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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 2/4/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-24 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claims 1-6, 8, 12-15, 17-19, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee (US 2021/0398508).
Regarding claims 1 and 12, Lee teaches A control method of a timing controller, comprising: receiving and storing a video stream, wherein the video stream comprises n initial display frames arranged in sequence, n is greater than or equal to 2, and a frame frequency of each initial display frame sequentially decreases from a first initial display frame to an n-th initial display frame (Figs. 6-7 and 9 show sequential frames frequencies decreasing from 120HZ down to 90HZ, where the frame frequency is decreased by decreasing an active period and increasing a blanking period)); generating a luminance control signal (EFML emission control state signal) and n modified display frames according to the n initial display frames, wherein the n modified display frames respectively correspond to the n initial display frames; the luminance control signal is a pulse signal and comprises n control segments, and the n control segments respectively correspond to the n modified display frames (Fig. 1 shows timing controller 500 providing the EFML signal to the emission control driver. Figs. 6-7 and 9 show EFML being provided as pulses to the initial frame of 120Hz and the modified frames that follow the initial frame. Where the pulses of the modified frames correspond to the length of the modified frame); and sending the luminance control signal and the n modified display frames to a display panel, so that the display panel displays according to the n modified display frames (In Figs. 6-7 and 9 it is shown the emission control state signal is sent to the display for the modified frame.)..
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Lee teaches wherein the duty ratios of the n control segments are the same (Figs. 6-7 show the pulse width being the same).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Lee teaches wherein a number of pulses in each of the n control segments is an integer(In Figs. 6-7 and 9 show a plurality of pulses).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Lee teaches wherein at least two of the n control segments have a same number of pulses (Fig. 9 show where 120Hz of VP=C2 and 96Hz of VP=C1 have the same number of pulses).
Regarding claim 5, Lee teaches wherein (n-1) control segments respectively corresponding to a second modified display frame to an n-th modified display frame have a same number of pulses(Fig. 9 show where 120Hz of VP=C2 and 96Hz of VP=C1 have the same number of pulses).
Regarding claims 6 , Lee teaches wherein control segments respectively corresponding to a first modified display frame and a second modified display frame have different numbers of pulses(Figs. 6-7 show the pulses being different); wherein the frame frequency of each initial display frame sequentially decreases (Fig. 6-7 show sequential frames frequencies decreasing from 120HZ down to 90HZ, where the frame frequency is decreased by decreasing an active period and increasing a blanking period), and a number of pulses in a control segment corresponding to the first modified display frame is less than a number of pulses in a control segment corresponding to the second modified display frame (Figs. 6 show the number pulses of frame at 100Hz being less than pulses at frame 85.71 Hz).
Regarding claim 8, Lee teaches herein each initial display frame comprises an emission period (active period) and a blanking period (BK), and emission periods of the n initial display frames have a same duration (Fig. 6-7 and 9 show a frame frequency of 120Hz it is clear the active period will have the same duration based on the frame frequency being equivalent.); from the first initial display frame to the n-th initial display frame, the frame frequency of each initial display frame sequentially decreases, and the blanking period of each initial display frame sequentially increases Fig. 6-7 show sequential frames frequencies decreasing from 120HZ down to 90HZ, where the frame frequency is decreased by decreasing an active period and increasing a blanking period).
Regarding claim 18 , Lee teaches wherein control segments respectively corresponding to a first modified display frame and a second modified display frame have different numbers of pulses(Figs. 6-7 show the pulses being different).
wherein the frame frequency of each initial display frame sequentially decreases (Fig. 6-7 show sequential frames frequencies decreasing from 120HZ down to 90HZ, where the frame frequency is decreased by decreasing an active period and increasing a blanking period), and a number of pulses in a control segment corresponding to the first modified display frame is less than a number of pulses in a control segment corresponding to the second modified display frame (Figs. 6 show the number pulses of frame at 100Hz being less than pulses at frame 85.71 Hz).
Regarding claim 19, Lee teaches herein each initial display frame comprises an emission period (active period) and a blanking period (BK), and emission periods of the n initial display frames have a same duration (Fig. 6-7 and 9 show a frame frequency of 120Hz it is clear the active period will have the same duration based on the frame frequency being equivalent.).
Regarding claim 21, Lee teaches comprising a processor, a display panel, and the timing controller according to claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to send the video stream to the timing controller, and the display panel is configured to receive the luminance control signal and the n modified display frames sent by the timing controller (Fig. 1 graphic processor 2000 and timing controller 500).
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.
Claims 22-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park (US 2023/0206842) in view of Lee (US2021/0398508) .
Regarding claim 22, Park teaches A control method of a timing controller, comprising: receiving and storing a video stream, wherein the video stream comprises n initial display frames arranged in sequence, n is greater than or equal to 2, and a frame frequency of each initial display frame sequentially increases from a first initial display frame to an n-th initial display frame (Fig. 6 shows how a sequential frame order can increase from an initial frame of 60Hz to a modified frame of 144Hz based on changing the vertical blank period). Although Park teaches the limitations as discussed above Park does not teach generating a luminance control and n modified display frames according to the n initial display frames, wherein the n modified display frames respectively correspond to the n initial display frames; the luminance control signal is a pulse signal and comprises n control segments, and the n control segments respectively correspond to the n modified display frames); and sending the luminance control signal and the n modified display frames to a display panel, so that the display panel displays according to the n modified display frames.
However in the field of modifying frame frequencies Lee teaches generating a luminance control signal (EFML emission control state signal) and n modified display frames according to the n initial display frames, wherein the n modified display frames respectively correspond to the n initial display frames; the luminance control signal is a pulse signal and comprises n control segments, and the n control segments respectively correspond to the n modified display frames (Fig. 1 shows timing controller 500 providing the EFML signal to the emission control driver. Figs 9 show EFML being provided as pulses to the frame of 90Hz and the modified frames that follow the initial frame VP=C3. Where the pulses of the modified frames correspond to the length of the modified frame); and sending the luminance control signal and the n modified display frames to a display panel, so that the display panel displays according to the n modified display frames (In Figs 9 it is shown the emission control state signal is sent to the display for the modified frame.)..
Therefore it would have bene obvious to combine the method as taught by Park with the method as taught by Lee. This combination would provide a method for improving a display quality by controlling the luminance output.
Regarding claim 23, Lee teaches herein a number of pulses in each of the n control segments is an integer (Fig. 9 shows a plurality of pulses); wherein control segments respectively corresponding to a first modified display frame and a second modified display frame have different numbers of pulses (Fig. 9 shows 120Hz frame and 102.86 Hz frame that follow the 90Hz frame having different number of pulses); wherein the frame frequency of each initial display frame sequentially increases, and a number of pulses in a control segment corresponding to the first modified display frame is greater than a number of pulses in a control segment corresponding to the second modified display frame (Fig. 9).
Regarding claim 24, Lee teaches wherein each initial display frame comprises an emission period (active period) and a blanking period (BK), and emission periods of the n initial display frames have a same duration; wherein from the first initial display frame to the n-th initial display frame, the frame frequency of each initial display frame sequentially increases, and the blanking period of each initial display frame sequentially decreases (9 show a frame frequency of 90Hz it is obvious the active period will have the same duration based on the frame frequency being equivalent and the blanking period will decrease as the frame frequency increases.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10 and 11 are 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.
Claim 10 is objected to as allowable based on the width of each pulse in the control segment corresponding to the m-th modified display frame is greater than a width of each pulse in the control segment corresponding to the first modified display frame, and a difference between the width of each pulse in the control segment corresponding to the m-th modified display frame and the width of each pulse in the control segment corresponding to the first modified display frame is a first difference, and a product of the first difference and the number of pulses in the control segment corresponding to the first modified display frame is equal to a difference between a blanking period of a (m-1)-th initial display frame and a blanking period of the first initial display frame.
Claim 11 is objected to as allowable based on a width of a last pulse is greater than a width of any one of remaining pulses, and a difference between the width of the last pulse and the width of any one of the remaining pulses is a second difference, and the second difference is equal to a difference between a blanking period of a (m-1)-th initial display frame and a blanking period of the first initial display frame.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDRE L MATTHEWS whose telephone number is (571)270-5806. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00-6:00.
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/ANDRE L MATTHEWS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
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