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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Examiner cites particular columns or paragraphs, and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
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 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.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A in the reply filed on 4/9/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 14-15 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 4/9/2026.
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, 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2017/0053587), in view of Sohn et al. (US 2023/0089661).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a display apparatus (see 100 in Fig. 1) comprising:
a display panel including a low deterioration region and a high deterioration region (see in Fig. 1 display panel 110 including pixels/regions of different degradations; para[0069]);
a driving controller configured to generate a data signal based on input image
data (see in Fig. 1 timing controller 160 generating compensated image data; para[0068]-para[0069]); and
a data driver configured to convert the data signal to a data voltage and
configured to output the data voltage to the display panel (see in Fig. 1 “data driver 130 may generate the data signal based on the image data” and “may provide a generated data signal to the display panel 110”; para[0065]);
wherein the driving controller includes a deterioration compensator, and
wherein the deterioration compensator is configured to generate the data signal
based on a deterioration ratio (see in Figs. 1 and 3 the timing controller 160 is “configured to calculate a reference driving current [IREF] and a degradation ratio [DR] of the pixel based on first image data [IMAGE1] provided to the display panel and to compensate second image data [IMAGE3] based on the driving current [ISEN], the reference driving current, and the degradation ratio of the pixel”; “the degradation ratio may represent a relative degradation degree between the pixels 111”; para[0011]; para[0014]; para[0117]).
However, Kim does not appear to expressly disclose the deterioration ratio is between a sensing current of one or more pixels in the low deterioration region and a sensing current of one or more pixels in the high deterioration region.
Sohn discloses a deterioration ratio is between a sensing current of one or more pixels in a low deterioration region and a sensing current of one or more pixels in a high deterioration region (regarding Figs. 6A-6B, “all ten of the light emitting elements LD disposed in the first sub-pixel area SPXA1 of FIG. 6B normally emit light, five light-emitting elements LD disposed in the second sub-pixel area SPXA2 normally emit light, and one light emitting element LD disposed in the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 normally emits light”, and “a ratio of the sensing current amounts IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 may be 10:5:1”; “since the ratio of the sensing current amount IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 is 10:5:1, the defect rates of the second sub-pixel area SPXA2 and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 may be calculated as 50% and 90%, respectively”; para[0202]-para[0207]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Kim’s invention, with the teachings in Sohn’s invention, to have the deterioration ratio is between a sensing current of one or more pixels in the low deterioration region and a sensing current of one or more pixels in the high deterioration region, for the advantage of calculating a defect rate of each region/area to prevent a defect of a light emitting element to emit light, per area (para[0002]; para[0194]; para[0202]; para[0207]).
Regarding claim 10, Kim and Sohn disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 1). In addition, Kim discloses a sensing driver (see current sensor 150 in Fig. 1),
wherein the high deterioration region includes one or more high deterioration red pixels, one or more high deterioration green pixels, and one or more high deterioration blue pixels (regarding Figs. 1, 3 and 7, since display panel 110 includes pixels/regions of different degradations, “the first image data IMAGE1 includes RGB data, the method of FIG. 7 may calculate the average grayscale for each of images (e.g., a red image, a green image, and a blue image)”, “may calculate the total driving current for each of grayscales based on currents, which are pre-measured, for sub pixels included in the pixels 111”, and “may calculate the current ratio for each of the images (e.g., a red image, a green image, and a blue image)”, it is clear that both the high deterioration regions and the low deterioration regions include one or more red pixels, one or more green pixels and one or more blue pixels; accordingly, the high deterioration region includes one or more high deterioration red pixels, one or more high deterioration green pixels, and one or more high deterioration blue pixels; para[0069]; para[0141]-para[0143]; para[0145]; para[0147]),
wherein the low deterioration region includes low deterioration one or more red pixels, one or more low deterioration green pixels, and one or more low deterioration blue pixels (regarding Figs. 1, 3 and 7, since display panel 110 includes pixels/regions of different degradations, “the first image data IMAGE1 includes RGB data, the method of FIG. 7 may calculate the average grayscale for each of images (e.g., a red image, a green image, and a blue image)”, “may calculate the total driving current for each of grayscales based on currents, which are pre-measured, for sub pixels included in the pixels 111”, and “may calculate the current ratio for each of the images (e.g., a red image, a green image, and a blue image)”, it is clear that both the high deterioration regions and the low deterioration regions include one or more red pixels, one or more green pixels and one or more blue pixels; accordingly, the low deterioration region includes one or more low deterioration red pixels, one or more low deterioration green pixels, and one or more low deterioration blue pixels; para[0069]; para[0141]-para[0143]; para[0145]; para[0147]),
wherein the sensing driver is configured to perform a sensing operation where the sensing current of the low deterioration region and the sensing current of the high deterioration region are received (para[0067]; “The current sensor 150 may measure a returned current (or, a feedback current) that is returned from the display panel 110 to the power supplier 140 through the second power supplying line”, that is, from the high and low deterioration regions), and
wherein the sensing operation is performed for the one or more high deterioration red pixels, the one or more high deterioration green pixels, the one or more high deterioration blue pixels, the one or more low deterioration red pixels, the one or more low deterioration green pixels, and the one or more low deterioration blue pixels (para[0067]; para[0081]-para[0082]; “The current sensor 150 may measure a returned current (or, a feedback current) that is returned from the display panel 110 to the power supplier 140 through the second power supplying line”, that is, from the red, green and blue pixels in both the high and low deterioration regions).
Regarding claim 11, Kim and Sohn disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 10). In addition, Sohn discloses the deterioration ratio includes: a red deterioration ratio between the sensing current of the one or more high deterioration red pixels and the sensing current of the one or more low deterioration red pixels (regarding Figs. 6A-6B, “all ten of the light emitting elements LD disposed in the first sub-pixel area SPXA1 of FIG. 6B normally emit light, five light-emitting elements LD disposed in the second sub-pixel area SPXA2 normally emit light, and one light emitting element LD disposed in the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 normally emits light”, and “a ratio of the sensing current amounts IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 may be 10:5:1”; “since the ratio of the sensing current amount IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 is 10:5:1, the defect rates of the second sub-pixel area SPXA2 and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 may be calculated as 50% and 90%, respectively”; in addition, since “the light emitting elements LD disposed in each of the first sub-pixel SPXL1, the second sub-pixel SPXL2, and the third sub-pixel SPXL3 may emit light of the same color”, it is clear that the ratio of the sensing current amount IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3, is between e.g. red sub-pixels; para[0059]-para[0060]; para[0143]; para[0202]-para[0207]); a green deterioration ratio between the sensing current of the one or more high deterioration green pixels and the sensing current of the one or more low deterioration green pixels (regarding Figs. 6A-6B, “all ten of the light emitting elements LD disposed in the first sub-pixel area SPXA1 of FIG. 6B normally emit light, five light-emitting elements LD disposed in the second sub-pixel area SPXA2 normally emit light, and one light emitting element LD disposed in the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 normally emits light”, and “a ratio of the sensing current amounts IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 may be 10:5:1”; “since the ratio of the sensing current amount IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 is 10:5:1, the defect rates of the second sub-pixel area SPXA2 and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 may be calculated as 50% and 90%, respectively”; in addition, since “the light emitting elements LD disposed in each of the first sub-pixel SPXL1, the second sub-pixel SPXL2, and the third sub-pixel SPXL3 may emit light of the same color”, it is clear that the ratio of the sensing current amount IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3, is between e.g. green sub-pixels; para[0059]-para[0060]; para[0143]; para[0202]-para[0207]); and a blue deterioration ratio between the sensing current of the one or more high deterioration blue pixels and the sensing current of the one or more low deterioration blue pixels (regarding Figs. 6A-6B, “all ten of the light emitting elements LD disposed in the first sub-pixel area SPXA1 of FIG. 6B normally emit light, five light-emitting elements LD disposed in the second sub-pixel area SPXA2 normally emit light, and one light emitting element LD disposed in the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 normally emits light”, and “a ratio of the sensing current amounts IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 may be 10:5:1”; “since the ratio of the sensing current amount IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 is 10:5:1, the defect rates of the second sub-pixel area SPXA2 and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 may be calculated as 50% and 90%, respectively”; in addition, since “the light emitting elements LD disposed in each of the first sub-pixel SPXL1, the second sub-pixel SPXL2, and the third sub-pixel SPXL3 may emit light of the same color”, it is clear that the ratio of the sensing current amount IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3, is between e.g. blue sub-pixels; para[0059]-para[0060]; para[0143]; para[0202]-para[0207]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have the deterioration ratio includes: a red deterioration ratio between the sensing current of the one or more high deterioration red pixels and the sensing current of the one or more low deterioration red pixels; a green deterioration ratio between the sensing current of the one or more high deterioration green pixels and the sensing current of the one or more low deterioration green pixels; and a blue deterioration ratio between the sensing current of the one or more high deterioration blue pixels and the sensing current of the one or more low deterioration blue pixels, as also taught by Sohn, for the advantage of increasing manufacturing efficiency of the display device while preventing a defect of a light emitting element to emit light, per area (para[0002]; para[0143]; para[0158]).
Claim(s) 2-4, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2017/0053587), in view of Sohn et al. (US 2023/0089661), and further in view of Matsui et al. (US 2017/0076668).
Regarding claim 2, Kim and Sohn disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 1). However, Kim and Sohn do not appear to expressly disclose the driving controller includes a stress convertor configured to output to the deterioration compensator a luminance reduction rate according to a deterioration time, the low deterioration region is where the luminance reduction rate is at a first level, and the high deterioration region is where the luminance reduction rate is at a second level greater than the first level.
Matsui discloses a driving controller includes a stress convertor configured to output to a deterioration compensator a luminance reduction rate according to a deterioration time (see control unit 20 in Figs. 1B and 2, includes luminance reduction calculation unit 220 (claimed stress convertor) configured to output to correction value calculation unit 230 (claimed deterioration compensator) a luminance reduction rate; in the luminance reduction calculation unit 220, “The reduction rate calculation unit 221 obtains, based on information provided from the display state detection unit 210, a lighting period which is an accumulation of periods during which images are displayed on the organic EL panel 110”; “Subsequently, the reduction rate calculation unit 221 derives the reduction rate according to the display period”, “The reduction rate… set in advance according to the panel lighting period”; “The multiplier 222 generates a second luminance signal by multiplying the luminance signal obtained from the image signal by the reduction rate calculated by the reduction rate calculation unit 221”, and sends it to the correction value calculation unit 230; para[0065]-para[0067]), a low deterioration region is where the luminance reduction rate is at a first level (e.g. a “surrounding region where an image with relatively small luminance data is displayed (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as “low luminance region”)”, with lower current, load and luminance reduction rate, and where deterioration amount is less; “The deterioration amount is represented by, for example, the rate of the actual luminance at the time of calculation of the deterioration amount relative to the initial actual luminance before the deterioration”; para[0018]-para[0019]), and a high deterioration region is where the luminance reduction rate is at a second level greater than the first level (e.g. “a region where an image with large luminance data is displayed over a long period of time (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as “high luminance region”)”, with “a larger amount of current”, load, and luminance reduction rate, wherein “The deterioration amount of a pixel positioned in the high luminance region is larger than a pixel positioned in the surrounding region”; para[0018]-para[0019]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Kim’s and Sohn’s combination, with the teachings in Matsui’s invention, to have the driving controller includes a stress convertor configured to output to the deterioration compensator a luminance reduction rate according to a deterioration time, the low deterioration region is where the luminance reduction rate is at a first level, and the high deterioration region is where the luminance reduction rate is at a second level greater than the first level, for the advantage of a simple configuration capable of reducing deterioration of image quality resulting from deterioration of light emitting elements (para[0007]; para[0009]).
Regarding claim 3, Kim, Sohn and Matsui disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 2). In addition, Matsui discloses the deterioration compensator is configured to output the data signal based on the luminance reduction rate corresponding to a deterioration ratio (regarding Fig. 1B and 2, see that based on the reduction rate provided by the luminance reduction calculation unit 220, “The correction value calculation unit 230 calculates, for each pixel P, a correction signal obtained by correcting the second luminance signal according to the deterioration amount”, when “The multiplier 234 multiplies the second luminance signal by (1/remaining rate Δη) calculated by the deterioration amount calculation unit 233” (deterioration ratio); accordingly, “The correction value calculation unit 230 calculates a correction signal to be supplied to the target pixel P to be corrected” and “The data line drive circuit 120 supplies, to the data lines SL, voltage corresponding to a correction signal outputted from the control unit 20”; para[0059]; para[0065]-para[0067]; para[0080]-para[0086]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have the deterioration compensator is configured to output the data signal based on the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration ratio, as taught by Matsui in the combination, for the advantage of reducing deterioration of image quality resulting from deterioration of light emitting elements (para[0007]; para[0009]).
Regarding claim 4, Kim, Sohn and Matsui disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 2). In addition, Matsui discloses the driving controller includes a nonvolatile memory configured to store the luminance reduction rate according to the deterioration time (in the control unit 20, “The reduction rate calculation unit 221 obtains, based on information provided from the display state detection unit 210, a lighting period which is an accumulation of periods during which images are displayed on the organic EL panel 110”, and “Subsequently, the reduction rate calculation unit 221 derives the reduction rate according to the display period”, which “is set in advance according to the panel lighting period”; since each of the structural components of the control unit 20 including calculation unit 221 is “realized by means of a program executing unit, such as a CPU and a processor, reading and executing the software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory”, it is clear that the reduction rate according to display period is stored in a nonvolatile memory; para[0066]; para[0106]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have the driving controller includes a nonvolatile memory configured to store the luminance reduction rate according to the deterioration time, for the advantage of a suitable way of realizing adjustment of a value of a luminance signal to be supplied to a target pixel to be corrected (para[0106]-para[0107]).
Claim(s) 5-7 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2017/0053587), in view of Sohn et al. (US 2023/0089661) and Matsui et al. (US 2017/0076668), and further in view of Hong et al. (US 2023/0104678).
Regarding claim 5, Kim, Sohn and Matsui disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 2). However, Kim, Sohn and Matsui do not appear to expressly disclose the driving controller is configured to store the deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration ratio.
Hong discloses a driving controller configured to store a deterioration and luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration (para[0098]; para[0111]-para[0113]; para[0244]; para[0252]; regarding Figs. 3 and 10, see e.g. when display controller CON and degradation compensator DGC are integrated into one driving IC, and a “degradation curve may be stored in a form of a curve (or curved line) corresponding to a luminance reduction rate according to the degree of degradation of the pixels PX, or in an equation corresponding thereto”, and/or using a lookup table).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Kim’s, Sohn’s and Matsui’s combination, with the teachings in Hong’s invention, to have the driving controller is configured to store the deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration ratio, for the advantage of compensating for grayscale values corresponding to the pixels using different degradation curves (or different equations), to prevent image quality degradation due to degradation of the pixels (para[0112]-para[0115]).
Regarding claim 6, Kim, Sohn, Matsui and Hong disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 5). In addition, Hong discloses a deterioration compensator is configured to generate a prediction function based on the stored deterioration and the stored luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration (para[0098]; para[0111]-para[0113]; para[0244]; para[0252]; para[0259]-para[0261]; regarding Figs. 3 and 10, see e.g. when display controller CON and degradation compensator DGC are integrated into one driving IC, “degradation curve may be stored in a form of a curve (or curved line) corresponding to a luminance reduction rate according to the degree of degradation of the pixels PX, or in an equation corresponding thereto”, and/or using a lookup table, and e.g. a “first degradation curve may define the estimated luminance (or the luminance reduction rate) according to the accumulated use time of the first pixel PX1”), and the deterioration compensator is configured to output data signal based on the prediction function (para[0112]-para[0115]; “by compensating for grayscale values corresponding to the first pixels PX1, the second pixels PX2, and the third pixels PX3 by using different degradation curves (or different equations) for the first pixels PX1, the second pixels PX2, and the third pixels PX3, the compensated data DATA3 may be generated”, and “may include compensated grayscale values corresponding to respective pixels PX”; “The data driver DDR may generate data signals corresponding to the compensated grayscale values, and may output the data signals to respective pixels PX through the data lines DL”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have the deterioration compensator is configured to generate a prediction function based on the stored deterioration ratio and the stored luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration ratio, and the deterioration compensator is configured to output the data signal based on the prediction function, as also taught by Hong, for the advantage of being able to estimate/compute compensation for grayscale values corresponding to the pixels using different degradation curves (or different equations), to prevent image quality degradation due to degradation of the pixels (para[0112]-para[0115]).
Regarding claim 7, Kim, Sohn, Matsui and Hong disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 6). In addition, Hong discloses the prediction function is a linear function (para[0111]; para[0244]; para[0255]; “the degradation curve may be stored in a form of a curve (or curved line)”; see e.g. in Fig. 11, linearity of portions of “an initial degradation curve (or a first degradation curve) of the first pixel PX1”, based on the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claimed limitations).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have the prediction function is a linear function, as also taught by Hong, for the advantage more accurately predicting degradation of the pixels to compensate for the degradation of the pixels (para[0243).
Regarding claim 12, Kim and Sohn disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 11). However, Kim and Sohn do not appear to expressly disclose the driving controller includes a stress converter configured to output a luminance reduction rate according to a deterioration time to the deterioration compensator, the driving controller is configured to store the red deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the red deterioration ratio and to generate a red prediction function based on the red deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the red deterioration ratio, the driving controller is configured to store the green deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the green deterioration ratio and to generate a green prediction function based on the green deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the green deterioration ratio, the driving controller is configured to store the blue deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the blue deterioration ratio and to generate a blue prediction function based on the blue deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the blue deterioration ratio, and the driving controller is configured to generate the data signal based on the red prediction function, the green prediction function and the blue prediction function.
Matsui discloses a driving controller includes a stress converter configured to output a luminance reduction rate according to a deterioration time to a deterioration compensator (see control unit 20 in Figs. 1B and 2, includes luminance reduction calculation unit 220 (claimed stress convertor) configured to output to correction value calculation unit 230 (claimed deterioration compensator) a luminance reduction rate; in the luminance reduction calculation unit 220, “The reduction rate calculation unit 221 obtains, based on information provided from the display state detection unit 210, a lighting period which is an accumulation of periods during which images are displayed on the organic EL panel 110”; “Subsequently, the reduction rate calculation unit 221 derives the reduction rate according to the display period”, “The reduction rate… set in advance according to the panel lighting period”; “The multiplier 222 generates a second luminance signal by multiplying the luminance signal obtained from the image signal by the reduction rate calculated by the reduction rate calculation unit 221”, and sends it to the correction value calculation unit 230; para[0065]-para[0067]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Kim’s and Sohn’s combination, with the teachings in Matsui’s invention, to have the driving controller includes a stress converter configured to output a luminance reduction rate according to a deterioration time to the deterioration compensator, for the advantage of a simple configuration capable of reducing deterioration of image quality resulting from deterioration of light emitting elements (para[0007]; para[0009]).
Kim, Sohn and Matsui do not appear to expressly disclose the driving controller is configured to store the red deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the red deterioration ratio and to generate a red prediction function based on the red deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the red deterioration ratio, the driving controller is configured to store the green deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the green deterioration ratio and to generate a green prediction function based on the green deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the green deterioration ratio, the driving controller is configured to store the blue deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the blue deterioration ratio and to generate a blue prediction function based on the blue deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the blue deterioration ratio, and the driving controller is configured to generate the data signal based on the red prediction function, the green prediction function and the blue prediction function.
Hong discloses a driving controller is configured to store the red deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the red deterioration ratio (para[0098]; para[0104]; para[0111]-para[0113]; para[0252]; regarding Figs. 3 and 10, see e.g. when display controller CON and degradation compensator DGC are integrated into one driving IC, and a “degradation curve may be stored in a form of a curve (or curved line) corresponding to a luminance reduction rate according to the degree of degradation of the pixels PX, or in an equation corresponding thereto”, and/or using a lookup table; see “third pixel PX3 may be a red pixel for emitting red light”, and “a third degradation curve (or a third equation and/or a third lookup table corresponding to the third degradation curve)” corresponding to third pixel PX3) and to generate a red prediction function based on the red deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the red deterioration ratio (para[0009]; para[0098]; para[0014]; para[0104]; para[0111]-para[0113]; para[0244]; para[0252]; regarding Figs. 3 and 10, see e.g. when display controller CON and degradation compensator DGC are integrated into one driving IC, “degradation curve may be stored in a form of a curve (or curved line) corresponding to a luminance reduction rate according to the degree of degradation of the pixels PX, or in an equation corresponding thereto”, and/or using a lookup table, and e.g. a “third degradation curve defining an estimated luminance according to an accumulated use time of the third pixel” PX3), the driving controller is configured to store the green deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the green deterioration ratio (para[0098]; para[0104]; para[0111]-para[0113]; para[0252]; regarding Figs. 3 and 10, see e.g. when display controller CON and degradation compensator DGC are integrated into one driving IC, and a “degradation curve may be stored in a form of a curve (or curved line) corresponding to a luminance reduction rate according to the degree of degradation of the pixels PX, or in an equation corresponding thereto”, and/or using a lookup table; “the second pixel PX2 may be a green pixel for emitting green light”, and “a second degradation curve (or a second equation and/or a second lookup table corresponding to the second degradation curve)” corresponding to second pixel PX2) and to generate a green prediction function based on the green deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the green deterioration ratio (para[0009]; para[0098]; para[0104]; para[0111]-para[0113]; para[0244]; para[0252]; para[0259]-para[0261]; regarding Figs. 3 and 10, see e.g. when display controller CON and degradation compensator DGC are integrated into one driving IC, “degradation curve may be stored in a form of a curve (or curved line) corresponding to a luminance reduction rate according to the degree of degradation of the pixels PX, or in an equation corresponding thereto”, and/or using a lookup table, and e.g. a “second degradation curve defining the estimated luminance according to the accumulated use time t.sub.1 of the second pixel PX2”), the driving controller is configured to store the blue deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the blue deterioration ratio (para[0098]; para[0104]; para[0111]-para[0113]; para[0252]; regarding Figs. 3 and 10, see e.g. when display controller CON and degradation compensator DGC are integrated into one driving IC, and a “degradation curve may be stored in a form of a curve (or curved line) corresponding to a luminance reduction rate according to the degree of degradation of the pixels PX, or in an equation corresponding thereto”, and/or using a lookup table; see “the first pixel PX1 may be a blue pixel for emitting blue light”, and “a first degradation curve (or a first equation and/or a first lookup table corresponding to the first degradation curve)” corresponding to first pixel PX1) and to generate a blue prediction function based on the blue deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the blue deterioration ratio (para[0009]; para[0098]; para[0104]; para[0111]-para[0113]; para[0244]; para[0252]; para[0259]-para[0261]; regarding Figs. 3 and 10, see e.g. when display controller CON and degradation compensator DGC are integrated into one driving IC, “degradation curve may be stored in a form of a curve (or curved line) corresponding to a luminance reduction rate according to the degree of degradation of the pixels PX, or in an equation corresponding thereto”, and/or using a lookup table, and e.g. a “first degradation curve may define the estimated luminance (or the luminance reduction rate) according to the accumulated use time of the first pixel PX1”), and the driving controller is configured to generate the data signal based on the red prediction function, the green prediction function and the blue prediction function (para[0112]-para[0115]; “by compensating for grayscale values corresponding to the first pixels PX1, the second pixels PX2, and the third pixels PX3 by using different degradation curves (or different equations) for the first pixels PX1, the second pixels PX2, and the third pixels PX3, the compensated data DATA3 may be generated”, and “may include compensated grayscale values corresponding to respective pixels PX”; “The data driver DDR may generate data signals corresponding to the compensated grayscale values, and may output the data signals to respective pixels PX through the data lines DL”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Kim’s, Sohn’s and Matsui’s combination with the teachings in Hong’s invention to have the driving controller is configured to store the red deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the red deterioration ratio and to generate a red prediction function based on the red deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the red deterioration ratio, the driving controller is configured to store the green deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the green deterioration ratio and to generate a green prediction function based on the green deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the green deterioration ratio, the driving controller is configured to store the blue deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the blue deterioration ratio and to generate a blue prediction function based on the blue deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the blue deterioration ratio, and the driving controller is configured to generate the data signal based on the red prediction function, the green prediction function and the blue prediction function, for the advantage of being able to estimate/compute compensation for grayscale values corresponding to the pixels using different degradation curves (or different equations), to prevent image quality degradation due to degradation of the pixels (para[0112]-para[0115]).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2017/0053587), in view of Sohn et al. (US 2023/0089661) and Matsui et al. (US 2017/0076668), and further in view of Kim (2017/0032723), hereinafter Kim ‘723.
Regarding claim 8, Kim, Sohn and Matsui disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 2). However, Kim, Sohn and Matsui do not appear to expressly disclose the low deterioration region and the high deterioration region change according to the deterioration time.
Kim ‘723 discloses a low deterioration region and a high deterioration region change according to a deterioration time (see Figs. 1-2 and 9A-9C; “sensing target regions may be selected based on the current sensing information CSI because of a relatively high driving current at a local region at which a degradation degree is relatively high”, and “based on the degradation expectation information INI because of a relatively high possibility of degradation at a local region at which an image change is relatively small or infrequent (e.g., a logo region, a subtitle region, a task bar region, etc)”; “sensing region selection block 171 may use the accumulated data of the temperature sensing information TSI and the current sensing information CSI when selecting the sensing target regions”, and “may change the sensing target regions of the display panel 110 in real-time”, that is, through time [claimed deterioration time], as shown in Figs. 9A-9C; para[0019]; para[0070]-para[0071]; para[0101]-para[0106]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Kim’s, Sohn’s and Matsui’s combination, with the teachings in Kim ‘723’s invention, to have the low deterioration region and the high deterioration region change according to the deterioration time, for the advantage of sensing priorities between regions, and achieve high degradation compensation efficiency, fast operating speed, low power consumption, and the like compared to conventional display devices (para[0106]).
Claim(s) 13, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2017/0053587), in view of Sohn et al. (US 2023/0089661), and further in view of Kim (2017/0032723), hereinafter Kim ‘723.
Regarding claim 13, Kim and Sohn disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 10). However, Kim and Sohn do not appear to expressly disclose the sensing operation is performed in response to a power-on signal.
Kim ‘723 discloses a sensing operation is performed in response to a power-on signal (see Figs. 7 and 12; “all local regions of the display panel 110 can be sensed when the display panel 110 is powered on”; para[0006]; para[0026]; para[0030]; para[0071]; para[0098]; para[0108]; para[0112]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Kim’s and Sohn’s combination, with the teachings in Kim ‘723’s invention to have the sensing operation is performed in response to a power-on signal, for the advantage of using accumulated sensing data when selecting sensing target regions for degradation compensation (para[0006]; para[0071]).
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2017/0053587), in view of Sohn et al. (US 2023/0089661), and further in view of Lee (US 2023/0260448).
Regarding claim 16, Kim and Sohn disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 1). However, Kim and Sohn do not appear to expressly disclose each of the pixels in the low deterioration region and the high deterioration region include: a driving transistor configured to output a driving current; a light emitting element configured to emit a light based on the driving current; an initialization transistor configured to apply an initialization voltage to a second electrode of the driving transistor; a scan transistor configured to apply the data voltage to a control electrode of the driving transistor; a compensation transistor configured to apply a reference voltage to the control electrode of the driving transistor; an emission control transistor configured to control a generation of the driving current; a first capacitor including a first electrode connected to the control electrode of the driving transistor and a second electrode connected to the second electrode of the driving transistor; and a second capacitor including a first electrode configured to receive a first power voltage and a second electrode connected to the second electrode of the driving transistor.
Lee discloses pixels (see pixels PX/500 in Figs. 18 and 20; para[0117]; para[0120]) including a driving transistor configured to output a driving current (see transistor T7 in Fig. 18; para[0113]; para[0117]); a light emitting element configured to emit a light based on the driving current (see light emitting element EL in Fig. 18; para[0074]; para[0117]); an initialization transistor configured to apply an initialization voltage to a second electrode of the driving transistor (see transistor T4 in Fig. 18; para[0073]; para[0117]); a scan transistor configured to apply the data voltage to a control electrode of the driving transistor (see transistor T2 in Fig. 18; para[0071]; para[0117]); a compensation transistor configured to apply a reference voltage to the control electrode of the driving transistor (see transistor T3 in Fig. 18; para[0072]; para[0117]); an emission control transistor configured to control a generation of the driving current (see transistor T7 in Fig. 18; para[0113]; para[0117]); a first capacitor including a first electrode connected to the control electrode of the driving transistor and a second electrode connected to the second electrode of the driving transistor (see capacitor Cst in Fig. 18; para[0113]; para[0117]); and a second capacitor including a first electrode configured to receive a first power voltage and a second electrode connected to the second electrode of the driving transistor (see capacitor Chold in Fig. 18; para[0078]; para[0117]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Kim’s and Sohn’s combination, with the teachings in Lee’s invention, to have each of the pixels in the low deterioration region and the high deterioration region include: a driving transistor configured to output a driving current; a light emitting element configured to emit a light based on the driving current; an initialization transistor configured to apply an initialization voltage to a second electrode of the driving transistor; a scan transistor configured to apply the data voltage to a control electrode of the driving transistor; a compensation transistor configured to apply a reference voltage to the control electrode of the driving transistor; an emission control transistor configured to control a generation of the driving current; a first capacitor including a first electrode connected to the control electrode of the driving transistor and a second electrode connected to the second electrode of the driving transistor; and a second capacitor including a first electrode configured to receive a first power voltage and a second electrode connected to the second electrode of the driving transistor, for the advantage of pixels that emit light with the desired luminance even if a current characteristic of the first transistor is changed, by changing a voltage of the second electrode of the driving transistor to compensate for the change of the current characteristic (para[0005]-para[0006]; para[0040]).
Claim(s) 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsui et al. (US 2017/0076668), in view of Sohn et al. (US 2023/0089661), and further in view of Hong et al. (US 2023/0104678).
Regarding claim 17, Matsui discloses a method of compensating deterioration of a display panel (para[0009]), the method comprising:
storing a luminance reduction rate of a pixel according to a deterioration time (in the control unit 20, “The reduction rate calculation unit 221 obtains, based on information provided from the display state detection unit 210, a lighting period which is an accumulation of periods during which images are displayed on the organic EL panel 110”, and “Subsequently, the reduction rate calculation unit 221 derives the reduction rate according to the display period”, which “is set in advance according to the panel lighting period”; each of the structural components of the control unit 20 including calculation unit 221 is “realized by means of a program executing unit, such as a CPU and a processor, reading and executing the software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory”, where e.g. the reduction rate according to display period is stored; para[0066]; para[0106]);
a high deterioration region is where the luminance reduction rate is at a first level (e.g. “a region where an image with large luminance data is displayed over a long period of time (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as “high luminance region”)”, with “a larger amount of current”, load, and luminance reduction rate, wherein “The deterioration amount of a pixel positioned in the high luminance region is larger than a pixel positioned in the surrounding region”; para[0018]-para[0019]) and a low deterioration region is where the luminance reduction rate is at a second level lower than the first level (e.g. a “surrounding region where an image with relatively small luminance data is displayed (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as “low luminance region”)”, with lower current, load and luminance reduction rate, and where deterioration amount is less than in the “high luminance region”; “The deterioration amount is represented by, for example, the rate of the actual luminance at the time of calculation of the deterioration amount relative to the initial actual luminance before the deterioration”; para[0018]-para[0019]); and
generating a data signal based on the luminance reduction rate (regarding Fig. 1B and 2, see that based on the reduction rate provided by the luminance reduction calculation unit 220, “The correction value calculation unit 230 calculates, for each pixel P, a correction signal obtained by correcting the second luminance signal according to the deterioration amount”, when “The multiplier 234 multiplies the second luminance signal by (1/remaining rate Δη) calculated by the deterioration amount calculation unit 233” (deterioration ratio); accordingly, “The correction value calculation unit 230 calculates a correction signal to be supplied to the target pixel P to be corrected” and “The data line drive circuit 120 supplies, to the data lines SL, voltage corresponding to a correction signal outputted from the control unit 20”; para[0059]; para[0065]-para[0067]; para[0080]-para[0086]).
However, Matsui does not appear to expressly disclose calculating a deterioration ratio between a sensing current of one or more pixels in a high deterioration region where the luminance reduction rate is at a first level and a sensing current of one or more pixels in a low deterioration region where the luminance reduction rate is at a second level lower than the first level; and storing the deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration ratio.
Sohn discloses calculating a deterioration ratio between a sensing current of one or more pixels in a high deterioration region and a sensing current of one or more pixels in a low deterioration region (regarding Figs. 6A-6B, “all ten of the light emitting elements LD disposed in the first sub-pixel area SPXA1 of FIG. 6B normally emit light, five light-emitting elements LD disposed in the second sub-pixel area SPXA2 normally emit light, and one light emitting element LD disposed in the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 normally emits light”, and “a ratio of the sensing current amounts IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 may be 10:5:1”; “since the ratio of the sensing current amount IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 is 10:5:1, the defect rates of the second sub-pixel area SPXA2 and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 may be calculated as 50% and 90%, respectively”; para[0202]-para[0207]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Matsui’s invention, with the teachings in Sohn’s invention, to have calculating a deterioration ratio between a sensing current of one or more pixels in a high deterioration region where the luminance reduction rate is at a first level and a sensing current of one or more pixels in a low deterioration region where the luminance reduction rate is at a second level lower than the first level, for the advantage of calculating a defect rate of each region/area to prevent a defect of a light emitting element to emit light, per area (para[0002]; para[0194]; para[0202]; para[0207]).
Matsui and Song do not appear to expressly disclose storing the deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration ratio.
Hong discloses storing a deterioration and a luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration (para[0098]; para[0111]-para[0113]; para[0244]; para[0252]; regarding Figs. 3 and 10, see e.g. when display controller CON and degradation compensator DGC are integrated into one driving IC, and a “degradation curve may be stored in a form of a curve (or curved line) corresponding to a luminance reduction rate according to the degree of degradation of the pixels PX, or in an equation corresponding thereto”, and/or using a lookup table).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Matsui’s and Song’s combination, with the teachings in Hong’s invention, to have storing the deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration ratio, for the advantage of compensating for grayscale values corresponding to the pixels using different degradation curves (or different equations), to prevent image quality degradation due to degradation of the pixels (para[0112]-para[0115]).
Regarding claim 18, Matsui, Sohn and Hong disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 17). In addition, Hong discloses generating a prediction function based on the stored deterioration ratio and the stored luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration ratio after storing the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration ratio (para[0098]; para[0111]-para[0113]; para[0244]; para[0252]; para[0259]-para[0261]; regarding Figs. 3 and 10, see e.g. when display controller CON and degradation compensator DGC are integrated into one driving IC, “degradation curve may be stored in a form of a curve (or curved line) corresponding to a luminance reduction rate according to the degree of degradation of the pixels PX, or in an equation corresponding thereto”, and/or using a lookup table, and e.g. a “first degradation curve may define the estimated luminance (or the luminance reduction rate) according to the accumulated use time of the first pixel PX1”), wherein data signal is generated based on the prediction function (para[0112]-para[0115]; “by compensating for grayscale values corresponding to the first pixels PX1, the second pixels PX2, and the third pixels PX3 by using different degradation curves (or different equations) for the first pixels PX1, the second pixels PX2, and the third pixels PX3, the compensated data DATA3 may be generated”, and “may include compensated grayscale values corresponding to respective pixels PX”; “The data driver DDR may generate data signals corresponding to the compensated grayscale values, and may output the data signals to respective pixels PX through the data lines DL”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have generating a prediction function based on the stored deterioration ratio and the stored luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration ratio after storing the luminance reduction rate corresponding to the deterioration ratio, wherein the data signal is generated based on the prediction function, as also taught by Hong, for the advantage of being able to estimate/compute compensation for grayscale values corresponding to the pixels using different degradation curves (or different equations), to prevent image quality degradation due to degradation of the pixels (para[0112]-para[0115]).
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsui et al. (US 2017/0076668), in view of Sohn et al. (US 2023/0089661) and Hong et al. (US 2023/0104678), and further in view of Kim (2017/0032723), hereinafter Kim ‘723.
Regarding claim 19, Matsui, Sohn and Hong disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 17). However, Matsui, Sohn and Hong do not appear to expressly disclose the low deterioration region and the high deterioration region change according to the deterioration time.
Kim ‘723 discloses a low deterioration region and a high deterioration region change according to a deterioration time (see Figs. 1-2 and 9A-9C; “sensing target regions may be selected based on the current sensing information CSI because of a relatively high driving current at a local region at which a degradation degree is relatively high”, and “based on the degradation expectation information INI because of a relatively high possibility of degradation at a local region at which an image change is relatively small or infrequent (e.g., a logo region, a subtitle region, a task bar region, etc)”; “sensing region selection block 171 may use the accumulated data of the temperature sensing information TSI and the current sensing information CSI when selecting the sensing target regions”, and “may change the sensing target regions of the display panel 110 in real-time”, that is, through time [claimed deterioration time], as shown in Figs. 9A-9C; para[0019]; para[0070]-para[0071]; para[0101]-para[0106]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Matsui’s, Sohn’s and Hong’s combination, with the teachings in Kim ‘723’s invention, to have the low deterioration region and the high deterioration region change according to the deterioration time, for the advantage of sensing priorities between regions, and achieve high degradation compensation efficiency, fast operating speed, low power consumption, and the like compared to conventional display devices (para[0106]).
Claim(s) 21-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sohn et al. (US 2023/0089661), in view of Matsui et al. (US 2017/0076668), and further in view of Hong et al. (US 2023/0104678).
Regarding claim 21, Sohn discloses a method for compensating a display apparatus (para[0194]), comprising:
receiving a first sensing current of a pixel in a high deterioration region of a display panel (e.g. compensator 700 in Fig. 1 receiving a “sensing current amounts IS of… the third sub-pixel area SPXA3” (claimed a high deterioration region) in Fig. 6B; para[0025]; para[0202]-para[0207]);
receiving a second sensing current of a pixel in a low deterioration region of the display panel (e.g. compensator 700 in Fig. 1 receiving a “sensing current amounts IS of… the first sub-pixel area SPXA1” (claimed a low deterioration region) in Fig. 6B; para[0025]; para[0202]-para[0207]);
calculating a deterioration ratio based on the first sensing current and the second sensing current (regarding Figs. 6A-6B, “all ten of the light emitting elements LD disposed in the first sub-pixel area SPXA1 of FIG. 6B normally emit light, five light-emitting elements LD disposed in the second sub-pixel area SPXA2 normally emit light, and one light emitting element LD disposed in the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 normally emits light”, and “a ratio of the sensing current amounts IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 may be 10:5:1”; “since the ratio of the sensing current amount IS of each of the first sub-pixel area SPXA1, the second sub-pixel area SPXA2, and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 is 10:5:1, the defect rates of the second sub-pixel area SPXA2 and the third sub-pixel area SPXA3 may be calculated as 50% and 90%, respectively”; para[0202]-para[0207]).
However, Sohn does not appear to expressly disclose determining a luminance reduction rate which corresponds to the deterioration ratio; generating a prediction function based on the deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate; and generating a data signal based on the prediction function.
Matsui discloses determining a luminance reduction rate which corresponds to a deterioration ratio (para[0065]-para[0067]; para[0098]; para[0111]-para[0113]; para[0244]; para[0252]; para[0259]-para[0261]; see control unit 20 in Figs. 1B and 2, includes luminance reduction calculation unit 220 (claimed stress convertor) configured to output to correction value calculation unit 230 (claimed deterioration compensator) a luminance reduction rate; in the luminance reduction calculation unit 220, “The reduction rate calculation unit 221 obtains, based on information provided from the display state detection unit 210, a lighting period which is an accumulation of periods during which images are displayed on the organic EL panel 110”; “Subsequently, the reduction rate calculation unit 221 derives the reduction rate according to the display period”, “The reduction rate… set in advance according to the panel lighting period”; “The multiplier 222 generates a second luminance signal by multiplying the luminance signal obtained from the image signal by the reduction rate calculated by the reduction rate calculation unit 221”, and sends it to the correction value calculation unit 230; regarding Fig. 1B and 2, see that based on the reduction rate provided by the luminance reduction calculation unit 220, “The correction value calculation unit 230 calculates, for each pixel P, a correction signal obtained by correcting the second luminance signal according to the deterioration amount”, when “The multiplier 234 multiplies the second luminance signal by (1/remaining rate Δη) calculated by the deterioration amount calculation unit 233” (deterioration ratio); accordingly, “The correction value calculation unit 230 calculates a correction signal to be supplied to the target pixel P to be corrected”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Sohn’s invention, with the teachings in Matsui’s invention, to have determining a luminance reduction rate which corresponds to the deterioration ratio, for the advantage of reducing deterioration of image quality resulting from deterioration of light emitting elements (para[0007]; para[0009]).
However, Sohn and Matsui do not appear to expressly disclose generating a prediction function based on the deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate; and generating a data signal based on the prediction function.
Hong discloses generating a prediction function based on a deterioration and a luminance reduction rate (para[0098]; para[0111]-para[0113]; para[0244]; para[0252]; para[0259]-para[0261]; regarding Figs. 3 and 10, see e.g. when display controller CON and degradation compensator DGC are integrated into one driving IC, “degradation curve may be stored in a form of a curve (or curved line) corresponding to a luminance reduction rate according to the degree of degradation of the pixels PX, or in an equation corresponding thereto”, and/or using a lookup table, and e.g. a “first degradation curve may define the estimated luminance (or the luminance reduction rate) according to the accumulated use time of the first pixel PX1”); and generating a data signal based on the prediction function (para[0112]-para[0115]; “by compensating for grayscale values corresponding to the first pixels PX1, the second pixels PX2, and the third pixels PX3 by using different degradation curves (or different equations) for the first pixels PX1, the second pixels PX2, and the third pixels PX3, the compensated data DATA3 may be generated”, and “may include compensated grayscale values corresponding to respective pixels PX”; “The data driver DDR may generate data signals corresponding to the compensated grayscale values, and may output the data signals to respective pixels PX through the data lines DL”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Sohn’s and Matsui’s combination, with the teachings in Hong’s invention, to have generating a prediction function based on the deterioration ratio and the luminance reduction rate; and generating a data signal based on the prediction function, for the advantage of being able to estimate/compute compensation for grayscale values corresponding to the pixels using different degradation curves (or different equations), to prevent image quality degradation due to degradation of the pixels (para[0112]-para[0115]).
Regarding claim 22, Sohn, Matsui and Hong disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 21). In addition, Matsui discloses a pixel in a high deterioration region is configured to emit light of a first level (e.g. “a region where an image with large luminance data is displayed over a long period of time (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as “high luminance region”)”, with “a larger amount of current”, load, and luminance reduction rate, wherein “The deterioration amount of a pixel positioned in the high luminance region is larger than a pixel positioned in the surrounding region”; para[0018]-para[0019]), and a pixel in a low deterioration region is configured to emit light of a second level less than the first level (e.g. a “surrounding region where an image with relatively small luminance data is displayed (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as “low luminance region”)”, with lower current, load and luminance reduction rate, and where deterioration amount is less than in the “high luminance region”; “The deterioration amount is represented by, for example, the rate of the actual luminance at the time of calculation of the deterioration amount relative to the initial actual luminance before the deterioration”; para[0018]-para[0019]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have the pixel in the high deterioration region is configured to emit light of a first level, and the pixel in the low deterioration region is configured to emit light of a second level less than the first level, for the advantage of a configuration that reduces deterioration of image quality resulting from deterioration of different light emitting elements (para[0007]; para[0009]).
Claim(s) 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sohn et al. (US 2023/0089661), in view of Matsui et al. (US 2017/0076668) and Hong et al. (US 2023/0104678), and further in view of Kim (2017/0032723), hereinafter Kim ‘723.
Regarding claim 23, Sohn, Matsui and Hong disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 21). However, Sohn, Matsui and Hong do not appear to expressly disclose the low deterioration region and the high deterioration region change over time.
Kim ‘723 discloses a low deterioration region and a high deterioration region change over time (see Figs. 1-2 and 9A-9C; “sensing target regions may be selected based on the current sensing information CSI because of a relatively high driving current at a local region at which a degradation degree is relatively high”, and “based on the degradation expectation information INI because of a relatively high possibility of degradation at a local region at which an image change is relatively small or infrequent (e.g., a logo region, a subtitle region, a task bar region, etc)”; “sensing region selection block 171 may use the accumulated data of the temperature sensing information TSI and the current sensing information CSI when selecting the sensing target regions”, and “may change the sensing target regions of the display panel 110 in real-time”, that is, over time, as shown in Figs. 9A-9C; para[0019]; para[0070]-para[0071]; para[0101]-para[0106]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings in Sohn’s, Matsui’s and Hong’s combination, with the teachings in Kim ‘723’s invention, to have the low deterioration region and the high deterioration region change over time, for the advantage of sensing priorities between regions, and achieve high degradation compensation efficiency, fast operating speed, low power consumption, and the like compared to conventional display devices (para[0106]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 9, Kim and Sohn disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 1). However, the prior art, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or suggest the following limitations in combination with the rest of the claim, that is, the claim as a whole: “the deterioration ratio is between a value obtained by dividing the sensing current of the one or more pixels in the high deterioration region after a deterioration time by the sensing current of the one or more pixels in the low deterioration region after the deterioration time and a value obtained by dividing the sensing current of the one or more pixels in the high deterioration region in an initial time by the sensing current of the one or more pixels in the low deterioration region in the initial time”, as claimed in claim 9.
Regarding claim 20, Matsui, Sohn and Hong disclose all the claim limitations as applied above (see claim 17). However, the prior art, taken alone or in combination, fails to teach or suggest the following limitations in combination with the rest of the claim, that is, the claim as a whole: “the deterioration ratio is between a value obtained by dividing the sensing current of the one or more pixels in the high deterioration region after a deterioration time by the sensing current of the one or more pixels in the low deterioration region after the deterioration time and a value obtained by dividing the sensing current of the one or more pixels in the high deterioration region in an initial time by the sensing current of the one or more pixels in the low deterioration region in the initial time”, as claimed in claim 20.
Conclusion
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/GLORYVID FIGUEROA-GIBSON/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2628
/NITIN PATEL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2628
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