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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 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.
Claims 1-7 and 9-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2024/0203343 to Guo et al.; in view of US 2022/0076619 to Watsuda; in view of US 2025/0174183 to Li et al..
As per claim 1, Guo et al. teach a driving method of a display device, used for driving at least one pixel circuit in a plurality of columns, wherein each of the at least one pixel circuit has at least one light emitting element, and the driving method comprises:
executing a plurality of driving sequences (Fig. 5, each sub-frame will be construed as a sequence) during a frame time to sequentially drive the at least one pixel circuit in the plurality of columns, wherein executing each of the plurality of driving sequences comprises:
inputting at least one data pulse signal to write data information into the at least one pixel circuit of a corresponding one of the plurality of columns (Fig. 5, see Data during t2-1); and
inputting a light emitting control pulse signal to the at least one pixel circuit of the corresponding one of the plurality of columns, wherein the light emitting control pulse signal comprises at least one light emitting control pulse within the frame time (Fig. 5, see EM1 during t3-1);
wherein the at least one data pulse signal and the plurality of light emitting control pulse signal in each of the plurality of driving sequences are alternately inputted to the at least one pixel circuit of the corresponding one of the plurality of columns, so that the at least one pixel circuit in each of the plurality of columns does not receive the at least one data pulse signal and the plurality of light emitting control pulse at the same time (Fig. 5, Data and EM signals are input at different times).
Guo et al. do not teach wherein the light emitting control pulse signal comprises a plurality of light emitting control pulses within the frame time, and the plurality of light emitting control
pulses drive the micro fight emitting diode to emit light a plurality of times within the frame time.
Watsuda teaches wherein the light emitting control pulse signal comprises a plurality of light emitting control pulses within the frame time, and the plurality of light emitting control
pulses drive the micro fight emitting diode to emit light a plurality of times within the frame time (Fig. 3, paragraphs 33-36).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Guo et al., so that the light emitting control pulse signal comprises a plurality of light emitting control pulses within the frame time, and the plurality of light emitting control pulses drive the micro fight emitting diode to emit light a plurality of times within the frame time, such as taught by Watsuda, for the purpose of reducing flicker.
Guo and Watsuda et al. teach wherein the plurality of light emitting element is a QLED or an OLED (Guo, paragraph 3), but do not teach wherein the plurality of light emitting element is a micro light emitting diode.
Li et al. teach wherein the plurality of light emitting element is a micro light emitting diode (paragraph 53, “the light-emitting element 600 may be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a mini light-emitting diode (LED), a micro LED, or a quantum-dot light-emitting diode (QLED)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Guo and Watsuda et al., so that the plurality of light emitting element is a micro light emitting diode, such as taught by Li et al., because it achieves the same predictable result of generating an image.
As per claim 2, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of driving sequences comprises a first driving sequence (Guo, Fig. 5, first sub-frame) and a second driving sequence (Guo, Fig. 5, second sub-frame), before executing the second driving sequence, the at least one data pulse signal and the plurality of light emitting control pulse in the first driving sequence are completely inputted to the at least one pixel circuit of the corresponding one of the plurality of columns (Guo, Fig. 5).
As per claim 3, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 1, wherein the at least one data pulse signal and one of the plurality of light emitting control pulse (Guo, Fig. 5, Gate pulse during t2-1) in each of the plurality of driving sequences are completely inputted within a scanning period, and wherein the scanning period is the time for driving the at least one pixel circuit in one of the plurality of columns (Guo, Fig. 5, t2-1 and t3-1 will be construed as the claimed scanning period).
As per claim 4, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 1, wherein the at least one pixel circuit in the plurality of columns further comprises a common line (Guo, Fig. 4A, the line generating Reset will be construed as the claimed common line) electrically connected to the at least one pixel circuit in each of the plurality of columns to generate a common signal to the at least one pixel circuit in each of the plurality of columns.
As per claim 5, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of light emitting control pulse (Guo, Fig. 5, Gate pulse during t2-1) and the common signal (Guo, Fig. 5, Reset signal during t1-1) in each of the plurality of driving sequences are alternately inputted to corresponding one of the at least one pixel circuit.
As per claim 6, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 1, further comprising: providing at least one reset signal (Guo, Fig. 5, Reset signal during t1-1) to the at least one pixel circuit in each of the plurality of columns within the frame time through a time pulse signal.
As per claim 7, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting control pulse (Guo, Fig. 5, EM1) in each of the plurality of driving sequences and the at least one data pulse signal (Guo, Fig. 5, Data pulse) in other of the plurality of driving sequences are alternately inputted to corresponding one of the at least one pixel circuit during the frame time.
As per claim 9, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting control pulse has a high logic level (Guo, Fig. 5, signals have both low and high levels).
As per claim 10, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 9, wherein the at least one pixel circuit comprises a plurality of N-type transistors, and the plurality of N-type transistors are turned on based on the high logic level of the plurality of light emitting control pulse (Guo, Fig. 4A, paragraph 98).
As per claim 11, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light emitting control pulse has a low logic level (Guo, Fig. 5, signals have both low and high levels).
As per claim 12, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 11, wherein the at least one pixel circuit comprises a plurality of P -type transistors, and the plurality of P-type transistors are turned on based on the low logic level of the plurality of light emitting control pulse (Guo, paragraph 98).
As per claim 13, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 1, wherein supply timings of the at least one data pulse signal and the plurality of light emitting control pulse signal are controlled by a timing controller (Guo, Figs. 1 and 5, the mean for generating the timing and sequence of the supplied driver signals will be construed as the claimed timing controller).
As per claim 14, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 1, wherein in the at least one pixel circuit, a path of a driving current flowing through the micro light emitting diode comprises at least two transistors (Guo, Fig. 4A, the path between VDD and VSS comprises at least 2 transistors).
As per claim 15, Guo, Watsuda and Lee et al. teach the driving method of claim 1, further comprising: providing at least one scanning signal to the at least one pixel circuit in each of the plurality of columns within the frame time (Guo, Fig. 5, see Gate signal during t2-1).
As per claim 16, Guo et al. teach a driving method of a display device, used for driving at least one pixel circuit in a plurality of columns, wherein each of the at least one pixel circuit has at least one light emitting element, and the driving method comprises:
executing a plurality of driving sequences (Fig. 5, each sub-frame will be construed as a sequence) during a frame time to sequentially drive the at least one pixel circuit in the plurality of columns, wherein executing each of the plurality of driving sequences comprises:
inputting at least one data pulse signal to write data information into the at least one pixel circuit of a corresponding one of the plurality of columns (Fig. 5, see Data during t2-1); and
inputting a light emitting control pulse signal to the at least one pixel circuit of the corresponding one of the plurality of columns, wherein the light emitting control pulse signal comprises at least one light emitting control pulse within the frame time (Fig. 5, see EM1 during t3-1);
wherein the plurality of light emitting control pulse in each of the plurality of driving sequences and the at least one data pulse signal in other of the plurality of driving sequences are alternately inputted to corresponding one of the at least one pixel circuit during the frame time (Fig. 5, Data and EM signals are alternately input throughput the frame).
Guo et al. do not teach wherein the light emitting control pulse signal comprises a plurality of light emitting control pulses within the frame time, and the plurality of light emitting control
pulses drive the micro fight emitting diode to emit light a plurality of times within the frame time.
Watsuda teaches wherein the light emitting control pulse signal comprises a plurality of light emitting control pulses within the frame time, and the plurality of light emitting control
pulses drive the micro fight emitting diode to emit light a plurality of times within the frame time (Fig. 3, paragraphs 33-36).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Guo et al., so that the light emitting control pulse signal comprises a plurality of light emitting control pulses within the frame time, and the plurality of light emitting control pulses drive the micro fight emitting diode to emit light a plurality of times within the frame time, such as taught by Watsuda, for the purpose of reducing flicker.
Guo and Watsuda et al. teach wherein the plurality of light emitting element is a QLED or an OLED (Guo, paragraph 3), but do not teach wherein the plurality of light emitting element is a micro light emitting diode.
Li et al. teach wherein the plurality of light emitting element is a micro light emitting diode (paragraph 53, “the light-emitting element 600 may be an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a mini light-emitting diode (LED), a micro LED, or a quantum-dot light-emitting diode (QLED)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Guo and Watsuda et al., so that the plurality of light emitting element is a micro light emitting diode, such as taught by Li et al., because it achieves the same predictable result of generating an image.
Conclusion
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.
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/JOSE R SOTO LOPEZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2622