DETAILED ACTION
This is a first office action in response to Application No. 18/538,098 originally filed on 12/13/2023, in which claims 1 - 20 are presented for examination.
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 § 102
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 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 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 - 2, 10 - 11 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakazawa “US 2011/0007104”.
Re-claim 1, Nakazawa teaches a display device, (fig. 1; 1) comprising:
a backlight device (fig. 2; 7) comprising a plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8) configured to illuminate a display panel (fig. 2; 2); (par. [0050] The light source control signal is input to a light source control circuit 13, which then generates a light source driving signal that instructs each of a plurality of the light sources 8 about the color and luminance of light to be irradiated therefrom. In the present embodiment, since each of the light sources 8 has the LEDs of the three RGB colors as light-emitting elements as described above, the light source driving signal instructs each of the RGB LEDs included in each of the light sources 8 about its originally required emission brightness.)
a local dimming circuit (par. [0039] a control circuit for locally adjusting the coloration and brightness of the backlight as an active backlight, a driving circuit, and the like are not shown in FIG. 1.) configured to:
individually control luminance levels of the plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8) based on first input image data in a first local dimming mode (par. [0039] a control circuit for locally adjusting the coloration and brightness of the backlight as an active backlight, a driving circuit, and the like are not shown in FIG. 1); (fig. 2 and par. [0050] The light source control signal is input to a light source control circuit 13, which then generates a light source driving signal that instructs each of a plurality of the light sources 8 about the color and luminance of light to be irradiated therefrom. In the present embodiment, since each of the light sources 8 has the LEDs of the three RGB colors as light-emitting elements as described above, the light source driving signal instructs each of the RGB LEDs included in each of the light sources 8 about its originally required emission brightness. And pars. [0051] - [0053])
enter a failure mode in response to a failure of at least one of the plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8); (par. [0061] Thus, the detection resistors 25R, 25G, and 25B, which constantly detect the currents to flow through the LEDs, immediately can detect the occurrence of an opening failure and hence a lighting failure of the LEDs. In this manner, the light-emitting element drivers 23R, 23G, and 23B also function as lighting failure detecting portions for the respective LEDs 26R, 26G, and 26B to be driven.) and
control luminance levels of others of the plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8) to a predetermined luminance level in the failure mode. (pars. [0062] the backlight 7 of the present embodiment, the lighting failure detection data of any of the LEDs obtained by constantly monitoring the respective LEDs is fed back to the brightness data generating portion 21, which then subjects other normal LEDs located around the LED that fails to light properly to brightness correction, whereby color irregularity and brightness irregularity of light to be irradiated from the backlight are reduced.) and [0065] With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a description will be given of the brightness correction performed when one of the LEDs fails to light properly in the backlight of the present embodiment, assuming that the LED that fails to light properly is a red (R) LED included in the light source located at a central area (3, 3) among the twenty-five light sources shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the brightness data generating portion 21 of the backlight according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the brightness correction operation for the LEDs in the backlight)
Re-claim 2, Nakazawa teaches wherein the predetermined luminance level is a maximum allowed luminance level for the plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8). (par. [0053])
Re-claim 10, Nakazawa teaches a display driver, (fig. 2) comprising:
a local dimming circuit (par. [0039] a control circuit for locally adjusting the coloration and brightness of the backlight as an active backlight, a driving circuit, and the like are not shown in FIG. 1) configured to:
individually control luminance levels of a plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8) of a backlight device (fig. 2; 7) based on first input image data in a first local dimming mode, (par. [0039] a control circuit for locally adjusting the coloration and brightness of the backlight as an active backlight, a driving circuit, and the like are not shown in FIG. 1) wherein the plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8) are configured to illuminate a display panel (fig. 2; 2); (fig. 2 and par. [0050] The light source control signal is input to a light source control circuit 13, which then generates a light source driving signal that instructs each of a plurality of the light sources 8 about the color and luminance of light to be irradiated therefrom. In the present embodiment, since each of the light sources 8 has the LEDs of the three RGB colors as light-emitting elements as described above, the light source driving signal instructs each of the RGB LEDs included in each of the light sources 8 about its originally required emission brightness. And par. [0051])
enter a failure mode in response to a failure of at least one of the plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8); (par. [0061] Thus, the detection resistors 25R, 25G, and 25B, which constantly detect the currents to flow through the LEDs, immediately can detect the occurrence of an opening failure and hence a lighting failure of the LEDs. In this manner, the light-emitting element drivers 23R, 23G, and 23B also function as lighting failure detecting portions for the respective LEDs 26R, 26G, and 26B to be driven.) and
control luminance levels of others of the plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8) to a predetermined luminance level in the failure mode; (pars. [0062] the backlight 7 of the present embodiment, the lighting failure detection data of any of the LEDs obtained by constantly monitoring the respective LEDs is fed back to the brightness data generating portion 21, which then subjects other normal LEDs located around the LED that fails to light properly to brightness correction, whereby color irregularity and brightness irregularity of light to be irradiated from the backlight are reduced.) and [0065] With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a description will be given of the brightness correction performed when one of the LEDs fails to light properly in the backlight of the present embodiment, assuming that the LED that fails to light properly is a red (R) LED included in the light source located at a central area (3, 3) among the twenty-five light sources shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the brightness data generating portion 21 of the backlight according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the brightness correction operation for the LEDs in the backlight) and
a driver circuit (fig. 2; 14 & 15) configured to drive the display panel (fig. 2; 2) based on the first input image data. (figs. 2, 5 and par. [0048] The image signal determines the level of gray-scale to be assigned to each pixel of the liquid crystal panel 2 as a display portion. Namely, the image signal controls transmittance in each pixel. In general, the image signal is provided as the video signal that defines an image to be displayed by the liquid crystal display device 1, and serves as a gray-scale signal for each of sub-pixels of the three RGB colors that compose each pixel of the liquid crystal panel 2. In some cases, the video signal processing circuit 11 subjects the gray-scale signal for each pixel of the liquid crystal panel 2 that is obtained from the video signal to correction in accordance with the color and brightness of light to be irradiated from the backlight 7 onto a display region where the pixel is present, thereby achieving further higher gray-scale image display or further lower power consumption of the backlight 7. And par. [0049])
Re-claim 11, is rejected as applied to claim 2 above because the scope and contents of the recited limitations are substantially the same.
Re-claim 18, Nakazawa teaches a method, comprising:
placing a local dimming circuit in a first local dimming mode; (par. [0039] a control circuit for locally adjusting the coloration and brightness of the backlight as an active backlight, a driving circuit, and the like are not shown in FIG. 1.)
individually controlling, by the local dimming circuit (par. [0039] a control circuit for locally adjusting the coloration and brightness of the backlight as an active backlight, a driving circuit, and the like are not shown in FIG. 1) in the first local dimming mode, luminance levels of a plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8) of a backlight device (fig. 2; 7) based on first input image data, wherein the plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8) are configured to illuminate a display panel (fig. 2; 2); (fig. 2 and par. [0050] The light source control signal is input to a light source control circuit 13, which then generates a light source driving signal that instructs each of a plurality of the light sources 8 about the color and luminance of light to be irradiated therefrom. In the present embodiment, since each of the light sources 8 has the LEDs of the three RGB colors as light-emitting elements as described above, the light source driving signal instructs each of the RGB LEDs included in each of the light sources 8 about its originally required emission brightness. And par. [0051])
placing the local dimming circuit in a failure mode in response to a failure of at least one of the plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8); (par. [0061] Thus, the detection resistors 25R, 25G, and 25B, which constantly detect the currents to flow through the LEDs, immediately can detect the occurrence of an opening failure and hence a lighting failure of the LEDs. In this manner, the light-emitting element drivers 23R, 23G, and 23B also function as lighting failure detecting portions for the respective LEDs 26R, 26G, and 26B to be driven.) and
controlling, by the local dimming circuit (par. [0039] a control circuit for locally adjusting the coloration and brightness of the backlight as an active backlight, a driving circuit, and the like are not shown in FIG. 1) in the failure mode, luminance levels of others of the plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8) to a predetermined luminance level. (pars. [0062] the backlight 7 of the present embodiment, the lighting failure detection data of any of the LEDs obtained by constantly monitoring the respective LEDs is fed back to the brightness data generating portion 21, which then subjects other normal LEDs located around the LED that fails to light properly to brightness correction, whereby color irregularity and brightness irregularity of light to be irradiated from the backlight are reduced.) and [0065] With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, a description will be given of the brightness correction performed when one of the LEDs fails to light properly in the backlight of the present embodiment, assuming that the LED that fails to light properly is a red (R) LED included in the light source located at a central area (3, 3) among the twenty-five light sources shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the brightness data generating portion 21 of the backlight according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the brightness correction operation for the LEDs in the backlight)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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 of this title, 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.
7. Claims 3, 12 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakazawa “US 2011/0007104”.
Re-claim 3, Nakazawa teaches wherein the local dimming circuit (par. [0039] a control circuit for locally adjusting the coloration and brightness of the backlight as an active backlight, a driving circuit, and the like are not shown in FIG. 1.) is further configured to:
determine, in response to the local dimming circuit entering the failure mode, (figs. 2 & 5; 33 lighting failure detection data) … for pixels in a zone corresponding to a failed one of the plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8) to increase luminance levels of the pixels in the zone; (pars. [0053] and [0067] - [0069]) and
in the failure mode, perform a gamma transformation on second input image data to generate second output image data used to drive the display panel (fig. 2; 2), (figs. 2, 5 and par. [0049] The image signal is input to a gray-scale control circuit 12 and then is divided into a horizontal driving signal and a vertical driving signal so that one image can be displayed by scanning in the vertical and horizontal directions. The horizontal driving signal and the vertical driving signal drive a horizontal driving circuit 14 and a vertical driving circuit 15, respectively. Then, the gray-scale signal for image display is supplied sequentially from the horizontal driving circuit 14 to each pixel of the liquid crystal panel 2 via a data line 18 corresponding to a scanning line 17 that is selected sequentially by the vertical driving circuit 15, thereby forming a display image.)
wherein the gamma transformation for pixel data of pixels in the zone corresponding to the failed one of the plurality of light sources (fig. 2; 8) is based on the compensated …. (pars. [0030] and [0048] - [0049])
Nakazawa does not explicitly teach a compensated gamma curve
Nakazawa teaches a compensated gamma curve (fig. 5 and par. [0073] “the emission correcting portion 35 superimposes the calculated brightness correction amount on the emission data that indicates original emission brightness of each of the LEDs other than the LED that fails to light properly, and outputs the brightness data that indicates the corrected emission brightness of the LEDs, for example.” A gamma curve is commonly recognized alternative to the emission correcting portion 35, so it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a light-emitting element that fails to light properly is compensated for with light to be irradiated from the other surrounding light sources. (par. [0032])
Re-claim 12, is rejected as applied to claim 3 above because the scope and contents of the recited limitations are substantially the same.
Re-claim 19, is rejected as a method as applied to claim 3 above because the scope and contents of the recited limitations are substantially the same.
Allowable Subject Matter
8. Claims 4 - 9, 13 - 17 and 20 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.
Contact Information
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Sosina Abebe whose telephone number is (571) 270-7929. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Friday from 9:00-5:30 If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's Supervisor, Temesghen Ghebretinsae can be reached on (571) 272-3017. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/S.A/Examiner, Art Unit 2626
/TEMESGHEN GHEBRETINSAE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2626 1/27/26