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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/29/2026 has been entered.
Claim status
Claims 1-8 and 10-17 are pending; claims 1 and 10 are independent. Claims 9 and 18 have been cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 04/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s argument in page 5 that XI's technology does not involve saving hardware computing resources used for calculating local dimming.
However, the examiner respectfully disagrees, XI clearly taught Para 0190, where the frequency of the dimming screen 120 and the frequency of the display screen 110 are consistent, and the target gray-scale values corresponding to the plurality of display pixels in the display screen and the dimming gray-scale values according to the plurality of dimming pixels can be obtained. Where the dimming screen displays the dimming image and the display screen displays the display image, due to the modulation of the dimming image to the backlight, the dimming screen and the display screen can cooperate to achieve a finer display effect, a higher contrast, more natural gray-scale transition, achieve the extreme dark-field visual effect, improve the data processing accuracy, and reduce hardware memory, which is a part of calculation dimming process, but it is enough for the claims language.
The rest of applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-8 and 10-17 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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-8 and 10, 12-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singhar (US 2012/0288139), and further in view of XI (US 2022/0309984).
Regarding claims 1 and 10, Singhar teaches a display device (fig. 1A/B) and an operation method of a display device (fig. 7), comprising:
a calculation circuit generating at least one image data for displaying on at least one display panel, wherein the calculation circuit determines a location of a mouse pointer in the at least one image data based on an operation of a user interface device, and the calculation circuit defines an attention area corresponding to the mouse pointer based on the location of the mouse pointer (fig. 7, blocks 702-704 and Para 0071, wherein the processor 131 may use this location data to infer the active region on a display 110 and may infer the active region where a cursor is hovering on the display and has remained on the display for a threshold time interval. For example, if the mouse input is received in the center region 210 of FIG. 2 and if the cursor has remained in the center region 210 for a predetermined time period, the center region 210 may be set as the active region by the processor 131); and
a plurality of local dimming drivers coupled to the calculation circuit, wherein the plurality of local dimming drivers enable a local dimming function for the attention area corresponding to the location of the mouse pointer, and disable the local dimming function for a non-attention area outside the attention area based on information of the calculation circuit (figs 4/B and Para 0058, wherein the LEDs 404 shown could be cluster of physical LEDs 404 which may be independently controllable. Though the figure shows a number of LEDs, 404 this number can be different and many vary. The backlight LEDs 404 may be configured to be modulated in brightness by the backlight controller 305 shown in FIG. 3B. The pixels in the LCD 403 may also be dimmed and/or brightened in response to determining the active region and the non-active region(s). In Para 0053-0054, the brightness matrix determination block 304 may maintain a brightness level of a first subset of the backlight LEDs 306 and increase the brightness of a second subset of the backlight LEDs 306 (which is the active region)),
where the non-attention area is all area of the at least one display panel excluding the attention area (fig. 2, fig. 7, block 705 and paras 0072, wherein the processor 131 may set at least one second area as a non-active region, wherein the remaining regions 200, 205, 215, and 220 may be set as the non-active regions),
wherein the calculation circuit selects at least one attention local dimming driver corresponding to the attention area and at least one non-attention local dimming driver corresponding to the non-attention area from the plurality of local dimming drivers, and the calculation circuit enables the local dimming function of the at least one attention local dimming driver, and the calculation circuit disables the local dimming function of the at least one non-attention local dimming driver (figs , 2, 7 and Paras 0071-0072, wherein if the center region 210 was set by the processor 131 as the active region, the remaining regions 200, 205, 215, and 220 may be set as the non-active regions. In figs 4/B and Para 0058, wherein the LEDs 404 shown could be cluster of physical LEDs 404 which may be independently controllable. Though the figure shows a number of LEDs, 404 this number can be different and many vary. The backlight LEDs 404 may be configured to be modulated in brightness by the backlight controller 305 shown in FIG. 3B. The pixels in the LCD 403 may also be dimmed and/or brightened in response to determining the active region and the non-active region(s). In Para 0053-0054, the brightness matrix determination block 304 may maintain a brightness level of a first subset of the backlight LEDs 306 and increase the brightness of a second subset of the backlight LEDs 306 (which is the active region)).
Singhar does not expressly disclose reduce hardware computing resources used for the local dimming function.
However, XI disclose reduce hardware computing resources used for the local dimming function, see Para 0190.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modified a display device and a method of a display device of Singhar by applying the teaching of XI to include a display screen displays a display image, due to the modulation of a dimming image to the backlight, the dimming screen and the display screen can cooperate to achieve a finer display effect, a higher contrast, more natural gray-scale transition, achieve the extreme dark-field visual effect, improve the data processing accuracy, and reduce hardware memory, as a known technique to yield to a predictable result.
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Singhar in view of XI teaches the display device of claim 1 and the operation method of claim 10, wherein a display panel of the display device displays a plurality of screens, and the attention area is an entirety of a screen in the screens where the mouse pointer is located (figs 2, 7 and Paras 0071, wherein if the cursor has remained in the center region 210 for a predetermined time period, the center region 210 may be set as the active region, Singhar).
Regarding claims 4 and 13, Singhar in view of XI teaches the display device of claim 3 and the operation method of claim 12, wherein each of the screens is an application window (Paras 0041 and 0051, wherein Inputs can be provided to a specific application window displayed on the display 110, Singhar).
Regarding claims 5 and 14, Singhar in view of XI teaches the display device of claim 1 and the operation method of claim 10, wherein in response to the mouse pointer being located on an object displayed on a display panel of the display device, the attention area is an entirety of an object area corresponding to the object (figs 2, 7, Paras 0063 and 0071, wherein if the cursor has remained in the center region 210 for a predetermined time period, the center region 210 may be set as the active region, Singhar).
Regarding claims 6 and 15, Singhar in view of XI teaches the display device of claim 1 and the operation method of claim 10, wherein a range area of the attention area corresponding to the location of the mouse pointer may be adjusted via a user control interface (figs 2, 7 and Paras 0071, wherein if the cursor has remained in the center region 210 for a predetermined time period, the center region 210 may be set as the active region, Singhar).
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Singhar in view of XI teaches the display device of claim 1 and the operation method of claim 10, wherein the calculation circuit comprises: a central processing circuit determining the location of the mouse pointer based on the operation of the user interface device, and defining the attention area corresponding to the mouse pointer based on the location of the mouse pointer (fig. 1B, fig. 3B, a processor 131 and Para 0071, wherein the processor 131 determines a location of the input command on the display 110, such as where a mouse cursor (or touch screen command or other input) is positioned on the display 110, Singhar); and
a graphics processing circuit coupled to the central processing circuit, wherein the graphics processing circuit controls the plurality of local dimming drivers via a scalar circuit based on the attention area defined by the central processing circuit to selectively enable the local dimming function for the attention area corresponding to the location of the mouse pointer, and disable the local dimming function for the non-attention area (fig. 3A, fig. 7 and Paras 0073-0074, wherein the processor 131 may control the backlight controller 305 and may access the brightness matrix determination block 304 to determine a brightness of each region and may control the backlight controller 305 to change a brightness parameter of the backlight LEDs, Singhar).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Singhar in view of XI teaches the display device of claim 1 and the operation method of claim 10, wherein the calculation circuit comprises: a central processing circuit determining the location of the mouse pointer based on the operation of the user interface device (fig. 1B, fig. 3B, a processor 131 and Para 0071, wherein the processor 131 determines a location of the input command on the display 110, such as where a mouse cursor (or touch screen command or other input) is positioned on the display 110, Singhar);
a graphics processing circuit coupled to the central processing circuit, wherein the graphics processing circuit defines the attention area corresponding to the mouse pointer based on the location of the mouse pointer (fig. 1B, fig. 3B and Para 0071, wherein the processor 131 determines a location of the input command on the display 110, such as where a mouse cursor (or touch screen command or other input) is positioned on the display 110 and the processor 131 may use this location data to infer the active region on a display 110 and may infer the active region where a cursor is hovering on the display and has remained on the display for a threshold time interval., Singhar); and
a scalar circuit coupled to the graphics processing circuit, wherein the scalar circuit controls the plurality of local dimming drivers based on the attention area defined by the graphics processing circuit to selectively enable the local dimming function for the attention area corresponding to the location of the mouse pointer, and disable the local dimming function for the non-attention area ((fig. 3A, fig. 7 and Paras 0073-0074, wherein the processor 131 may control the backlight controller 305 and may access the brightness matrix determination block 304 to determine a brightness of each region and may control the backlight controller 305 to change a brightness parameter of the backlight LEDs, Singhar).
Claim(s) 2 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singhar (US 2012/0288139), in view of XI (US 2022/0309984), and further in view of Yang (US 2020/0402445).
Regarding claims 2 and 11, Singhar in view of XI teaches the display device of claim 1 and the operation method of claim 10, wherein the display device comprises a the processor 131 determines a location of the input command on the display 110, such as where a mouse cursor (or touch screen command or other input) is positioned on the display 110 as an active region, Singhar).
Singhar in view of XI does not expressly disclose the display device comprises a plurality of display panels.
However, Yang discloses a plurality of display panels, in fig. 2 and Para 0021, multiple displays 200 and 202.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modified the display device and the method of a display device of Singhar in view of XI by applying the teaching of Yang to include a multiple displays in which the process may change characteristics of multiple windows being presented on the multiple displays to reduce overall power consumption of the displays, as a known technique to yield to a predictable result.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wong (US 2006/0227125), relates generally to field of power management. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for controlling power consumption of displays
Karidis (US 2006/0087502), relates to display technology, and more particularly to a system and method for saving power in displays.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAIFELDIN E ELNAFIA whose telephone number is (571)270-5852. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, WILLIAM BODDIE can be reached at (571) 272-0666. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/S.E.E/Examiner, Art Unit 2625 5/7/2026
/WILLIAM BODDIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2625
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