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 .
Claim status
This action is in response to applicant filed on 04/21/2026.
Claims 1 and 3 have been amended.
Claims 1-4 are pending for examination.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Panasonic (JP 2021015742) in view of Liu et al. (US 2023/0410757).
Regarding claim 1: Panasonic disclose a display device (Fig. 1), comprising:
a display section (Fig. 1: light source 2, ¶0017);
a notifier that issues a notification indicating a failure of the display device when the display device is turned on (Fig. 1: notification circuit 43, ¶0019); and
a controller (Fig. 1, control circuit 42) that controls the display section and the notifier (¶0024),
wherein the controller includes a first output terminal (Y2) and a second output terminal (Y1) the display device includes a first switch that turns on the notifier when the first signal is output from the first output terminal, and a second switch that turns on the notifier when the second signal is output from the second output terminal (¶0087-¶0089).
Panasonic but does not explicitly disclose when a failure occur in the display device, the first output terminal outputs a first signal, and a second output terminal outputs the second signal,
when a failure does not occur in the display device outputs, the first output terminal outputs a first signal, and the second output terminal outputs a second signal,
the first signal is set to one of a high signal and a low signal, and the second signal is set to the other of the high signal and the low signal such that when the first signal is set to the high signal, the second signal is set to the low signal, and when the first signal is set to the low signal, the second signal is set to the high signal.
In analogous art regarding display devices, Liu disclose when a failure occur in the display device, the first output terminal outputs a first signal, and a second output terminal outputs the second signal,
when a failure does not occur in the display device outputs, the first output terminal outputs a first signal, and the second output terminal outputs a second signal,
the first signal is set to one of a high signal and a low signal, and the second signal is set to the other of the high signal and the low signal such that when the first signal is set to the high signal, the second signal is set to the low signal, and when the first signal is set to the low signal, the second signal is set to the high signal.(¶0041)
Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to the one of the ordinary skill in the art to include the feature of when a failure occur in the display device, the first output terminal outputs a first signal, and a second output terminal outputs the second signal,
when a failure does not occur in the display device outputs, the first output terminal outputs a first signal, and the second output terminal outputs a second signal,
the first signal is set to one of a high signal and a low signal, and the second signal is set to the other of the high signal and the low signal such that when the first signal is set to the high signal, the second signal is set to the low signal, and when the first signal is set to the low signal, the second signal is set to the high signal, as disclose by Liu, to the system of Panasonic. The motivation is to being able to control each terminal for different indications for easier recognition of the abnormal circuit.
Regarding claim 2: The combination of Panasonic and Liu disclose the display device according to claim 1, wherein the second switch includes a first switching element that turns on the notifier by supplying current to the notifier when being turned on in response to current supplied from a constant voltage source (Panasonic: Fig. 3, ¶0056: the switching element Q11 is turned on in response to Q13 being turned ON by the control signals Y2 via R13. The switch Q11 supplies a current to the lighting element 2 in response to a voltage Vd1 from a constant voltage source 40.), and a second switching element that is turned on when receiving the high signal as the first signal from the second output terminal and that is turned off when receiving the low signal as the second signal from the second output terminal or when the second output terminal is in a high impedance state (Fig. 3, ¶0055: If control signal Y1 is at H level, the transistor Q12 is turned off and the transistor Q22 is turned on), and when the second switching element is turned on, the second switching element allows the current from the constant voltage source (Battery voltage Vb) to be supplied to a current path that avoids the first switching element (Q11), and when the second switching element is turned off, the second switching element allows the current supplied from the constant voltage source to be supplied to the first switching element so that the first switching element is turned on (Fig. 3, ¶0057-¶0058: the switches Q12 and Q22 are interpret to correspond to the second switch since they are both controlled by the same signal Y1. When Q12 is turned on a second current path to the light source 2 is formed via switch Q12 based on the boosted battery voltage via Q12 is turned off and the current path via Q11 can supply a current to the light source).
Panasonic does not explicitly disclose using different voltage source. However it disclose the user of a power source (battery). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to the one of the ordinary skill in the art to use any other voltage source since having a limited universe of potential options (voltage source), the selection of any particular option (battery) would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. In re Jones, 412 F.2d 241, 162 USPO 224 (COPA 1969). Since either option would provide the same predictable result of (provide constant voltage for power), either option would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill.
Regarding claim 3: Panasonic disclose the display device according to claim 2, further comprising: a delay section that delays a timing at which the first switching element is turned on so that the first switching element maintains an off state when power supply from the constant voltage source is started or stopped
wherein the delay section is configured such that, during an activation time from a start of the power supply from the constant voltage source until the controller begins outputting the first signal or the second signal from the second output terminal, a voltage at a control terminal of the first switching element does not reach a threshold value at which the first switching element is turned on (Fig. 3: resistors R11-R13, R25 at the control terminals of the switches Q11, Q12, Q13 and Q22. The resistors delay the control signals Y1, Y2. That delay will translate to any time in the process of turning on the switching element).
Regarding claim 4: Panasonic disclose the display device according to claim 1, wherein the first switch turns on the notifier in response to a reception of the high signal as the first signal from the first output terminal when a failure occurs in the controller (¶0057: when a failure occurs both the first and second control signals at low level L during power failure period Tb1. When Y2 is high, a current is applied to the light source via Q11), and the second switch turns on the notifier based on the low signal as the second signal supplied from the second output terminal or the high impedance state of the second output terminal when a failure occurs in the controller such that the low signal is simultaneously output from both the first output terminal and the second output terminal or both the first output terminal and the second output terminal enter a high-impedance state. (¶0057: when both Y1 and Y2 are low when a failure occurs, Q11 is turned off and Q12 is turned on and a current is supplied to the light source via Q12).
Panasonic does not disclose that the high signal is simultaneously output from both the first output terminal and the second output terminal. However, a person of ordinary skill would know that a simple rearrangement of the transistor would allow for any type of configuration and/or level of the control signals such as the high signal is simultaneously output from both the first output terminal and the second output terminal. Therefore, Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to the one of the ordinary skill in the art to rearrange the transistor such that the high signal is simultaneously output from both the first output terminal and the second output terminal since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record cited in the PTO-892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OMAR CASILLASHERNANDEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5432. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30AM-4:30PM.
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, Davetta Goins can be reached at (571) 272-2957. 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.
/OMAR CASILLASHERNANDEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689
Prosecution Insights