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 .
Response to Amendments and Arguments
Amendments and arguments provided on 03/17/2026 have been fully considered.
The Office acknowledges receipt of the certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Regarding the amended limitations and the arguments, the Office agrees that the example provided by Bao in fig. 6 does not teach that “the emission period for each subpixel in the display panel is the same”. However, as noted by Bao in ¶ 66, “values of M and N may be determined according to demands of actual application and are not limited here”. In other words, for the 16 lines of GA1 and GA2, by setting M=N=16, the configuration as claimed is met. Specifically, each “group” will include one GA2 line which will have a corresponding GA1 line. In order to further clarify this configuration, a secondary reference is applied according to which such a modification is made obvious.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
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.
Claims 1-3, 6-12, and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al., US 2024/0249679 A1, hereinafter “Bao”, in view of Kasai et al., US 2005/0062710 A1, hereinafter “Kasai”.
Regarding claim 1, Bao teaches a display apparatus (¶ 35: “display apparatus”) comprising: a display panel (¶ 35: “display panel”) including a subpixel configured to emit light (¶ 35, RGB or RGBW sub-pixels) with a data voltage (fig. 4, Vda, ¶ 54) applied through a first data line (fig. 3, DA) and change an emission condition (¶ 56), based on an additional voltage (¶ 56, Vb1a) applied through a first additional line (fig. 3, VB); and a driver configured to drive the display panel (fig. 4, a driver inherently exists to control the levels and timings of the various signals), wherein the display panel comprises a first data write period for applying the data voltage (fig. 4, T1, ¶ 54; also see fig. 3), an emission period for emitting light with the data voltage (fig. 4, T2, ¶ 55; also see fig. 3), and a second data write period for applying the additional voltage (fig. 4, T3, ¶ 56; also see fig. 3), and each of the first data write period, the emission period, and the second data write period is included in one frame driving period of the display panel (see fig. 4, F0, ¶ 52), wherein the first data write period is provided to be adjacent to a start time of the one frame driving period, and the second data write period is provided to be adjacent to an end time of the one frame driving period (see fig. 4 wherein T1 is adjacent to a start time and T3 is adjacent to an end time of the frame), and wherein the first data write period and the second data write period are performed sequentially along gate lines of the display panel (see fig. 4 and fig. 6 wherein GA1 and GA2 have a sequential relationship along the gate lines; also see ¶ 65 wherein GA1 is output sequential to a predetermined number of GA2 pulses).
Bao does not specifically teach that the emission period for each subpixel in the display panel is the same.
Kasai, however, clearly teaches that the emission period for each subpixel in the display panel is the same (fig. 3, see emission periods 52, 54, 56, ¶ 33; also see fig. 12, emission periods 209, 212, 215, each of which is followed by black insertion 210, 213, and 216, ¶ 61).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Bao in view of Kasai. The references teach black insertion periods for display devices. Kasai further teaches that such a black insertion period occurs after every gate signal provided for each pixel. Note that Bao also teaches that such a configuration may be achieved by changing the values of M and N as disclosed by Bao in ¶ 66. For example, by setting M=N=16 in fig. 6, each GA1 signal would follow each GA2 signal in a line-by-line manner, causing the emission period for each subpixel to be the same. Accordingly, one would have been motivated to make such a modification to Bao in view of Kasai, expecting the same result of driving a display device while providing black voltage signals in order to control the light emission of the pixels.
Regarding claim 10, Bao teaches a driving method of a display apparatus including a display panel (¶ 35), the driving method comprising: a first data write operation of applying a data voltage to a subpixel of the display panel through a first data line (fig. 4, T1, ¶ 54; also see fig. 3); an emission operation of allowing the subpixel to emit light, based on the data voltage (fig. 4, T2, ¶ 55; also see fig. 3); and a second data write operation of applying an additional voltage to the subpixel of the display panel through a first additional line and changing an emission condition of the subpixel, based on the additional voltage (fig. 4, T3, ¶ 56; also see fig. 3), wherein the display panel comprises a first data write period for applying the data voltage (fig. 4, T1, ¶ 54; also see fig. 3), an emission period for emitting light with the data voltage (fig. 4, T2, ¶ 55; also see fig. 3), and a second data write period for applying the additional voltage (fig. 4, T3, ¶ 56; also see fig. 3), and each of the first data write period, the emission period, and the second data write period is included in one frame driving period of the display panel (see fig. 4, F0, ¶ 52), wherein the first data write period is provided to be adjacent to a start time of the one frame driving period, and the second data write period is provided to be adjacent to an end time of the one frame driving period (see fig. 4 wherein T1 is adjacent to a start time and T3 is adjacent to an end time of the frame), and wherein the first data write period and the second data write period are performed sequentially along gate lines of the display panel (see fig. 4 and fig. 6 wherein GA1 and GA2 have a sequential relationship along the gate lines; also see ¶ 65 wherein GA1 is output sequential to a predetermined number of GA2 pulses).
Bao does not specifically teach that the emission period for each subpixel in the display panel is the same.
Kasai, however, clearly teaches that the emission period for each subpixel in the display panel is the same (fig. 3, see emission periods 52, 54, 56, ¶ 33; also see fig. 12, emission periods 209, 212, 215, each of which is followed by black insertion 210, 213, and 216, ¶ 61).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Bao in view of Kasai. The references teach black insertion periods for display devices. Kasai further teaches that such a black insertion period occurs after every gate signal provided for each pixel. Note that Bao also teaches that such a configuration may be achieved by changing the values of M and N as disclosed by Bao in ¶ 66. For example, by setting M=N=16 in fig. 6, each GA1 signal would follow each GA2 signal in a line-by-line manner, causing the emission period for each subpixel to be the same. Accordingly, one would have been motivated to make such a modification to Bao in view of Kasai, expecting the same result of driving a display device while providing black voltage signals in order to control the light emission of the pixels.
Regarding claims 2 and 11, Bao teaches that the additional voltage comprises a black data voltage consisting of a direct current (DC) voltage of 0 V (¶ 56: Vb1a may be set to 0V).
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Bao teaches that the display panel changes the emission condition to black, based on the black data voltage (¶ 56).
Regarding claim 6, Bao teaches that the subpixel comprises: a capacitor (fig. 3, CST, ¶ 47) configured to store the data voltage or the additional voltage; a driving transistor configured to operate based on the data voltage or the additional voltage stored in the capacitor (¶ 54-56); a first switching transistor (M2) including a first electrode connected to the first data line (DA), a second electrode connected to a gate electrode of the driving transistor and a first electrode of the capacitor (see fig. 3, M2), and a gate electrode connected to a first-first gate line (GA2); a second switching transistor (M1) including a first electrode connected to the first additional line (VB), a second electrode connected to the gate electrode of the driving transistor and the first electrode of the capacitor, and a gate electrode connected to a first-second gate line (GA1); and an organic light emitting diode configured to operate based on a current generated from the driving transistor (¶ 54-56).
Regarding claim 7, Bao teaches that the organic light emitting diode comprises an anode electrode connected to a high-level voltage line (fig. 3, anode of OLED L is connected to ELVD through M0)
Bao does not teach a cathode electrode connected to a first electrode of the driving transistor.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Bao to place the OLED between the ELVDD terminal and the driving transistor instead of placing the OLED between the driving transistor and the ELVSS terminal. The OLED is driven according to a current that flows between ELVDD and ELVSS and through M0 and the OLED. The order in which the current flows through M0 and OLED does not change the amount of current that flows through the OLED. As such, one would have been motivated to make such a modification expecting to achieve the same results of driving the OLED. In other words, such a modification does not change the functionality of the circuit of Bao.
Regarding claims 8 and 15, Bao teaches that the display panel comprises a pixel including subpixels configured to emit lights of different colors (¶ 35), and the subpixels share the first additional line (fig. 7, see sharing of SVB, ¶ 75).
Regarding claims 9 and 16, Bao teaches that the additional voltage comprises a black data voltage having either a direct current (DC) voltage of 0 V or a ground voltage (¶ 56: Vb1a may be set to 0V).
Regarding claim 17, Bao teaches that the additional voltage is varied to various levels to increase an image expression performance of a display panel (¶ 56, Vb1a voltage is modulated between an on and off state in order to set the pixel value to a dark level when activated, thus increasing the image expression performance; Further, note that Vb1a can be set to any level below the threshold voltage of the driving transistor per ¶ 56).
Regarding claim 18, Bao does not specifically teach that a start of the second data write period of the subpixel is changed depending on when a scan signal is applied to the subpixel.
Kasai teaches teach that a start of the second data write period of the subpixel is changed depending on when a scan signal is applied to the subpixel (fig. 3, see emission periods 52, 54, 56, ¶ 33; also see fig. 12, emission periods 209, 212, 215, each of which is followed by black insertion 210, 213, and 216, ¶ 61).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Bao in view of Kasai. The references teach black insertion periods for display devices. Kasai further teaches that such a black insertion period occurs after every gate signal provided for each pixel. Note that Bao also teaches that such a configuration may be achieved by changing the values of M and N as disclosed by Bao in ¶ 66. For example, by setting M=N=16 in fig. 6, each GA1 signal would follow each GA2 signal in a line-by-line manner, causing the emission period for each subpixel to be the same. Accordingly, one would have been motivated to make such a modification to Bao in view of Kasai, expecting the same result of driving a display device while providing black voltage signals in order to control the light emission of the pixels.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bao, in view of Nam, US 2009/0079679 A1, hereinafter “Nam”.
Regarding claim 7, Bao teaches that the organic light emitting diode comprises an anode electrode connected to a high-level voltage line (fig. 3, anode of OLED L is connected to ELVD through M0)
Bao does not teach a cathode electrode connected to a first electrode of the driving transistor.
Nam, however, teaches that the organic light emitting diode comprises an anode electrode connected to a high-level voltage line and a cathode electrode connected to a first electrode of the driving transistor (see fig. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Bao in view of Nam in order to place the OLED between the ELVDD terminal and the driving transistor instead of placing the OLED between the driving transistor and the ELVSS terminal. Fig. 10 of Nam teaches a pixel circuit that is similar to that of Bao, and in fig. 4, Nam teaches that the OLED in such a pixel circuit may be configured as claimed. As such, one would have been motivated to merely switch the position of the driving transistor and the OLED on the same current path, expecting the same result of driving the OLED.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEPEHR AZARI whose telephone number is (571)270-7903. The examiner can normally be reached weekdays from 11AM-7PM.
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, Amr Awad can be reached at (571) 272-7764. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SEPEHR AZARI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621