DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Double Patenting
2. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
3. Claims 1-13 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1-12 of U.S. Patent No. 12,039,942 B2 (patent 942) in view of Joon-Min Park (US Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0098960 A1) and claims 14-20 of present application are rejected over claims 13-18 in view of Park and Gu et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0406257 A1, which discloses an under-screen infrared light sensor. While the claims are not the same, the claims of present application are similar to those of patent 942 in view of Parka and Gu.
4. The following table shows correspondence between the claims of present application with those of patent 942.
Claims of present application
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Claims of patent 942 in view of Park
1
2
3
1
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
14
15
16
17
14
15
16
18
19
20
13
14 in view of Gu
13 in view of Gu
14 in view of Gu
13 in view of Gu
14 in view of Gu
13 in view of Gu
16 in view of Gu
17 in view of Gu
18 in view of Gu
5. The following table shows correspondence between the limitations of claim 1 of present application with those of claim 1 of patent 942.
Claim 1 of present application
Claim 1 of patent 942
1. A display device comprising: a display panel configured to display an input image across a first subpixel region and a second subpixel region;
a display panel driver configured to supply pixel data of the input image to subpixels of the display panel; a light source disposed under the display panel in an area overlapped by the second subpixel region; and a controller configured to drive the light source in an emission permitting section set within a non-driving period of a group of subpixels among the subpixels that are disposed in at least a portion of the second subpixel region,
1. A display device comprising:
a display panel configured to display an input image across a first subpixel region and a second subpixel region;
a display panel driver configured to supply pixel data of the input image to subpixels of the display panel;
a light source disposed under the display panel in an area overlapped by the second subpixel region; and
a controller configured to drive the light source in an emission permitting section set within a non-driving period of a group of subpixels among the subpixels that are disposed in at least a portion of the second subpixel region,
wherein a scan pulse is supplied to subpixels in the first and second subpixel regions during the emission permitting section.
Park paragraph [0172] discloses “The level shifter 142 converts the scan pulses into a voltage that may turn ON/OFF first and second transistors T1 and T2 (included in each pixel). That is, depending on an ON voltage signal Von and an OFF voltage signal Voff, the level shifter 142 converts a low voltage into an ON voltage Von higher than a predetermined voltage required for turning ON or turning OFF the first and second transistors T1 and T2 and an OFF voltage Voff lower than the predetermined voltage.”
wherein the controller is further configured to set an emission prohibiting section and scan the second subpixel region and drive the group of the subpixels in the second subpixel region during the emission prohibiting section, and turn the light source off in the emission prohibiting section and turn the light source on in the emission permitting section.
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, 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. The factual inquiries 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 nonobviousness.
8. Claims 1-6 and 14-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gu et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0406257 A1), in view of Yan et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0301503 A1), in view of Yang et al (US Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0359625 A1), and further in view of Joon-Min Park (US Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0098960 A1).
9. Regarding Claim 1, Gu discloses A display device comprising: (paragraph [0198] reciting “For example, the display device 700 can be any electronic device with a display function, such as a smart phone, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a TV, etc. For example, when the display device 700 is a smart phone or a tablet computer, the smart phone or tablet computer may have a full screen design, that is, does not have a peripheral region around the third display region 30. Moreover, the smart phone or tablet computer also has under-screen sensors (such as cameras, infrared sensors, etc.), which can be used for image shooting, distance detection, light intensity detection, and other operations.”) a display panel configured to display an input image across a first subpixel region and a second subpixel region; (paragraph [0003] reciting “With the in-depth development of full-screen display, it has developed from a scheme of placing a camera in an opening region of a display panel to a scheme of combining the camera with the display panel, that is, the scheme of “under-screen camera”. For the display design of “under-screen camera”, a region, where the camera is placed, of the display panel is a low PPI (Pixels Per Inch) region, so that the transmittance of the low PPI region can meet the requirements of camera imaging. However, because the PPI of the pixel arrangement in the low PPI region is lower than the PPI of a normal display region, the display brightness of the low PPI region is lower than the display brightness of the normal display region.”;
paragraph [0018] reciting “At least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a display substrate, the display substrate comprises a plurality of sub-pixels, and each of the plurality of sub-pixels comprises the pixel circuit and the light-emitting element according to any one of the embodiments of the present disclosure.” The display panel has a normal display area and low PPI region with under-screen camera. Both regions have pixel which means there are also sub-pixels associated with each of the pixels. The first subpixel region corresponds to subpixels in normal display area while second subpixel region corresponds to subpixels in the low PPI region.)
a light source disposed under the display panel in an area overlapped by the second subpixel region; (paragraph [0198] reciting “For example, the display device 700 can be any electronic device with a display function, such as a smart phone, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a TV, etc. For example, when the display device 700 is a smart phone or a tablet computer, the smart phone or tablet computer may have a full screen design, that is, does not have a peripheral region around the third display region 30. Moreover, the smart phone or tablet computer also has under-screen sensors (such as cameras, infrared sensors, etc.), which can be used for image shooting, distance detection, light intensity detection, and other operations.”)
While Gu does not explicitly disclose, Yan discloses a display panel driver configured to supply pixel data of the input image to subpixels of the display panel; (paragraph [0061] reciting “In some embodiments, the display panel 10 includes a data driver 1205. The data driver 1205 is configured to provide data signals to the pixel columns of the display region 110, and the timing controller 1203 is configured to provide a data driving signal to the data driver 1205.”;
paragraph [0062] reciting “Specifically, the data driver 1205 is connected to the timing controller 1203 via a data driving signal line DDS, and connected to the pixel columns via the data control signal lines D1-Dn, where n is the total number of pixel columns of the display panel 10. The specific value of n may be determined according to the actual size of the display panel 10, which is not specifically limited.” Data driver 1205 corresponds to display panel driver because it provides data to each pixel of a pixel columns and to each pixel (which includes subpixels). Therefore, the data driver 1205 supplies pixel data to subpixels of the display screen.)
and a controller configured to drive the light source (paragraph [0005] reciting “According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a display panel. The display panel includes: a display region, the display region including a first display region and a second display region, the first display region including a transparent sub-display region, the transparent sub-display region having a light transmittance higher than a light transmittance of the second display region; and a first light emission controller and a second light emission controller, the first light emission controller being configured to provide a light emission control signal to a plurality of pixel rows of the first display region, the second light emission controller being configured to provide a light emission control signal to a plurality of pixel rows of the second display region.”)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gu with Yan so that the data driver in Yan is present in Gu to achieve subpixel data driven display. Gu discloses a display screen that has pixel which contains subpixels and Yan discloses the means of driving them with data. Obviously Gu can utilize Yan to achieve displaying data at each and every pixel and thus it is obviously useful to modify Gu with Yan so data is driven to be displayed.
While the combination of Gu and Yan does not explicitly disclose, Yang discloses and a controller configured to drive the light source in an emission permitting section set within a non-driving period of a group of subpixels among the subpixels that are disposed in at least a portion of the second subpixel region, (paragraph [0057] reciting “As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, in order to achieve a full screen, a camera is disposed under the display panel in conventional OLED display devices. The OLED display device comprises an under-screen camera area 11 and a display area 12. The under-screen camera area 11 turns off the display function when the camera function is realized, and displays when the display function is realized, thereby realizing a full screen. At the same time, in order to achieve the thinner and lighter OLED display device, direct on cell touch (DOT) design will be carried out so that a touch metal mesh 117 is disposed on a packaging layer 115. At the same time, in order to increase the light transmittance of the under-screen camera area 11, only the touch metal mesh 117 is disposed in the display area 12. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the OLED display device includes an array layer 111, an anode layer 112, a pixel definition layer 113, a light-emitting function layer 114, and the packaging layer 115.” Therefore, the area with under-screen camera turns off when camera is on or turns back on when camera function is off. Emission permitting section is when under-screen camera/infrared sensor is working and the non-driving period is when the display area (its pixels/subpixels) are turned off.)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Gu and Yan with Yang so that the area with under-screen camera in Gu modified by Yang is turned off (non-driven using the teachings of Yan’s light emission driver controller). This is an obviously beneficial modification since if the under-screen camera or infrared sensor is turned one, it would be best to turn off the pixels (subpixels) of the area of the under-screen camera so the infrared camera or photographic camera can perform its job without interference from the colors of the pixels itself.
While the combination of Gu, Yan, and Yang does not explicitly disclose, Park discloses wherein a scan pulse is supplied to subpixels in the first and second subpixel regions during the emission permitting section. (paragraph [0172] reciting “The level shifter 142 converts the scan pulses into a voltage that may turn ON/OFF first and second transistors T1 and T2 (included in each pixel). That is, depending on an ON voltage signal Von and an OFF voltage signal Voff, the level shifter 142 converts a low voltage into an ON voltage Von higher than a predetermined voltage required for turning ON or turning OFF the first and second transistors T1 and T2 and an OFF voltage Voff lower than the predetermined voltage.” Therefore, each pixel can be turned ON/OFF depending on received scan pulse.)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Gu, Yan, and Yang with Park so that the scan pulse is generated to both low pixel density area and high pixel density area in Gu. This allows low density area to be turned off when the under-screen camera/infrared sensor is working and it allows for remainder of the high pixel density display screen to continue working separate from the pixels of the low-density display area. This is a beneficial modification as it provides a means of controlling the pixels where under-screen camera is located.
10. Regarding Claim 2, Gu further discloses The display device of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to radiate infrared light, (paragraph [0198] reciting “… Moreover, the smart phone or tablet computer also has under-screen sensors (such as cameras, infrared sensors, etc.), which can be used for image shooting, distance detection, light intensity detection, and other operations.”) and wherein the group of subpixels disposed in the at least the portion of the second pixel region include subpixels located within a path of the infrared light radiated by the light source. (paragraph [0043] reciting “In the design scheme of “under-screen camera”, in order to allow more light to enter the camera located below the display panel, the display panel can be designed to have a high pixel density region (i.e., a high PPI region) and a low pixel density region (i.e., a low PPI region), and the camera is arranged below the low pixel density region that can allow more light to pass through. …”;
paragraph [0113] reciting “For example, the display substrate may include a plurality of sub-pixels, each sub-pixel includes the pixel circuit and the light-emitting element described in any one of the above embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, the plurality of sub-pixels includes a plurality of first sub-pixels P1 and a plurality of second sub-pixels P2.”)
11. Regarding Claim 3, Gu further discloses The display device of claim 1, wherein the second subpixel region includes one or more light-transmitting parts disposed between subpixels among the group of subpixels disposed in the at least the portion of the second pixel region. (paragraph [0043] reciting “In the design scheme of “under-screen camera”, in order to allow more light to enter the camera located below the display panel, the display panel can be designed to have a high pixel density region (i.e., a high PPI region) and a low pixel density region (i.e., a low PPI region), and the camera is arranged below the low pixel density region that can allow more light to pass through. …” Light must pass through light transmitting parts of the display device in order to reach the under-screen camera.)
12. Regarding Claim 4, Yan further discloses The display device of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to (paragraph [0005] reciting “According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a display panel. The display panel includes: a display region, the display region including a first display region and a second display region, the first display region including a transparent sub-display region, the transparent sub-display region having a light transmittance higher than a light transmittance of the second display region; and a first light emission controller and a second light emission controller, the first light emission controller being configured to provide a light emission control signal to a plurality of pixel rows of the first display region, the second light emission controller being configured to provide a light emission control signal to a plurality of pixel rows of the second display region.”)
Yang further discloses set an emission prohibiting section and scan the second subpixel region and drive the group of the subpixels in the second subpixel region during the emission prohibiting section, and turn the light source off in the emission prohibiting section and turn the light source on in the emission permitting section. (paragraph [0057] reciting “As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, in order to achieve a full screen, a camera is disposed under the display panel in conventional OLED display devices. The OLED display device comprises an under-screen camera area 11 and a display area 12. The under-screen camera area 11 turns off the display function when the camera function is realized, and displays when the display function is realized, thereby realizing a full screen. At the same time, in order to achieve the thinner and lighter OLED display device, direct on cell touch (DOT) design will be carried out so that a touch metal mesh 117 is disposed on a packaging layer 115. At the same time, in order to increase the light transmittance of the under-screen camera area 11, only the touch metal mesh 117 is disposed in the display area 12. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the OLED display device includes an array layer 111, an anode layer 112, a pixel definition layer 113, a light-emitting function layer 114, and the packaging layer 115.”)
Park further discloses scan the second subpixel region and drive the group of the subpixels in the second subpixel region (paragraph [0172] reciting “The level shifter 142 converts the scan pulses into a voltage that may turn ON/OFF first and second transistors T1 and T2 (included in each pixel). That is, depending on an ON voltage signal Von and an OFF voltage signal Voff, the level shifter 142 converts a low voltage into an ON voltage Von higher than a predetermined voltage required for turning ON or turning OFF the first and second transistors T1 and T2 and an OFF voltage Voff lower than the predetermined voltage.” Since only the subpixels in the low-density area are turned off during camera turning on, only those area are subject to the teachings of Park which turns off voltage to pixels (subpixels) in those areas. Scan pulse is applied to transistor of each pixel during either ON/OFF of each pixel.)13. Regarding Claim 5, Park further discloses The display device of claim 4, wherein the scan pulse is applied to the group of subpixels in the second subpixel region during the emission prohibiting section, wherein a voltage of the emission control pulse is inverted to a gate on voltage in at least one section of the emission prohibiting section, and wherein the transistors of the group of subpixels are turned on in response to the gate on voltage. (paragraph [0172] reciting “The level shifter 142 converts the scan pulses into a voltage that may turn ON/OFF first and second transistors T1 and T2 (included in each pixel). That is, depending on an ON voltage signal Von and an OFF voltage signal Voff, the level shifter 142 converts a low voltage into an ON voltage Von higher than a predetermined voltage required for turning ON or turning OFF the first and second transistors T1 and T2 and an OFF voltage Voff lower than the predetermined voltage.”;
paragraph [0174] reciting “Meanwhile, the gate driver 13 supplies the scan signal to the gate nodes of the first and second transistors T1 and T2 through one gate line GL.”
It would have been obvious to modify the combination of Gu, Yan, and Yang with
the gates of Park so scan pulses can be performed to turn ON/OFF pixels.)
14. Regarding Claim 6, Yan further discloses The display device of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to initialize the group of subpixels in the second subpixel region during the emission prohibiting section after the emission permitting section. (paragraph [0063] reciting “Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, in the first phase p1, the light emission control signal line EM outputs the first level, the gate control signal line S(i−1) outputs the second level, and the gate control signal line Si outputs the first level. At that time, a first transistor T1 and a second transistor T2 are turned on. The first transistor T1 is turned on so that an initialization voltage Vini is transmitted to a first node N1, and a storage capacitor C is charged and discharged. The second transistor T2 is turned on so that the initialization voltage Vini is transmitted to the anode of a light emitting element L, and the light emitting element L is discharged.” T1 and T2 are initialized for turning on.)
15. Regarding Claim 14, Gu discloses displaying an input image across a first subpixel region and a second subpixel region of a display panel; (paragraph [0003] reciting “With the in-depth development of full-screen display, it has developed from a scheme of placing a camera in an opening region of a display panel to a scheme of combining the camera with the display panel, that is, the scheme of “under-screen camera”. For the display design of “under-screen camera”, a region, where the camera is placed, of the display panel is a low PPI (Pixels Per Inch) region, so that the transmittance of the low PPI region can meet the requirements of camera imaging. However, because the PPI of the pixel arrangement in the low PPI region is lower than the PPI of a normal display region, the display brightness of the low PPI region is lower than the display brightness of the normal display region.”;
paragraph [0018] reciting “At least one embodiment of the present disclosure provides a display substrate, the display substrate comprises a plurality of sub-pixels, and each of the plurality of sub-pixels comprises the pixel circuit and the light-emitting element according to any one of the embodiments of the present disclosure.” The display panel has a normal display area and low PPI region with under-screen camera. Both regions have pixel which means there are also sub-pixels associated with each of the pixels. The first subpixel region corresponds to subpixels in normal display area while second subpixel region corresponds to subpixels in the low PPI region.) a light source disposed under the display panel in an area overlapped by the second subpixel region (paragraph [0198] reciting “For example, the display device 700 can be any electronic device with a display function, such as a smart phone, a notebook computer, a tablet computer, a TV, etc. For example, when the display device 700 is a smart phone or a tablet computer, the smart phone or tablet computer may have a full screen design, that is, does not have a peripheral region around the third display region 30. Moreover, the smart phone or tablet computer also has under-screen sensors (such as cameras, infrared sensors, etc.), which can be used for image shooting, distance detection, light intensity detection, and other operations.”)
While Gu does not explicitly disclose, Yan discloses A method of driving a display device, the method comprising: (Abstract reciting “The present disclosure provides a display panel and a display method for use in the display panel. …”)
driving, by a controller in the display device, (paragraph [0005] reciting “According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a display panel. The display panel includes: a display region, the display region including a first display region and a second display region, the first display region including a transparent sub-display region, the transparent sub-display region having a light transmittance higher than a light transmittance of the second display region; and a first light emission controller and a second light emission controller, the first light emission controller being configured to provide a light emission control signal to a plurality of pixel rows of the first display region, the second light emission controller being configured to provide a light emission control signal to a plurality of pixel rows of the second display region.”)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gu with Yan so that the data driver in Yan is present in Gu to achieve subpixel data driven display. Gu discloses a display screen that has pixel which contains subpixels and Yan discloses the means of driving them with data. Obviously Gu can utilize Yan to achieve displaying data at each and every pixel and thus it is obviously useful to modify Gu with Yan so data is driven to be displayed.
While the combination of Gu and Yan does not explicitly disclose, Yang discloses in an emission permitting section set within a non-driving period of a group of subpixels among the subpixels that are disposed in at least a portion of the second subpixel region; (paragraph [0057] reciting “As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, in order to achieve a full screen, a camera is disposed under the display panel in conventional OLED display devices. The OLED display device comprises an under-screen camera area 11 and a display area 12. The under-screen camera area 11 turns off the display function when the camera function is realized, and displays when the display function is realized, thereby realizing a full screen. At the same time, in order to achieve the thinner and lighter OLED display device, direct on cell touch (DOT) design will be carried out so that a touch metal mesh 117 is disposed on a packaging layer 115. At the same time, in order to increase the light transmittance of the under-screen camera area 11, only the touch metal mesh 117 is disposed in the display area 12. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the OLED display device includes an array layer 111, an anode layer 112, a pixel definition layer 113, a light-emitting function layer 114, and the packaging layer 115.” Therefore, the area with under-screen camera turns off when camera is on or turns back on when camera function is off. Emission permitting section is when under-screen camera/infrared sensor is working and the non-driving period is when the display area (its pixels/subpixels) are turned off.)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Gu and Yan with Yang so that the area with under-screen camera in Gu modified by Yang is turned off (non-driven using the teachings of Yan’s light emission driver controller). This is an obviously beneficial modification since if the under-screen camera or infrared sensor is turned one, it would be best to turn off the pixels (subpixels) of the area of the under-screen camera so the infrared camera or photographic camera can perform its job without interference from the colors of the pixels itself.
While the combination of Gu, Yan, and Yang does not explicitly disclose, Park discloses and supplying a scan pulse to subpixels in the first and second subpixel regions during the emission permitting section. (paragraph [0172] reciting “The level shifter 142 converts the scan pulses into a voltage that may turn ON/OFF first and second transistors T1 and T2 (included in each pixel). That is, depending on an ON voltage signal Von and an OFF voltage signal Voff, the level shifter 142 converts a low voltage into an ON voltage Von higher than a predetermined voltage required for turning ON or turning OFF the first and second transistors T1 and T2 and an OFF voltage Voff lower than the predetermined voltage.” Therefore, each pixel can be turned ON/OFF depending on received scan pulse.)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Gu, Yan, and Yang with Park so that the scan pulse is generated to both low pixel density area and high pixel density area in Gu. This allows low density area to be turned off when the under-screen camera/infrared sensor is working and it allows for remainder of the high pixel density display screen to continue working separate from the pixels of the low-density display area. This is a beneficial modification as it provides a means of controlling the pixels where under-screen camera is located.
16. Regarding Claim 15, Gu further discloses The method of claim 14, further comprising radiating infrared light generated by the light source (paragraph [0198] reciting “… Moreover, the smart phone or tablet computer also has under-screen sensors (such as cameras, infrared sensors, etc.), which can be used for image shooting, distance detection, light intensity detection, and other operations.”)
to the group of subpixels disposed in the at least the portion of the second subpixel region. (paragraph [0043] reciting “In the design scheme of “under-screen camera”, in order to allow more light to enter the camera located below the display panel, the display panel can be designed to have a high pixel density region (i.e., a high PPI region) and a low pixel density region (i.e., a low PPI region), and the camera is arranged below the low pixel density region that can allow more light to pass through. …”;
paragraph [0113] reciting “For example, the display substrate may include a plurality of sub-pixels, each sub-pixel includes the pixel circuit and the light-emitting element described in any one of the above embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, the plurality of sub-pixels includes a plurality of first sub-pixels P1 and a plurality of second sub-pixels P2.”)
17. Regarding Claim 16, Yan further discloses The method of claim 15, further comprising: by the controller, (paragraph [0005] reciting “According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a display panel. The display panel includes: a display region, the display region including a first display region and a second display region, the first display region including a transparent sub-display region, the transparent sub-display region having a light transmittance higher than a light transmittance of the second display region; and a first light emission controller and a second light emission controller, the first light emission controller being configured to provide a light emission control signal to a plurality of pixel rows of the first display region, the second light emission controller being configured to provide a light emission control signal to a plurality of pixel rows of the second display region.”)
Yang further discloses setting, an emission prohibiting section within a period in which the second subpixel region is scanned; and turning off the light source, by the controller, in the emission prohibiting section and turning on the light source in the emission permitting section. (paragraph [0057] reciting “As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, in order to achieve a full screen, a camera is disposed under the display panel in conventional OLED display devices. The OLED display device comprises an under-screen camera area 11 and a display area 12. The under-screen camera area 11 turns off the display function when the camera function is realized, and displays when the display function is realized, thereby realizing a full screen. At the same time, in order to achieve the thinner and lighter OLED display device, direct on cell touch (DOT) design will be carried out so that a touch metal mesh 117 is disposed on a packaging layer 115. At the same time, in order to increase the light transmittance of the under-screen camera area 11, only the touch metal mesh 117 is disposed in the display area 12. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the OLED display device includes an array layer 111, an anode layer 112, a pixel definition layer 113, a light-emitting function layer 114, and the packaging layer 115.”)
Park further discloses in which the second subpixel region is scanned; (paragraph [0172] reciting “The level shifter 142 converts the scan pulses into a voltage that may turn ON/OFF first and second transistors T1 and T2 (included in each pixel). That is, depending on an ON voltage signal Von and an OFF voltage signal Voff, the level shifter 142 converts a low voltage into an ON voltage Von higher than a predetermined voltage required for turning ON or turning OFF the first and second transistors T1 and T2 and an OFF voltage Voff lower than the predetermined voltage.” Since only the subpixels in the low-density area are turned off during camera turning on, only those area are subject to the teachings of Park which turns off voltage to pixels (subpixels) in those areas. Scan pulse is applied to transistor of each pixel during either ON/OFF of each pixel.)
18. Regarding Claim 17, Yan further discloses The method of claim 16, further comprising initializing the group subpixels in the second subpixel region during the emission prohibiting section after the emission permitting section. (paragraph [0063] reciting “Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, in the first phase p1, the light emission control signal line EM outputs the first level, the gate control signal line S(i−1) outputs the second level, and the gate control signal line Si outputs the first level. At that time, a first transistor T1 and a second transistor T2 are turned on. The first transistor T1 is turned on so that an initialization voltage Vini is transmitted to a first node N1, and a storage capacitor C is charged and discharged. The second transistor T2 is turned on so that the initialization voltage Vini is transmitted to the anode of a light emitting element L, and the light emitting element L is discharged.” T1 and T2 are initialized for turning on.)
19. Regarding Claim 18, Park further discloses The method of claim 14, further comprising: supplying an emission control pulse to the subpixels in the first and second subpixel regions; maintaining a gate off voltage of the scan pulse and the emission control pulse during the emission permitting section; and turning off at least one transistor included in the subpixels in response to the gate off voltage. (paragraph [0172] reciting “The level shifter 142 converts the scan pulses into a voltage that may turn ON/OFF first and second transistors T1 and T2 (included in each pixel). That is, depending on an ON voltage signal Von and an OFF voltage signal Voff, the level shifter 142 converts a low voltage into an ON voltage Von higher than a predetermined voltage required for turning ON or turning OFF the first and second transistors T1 and T2 and an OFF voltage Voff lower than the predetermined voltage.”;
paragraph [0174] reciting “Meanwhile, the gate driver 13 supplies the scan signal to the gate nodes of the first and second transistors T1 and T2 through one gate line GL.”
It would have been obvious to modify the combination of Gu, Yan, and Yang with
the gates of Park so scan pulses can be performed to turn ON/OFF pixels.)
20. Regarding Claim 19, Park further discloses The method of claim 17, further comprising: applying the scan pulse to the subpixels in the second subpixel region during the emission prohibiting section; inverting a voltage of the emission control pulse to a gate on voltage in at least one section of the emission prohibiting section; and turning on the at least one transistor in response to the gate on voltage. (paragraph [0172] reciting “The level shifter 142 converts the scan pulses into a voltage that may turn ON/OFF first and second transistors T1 and T2 (included in each pixel). That is, depending on an ON voltage signal Von and an OFF voltage signal Voff, the level shifter 142 converts a low voltage into an ON voltage Von higher than a predetermined voltage required for turning ON or turning OFF the first and second transistors T1 and T2 and an OFF voltage Voff lower than the predetermined voltage.”;
paragraph [0174] reciting “Meanwhile, the gate driver 13 supplies the scan signal to the gate nodes of the first and second transistors T1 and T2 through one gate line GL.”
It would have been obvious to modify the combination of Gu, Yan, and Yang with
the gates of Park so scan pulses can be performed to turn ON/OFF pixels.)
Allowable Subject Matter
21. Claims 7-13 and 20 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.
22. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claim 7 recites the limitation wherein each subpixel among the group of the subpixels in the second subpixel region includes: a light-emitting element; a driving element including a first electrode connected to a first node, a gate electrode connected to a second node, and a third electrode connected to a third node, and drives the light-emitting element; a first switching element configured to be turned on in response to a gate on voltage of a scan pulse and connect a data line, to which a data voltage of the pixel data is applied, to the second node; a second switching element configured to be turned on in response to a gate on voltage of an emission control pulse and supply a pixel driving voltage to the first node; and a capacitor configured to store a gate-source voltage of the driving element which is neither disclosed nor suggested by the cited reference, either singly or in combination.
23. Claim 8 depends from claim 7.
24. Claim 9 recites the limitation wherein each subpixel among the group of the subpixels in the second subpixel region includes: a light-emitting element; a driving element including a first electrode connected to a first node, a gate electrode connected to a second node, and a third electrode connected to a third node, the driving element being configured to drive the light-emitting element; a first switching element configured to be turned on in response to a gate on voltage of an Nth scan pulse N and connect a data line to which a data voltage of the pixel data is applied to the first node, where N is a natural number greater than zero; a second switching element configured to be turned on in response to a gate on voltage of an emission control pulse and supply a pixel driving voltage to the first node; a third switching element configured to be turned on in response to the gate on voltage of the Nth scan pulse and connect the second node to the third node; a fourth switching element configured to be turned on in response to the gate on voltage of the emission control pulse and connect the third node to a fourth node; a fifth switching element configured to be turned on in response to a gate on voltage of an (N-1)th scan pulse and connect the second node to a first power line to which an initialization voltage is applied; a sixth switching element configured to be turned on in response to the gate on voltage of the (N-1)th scan pulse or Nth scan pulse and connect the first power line to the fourth node; and a capacitor disposed between and connected to a second power line to which the pixel driving voltage is applied and the second node, wherein an anode of the light-emitting element is connected to the fourth node which is neither disclosed nor suggested by the cited reference, either singly or in combination.
25. Claims 10-11 depend from claim 9.
26. Claim 12 recites the limitation wherein the display panel driver includes: a first gate driver configured to supply the scan pulse to the subpixels in the first and second subpixel regions; and a second gate driver configured to supply an emission control pulse to the subpixels in the first and second subpixel regions, wherein, during the emission permitting section, the scan pulse and the emission control pulse maintain a gate off voltage, and wherein each of the subpixels includes one or more transistors that are turned off in response to the gate off voltage which is neither disclosed nor suggested by the cited reference, either singly or in combination.
27. Claim 13 recites the limitation wherein the controller is further configured to: lower a luminance of subpixels in the first and second subpixel regions to a luminance level that is less than an original luminance and turn on the light source in a facial recognition mode, and in response to a facial recognition being completed, turn the light source off and restore the luminance of the subpixels in the first and second subpixel regions to the original luminance which is neither disclosed nor suggested by the cited reference, either singly or in combination.
28. Claim 20 recites the limitation further comprising: lowering a luminance of subpixels in the first and second subpixel regions to a luminance level that is less than an original luminance and turning on the light source in a facial recognition mode; and in response to a facial recognition being completed, turning the light source off and restoring the luminance of the subpixels in the first and second subpixel regions to the original luminance which is neither disclosed nor suggested by the cited reference, either singly or in combination.
CONTACT
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FRANK S CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7993. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 8-11:30 and 1:30-6.
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/FRANK S CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2611