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 § 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) 1-6, 14, and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kawasaki (US 2007/0229554).
[claim 1] A display device (fig. 1A, 1B, 3, alternatively the embodiment of fig. 2A, 2B could be used) comprising: an image display unit (fig. 1B) including a plurality of pixel units (e.g. RGB in fig. 1A and 1B) and a plurality of emission control signal lines (111, fig. 1B) configured to supply image signals to columns of pixel units of the plurality of pixel units [0079]; a plurality of drive signal lines (121, fig. 1B, [0079][0081]) configured to supply image signals to the plurality of emission control signal lines; and a drive (120, fig. 1B, [0079]) configured to supply an image signal to each of the plurality of drive signal lines, wherein the image display unit further includes a plurality of switches (122, fig. 1B, [0079][0084]) each connected to a corresponding drive signal line of the plurality of drive signal lines, one normal drive signal line (e.g. connection 121 that extends straight downward in fig. 1B, for example the far left 121 extends is straight fashion and other 121s have branches that both extend straight and in a stepwise fashion) of the plurality of drive signal lines and at least one additional drive signal line (adjacent connection 121 that extends in a stepwise fashion in the circuit diagram, fig. 1B) different from the one normal drive signal line are connected to a corresponding emission control signal line of the plurality of emission control signal lines through a corresponding switch (122, fig. 1B) of the plurality of switches, and each of the plurality of switches is selectively settable at least to a first conductive state or a second conductive state ([0077], fig. 1B), the first conductive state is a state to allow an image signal to be provided from the drive to a corresponding emission control signal line of the plurality of emission control signal lines through the one normal drive signal line of the plurality of drive signal lines ([0077], fig. 1B), and the second conductive state is a state to allow an image signal to be provided from the drive to the corresponding emission control signal line through the at least one additional drive signal line ([0077], fig. 1B).
[claim 2] The display device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one additional drive signal line is at least one drive signal line of the plurality of drive signal lines (fig. 1B).
[claim 3] The display device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one additional drive signal line is one drive signal line of the plurality of drive signal lines (fig. 1B).
[claim 4] The display device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one additional drive signal line includes at least two additional drive signal lines (the additional drive signal is the adjacent stepwise/straight branch line, where one branch line/additional line is stepwise and the other branch/ second additional line is straight, with the next adjacent 121 is the next drive signal line, fig. 2B), and each of the plurality of switches supplies, in the second conductive state, to the corresponding emission control signal line (fig. 1B), an image signal with a voltage between voltages of at least two image signals supplied respectively from the drive to the at least two additional drive signal lines (fig. 1B, the two voltages are both from r in the drive 120).
[claim 5] The display device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one additional drive signal line connected to the corresponding switch of the plurality of switches is a drive signal line of the plurality of drive signal lines located adjacent to the one normal drive signal line connected to the switch (fig. 1B).
[claim 6] The display device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one additional drive signal line connected to the corresponding switch of the plurality of switches is a drive signal line other than a drive signal line of the plurality of drive signal lines located adjacent to the one normal drive signal line connected to the switch (if the alternative embodiment of fig. 2B is used it is noted that the normal signal line 121a from bb is not adjacent the additional signal line 121b from rb that both connect to the switch 122).
[claim 14] The display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of drive signal lines includes at least two wire portions extending from the drive to the image display unit (e.g. one portion of 121 closer to the drive 120 and another closer to the switch 121, fig. 1B).
[claim 16] The display device according to claim 1, wherein the image display unit includes a plurality of switch setters (each node point of control line 123 at each switch 122 that switches between the two states, fig. 1B) each connected to a corresponding switch of the plurality of switches (122, fig. 1B), each of the plurality of switch setters selectively provides one of a first signal or a second signal to the corresponding switch connected to the switch setter (the signal on the control line switches between the two states [0079], fig. 1B), and each of the plurality of switches is settable to the first conductive state in response to the first signal provided from a switch setter of the plurality of switch setters connected to the switch and to the second conductive state in response to the second signal provided from the switch setter (the signal on the control line switches between the two states [0079], fig. 1B).
[claim 17] The display device according to claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of switch setters includes a specific wire portion (portion of 123 around the node point around each individual switch 122, fig. 1B), and provides the second signal to the corresponding switch connected to the switch setter in response to cutting of the specific wire portion (the device is capable of doing this in fig. 1B, if 123 is cut a specific state is preserved).
[claim 18] The display device according to claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of switch setters provides the second signal to the corresponding switch connected to the switch setter in response to a specific signal corresponding to the switch setter provided from a plurality of specific signal lines (the second signal is provided when the control signal is set to a particular state in fig. 1B).
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.
Claims 7-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. In claim 7, applicant requires that “a plurality of redundant drive signal lines each located for every two or more drive signal lines of the plurality of drive signal lines.” It is unclear where each drive signal line is supposed to be located for every two drive signal lines.
Conclusion
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/AMAR MOVVA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898