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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-8, and 10-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Greenebaum et al. (U.S. 2017/0092229) in view of Han et al. (CN 111429855).
Regarding claim 1, Greenebaum discloses an anti-peeping display method (1000, Fig. 10; page 10, para [0072]) comprising:
obtaining a current display state of an anti-peeping display device (1002, Fig. 10; page 10, para [0072]);
receiving a designated display state (such as selecting PRIVACY mode, Fig. 10; page 2, para [0014]) and determining whether the designated display state matches the current display state (using the ambient/privacy model 1008 that determines how display characteristics will change based on whether the designated display state matches the current display state via dynamic adjustments, Fig. 10; page 3, para [0030-0031]; page 10, para [0072]); and
in response to a determination result that the designated display state does not match the current display sate, controlling the anti-peeping display device to perform a progressive switching operation (controlling anti-peeping display device via progressive/dynamic switching operation 1010, Fig. 10; page 6, para [0050]; page 3, para [0030]).
Greenebaum does not expressly disclose wherein the progressive switching operation (controlling anti-peeping display device via progressive/dynamic switching operation 1010, Fig. 10; page 6, para [0050]; page 3, para [0030]) comprises: changing a control voltage provided to an anti-peeping panel of the anti-peeping display device by an equal difference or at a fixed rate. However, Han discloses an anti-peeping display method (page 4, para [0010]) comprising an anti-peeping display device (page 30, para [0098]) wherein changing a control voltage provided to an anti-peeping panel (200, Fig. 1; page 18, para [0068]) of the anti-peeping display device (page 30, para [0098]) is by a fixed rate (Fig. 6; page 20, para [0074]) in order to be able to quickly switch between an anti-peeping mode and a sharing mode (page 12, para [0047]).
Therefore, before the time of the effective filing of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the anti-peeping panel (Han: 200, Fig. 1) of Han in the anti-peeping device (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12; page 11, para [0074]) of Greenebaum such that the progressive switching operation (Greenebaum: progressive/dynamic switching operation 1010, Fig. 10; page 6, para [0050]; page 3, para [0030]) comprises:
changing a control voltage provided to the anti-peeping panel (Han: 200, Fig. 1) of the anti-peeping display device (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12) by a fixed rate (Han: changing a control voltage provided to the anti-peeping panel is at a fixed rate, Fig. 6; page 20, para [0074]; via progressive/dynamic switching operation 1010, Fig. 10; page 6, para [0050]; page 3, para [0030] of Greenebaum) in order to obtain the benefits of being able to quickly switch between an anti-peeping mode and a sharing mode as evidenced by Han (page 12, para [0047]).
Regarding claim 2, Greenebaum as modified by Han discloses an anti-peeping display method with all the limitations above and further discloses wherein the current display state is an anti-peeping mode or sharing mode (Greenebaum: such as PRIVACY mode or not, Fig. 10; page 2, para [0014]) but does not expressly disclose wherein when the anti-peeping display device (Greenebaum: 1002, Fig. 10; page 10, para [0072]) is operated in the anti-peeping mode, an anti-peeping panel of the anti-peeping display device limits an emitted light distribution of the anti-peeping display device within a predetermined angular range, and when the anti-peeping display device is operated in the sharing mode, the anti-peeping panel of the anti-peeping display device controls the emitted light distribution of the anti-peeping display device to have a full angular range, wherein the full angular range is greater than the predetermined angular range, and the anti-peeping panel maintains a predetermined voltage in the sharing mode, wherein the predetermined voltage is greater than 0 volts. However, Han discloses an anti-peeping display method (page 4, para [0010]) comprising wherein when an anti-peeping display device is operated in an anti-peeping mode (such as a narrow viewing angle; page 18, para [0068]), an anti-peeping panel (200, Fig. 1; page 18, para [0068]) of the anti-peeping display device (page 30, para [0098]) limits an emitted light distribution of the anti-peeping display device within a predetermined angular range (such as a predetermined narrow viewing angular range; page 4, para [0010]), and when the anti-peeping display device is operated in the sharing mode (such as a wide viewing angle; page 18, para [0068]), the anti-peeping panel (200, Fig. 1) of the anti-peeping display device controls the emitted light distribution of the anti-peeping display device to have a full angular range (such as a full wide viewing angular range; page 18, para [0068]), wherein the full angular range is greater than the predetermined angular range (the full wide viewing angular range is greater than the narrow viewing angular range; page 18, para [0068]), and the anti-peeping panel (200, Fig. 1) maintains a predetermined voltage in the sharing mode (such as voltage in the wide viewing angle mode; page 6, para [0017]), wherein the predetermined voltage is greater than 0 volts (presence of voltage signal implies a voltage greater than 0 volts; page 6, para [0017]) in order to be able to quickly switch between the anti-peeping mode and the sharing mode (page 12, para [0047]).
Therefore, before the time of the effective filing of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the anti-peeping panel (Han: 200, Fig. 1) of Han in the anti-peeping device (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12; page 11, para [0074]) of Greenebaum such that wherein when the anti-peeping display device (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12) is operated in an anti-peeping mode (Han: such as a narrow viewing angle; page 18, para [0068]), the anti-peeping panel (Han: 200, Fig. 1; page 18, para [0068]) of the anti-peeping display device limits an emitted light distribution of the anti-peeping display device within a predetermined angular range (Han: such as a predetermined narrow viewing angular range; page 4, para [0010]), and when the anti-peeping display device is operated in the sharing mode (Han: such as a wide viewing angle; page 18, para [0068]), the anti-peeping panel (Han: 200, Fig. 1) of the anti-peeping display device controls the emitted light distribution of the anti-peeping display device to have a full angular range (Han: such as a full wide viewing angular range; page 18, para [0068]), wherein the full angular range is greater than the predetermined angular range (Han: the full wide viewing angular range is greater than the narrow viewing angular range; page 18, para [0068]), and the anti-peeping panel (Han: 200, Fig. 1) maintains a predetermined voltage in the sharing mode (Han: such as voltage in the wide viewing angle mode; page 6, para [0017]), wherein the predetermined voltage is greater than 0 volts (Han: presence of voltage signal implies a voltage greater than 0 volts; page 6, para [0017]) in order to obtain the benefits of being able to quickly switch between the anti-peeping mode and the sharing mode as taught by Han (page 12, para [0047]).
Regarding claim 4, Greenebaum as modified by Han discloses an anti-peeping display method with all the limitations of claim 1 above and further discloses wherein a transmittance of the anti-peeping display device (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12) outside a predetermined angular range (Han: such as outside the narrow viewing angular range; page 18, para [0068]), gradually decreases as the control voltage provided to the anti-peeping panel (Han: 200, Fig. 1) increases (Greenebaum: via progressive/dynamic switching operation 1010, Fig. 10; page 6, para [0050]; page 3, para [0030]).
Regarding claim 5, Greenebaum as modified by Han discloses an anti-peeping display method with all the limitations of claim 1 above and further discloses wherein in response to the determination result that the designated display state matches the current display state (Greenebaum: using the ambient/privacy model 1008 that determines how display characteristics will change based on whether the designated display state matches the current display state, Fig. 10; page 3, para [0030]; page 10, para [0072]), maintaining a setting control of the anti-peeping display device and performing display (Greenebaum: if the designated display state matches the current display state then no changes are needed and the ambient/privacy model 1008 maintains the current display, Fig. 10; page 3, para [0030]; page 10, para [0072]).
Regarding claim 6, Greenebaum as modified by Han discloses an anti-peeping display method with all the limitations of claim 1 above and further discloses wherein after the progressive switching operation ends (Greenebaum: after adjustment 1010 ends, Fig. 10), rewriting the current display state according to the designated display state and storing the current display state (Greenebaum: current display state is rewritten by the requested designated display state and stored according to the ambient/privacy model, Fig. 10; page 6, para [0050]).
Regarding claim 7, Greenebaum discloses an anti-peeping display device (1200, Fig. 12; page 11, para [0074, 0077]) comprising:
an anti-peeping panel (1210, Fig. 12; page 11, para [0074]), a controlled view angle of the anti-peeping display device (Fig. 10; page 2, para [0014]); and
a controller (such as a processor 1205, Fig. 10; page 10, para [0072, 0074]), wherein the controller is configured to:
obtain a current display state of an anti-peeping display device (1002, Fig. 10; page 10, para [0072]);
receive a designated display state (such as selecting PRIVACY mode, Fig. 10; page 2, para [0014]) and determine whether the designated display state matches the current display state (using the ambient/privacy model 1008 that determines how display characteristics will change based on whether the designated display state matches the current display state via dynamic adjustments, Fig. 10; page 3, para [0030-0031]; page 10, para [0072]); and
in response to a determination result that the designated display state does not match the current display sate, controlling the anti-peeping display device to perform a progressive switching operation (controlling anti-peeping display device via progressive/dynamic switching operation 1010, Fig. 10; page 6, para [0050]; page 3, para [0030]).
Greenebaum does not expressly disclose a driving circuit, coupled to the anti-peeping panel (1210, Fig. 12), and configured to provide a driving voltage to the anti-peeping panel to drive the anti-peeping panel to control the view angle; a power management circuit, coupled to the driving circuit, and configured to provide a control voltage to the driving circuit to adjust and control the driving voltage, wherein the controller (1205, Fig. 12) is coupled to the driving circuit. However, Han discloses an anti-peeping method for an anti-peeping display panel (200, Fig. 1; page 18, para [0068]) comprising a driving circuit (20, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]), coupled to the anti-peeping panel (200, Fig. 1), and configured to provide a driving voltage (Vout, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]) to the anti-peeping panel to drive the anti-peeping panel to control a view angle (Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]); a power management circuit (10, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]), coupled to the driving circuit (20, Fig. 1), and configured to provide a control voltage (such as VSP, VSN, HVA, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]) to the driving circuit (20, Fig. 1) to adjust and control the driving voltage (Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]).
Therefore, before the time of the effective filing of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the anti-peeping display device (Greenebaum: 1200, Fig. 12) comprising the anti-peeping panel (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12) of Greenebaum with the anti-peeping method (Han: 1000, Fig. 10; page 10, para [0072]) of Han such that the driving circuit (Han: 20, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]) of Han is coupled to the anti-peeping panel (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12), and configured to provide a driving voltage (Han: Vout, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]) to the anti-peeping panel to drive the anti-peeping panel to control a view angle (Han: Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]); and to provide the power management circuit (Han: 10, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]) of Han coupled to the driving circuit (Han: 20, Fig. 1), and configured to provide a control voltage (Han: such as VSP, VSN, HVA, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]) to the driving circuit (Han: 20, Fig. 1) to adjust and control the driving voltage (Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]) in order to obtain the benefits of being able to control and drive the anti-peeping display device (Greenebaum: 1200, Fig. 12) to switch between an anti-peeping mode and a sharing mode as taught by Han (Fig. 1; pages 17-18, para [0066, 0068]).
Greenebaum as modified by Han does not expressly disclose wherein the progressive switching operation (Greenebaum: controlling anti-peeping display device via progressive/dynamic switching operation 1010, Fig. 10; page 6, para [0050]; page 3, para [0030]) comprises: the controller (Greenebaum: such as a processor 1205, Fig. 10; page 10, para [0072, 0074]) is configured to control the power management circuit (Han: 10, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]) to change the driving voltage (Han: Vout, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]) provided to the anti-peeping panel (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12; page 11, para [0074]) of the anti-peeping display device by an equal difference or at a fixed rate.
However, Han discloses an anti-peeping display device (page 30, para [0098]) wherein changing a driving voltage (Vout, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]) provided to an anti-peeping panel (200, Fig. 1; page 18, para [0068]) of the anti-peeping display device (page 30, para [0098]) is by a fixed rate (Fig. 6; page 20, para [0074]) in order to be able to quickly switch between an anti-peeping mode and a sharing mode (page 12, para [0047]).
Therefore, before the time of the effective filing of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure the anti-peeping panel (Han: 200, Fig. 1) of Han in the anti-peeping device (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12; page 11, para [0074]) of Greenebaum such that the progressive switching operation (Greenebaum: progressive/dynamic switching operation 1010, Fig. 10; page 6, para [0050]; page 3, para [0030]) comprises:
the controller (Greenebaum: such as a processor 1205, Fig. 10; page 10, para [0072, 0074]) is configured to control the power management circuit (Han: 10, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]) to change the driving voltage (Han: Vout, Fig. 1; page 17, para [0066]) provided to the anti-peeping panel (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12; page 11, para [0074]) of the anti-peeping display device by a fixed rate (Han: changing a control voltage provided to the anti-peeping panel is at a fixed rate, Fig. 6; page 20, para [0074]; via progressive/dynamic switching operation 1010, Fig. 10; page 6, para [0050]; page 3, para [0030] of Greenebaum) in order to obtain the benefits of being able to quickly switch between an anti-peeping mode and a sharing mode as evidenced by Han (page 12, para [0047]).
Regarding claim 8, Greenebaum as modified by Han discloses an anti-peeping display device with all the limitations of claim 7 above and further discloses wherein the current display state is an anti-peeping mode or sharing mode (Greenebaum: such as PRIVACY mode or not, Fig. 10; page 2, para [0014]), when the anti-peeping display device (Greenebaum: 1200, Fig. 12) is operated in an anti-peeping mode (Han: such as a narrow viewing angle; page 18, para [0068]), the anti-peeping panel (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12) of the anti-peeping display device limits an emitted light distribution of the anti-peeping display device within a predetermined angular range (Han: such as a predetermined narrow viewing angular range; page 4, para [0010]), and when the anti-peeping display device is operated in the sharing mode (Han: such as a wide viewing angle; page 18, para [0068]), the anti-peeping panel (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12) of the anti-peeping display device (Greenebaum: 1200, Fig. 12) controls the emitted light distribution of the anti-peeping display device to have a full angular range (Han: such as a full wide viewing angular range; page 18, para [0068]), wherein the full angular range is greater than the predetermined angular range (Han: the full wide viewing angular range is greater than the narrow viewing angular range; page 18, para [0068]), and the anti-peeping panel (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12) maintains a predetermined voltage in the sharing mode (Han: such as voltage in the wide viewing angle mode; page 6, para [0017]), wherein the predetermined voltage is greater than 0 volts (Han: presence of voltage signal implies a voltage greater than 0 volts; page 6, para [0017]).
Regarding claim 10, Greenebaum as modified by Han discloses an anti-peeping display device with all the limitations of claim 7 above and further discloses wherein the anti-peeping panel (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12) is configured to control a transmittance of the anti-peeping display device (Greenebaum: 1200, Fig. 12) outside a predetermined angular range (Han: such as outside the narrow viewing angular range; page 18, para [0068]) to gradually decrease as the driving voltage (Han: Vout, Fig. 1) provided to the anti-peeping panel (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12; Han: 200, Fig. 1) gradually increases (Greenebaum: via progressive/dynamic switching operation 1010, Fig. 10; page 6, para [0050]; page 3, para [0030]).
Regarding claim 11, Greenebaum as modified by Han discloses an anti-peeping display device with all the limitations of claim 7 above and further discloses wherein the controller (Greenebaum: such as a processor 1205, Fig. 10) is further configured to:
in response to the determination result that the designated display state matches the current display state (Greenebaum: using the ambient/privacy model 1008 that determines how display characteristics will change based on whether the designated display state matches the current display state, Fig. 10; page 3, para [0030]; page 10, para [0072]), control the power management circuit (Han: 10, Fig. 1), maintain a setting control of the anti-peeping display device (Greenebaum: 1200, Fig. 12; Fig. 10; page 3, para [0030]; page 10, para [0072]), and perform display (Greenebaum: if the designated display state matches the current display state then no changes are needed and the ambient/privacy model 1008 maintains the current display, Fig. 10; page 3, para [0030]; page 10, para [0072]).
Regarding claim 12, Greenebaum as modified by Han discloses an anti-peeping display device with all the limitations of claim 7 above and further discloses wherein the controller (Greenebaum: such as processor 1205, Fig. 10) is further configured to:
after the progressive switching operation ends (Greenebaum: after adjustment 1010 ends, Fig. 10), rewriting the current display state according to the designated display state and storing the current display state (Greenebaum: current display state is rewritten by the requested designated display state and stored according to the ambient/privacy model, Fig. 10; page 6, para [0050]).
Regarding claim 13, Greenebaum as modified by Han discloses an anti-peeping display device with all the limitations of claim 7 above and further discloses wherein the driving circuit (Han: 20, Fig. 1) further comprises:
a square wave generating circuit (Han: 220, 230, 240, Figs. 2 and 8; page 25, para [0086]; page 26, para [0088]), configured to provide a square wave voltage (Han: Fig. 8) having the driving voltage (Han: Vout, Figs. 1 and 8) to the anti-peeping panel (Greenebaum: 1210, Fig. 12; Han: 200, Fig. 1); and
a regulation circuit (Han: 210 regulates the power characteristics through amplification, Fig. 2; page 19, para [0072]; page 5, para [0015]), coupled between the power management circuit (Han: 10, Fig. 2) and the square wave generating circuit (Han: 220, 230, 240, Figs. 2 and 8), and configured to regulate the control voltage (Han: VSP, VSN, HVA, Figs. 1-2) provided by the power management circuit (Han: 10, Fig. 2) to the square wave generating circuit (Han: 220, 230, 240, Fig. 2).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/10/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1 and 7, Applicant argues that the cited prior art references of Greenebaum et al. (U.S. 2017/0092229) and Han et al. (CN 111429855) fail to disclose the limitations of “wherein the progressive switching operation comprises: changing a control voltage provided to an anti-peeping panel of the anti-peeping display device by an equal difference or at a fixed rate.” In particular, Applicant argues that Han only provides a data signal Vo2 based on the first voltage signal VSP_1 and the second voltage signal VSN_1 without indicating any voltage rate changing for the data signal Vo2. Applicant thus argues that Han does not teach “the voltage of the data signal Vo2 changes at a fixed rate or changes by an equal difference,” and therefore, Greenebaum and Han fail to disclose “wherein the progressive switching operation comprises: changing a control voltage provided to an anti-peeping panel of the anti-peeping display device by an equal difference or at a fixed rate” as recited in amended claim 1.
However, Examiner disagrees with Applicant’s arguments and notes that Han discloses that the data signals Vo1, Vo2, and Vout “changes at a fixed rate” as shown in Figs. 6-8. In particular, Han discloses that the data signals Vo1 and Vo2 changes at a fixed rate between +5.0 and -5.0 volts and +10.0 and -10.0 volts, respectively, with respect to time (Fig. 6-7; page 26, para [0088]). Similarly, Han discloses that the data signal Vout “changes at a fixed rate” between +2.5 and -2.5 volts with respect to time (Fig. 8; page 29, para [0095]; page 17, para [0066-0067]). Examiner notes that although Applicant’s invention discloses “changing a control voltage provided to an anti-peeping panel of the anti-peeping display device by an equal difference or at a fixed rate” as shown in Applicant’s Fig. 2 wherein the “control voltage Vc may be changed with a gradual increase or a gradual decrease,” (Specification: page 8, para [0020]), the claim as presently recited does not require that “changing a control voltage” is with a gradual increase or a gradual decrease. The recitation of “changing a control voltage provided to an anti-peeping panel of the anti-peeping display device by an equal difference or at a fixed rate” is a broadly recited limitation that does not require that “changing a control voltage…at a fixed rate” comprises “a gradual increase or a gradual decrease” of the control voltage. Therefore, Greenebaum in view of Han discloses all the recited limitations as presented in the grounds of rejection above, and the rejection is maintained.
Conclusion
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 PAUL CHANG LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-7923. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am-6pm.
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/PAUL C LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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