer from the scanning electrodes. However, this structural configuration for connecting first and second scanning line portions formed in different layers was well-known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
In the same field of endeavor, Lee discloses (see Fig. 2, Fig. 3, and Fig. 4; and Page 2, Para. [0024]-[0025]) a light board comprising a plurality of scanning electrodes (i.e., terminal portions of (S)) and a plurality of scanning lines (S), wherein each of the plurality of scanning lines (S) comprises a first portion (see (S) in Fig. 4, for example) and a second portion (see (S3) in Fig. 4, for example), the first portion (again, see (S) in Fig. 4) is arranged in the same layer as the scanning electrodes (i.e., the terminal portions of (S)), and the second portion (again, see (S3) in Fig. 4) is arranged in a different layer from the scanning electrodes (i.e., the terminal portions of (S); see Fig. 4; and see Page 2, Para. [0034]; and Page 3, Para. [0041]). It is a goal of Lee to provide a structural configuration for a scanning line in a lighting board that allows for efficient detection of failure, as well as reduced cost and time needed to repair a failed scanning line (see Page 4, Para. [0068]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Liu with the teachings of Lee, such that each of the plurality of scanning lines comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion is arranged in the same layer as the scanning electrodes, and the second portion is arranged in a different layer from the scanning electrodes, as suggested by Lee, in order to provide a structural configuration that allows for efficient detection of failure, as well as reduced cost and time needed to repair a failed scanning line.
As pertaining to Claim 24, Liu discloses (see Fig. 4) that the light board (100) further comprises a plurality of scanning lines (i.e., see the lines (20) joining the electrodes at each light-emitting unit in (10)), the scanning electrodes (i.e., the terminal portions of (20)) are connected to the light-emitting units (i.e., LEDs) in the brightness subareas (10) through the scanning lines (again, see the lines (20); again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18).
Liu does not explicitly disclose that each of the plurality of scanning lines comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion is arranged in the same layer as the scanning electrodes, and the second portion is arranged in a different layer from the scanning electrodes. However, this structural configuration for connecting first and second scanning line portions formed in different layers was well-known in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
In the same field of endeavor, Lee discloses (see Fig. 2, Fig. 3, and Fig. 4; and Page 2, Para. [0024]-[0025]) a light board comprising a plurality of scanning electrodes (i.e., terminal portions of (S)) and a plurality of scanning lines (S), wherein each of the plurality of scanning lines (S) comprises a first portion (see (S) in Fig. 4, for example) and a second portion (see (S3) in Fig. 4, for example), the first portion (again, see (S) in Fig. 4) is arranged in the same layer as the scanning electrodes (i.e., the terminal portions of (S)), and the second portion (again, see (S3) in Fig. 4) is arranged in a different layer from the scanning electrodes (i.e., the terminal portions of (S); see Fig. 4; and see Page 2, Para. [0034]; and Page 3, Para. [0041]). It is a goal of Lee to provide a structural configuration for a scanning line in a lighting board that allows for efficient detection of failure, as well as reduced cost and time needed to repair a failed scanning line (see Page 4, Para. [0068]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Liu with the teachings of Lee, such that each of the plurality of scanning lines comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion is arranged in the same layer as the scanning electrodes, and the second portion is arranged in a different layer from the scanning electrodes, as suggested by Lee, in order to provide a structural configuration that allows for efficient detection of failure, as well as reduced cost and time needed to repair a failed scanning line.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02 May 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant has argued that none of the references relied upon by the examiner in the prior Office Action, particularly Liu, teach or fairly suggest the features of amended independent Claims 1 and 13. Specifically, the applicant has asserted that Liu fails to teach or fairly suggest the claimed “brightness subarea groups” comprising “at least three brightness subareas” wherein “during an n-th cycle,” the claimed “brightness subareas” in a “brightness subarea group” in a “brightness subarea block” are “lit in sequence” in the manner claimed (see Remarks at Pages 3 through 6). The examiner respectfully disagrees.
In fact, the teachings of Liu clearly suggest at Figure 4 the claimed brightness subareas (10) arranged in brightness subarea blocks, namely as arbitrarily defined blocks of brightness subareas (10) such as defined by a first brightness subarea block comprising sixteen brightness subareas (10) corresponding to the first two rows and eight columns of (100), and as defined by a second brightness subarea block comprising sixteen brightness subareas (10) corresponding to the third and fourth rows and eight columns of (100), and the claimed brightness subarea groups, namely as groups of at least two brightness subareas (10) such as the groups of (10) in each subarea block commonly connected to a same scanning electrode (20). Further, Liu plainly discloses that for one phase period, or lighting period, comprising n cycles, namely two cycles, during an n-th cycle or second cycle, each of the brightness subareas (10) in an n-th brightness subarea group, or a second brightness subarea group, in a 1st brightness subarea block to each of the brightness subarea (10) in an n-th brightness subarea group, or a second brightness subarea group, in an m-th brightness subarea block, or a second brightness subarea block, are lit in sequence (see Fig. 4; again, see Page 10, Ln. 13-34; and see Page 16, Ln. 36-41 through Page 17, Ln. 1-18). The claimed invention does not recite any subarea and/or grouping feature, and/or any driving method, that distinguishes the claimed invention of Claims 1 and 13 from the teachings of Liu.
Therefore, the rejection of Claims 1-3, 5-6, 10-11, 13-15, 17, 19, and 23-24 is maintained.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lee (US 9,584,799) and Chen et al. (US 2021 / 0319748) disclose a light board having adjacent brightness subareas that light up at different times.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON M MANDEVILLE whose telephone number is (571)270-3136. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 7:30AM-4:00PM.
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/JASON M MANDEVILLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623
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