DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This is in reply to an Amendment filed on February 27, 2026 regarding Application No. 18/664,629. Applicants amended claims 1-2, 8-9, 11-12, and 15-16. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on February 27, 2026 have been fully considered, and without conceding arguments, they are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
Claim Objections
Claim 14 is objected to because “the component” should be changed to “[[the]]a component” since the term was not previously recited.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 8-9, 11-12, and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or (a)(2) as being anticipated by Hoon Lee et al. in US 2022/0415256 A1 (hereinafter Hoon Lee).
Regarding claim 1, Hoon Lee teaches:
A method (see FIG. 8) for powering a light-emitting diode (LED) array of an electronic device (2 in FIG. 1) including multiple direct current to direct current (DCDC) converters (20A-N), each DCDC converter being characterized with a predefined power conversion efficiency condition, the method comprising (Hoon Lee: FIGs. 1 and 8, “[0017]… Examples of device 2 include, but are not limited to, a mobile phone,… a tablet computer, a smart display, a laptop computer, [and] a desktop computer….”, “[0020]… [D]isplay 12 may include a matrix of pixels that are individually controllable. Examples of display 12 include, but are not limited to… light emitting diode (LED) displays….”, [0025] (including: “… [P]ower manager 6 may include a power converter…. Examples of such a power converter include converter include DC/DC converters….”), “[0027]… [P]ower manager 6 may include a plurality of power converters 20A-20N (collectively, “power converters 20”) that are each optimized for a different output load current range…. [P]ower converters 20 may each include a respective set of… power converters optimized to supply electrical power to display 12 at a different current range.”, and “[0150] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating example operations of an example controller configured to dynamically select a power converter from a plurality of power converters…. The operations of controller 10 are described within the context of device 2 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 3.”, see also FIGs. 2-3, [0003]-[0004] (methods), [0025] (including: “… By their nature, power converters have different efficiencies under different operational conditions….”), and “[0032] As can be seen from plots 202A and 202B in FIG. 2, power converters 20A and 20B may be optimized for efficient operation in different load current ranges….”):
determining a brightness setting for at least one zone of the LED array (all of the LED array zone), wherein the brightness setting corresponds to a select voltage (corresponding to a current level) applied to the at least one zone of the LED array (Hoon Lee: determining corresponding to estimating the current level; “[0033]… [C]ontroller 10 may estimate the current level based on one or more of a variety of factors such as a display brightness setting and content to be displayed by display 12….”, see also FIG. 3, [0026] (normal, dark, and lock brightness modes), and “[0036] As shown in FIG. 3,… controller 10 may receive… brightness settings…. … The brightness settings may indicate a general brightness level for operation of display 12. The brightness settings may be user controlled… and/or may be automatically controlled by device 2….”);
responsive to determining the brightness setting, selecting one or more DCDC converters of the multiple DCDC converters in the electronic device to generate, from an input voltage (from 4 in FIG. 1) distributed among the selected one or more DCDC converters, the select voltage to apply to the at least one zone of the LED array, such that operation of each selected DCDC converter to generate the select voltage satisfies the predefined power conversion efficiency condition corresponding to the selected DCDC converter (Hoon Lee: FIG. 1, “[0018] Power source 4 may be any component capable of supplying electrical power to other components of device 2….”, and “[0033]… Controller 10 may select, based on the estimated current level, a power converter of power converters 20. For instance, controller 10 may select the power converter of power converters 20 that is optimized to supply electrical power at the estimated current level.….”, see also FIG. 3 and [0034]-[0035]); and
applying the select voltage to the at least one zone of the LED array using the one or more selected DCDC converters (Hoon Lee: FIG. 1 and “[0033]… Controller 10 may cause electrical power from the selected power converter to be supplied to display 12…. As one example, where device 2 includes multiplexer 8, controller 10 may cause multiplexer 8 to route… power signals from the selected power converter to display 12. As another example,… in FIG. 3…, controller 10 may cause the selected power converter of power converters 20 to output the power signals and cause the other power converters to refrain from outputting the power signals.”, see also FIG. 3).
Regarding claim 2, Hoon Lee teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein the brightness setting corresponds to a select luminance level of a plurality of luminance levels in the at least one zone of the LED array, each luminance level resulting from a different select voltage applied to the at least one zone of the LED array, wherein the select voltage applied by the one or more selected DCDC converters causes the at least one zone of the LED array to output light at the select luminance level of the brightness setting (Hoon Lee: “[0026] … [I]n addition to a normal mode in which images are displayed with normal brightness and display 12 consumes a normal operating current level (e.g., between approximately 50 mA and 200 mA), device 2/display 12 may operate in a dark mode in which images are altered so as to appear darker (e.g., with a lower brightness than the normal mode) and display 12 consumes a reduced operating current level (e.g., between approximately 10 mA and 50 mA), a lock mode in which limited information is displayed (e.g., just the time, date, etc.), and/or any other mode in which the operating current level of display 12 is different than the normal operating current level.”, and “[0033]… [C]ontroller 10 may estimate the current level based on… a display brightness setting and content to be displayed by display 12. Controller 10 may select, based on the estimated current level, a power converter of power converters 20. For instance, controller 10 may select the power converter of power converters 20 that is optimized to supply electrical power at the estimated current level. Controller 10 may cause electrical power from the selected power converter to be supplied to display 12…. As one example, where device 2 includes multiplexer 8, controller 10 may cause multiplexer 8 to route… power signals from the selected power converter to display 12. As another example,… in FIG. 3…, controller 10 may cause the selected power converter of power converters 20 to output the power signals and cause the other power converters to refrain from outputting the power signals.”, see also FIG. 3 and “[0036] As shown in FIG. 3,… controller 10 may receive… brightness settings…. …The brightness settings may indicate a general brightness level for operation of display 12. The brightness settings may be user controlled (e.g., via a slider or some other user interface element) and/or may be automatically controlled by device 2 (e.g., based on ambient light sensed via a light sensor).”).
Regarding claim 8, this claim is rejected under similar rationale as claim 1 above.
However, it is noted that claim 8 differs from claim 1 above in that the following are recited:
A computing system…, the computing system comprising:
one or more hardware processors;
a memory;
a pool selector stored in the memory executable by the one or more hardware processors and configured to…;
a DCDC converter activator stored in the memory executable by the one or more processors and configured to….
Hoon Lee teaches:
A computing system…, the computing system comprising (Hoon Lee: FIG. 1, “[0002]… [A]spects of this disclosure are directed to systems that include power converters that supply electrical power to a display (e.g., to light emitting elements of the display)….”, “[0016] FIG. 1… illustrat[es] a device [2] that includes a plurality of power converters configured to supply electrical power to a display, in accordance with one or more aspects of this disclosure.”, and “[0017]… Examples of device 2 include, but are not limited to, a mobile phone,… a tablet computer, a smart display, a laptop computer, [and] a desktop computer….”, see also FIGs. 7B-C, ”[0117] The systems… of the present disclosure can be implemented by or otherwise executed on one or more computing devices. Example computing devices include user computing devices (e.g., laptops, desktops, and mobile computing devices such as tablets, smartphones,… etc.)….”, and “[0118]… [C]omputing device 310 [in FIG. 7B]… is an example of device 2 of FIG. 1….”, and “[0119]… Client device 310A [in FIG. 3C] is an example of device 2 of FIG. 1….”; claim 1 above):
one or more hardware processors (10 in FIG. 1) (Hoon Lee: FIG. 1 and “[0030] Controller 10 may be any… processor capable of performing the operations described herein. Examples of controller 10 include, but are not limited to… general purpose microprocessors….”, see also FIGs. 7B-C, “[0118]… Computing device 310 includes processing component 302….”, [0124]-[0125], [0155], and [0157]);
a memory (e.g., RAM) (Hoon Lee: “[0157] The techniques described in this disclosure may.. be embodied or encoded in… a computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions…. Computer readable storage media may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), programmable read only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), electronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, a hard disk, a compact disc ROM (CD-ROM), a floppy disk, a cassette, magnetic media, optical media, or other computer readable media….”, see also FIGs. 7B-C, “[0118]… Computing device 310 includes… memory component 304….”, [0123], [0125], and [0158]);
a pool selector stored in the memory executable by the one or more hardware processors and configured to… (Hoon Lee: “[0155] The techniques described in this disclosure may be implemented, at least in part, in hardware, software,… or any combination thereof….” and “[0157] The techniques described in this disclosure may also be embodied or encoded in… a computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions. Instructions embedded or encoded in… a computer-readable storage medium encoded, may cause one or more programmable processors, or other processors, to implement one or more of the techniques described herein, such as when instructions included or encoded in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by the one or more processors….”; claim 1 above);
a DCDC converter activator stored in the memory executable by the one or more processors and configured to…. (Hoon Lee: “[0155] The techniques described in this disclosure may be implemented, at least in part, in hardware, software,… or any combination thereof….” and “[0157] The techniques described in this disclosure may also be embodied or encoded in… a computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions. Instructions embedded or encoded in… a computer-readable storage medium encoded, may cause one or more programmable processors, or other processors, to implement one or more of the techniques described herein, such as when instructions included or encoded in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by the one or more processors….”; claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 9, this claim is rejected under similar rationale as claim 2 above.
Regarding claim 11, Hoon Lee teaches:
The system of claim 8, wherein a first subset (e.g., 20A-B in FIG. 1) of the multiple DCDC converters is resident on a first portion (e.g., corresponding to 20A-B) of the electronic device, wherein a second subset (e.g., 20C-N) of the multiple DCDC converters is resident on a second portion (e.g., corresponding to 20C-N) of the electronic device separate from the first portion (Hoon Lee: see FIG. 1, see also FIG. 3).
Regarding claim 12, Hoon Lee teaches:
The system of claim 11, wherein the pool selector is configured to select the one or more DCDC converters by being configured to select the one or more DCDC converters from the first subset of the multiple DCDC converters only, if a number of the one or more selected DCDC converters is less than or equal to a number of the multiple DCDC converters in the first subset (Hoon Lee: see “[0027] In order to reduce the total amount of power consumed to display images, power manager 6 may include a plurality of power converters 20A-20N (collectively, “power converters 20”) that are each optimized for a different output load current range. For instance,… power converters 20 may each include a respective set of… power converters optimized to supply electrical power to display 12 at a different current range.”, “[0155] The techniques described in this disclosure may be implemented, at least in part, in hardware, software,… or any combination thereof….”, and “[0157] The techniques described in this disclosure may also be embodied or encoded in… a computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions. Instructions embedded or encoded in… a computer-readable storage medium encoded, may cause one or more programmable processors, or other processors, to implement one or more of the techniques described herein, such as when instructions included or encoded in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by the one or more processors….”, see also FIG. 2 and “[0032] As can be seen from plots 202A and 202B in FIG. 2, power converters 20A and 20B may be optimized for efficient operation in different load current ranges. For instance, as can be seen from plot 202A, power converter 20A may be optimized for efficient operation from approximately 10 mA to approximately 50 mA. Similarly, as can be seen from plot 202B, power converter 20B may be optimized for efficient operation from approximately 50 mA to approximately 250 mA.”; claim 8 above; i.e., the one or more DCDC converters correspond to the first subset) and being configured to select all of the first subset of the multiple DCDC converters and one or more of the second subset of the multiple DCDC converters, if the number of the one or more selected DCDC converters is greater than the number of the DCDC converters in the first subset (Hoon Lee: see [0027], [0155], and [0157], see also FIG. 2 and [0032]; claim 8 above; i.e., the one or more DCDC converters correspond to the first and second subsets).
Regarding claim 15, this claim is rejected under similar rationale as claim 1 above.
However, it is noted that claim 15 differs from claim 1 above in that the following are recited:
One or more tangible processor-readable storage media embodied with instructions for executing on one or more processors and circuits of a computing device a process…, the process comprising:.
Hoon Lee teaches:
One or more tangible processor-readable storage media (e.g., RAM) embodied with instructions for executing on one or more processors (10 in FIG. 1) and circuits of a computing device (2) a process (see FIG. 8)…, the process comprising: (Hoon Lee: FIGs. 1 and 8, “[0005]… [A] device includes a display; a plurality of power converters configured to supply electrical power to the display, each optimized for a different output power range; and circuitry configured to estimate… an amount of power to be used by the display…; select, based on the estimated power level, a power converter of the plurality of power converters; and cause electrical power from the selected power converter to be supplied to the display….”, “[0030] Controller 10 may be any… processor capable of performing the operations described herein….”, “[0150] FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating example operations of an example controller configured to dynamically select a power converter from a plurality of power converters…. The operations of controller 10 are described within the context of device 2 of FIG. 1 and FIG. 3.”, “[0155] The techniques described in this disclosure may be implemented, at least in part, in hardware, software,… or any combination thereof….”, and “[0157] The techniques described in this disclosure may.. be embodied or encoded in… a computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions. Instructions embedded or encoded in… a computer-readable storage medium encoded, may cause one or more programmable processors, or other processors, to implement one or more of the techniques described herein, such as when instructions included or encoded in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by the one or more processors. Computer readable storage media may include random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), programmable read only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), electronically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, a hard disk, a compact disc ROM (CD-ROM), a floppy disk, a cassette, magnetic media, optical media, or other computer readable media….”, see also FIGs. 7B-C, [0025], [0118]-[0119], [0123]-[0124], “[0158]… [A] computer-readable storage medium may include a non-transitory medium….”, and claims 9, 12-13, and 16).
Regarding claim 16, this claim is rejected under similar rationale as claim 2 above.
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 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
Claims 3-6, 10, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoon Lee in view of Hunt in US 2022/0189381 A1 (hereinafter Hunt), in further view of Shofner et al. in US 2007/0044355 A1 (hereinafter Shofner).
Regarding claim 3, Hoon Lee teaches:
The method of claim 1.
However, it is noted that Hoon Lee does not teach:
wherein said selecting said one or more DCDC converters of said multiple DCDC converters further comprises:
determining that a temperature of a component of said electronic device is greater than a threshold temperature; and
based at least upon determining that the temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, selecting said one or more DCDC converters based at least in part on a proximity of each of said multiple DCDC converters to the component.
Hunt teaches:
determining that a temperature of a component of an electronic device (e.g., smartphone) is greater than a threshold temperature (Hunt: FIGs. 1-3, [0064]-[0067], [0073], and [0075]); and
based at least upon determining that the temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, selecting one or more areas based at least in part on a proximity of each of the areas to the component (Hunt: Figs. 2a-b and [0071]-[0073]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method taught by Hoon Lee to include: the features taught by Hunt, to manage luminance of different areas of a display screen as taught by Hunt. (Hunt: [0086]).
However, it is noted that Hoon Lee as modified by Hunt does not teach:
based at least upon determining that said temperature is greater than said threshold temperature, selecting said one or more DCDC converters based at least in part on a proximity of each of said multiple DCDC converters to said component.
Shofner teaches:
a proximity of each of multiple DCDC converters (214A-M in FIG. 2) to at least one zone of an LED array (216AA-MP) (Shofner: FIG. 2 and [0029]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method taught by Hoon Lee as modified by Hunt to include: the features taught by Shofner, such that Hoon Lee as modified teaches: wherein selecting the one or more DCDC converters of the multiple DCDC converters further comprises (claim 1 above): determining that a temperature of a component of the electronic device is greater than a threshold temperature (electronic device taught by Hoon Lee as modified combined with determining as taught by Hunt); and based at least upon determining that the temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, selecting the one or more DCDC converters based at least in part on a proximity of each of the multiple DCDC converters to the component (i.e., selecting one or more DCDC converters as taught by Hoon Lee combined with selecting an area(s) based on a component with a temperature greater than a threshold temperature in proximity to the area(s) as taught by Hunt and DCDC converters in proximity to a zone(s) as taught by Shofner – selecting one or more DCDC converters corresponding to reducing current of light emitting elements with corresponding DCDC converters in area(s) corresponding to excess temperature of a component, where the area(s) and corresponding DCDC converters are in proximity to the component), to increase device compactness.
Regarding claim 4, Hoon Lee as modified by Hunt and Shofner teaches:
The method of claim 3, wherein a first subset (e.g., 20A-B in FIG. 1 of Hoon Lee) of the multiple DCDC converters is resident on a first portion (e.g., corresponding to 20A-B) of the electronic device, wherein a second subset (e.g., 20C-N) of the multiple DCDC converters is resident on a second portion (e.g., corresponding to 20C-N) of the electronic device separate from the first portion (Hoon Lee: see FIG. 1, see also FIG. 3; claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 5, Hoon Lee as modified by Hunt and Shofner teaches:
The method of claim 4, wherein selecting the one or more DCDC converters comprises:
selecting the one or more DCDC converters from the first subset of the multiple DCDC converters only, if a number of the one or more DCDC converters is less than or equal to a number of the DCDC converters in the first subset (Hoon Lee: see “[0027] In order to reduce the total amount of power consumed to display images, power manager 6 may include a plurality of power converters 20A-20N (collectively, “power converters 20”) that are each optimized for a different output load current range. For instance,… power converters 20 may each include a respective set of… power converters optimized to supply electrical power to display 12 at a different current range.”, see also FIG. 2 and “[0032] As can be seen from plots 202A and 202B in FIG. 2, power converters 20A and 20B may be optimized for efficient operation in different load current ranges. For instance, as can be seen from plot 202A, power converter 20A may be optimized for efficient operation from approximately 10 mA to approximately 50 mA. Similarly, as can be seen from plot 202B, power converter 20B may be optimized for efficient operation from approximately 50 mA to approximately 250 mA.”; i.e., the one or more DCDC converters correspond to the first subset); and
selecting all of the first subset of the multiple DCDC converters and one or more of the second subset of the DCDC converters, if the number of the one or more DCDC converters is greater than the number of the DCDC converters in the first subset (Hoon Lee: see [0027], see also FIG. 2 and [0032]; i.e., the one or more DCDC converters correspond to the first and second subsets).
Regarding claim 6, Hoon Lee as modified by Hunt and Shofner teaches:
The method of claim 4, wherein the first portion comprises a display portion (corresponding to DC-DC 1 to DC-DC ‘M’ portion in FIG. 2 of Shofner) of the electronic device (100 in FIG. 1) (Shofner: FIGs. 1-2, [0027], and [0029]).
Regarding claim 10, Hoon Lee is modified in the same manner and for the same reasons set forth in the discussion of claim 3 above. Thus, claim 10 is rejected under similar rationale as claim 3 above.
However, it is noted that claim 10 differs from claim 3 above in that the following are recited:
a thermal output monitor stored in the memory, executable by the one or more hardware processors and configured to…, wherein the pool selector is further configured to….
Hoon Lee as modified by Hunt and Shofner teaches:
a thermal output monitor stored in the memory, executable by the one or more hardware processors and configured to… (Hunt: FIGs. 8-10, [0077], and [0082]-[0085]; claim 8 above), wherein the pool selector is further configured to… (claim 8 above).
Regarding claim 17, Hoon Lee is modified in the same manner and for the same reasons set forth in the discussion of claim 3 above. Thus, claim 17 is rejected under similar rationale as claim 3 above.
Regarding claim 18, this claim is rejected under similar rationale as claim 4 above.
Regarding claim 19, this claim is rejected under similar rationale as claim 5 above.
Regarding claim 20, this claim is rejected under similar rationale as claim 6 above.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoon Lee in view of Hunt, in further view of Shofner, and in further view of Yin et al. in US 2016/0358545 A1 (hereinafter Yin).
Regarding claim 7, Hoon Lee as modified by Hunt and Shofner teaches:
The method of claim 4.
However, it is noted that Hoon Lee as modified by Hunt and Shofner does not teach:
wherein said first portion comprises a region outside of a display portion of said electronic device.
Yin teaches:
wherein a first portion comprises a region outside of a display portion of an electronic device (Yin: see FIG. 3, “[0045]… the power supply voltages are applied by the voltage application unit (not shown) located outside the effective display region….”, [0053], and [0076]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the method taught by Hoon Lee as modified by Hunt and Shofner to include: the features taught by Yin, such that Hoon Lee as modified teaches: wherein the first portion comprises a region outside of a display portion of the electronic device (first portion taught by Hoon Lee as modified comprises a region as taught by Yin), to reduce noise by placing DCDC converters away from light-emitting elements.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoon Lee in view of Shofner.
Regarding claim 13, Hoon Lee teaches:
The system of claim 11.
However, it is noted that Hoon Lee does not teach:
wherein the first portion comprises a display portion of the electronic device.
Shofner teaches:
wherein a first portion comprises a display portion (corresponding to DC-DC 1 to DC-DC ‘M’ portion in FIG. 2) of an electronic device (100 in FIG. 1) (Shofner: FIGs. 1-2, “[0027]… [A] matrix sign display 100….), and “[0029]… The panel 210 [of a matrix sign display system] comprises an array of LED pixel boards 216AA-MP… Each… row[] [of the array of LED pixel boards] has a DC-DC converter 214A-M….”).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system taught by Hoon Lee to include: the features taught by Shofner, such that Hoon Lee as modified teaches: wherein the first portion comprises a display portion of the electronic device (first portion and electronic device taught by Hoon Lee combined with the first portion, display portion, and electronic device taught by Shofner), to increase device compactness by locating DCDC converters near light-emitting elements.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoon Lee in view of Yin, in further view of Hunt.
Regarding claim 14, Hoon Lee teaches:
The system of claim 11.
However, it is noted that Hoon Lee does not teach:
wherein the first portion comprises a region outside of a display portion of the electronic device, wherein the component is a surface of the electronic device.
Yin teaches:
wherein a first portion comprises a region outside of a display portion of an electronic device (Yin: see FIG. 3, “[0045]… the power supply voltages are applied by the voltage application unit (not shown) located outside the effective display region….”, [0053], and [0076]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system taught by Hoon Lee to include: the features taught by Yin, such that Hoon Lee as modified teaches: wherein the first portion comprises a region outside of a display portion of the electronic device (first portion taught by Hoon Lee comprises a region as taught by Yin), to reduce noise by placing DCDC converters away from light-emitting elements.
However, it is noted that Hoon Lee as modified by Yin does not teach:
wherein the component is a surface of the electronic device.
Hunt teaches:
wherein a component is a surface of an electronic device (e.g., smartphone) (Hunt: FIG. 3 and “[0075] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a PCB for a smartphone, and demonstrates an example of how temperature sensors may be positioned on the PCB…. Placing the thermistors [304] close to the heat generating components may provide a good overview of temperatures experienced by the display….”, see also [0065]-[0067]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system taught by Hoon Lee as modified by Yin to include: the features taught by Hunt, such that Hoon Yee as modified teaches: wherein the component is a surface of the electronic device (electronic device taught by Hoon Yee as modified combined with the component, surface, and electronic device taught by Hunt), to provide a component of an electronic device.
Conclusion
Applicants’ amendments necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicants are 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to K. Kiyabu whose telephone number is (571) 270-7836. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Temesghen Ghebretinsae, can be reached at (571) 272-3017. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/K. K./
Examiner, Art Unit 2626
/TEMESGHEN GHEBRETINSAE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2626 3/17/26