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 Objections
Claims 14 and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
As to claim 14, “and, and turn off” in line 29 of the claim should be changed to “and turn off” in order to be grammatically correct. Appropriate correction is required.
As to claim 15, “and, and turning off” in lines 27-28 of the claim should be changed to “and turning off” in order to be grammatically correct. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 9, and 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sung et al. (US 2021/0209989 A1).
As to claim 1, Sung et al. teaches a display device ([0031]: display device) comprising: a scan driver (300 in Fig. 1) configured to supply a first scan signal to an i-th first scan line (SL[1] in Fig. 1; SL[i] in Fig. 6;[0057];[0108]), and a second scan signal to an i-th second scan line (SC[1] in Fig. 1; SC[i] in Fig. 6;[0058];[0109]); a data driver (400 in Fig. 1) configured to supply a data signal to a data line (data line DL[1], DL[2], . . . , DL[q] in Fig. 1; DL[j] in Fig. 6; [0053];[0059]: data signal); a sensor (600 in Fig. 1) connected to a sensing line ([0063]: sensing line SS[1], SS[2], . . . , SS[j]); and
a pixel (PX(i,j) in Figs. 1 and 6;[0053]: pixel) in an area partitioned by the i-th first scan line (SL[1] in Fig. 1; SL[i] in Fig. 6;[0057];[0108]), the i-th second scan line (SC[1] in Fig. 1; SC[i] in Fig. 6; [0058]; [0109]), the data line (data line DL[1], DL[2], . . . , DL[q] in Fig. 1; DL[j] in Fig. 6), and the sensing line ([0063]: sensing line SS[1], SS[2], . . . , SS[j]), and comprising: a light-emitting element (EL in Fig. 6;[0106]);
a driving transistor (T1 in Fig. 6;[0111]: light emitting element EL emits light having a luminance corresponding to a driving current supplied from the first transistor T1) configured to control an amount of current supplied to the light-emitting element (EL in Fig. 6) in response to a voltage of a first node (N1 in Fig. 6;[0107]); a switching transistor (T2 in Fig. 6) coupled between a j-th data line (DL(j) in Fig. 6) and the first node (N1 in Fig. 6), and comprising a gate electrode (gate electrode of transistor T2 in Fig. 6) coupled to the i-th first scan line (SL(i) in Fig. 6), i and j being natural numbers ([0108]); and
a sensing transistor (T3 in Fig. 6) coupled between a second node (N2 in Fig. 6), which is
between the light-emitting element (EL in Fig. 6) and the driving transistor (T1 in Fig. 6), and a k-th
sensing line (SS[j] in Fig. 6), and comprising a gate electrode (gate electrode of transistor T3 in Fig. 6)
coupled to the i-th second scan line (SC[i] in Fig. 6;[0109]), k being a natural number ([0109]),
wherein the sensor is configured to sense deterioration information of the light-emitting
element in a state in which the switching transistor (T2 in Fig. 6) and the sensing transistor (T3 in Fig. 6)
are turned on (Fig. 6 shows that transistors T2 and T3 are n-type transistors, and are thus turned on
when SL (i) signal and SC(i) signal are high; Fig. 7 shows SL (i) signal and SC(i) signal are concurrently
high during periods P2-P4; [0058]: When the sensing control signals are sequentially supplied,
degradation of light emitting elements sensed by the sensor 600),
wherein the sensor comprises sensing channels for sensing the deterioration information
([0058]: When the sensing control signals are sequentially supplied, degradation of light emitting
elements sensed by the sensor 600;[0063]: sensing lines SS[1], SS[2], . . . , SS[j]),
at least one of the sensing channels comprising: a sensing capacitor (capacitor Csb in Fig. 6)
comprising a first electrode coupled to a base power source (VSS in Fig. 6; [0128]), and
a second electrode (second electrode of capacitor Csb in Fig. 6); a first switch (SW_VINIT in Fig. 6)
coupled between the k-th sensing line (SS[j] in Fig. 6) and an initialization power source (Vint in Fig. 6;
[0114]: initialization power Vint), and configured to be maintained in a turned-on state for a part of a
period in which the first scan signal and the second scan signal are supplied ([0126-0128]: second period
P2, signals SL[i] and SC[i] are supplied. The initialization voltage applied to the third node N3 transmitted
to the second node N2; Fig. 7 shows switch SW_VINIT is turned on during period P2-P3 when the first
scan signal (SL[i] signal) and the second scan signal (SC[i] signal) are supplied), and to be set to a turned-
off state for a remainder of the period in which the first scan signal and the second scan signal are
supplied ([0129]: fourth period P4, the first switch SW_VINT is turned off; Fig. 7 shows switch SW_VINIT
is turned off for a remainder of the period in which the first scan signal (SL[i] signal) and the second scan
signal (SC[i] signal) are supplied); and a second switch (SW_SPL in Fig. 6) coupled between the k-th
sensing line (SS[j] line in Fig. 6;[0063]) and the second electrode of the sensing capacitor (capacitor CSb
in Fig. 6; [0116]), and
wherein the scan driver (300 in Fig. 1) is further configured to either:
concurrently start supplying the first scan signal and the second scan signal, and concurrently stop
supplying the first scan signal and the second scan signal after the deterioration information is sensed;
or start supplying the first scan signal and the second scan signal at a same time, and stop supplying the
first scan signal before stopping the second scan signal after the deterioration information is sensed
(note the words “either…or ” recited in the claim: Sung et al. teaches concurrently start supplying the
first scan signal (SL[1] in Fig. 1; SL[i] in Figs. 6 and 7;[0057];[0108]: scan signal supplied through SL[i]) and
the second scan signal (SC[1] in Fig. 1; SC[i] in Figs. 6 and 7; [0058]; [0109]; Fig. 7 shows concurrently
start supplying the first scan signal (SL[i]) and the second scan signal (SC[i]), and concurrently stop
supplying the first scan signal (SL[1] in Fig. 1; SL[i] in Figs. 6 and 7;[0057];[0108]: scan signal supplied
through SL[i]) and the second scan signal (SC[1] in Fig. 1; SC[i] in Figs. 6 and 7; [0058]; [0109]; Fig. 7
shows concurrently stop supplying the first scan signal (SL[i]) and the second scan signal (SC[i])
after the deterioration information is sensed (Fig. 7 shows concurrently stop supplying the first scan
signal SL[i]) and the second scan signal SC[i] after the deterioration information is sensed; [0058]:
degradation of light emitting elements sensed by the sensor 600;[0129]).
As to claim 2, Sung et al. teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the data driver (400 in Fig. 1) is configured to supply a voltage of a reference power source having a voltage value at which the driving transistor is turned on to the j-th data line during a period in which the deterioration information is sensed (Figs. 6-7;[0058-0059]: data signals supplied to the data lines DL[1], DL[2], . . . , DL[q] supplied to the pixels PX[i, j] disposed on the horizontal line selected by the scan signal;[0108]: data signal supplied through the data line DL[j] transmitted to the first node N1 directly connected to the gate of driving transistor T1;[0058-0059]: degradation sensed by the sensor 600).
As to claim 3, Sung et al. teaches the display device of claim 2, wherein the voltage value of the reference power source is set so that the light-emitting element emits light due to a current from the driving transistor when the voltage of the reference power source is supplied to the first node (Figs. 6-7; [0108]: data signal supplied through the data line DL[j] transmitted to the first node N1;[0111]: light emitting element EL emits light having a luminance corresponding to a driving current supplied from the first transistor T1).
As to claim 9, Sung et al. teaches the display device of claim 1, further comprising an analog-to-digital converter (ADC in Fig. 6;[0116]) coupled to the second electrode of the sensing capacitor (capacitor Csb in Fig. 6).
As to claim 11, Sung et al. teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the deterioration information of the light-emitting element is configured to be sensed at a corresponding time point during a period in which the first switch is set to the turned-off state ([0058]: supply sensing control signals to sensing control line SC[1], degradation of light emitting elements is sensed by the sensor 600; Fig. 7 shows in period P4 sensing control signal is supplied to sensing control line SC[i]); [0129]: in period P4, switch SW_VINT is turned off).
As to claim 12, Sung et al. teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein the second switch
(SW_SPL in Fig. 6) is configured to be turned off during the part of the period in which the first scan
signal and the second scan signal are supplied, ([0126]: second period P2, signals SL[i] and SC[i] are
supplied; Fig. 7 shows switch SW_SPL is turned off during period P2 when the signals SL[i] and SC[i] are
supplied in the second period P2) and to be turned on during the remainder of the period in which the
first scan signal and the second scan signal are supplied ([0128]: fourth period P3, the switch SW_SPL is
turned on; Fig. 7 shows switch SW_SPL is turned on for the remainder of the period P3-P4 in which the
first scan signal (SL[i] signal) and the second scan signal (SC[i] signal) are supplied).
As to claim 13, Sung et al. teaches the display device of claim 1, wherein a period in which the
second switch is turned on partially overlaps a period in which the first switch is turned on ([0128]: third
period P3, the second switch SW_SPL is turned on; Fig. 7 shows a period P3 in which the second switch
SW_SPL is turned on partially overlaps a period in which the first switch SW_VINIT is turned on), and
wherein the second switch is configured to be maintained in the turned-on state for the remainder of
the period in which the first scan signal and the second scan signal are supplied (Fig. 7 shows switch
SW_SPL is turned on for the remainder of the period P4 in which the first scan signal (SL[i] signal) and
the second scan signal (SC[i] signal) are supplied).
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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sung et al. (US 2021/0209989 A1) in view of Park et al. (EP 3188177 A1).
As to claim 6, Sung et al. teaches the display device as discussed above, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the i-th first scan line and the i-th second scan line comprise a same scan line. However, Park et al. teaches wherein the i-th first scan line and the i-th second scan line comprise a same scan line ([0080]: the gate node of the switching transistor (SWT) and the gate node of the sensing transistor (SENT) may be connected to the same gate line (GL)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Sung et al. such that the i-th first scan line and the i-th second scan line comprise a same scan line as taught by Park et al. in order to perform various types of sensing driving.
Claim(s) 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sung et al. (US 2021/0209989 A1) in view of Soni et al. (US 2014/0267215 A1).
As to claim 14, Sung et al. teaches a display device ([0002]: display device) comprising: a scan driver (300 in Fig. 1) configured to drive first scan lines and second scan lines ([0057]:
scan lines); a data driver (400 in Fig. 1) configured to drive data lines ([0059]: data lines); a sensor (600 in Fig. 1) configured to drive sensing lines ([0063]: sensing lines); and a pixel comprising a light-emitting element (EL in Fig. 6;[0111]) configured to receive a voltage of an initialization power source ([0062]: initialization power Vint initializes each pixel;[0114]); a driving transistor (T1 in Fig. 6;[0111]: light emitting element EL emits light having a luminance
corresponding to a driving current supplied from the first transistor T1) configured to control an amount
of current supplied to the light-emitting element (EL in Fig. 6), a switching transistor (T2 in Fig. 6)
coupled between the corresponding data line (DL(j) in Fig. 6) among the data lines ([0059]: data lines) and the driving transistor (T1 in Fig. 6;[0111]: light emitting element EL emits light having a luminance
corresponding to a driving current supplied from the first transistor T1), and a sensing transistor (T3 in
Fig. 6) coupled between the light-emitting element (EL in Fig. 6) and a corresponding sensing line among
the sensing lines (SS[j] in Fig. 6;[0063]), wherein the sensor is configured to sense deterioration information of the light-emitting
element in a state in which the switching transistor (T2 in Fig. 6) and the sensing transistor (T3 in Fig. 6)
are turned on (Fig. 6 shows that transistors T2 and T3 are n-type transistors, and are thus turned on
when SL (i) signal and SC(i) signal are high; Fig. 7 shows SL (i) signal and SC(i) signal are concurrently
high; [0058]: When the sensing control signals are sequentially supplied, degradation of light emitting
elements sensed by the sensor 600),
wherein the sensor comprises sensing channels for sensing the deterioration information
([0058]: When the sensing control signals are sequentially supplied, degradation of light emitting
elements sensed by the sensor 600;[0063] sensing lines SS[1], SS[2], . . . , SS[j]),
at least one of the sensing channels comprising: a sensing capacitor (capacitor Csb in Fig. 6)
comprising a first electrode coupled to a base power source (VSS in Fig. 6;[0128]), and a second
electrode (second electrode of capacitor Csb in Fig. 6); a first switch (SW_VINIT in Fig. 6) coupled
between the corresponding sensing line (SS[j] in Fig. 6;[0063]) and the initialization power source (Vint
in Fig. 6; [0114]: initialization power Vint); and a second switch (SW_SPL in Fig. 6) coupled between the
corresponding sensing line (SS[j] in Fig. 6;[0063]) and the second electrode of the sensing capacitor (Csb
in Fig. 6),
wherein the scan driver (300 in Fig. 1) is further configured to either:
concurrently turn on the switching transistor and the sensing transistor, and concurrently turn off the
switching transistor and the sensing transistor after the deterioration information is sensed; or
concurrently turn on the switching transistor and the sensing transistor, and, and turn off the
switching transistor before turning off the sensing transistor after the deterioration information is
sensed (note the words “either…or ” recited in the claim: Sung et al. teaches concurrently turn on the
switching transistor (T2 in Fig. 6;[0057];[0108]: scan signal supplied through SL[i]) and the sensing
transistor (T3 in Fig. 60058]; [0109]; Fig. 7 shows concurrently start supplying the first scan signal (SL[i])
which turns on transistor T2 and the second scan signal (SC[i]) which turns on transistor T3), and
concurrently turn off the switching transistor (T2 in Fig. 6) and the sensing transistor (T3 in Fig. 6) after
the deterioration information is sensed (Fig. 7 shows concurrently stop supplying the first scan
signal SL[i]) which turns off transistor T2 and the second scan signal SC[i] which turns off transistor T3
after the deterioration information is sensed; [0058]: degradation of light emitting elements sensed by
the sensor 600;[0129]), but does not explicitly disclose light-emitting element configured to receive a
voltage of an initialization power source such that the light-emitting element does not emit light during
a part of a period in which a voltage of a reference power source is supplied from a corresponding data
line.
However, Soni et al. teaches light-emitting element configured to receive a voltage of an
initialization power source such that the light-emitting element does not emit light ([0041]: voltage Vb
which is at a level that turns the OLED 114 off) during a part of a period in which a voltage of a
reference power source is supplied from a corresponding data line ([0041]: transistor 118 applies a
voltage Vd1 from the data line Vdata to node A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claimed invention to modify the device of Sung et al. with light-emitting element configured to
receive a voltage of an initialization power source such that the light-emitting element does not emit
light during a part of a period in which a voltage of a reference power source is supplied from a
corresponding data line as taught by Soni et al. in order to monitor the values of selected parameters of
pixels in the display.
As to claim 15, Sung et al. teaches a method of driving a display device ([0002]: display device),
the method comprising:
supplying a voltage of a reference power source to a first node through a data line and a
switching transistor (see Fig. 6; [0126-0127]: reference signal Vref is in synchronization with the scan
signal and supplied through the data line DL[j]. The reference signal Vref is applied to the gate electrode
of the first transistor T1);
supplying a voltage of an initialization power source to a first electrode of a light-emitting
element (see Fig. 6; [0126-0127]: the initialization voltage applied to the third node N3 transmitted to
the second node N2) during a part of a period in which the voltage of the reference power source is
supplied ([0126-0127]: reference signal Vref supplied through the data line DL[j]);
supplying a current from a driving transistor (T1 in Fig. 6) to the light-emitting element (EL in Fig.
6) in response to the voltage of the reference power source supplied to the first node (Fig. 6 shows first
node N1 is directly coupled to the gate of driving transistor T1) during a remainder of the period in
which the voltage of the reference power source is supplied ([0111]: light emitting element EL emits
light having a luminance corresponding to a driving current supplied from the driving transistor T1;
[0126-0127]: reference signal Vref is in synchronization with the scan signal and supplied through the
data line DL[j]); and
sensing, with a sensor, a voltage applied to the first electrode of the light-emitting
element through a sensing transistor (T3 in Fig. 6) coupled between a sensing line (SS[j] line in Fig. 6)
and the first electrode of the light-emitting element (EL in Fig. 6) by maintaining the switching transistor
(T2 in Fig. 6) and the sensing transistor (T3 in Fig. 6) in a turned-on state (Fig. 6-7; transistors T2 and T3
are n-type transistors, signals SL[i] and SC[i] are high during P2-P4; [0128-0130]: differential voltage
Vref−Vth applied to the second node N2 transmitted to sensing capacitor), wherein the sensor
comprises sensing channels for sensing the voltage applied to the first electrode of the light-emitting
element (Figs. 6-7; [0128-0130]: differential voltage Vref−Vth applied to the second node N2
transmitted to sensing capacitor), at least one of the sensing channels comprising: a sensing capacitor
(capacitor Csb in Fig. 6) comprising a first electrode coupled to a base power source (VSS in Fig. 6;
[0128]) and a second electrode (second electrode of capacitor Csb in Fig. 6); a first switch (SW_VINIT in
Fig. 6) coupled between the sensing line (SS[j] in Fig. 6;[0063]) and the initialization power source (Vint
in Fig. 6; [0114]: initialization power Vint); and a second switch (SW_SPL in Fig. 6) coupled between the
sensing line (SS[j] in Fig. 6;[0063]) and the second electrode of the sensing capacitor (capacitor Csb in
Fig. 6); and concurrently turning on the switching transistor and the sensing transistor, and concurrently
turning off the switching transistor and the sensing transistor after sensing the voltage applied to the
first electrode of the light-emitting element; or concurrently turning on the switching transistor and the
sensing transistor, and, and turning off the switching transistor before turning off the sensing transistor
after sensing the voltage applied to the first electrode of the light-emitting element (note the word “or”
recited in the claim; Sung et al. teaches concurrently turning on the switching transistor (T2 in Fig. 6;
[0057];[0108]: scan signal supplied through SL[i]) and the sensing transistor (T3 in Fig. 60058]; [0109];
Fig. 7 shows concurrently start supplying the first scan signal (SL[i]) which turns on transistor T2 and the
second scan signal (SC[i]) which turns on transistor T3), and concurrently turning off the switching
transistor (T2 in Fig. 6) and the sensing transistor (T3 in Fig. 6) after sensing the voltage applied to the
first electrode of the light-emitting element (Fig. 7 shows concurrently stop supplying the first scan
signal SL[i]) which turns off transistor T2 and the second scan signal SC[i] which turns off transistor T3
after sensing the voltage applied to the first electrode of the light-emitting element EL at node N2 in Fig.
6; [0058]: degradation of light emitting elements sensed by the sensor 600; [0129]), but does not
explicitly disclose supplying a voltage of an initialization power source to a first electrode of a light-
emitting element such that the light-emitting element does not emit light during a part of a period in
which the voltage of the reference power source is supplied.
However, Soni et al. teaches supplying a voltage of an initialization power source to a first
electrode of a light- emitting element such that the light-emitting element does not emit light ([0041]:
voltage Vb which is at a level that turns the OLED 114 off) during a part of a period in which the voltage
of the reference power source is supplied ([0041]: transistor 118 applies a voltage Vd1 from the data
line Vdata to node A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claimed invention to modify the device of Sung et al. by supplying a voltage of an initialization power
source to a first electrode of a light- emitting element such that the light-emitting element does not
emit light during a part of a period in which the voltage of the reference power source is supplied
as taught by Soni et al. in order to monitor the values of selected parameters of pixels in the display.
As to claim 16, Sung et al. in view of Soni et al. teaches the method of claim 15, further
comprising generating light by the light-emitting element by supplying the current from the driving
transistor to the light-emitting element (Sung et al., [0111]: light emitting element EL emits light having
a luminance corresponding to a driving current supplied from the driving transistor T1).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 6, 9, and 11-16 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
The cited prior art teaches applicant’s claimed invention as noted in the office action above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STACY KHOO whose telephone number is (571)270-3698. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00 am-5:00 pm.
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.
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/STACY KHOO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624