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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: “Display device with corrected image data based on stretch data”.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A (Figs. 8-20) in the reply filed on 11/17/2025 is acknowledged.
On the Remarks Applicant stated that claims 1-12 and 18-20 are drawn to Species A; however, claim 20 is also directed to sensing by resistive sensor of Species B (Figs. 30-31). As such, claims 1-20 are currently pending, but claims 13-17 and 20 are withdrawn from consideration as directed to non-elected subject matter and claims 1-12 and 18-19 are examined as follows.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 3-4, 6, 8-10, 12 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. in US 2022/0246090 (hereinafter Wu) in view of Kim et al. in US 2025/0273108 (hereinafter Kim).
Regarding claim 1, Wu disclose a stretchable display device (Wu’s par. 21) configured to correct image data (Wu’s par. 29, 49: turn-on number of light emitting units to maintain brightness per unit area, and adjustment of overall brightness) for stretch compensation (Wu’s par. 29, 49: before and after stretching), by: receiving stretch data comprising a stretch location (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 46: horizontal coordinate indicating the dimension), a stretch range (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 46: range of the threshold dimensions Lc1 and Lc2), and a stretch ratio (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38: multiple of stretching between zero [non-stretched I] to 1 [stretched III]); and correcting the image data (Wu’s par. 29, 49: turn-on number of light emitting units to control image quality, and adjustment of overall brightness) corresponding to pixels of the display device (Wu’s Fig. 2 and par. 25: light emitting units) based on the stretch data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 42: turning on light emitting units according to ranges Lc1 or Lc2) and a relation between a stretch ratio and correction data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38-42: turning on light emitting units according to multiple of stretching [stretch ratio]), and wherein the correction data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5, 7 and par. 37, 42, 46: see number of turned-on light emitting units U1, U2 or U3) is determined based on an emission area ratio (Wu’s Fig. 2 and par. 28-30: ratio PPA_1 or PPA_2 which are ratios of light emitting units turned ON over the area A1 or A2) according to a stretch ratio (Wu’s par. 50: whether the ratio (A2/a1)/Q is an integer, where A2/A1 is a stretch ratio and Q is the number of light emitting units forming a group 122).
Wu fails to explicitly disclose a the display device comprising a processor or a stretch sensing unit, Wu also fails to disclose the stretch ratio determined based on an electrical characteristic change for each coordinate of a sensor of the display device, or a lookup table comprising the relation between the stretch ratio and correction data.
However, in the same field of endeavor of compensation of images based on stretch of a display, Kim discloses a processor effecting the compensation based on stretch (Kim’s par. 11, 51, 75: processor 140), a stretch sensing unit (Kim’s Figs. 5 and par. 115: stretch detection circuit), stretch data based on an electrical characteristic change (Kim’s Figs. 5A-5B and par. 117-123) for each coordinate of a sensor of the display device (Kim’s Fig. 12 and par. 156-157, 169, 197-198: coordinates range of an area which is stretched), and a lookup table storing a relation between stretch data and correction data (Kim’s par. 202: LUT relating degree of stretch with compensation control signal).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Wu’s method of adjusting the image brightness would be implemented by a processor of the display device (Kim’s par. 75), that a stretch sensing unit (Kim’s Figs. 5 and par. 115) collecting stretch data based on an electrical characteristic change (Kim’s Figs. 5A-5B and par. 117-123) for each coordinate of a sensor of the display device (Kim’s Fig. 12 and par. 156-157, 169, 197-198: coordinates range of an area which is stretched) would provide Wu’s stretch data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5, 7) and to use a lookup table (Kim’s par. 202) to store Wu’s relation between stretch ratio and correction data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38-42); in order to obtain the predictable result of known components to process a method and detect stretch in a display device (Kim’s par. 11: controller, par. 115: stretch detection circuit), and the benefit of storing in advance the adjustment value according to stretch data (Kim’s par. 202).
By doing such combination, Wu in view of Kim disclose:
A stretchable display device (Wu’s par. 21) comprising a processor (Wu’s par. 4-6: image adjustment during stretching process is upon combination, implemented by a processor per Kim’s Fig. 1 and par. 75) configured to correct image data (Wu’s par. 29, 49: turn-on number of light emitting units to maintain brightness per unit area, and adjustment of overall brightness) for stretch compensation (Wu’s par. 29, 49: before and after stretching), wherein the processor (Kim’s Fig. 1 and par. 75) is configured to:
receive, from a stretch sensing unit of the display device (Wu’s par. 4-6: stretching is upon combination, detected by a stretch detection circuit per Kim’s Figs. 5 and par. 115), stretch data comprising a stretch location (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 46: horizontal coordinate indicating the dimension), a stretch range (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 46: range of the threshold dimensions Lc1 and Lc2), and a stretch ratio (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38: multiple of stretching between zero [non-stretched I] to 1 [stretched III]) determined based on an electrical characteristic change (Kim’s Figs. 5A-5B and par. 117-123) for each coordinate of a sensor of the display device (Kim’s Fig. 12 and par. 156-157, 169, 197-198: coordinates range of an area which is stretched); and
correct the image data (Wu’s par. 29, 49: turn-on number of light emitting units to control image quality, and adjustment of overall brightness) corresponding to pixels of the display device (Wu’s Fig. 2 and par. 25: light emitting units) based on the stretch data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 42: turning on light emitting units according to ranges Lc1 or Lc2) and a lookup table comprising a relation between a stretch ratio and correction data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38-42: turning on light emitting units according to multiple of stretching [stretch ratio], which upon combination is embodied in a LUT per Kim’s par. 202), and wherein the correction data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5, 7 and par. 37, 42, 46: see number of turned-on light emitting units U1, U2 or U3) is determined based on an emission area ratio (Wu’s Fig. 2 and par. 28-30: ratio PPA_1 or PPA_2 which are ratios of light emitting units turned ON over the area A1 or A2) according to a stretch ratio (Wu’s par. 50: whether the ratio (A2/a1)/Q is an integer, where A2/A1 is a stretch ratio and Q is the number of light emitting units forming a group 122).
Regarding claim 3, Wu in view of Kim disclose further wherein the electrical characteristic change (Kim’s Figs. 5A-5B and par. 117-123) is a capacitance change amount (Kim’s Fig. 5B), and wherein the stretch sensing unit (Kim’s Figs. 5 and par. 115: stretch detection circuit) is configured to determine at least one stretch range (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 46: range of the threshold dimensions Lc1 and Lc2, which upon combination are based on the stretch degree detected by Kim’s par. 195 [comparison against a reference delay time]) based on a stretch location having a minimum capacitance change amount (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 46: horizontal coordinate indicating the dimension under Lc1, which upon combination is reflected by no stretch change such as the left side of Kim’s Fig. 5B) and a stretch location having a maximum capacitance change amount (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 46: horizontal coordinate indicating the dimension over Lc2, which upon combination is reflected by change from no stretch to stretch in Kim’s Fig. 5B per par. 120-121).
It would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that Wu’s stretch locations that fall below the threshold dimension Lc1 for no stretch (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 32) has a minimum capacitance change amount (Kim’s left side of Fig. 5B), and that Wu’s stretch locations that are above the threshold dimension Lc2 for stretched (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 32) has a maximum capacitance change amount (Kim’s Fig. 5B: from left to right), in order to obtain the predictable result of detecting stretch by capacitance (Kim’s Figs. 5).
Regarding claim 4, Wu in view of Kim disclose wherein the processor (Kim’s Fig. 1 and par. 75) is further configured to correct image data of pixels Wu’s par. 29, 49: turn-on number of light emitting units to control image quality, and adjustment of overall brightness) in a display area (Wu’s Fig. 1: see RA3 in state III) corresponding to the at least one stretch range (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 46: when above LC2 the number of light emitting units in the ON mode is U3) according to a stretch ratio (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38: multiple of stretching is 1 [stretched III]).
Regarding claim 6, Wu in view of Kim disclose wherein the processor (Kim’s Fig. 1 and par. 75) is further configured to measure, during stretching, a first time point (Wu’s par. 32: suitable time point for increasing the number of light emitting units in the ON mode, e.g. time of U1 in Figs. 4-5, 7 per par. 46) and a second time point (Wu’s par. 32: suitable time for turning on further light emitting units, e.g. time of U2 in Figs. 4-5, 7 per par. 46), the first time point and the second time point being preset (Wu’s par. 34: suitable times are determined based on suitable threshold dimension, in other words, the suitable time is preset to follow the threshold dimension or multiple such as 0, Lc1, Lc2 or 1 in Figs. 4-5, 7) and correct image data input between the first time point and the second time point (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 32, 46: number of light emitting units the ON mode adjusted, e.g. between time of U2 and time of U3) based on stretch ratios (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38: e.g. 0 and Lc1) respectively set to the first time point (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 32: suitable time for turning the light emitting units at U1) and the second time point (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 32: suitable time for turning the light emitting units at U2).
Regarding claim 8, Wu in view of Kim further disclose further comprising a data driving unit (Kim’s Fig. 1 and par. 55: see 120) configured to output data signals corresponding to corrected image data to the pixels (Kim’s par. 63, 73, 159).
It would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Wu’s display device would include a data driving unit as described by Kim, in order to obtain the predictable result of a circuit that provides image data as data signals into the display (Kim’s Fig. 3 and par. 64-65).
Regarding claim 9, Wu in view of Kim further disclose wherein the sensor (Kim’s Figs. 5 and par. 115: stretch detection circuit) comprises a capacitive touch sensor (Kim’s Figs. 5 and par. 117), and wherein the stretchable display device further comprises a touch sensing unit (Kim’s par. 78) configured to sense a capacitance change amount (Kim’s par. 84) for each coordinate of the sensor (Kim’s par. 81-82: touch sensor is integrated with display, and the coordinate of the stretch detection circuit is the range of an area of the display which is stretched per Kim’s Fig. 12 and par. 156-157, 169, 197-198) and generate touch data based on the capacitance change amount for each coordinate (Kim’s par. 79, 85-86).
It would also have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art hat Wu’s display device includes a touch sensor as described by Kim, in order to obtain the benefit of a touch sensing function in addition to an image display function (Kim’s par. 78).
Regarding claim 10, Wu in view of Kim disclose wherein the touch sensing unit (Kim’s Fig. 7 and par. 81: touch sensing panel 110) and the stretch sensing unit (Kim’s Fig. 7 and par. 154: stretch detector 122) are separate integrated circuit chips or a single integrated circuit chip (Kim’s Fig. 7 and par. 81, 87: panel 110 or touch driving circuit separate or in a single device from/with data driving circuit 120).
Regarding claim 12, Wu in view of Kim disclose wherein the sensor (Kim’s Figs. 15-16) comprises a plurality of sensing electrodes (Kim’s Figs. 15-16: see input and output electrodes to rows A and C, or D and F) and wherein the plurality of sensing electrodes comprises first sensing electrodes arranged along a first direction (Kim’s Figs. 15-16: see inputs to A and C, or to D and F which are arranged at different locations along the vertical) and electrically connected to each other (Kim’s Figs. 15-16: see input to A and C, or to D and F connected on left) and second sensing electrodes arranged along a second direction crossing the first direction (Kim’s Figs. 15-16: see outputs from A and C, or D and F, which are arranged at different locations along the horizontal) and electrically connected to each other (Kim’s Fig. 15: the outputs are connected through the previous circuit A or C, or through the switches a-c in Fig. 16).
Regarding claim 18, Wu disclose a method of correcting image data (Wu’s par. 29, 49: turn-on number of light emitting units to maintain brightness per unit area, and adjustment of overall brightness) in a stretchable display device (Wu’s par. 21), the method comprising: receiving stretch data comprising a stretch location (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 46: horizontal coordinate indicating the dimension), a stretch range (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 46: range of the threshold dimensions Lc1 and Lc2), and a stretch ratio (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38: multiple of stretching between zero [non-stretched I] to 1 [stretched III]); and correcting image data (Wu’s par. 29, 49: turn-on number of light emitting units to control image quality, and adjustment of overall brightness) corresponding to pixels of the display device (Wu’s Fig. 2 and par. 25: light emitting units) based on the stretch data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 42: turning on light emitting units according to ranges Lc1 or Lc2) and a relation between a stretch ratio and correction data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38-42: turning on light emitting units according to multiple of stretching [stretch ratio]), and wherein the correction data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5, 7 and par. 37, 42, 46: see number of turned-on light emitting units U1, U2 or U3) is determined based on at least one of an emission area ratio (Wu’s Fig. 2 and par. 28-30: ratio PPA_1 or PPA_2 which are ratios of light emitting units turned ON over the area A1 or A2), a characteristic change of a light-emitting device (limitation in the alternative), or a characteristic change of a thin-film transistor (limitation in the alternative), according to a stretch ratio (Wu’s par. 50: whether the ratio (A2/a1)/Q is an integer, where A2/A1 is a stretch ratio and Q is the number of light emitting units forming a group 122).
Wu fails to explicitly disclose a the display device comprising a processor or a stretch sensing unit, Wu also fails to disclose the stretch ratio determined based on an electrical characteristic change for each coordinate of a sensor of the display device, or a lookup table comprising the relation between the stretch ratio and correction data.
However, in the same field of endeavor of compensation of images based on stretch of a display, Kim discloses a processor effecting the compensation based on stretch (Kim’s par. 11, 51, 75: processor 140), a stretch sensing unit (Kim’s Figs. 5 and par. 115: stretch detection circuit), stretch data based on an electrical characteristic change (Kim’s Figs. 5A-5B and par. 117-123) for each coordinate of a sensor of the display device (Kim’s Fig. 12 and par. 156-157, 169, 197-198: coordinates range of an area which is stretched), and a lookup table storing a relation between stretch data and correction data (Kim’s par. 202: LUT relating degree of stretch with compensation control signal).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, that Wu’s method of adjusting the image brightness would be implemented by a processor of the display device (Kim’s par. 75), that a stretch sensing unit (Kim’s Figs. 5 and par. 115) collecting stretch data based on an electrical characteristic change (Kim’s Figs. 5A-5B and par. 117-123) for each coordinate of a sensor of the display device (Kim’s Fig. 12 and par. 156-157, 169, 197-198: coordinates range of an area which is stretched) would provide Wu’s stretch data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5, 7) and to use a lookup table (Kim’s par. 202) to store Wu’s relation between stretch ratio and correction data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38-42); in order to obtain the predictable result of known components to process a method and detect stretch in a display device (Kim’s par. 11: controller, par. 115: stretch detection circuit), and the benefit of storing in advance the adjustment value according to stretch data (Kim’s par. 202).
By doing such combination, Wu in view of Kim disclose:
A method of correcting image data (Wu’s par. 29, 49: turn-on number of light emitting units to maintain brightness per unit area, and adjustment of overall brightness) for stretch compensation (Wu’s par. 29, 49: before and after stretching) in a stretchable display device (Wu’s par. 21), the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor (Wu’s par. 4-6: image adjustment during stretching process is upon combination, implemented by a processor per Kim’s Fig. 1 and par. 75), from a stretch sensing unit of the display device (Wu’s par. 4-6: stretching is upon combination, detected by a stretch detection circuit per Kim’s Figs. 5 and par. 115), stretch data comprising a stretch location (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 46: horizontal coordinate indicating the dimension), a stretch range (Wu’s Fig. 7 and par. 46: range of the threshold dimensions Lc1 and Lc2), and a stretch ratio (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38: multiple of stretching between zero [non-stretched I] to 1 [stretched III]) determined based on an electrical characteristic change (Kim’s Figs. 5A-5B and par. 117-123) for each coordinate of a sensor (Kim’s Fig. 12 and par. 156-157, 169, 197-198: coordinates range of an area which is stretched); and
correcting, by the processor (Kim’s Fig. 1 and par. 75), image data (Wu’s par. 29, 49: turn-on number of light emitting units to control image quality, and adjustment of overall brightness) corresponding to pixels of the display device (Wu’s Fig. 2 and par. 25: light emitting units) based on the stretch data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 42: turning on light emitting units according to ranges Lc1 or Lc2) and a lookup table comprising a relation between a stretch ratio and correction data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38-42: turning on light emitting units according to multiple of stretching [stretch ratio], which upon combination is embodied in a LUT per Kim’s par. 202), wherein the correction data (Wu’s Figs. 4-5, 7 and par. 37, 42, 46: see number of turned-on light emitting units U1, U2 or U3) is determined based on at least one of an emission area ratio (Wu’s Fig. 2 and par. 28-30: ratio PPA_1 or PPA_2 which are ratios of light emitting units turned ON over the area A1 or A2), a characteristic change of a light-emitting device (limitation in the alternative), or a characteristic change of a thin-film transistor (limitation in the alternative), according to a stretch ratio (Wu’s par. 50: whether the ratio (A2/a1)/Q is an integer, where A2/A1 is a stretch ratio and Q is the number of light emitting units forming a group 122).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2, 5, 7, 11 and 19 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.
Regarding claim 2, the prior art fails to disclose ALL limitations of claim 1, in addition to “wherein the correction data is determined based on the emission area ratio, a characteristic change of a thin-film transistor, and a characteristic change of a light-emitting device according to a stretch ratio”.
Neither Wu nor Kim disclose a characteristic change of a thin-film transistor according to a stretch ratio to determine the correction data.
Wu does disclose that the characteristic pitch between light emitting devices changes (Wu’s Fig. 2 and par. 26: see S1 to S3) according to a stretch ratio (Wu’s Figs. 4-5 and par. 38: multiple of stretching between zero [non-stretched I] to 1 [stretched III]), but fails to disclose a characteristic change of a thin-film transistor.
Wang et al. in CN-112230799-A disclose that a capacitive stretch sensor generates signal interference with the thin film transistor (see translation pg. 10 claim 1), but fails to disclose the correction data determined based on a characteristic change of a thin-film transistor according to a stretch ratio, as necessary for claim 1.
Nor does any other prior art disclose these features.
Regarding claim 5, the prior art fails to disclose ALL limitations of claim 1, in addition to
“wherein the processor is further configured to: determine that stretch ratios in the stretch range are the same when a difference between the stretch ratios in the stretch range is within a threshold value; and differentiate a stretch ratio applied to pixels corresponding to a center area of the display device in the stretch range from a stretch ratio applied to pixels corresponding to an edge area of the display device in the stretch range, based on a stretch ratio lookup table for each area”.
The closest prior art to Wu or Kim fail to disclose these features. Nor does any other prior art disclose these features.
Regarding claim 7, the prior art fails to disclose ALL limitations of claim 1, in addition to
“wherein the processor is further configured to: further set up a third time point between the first time point and the second time point and calculate a stretch ratio of the third time point by interpolation of a first stretch ratio set to the first time point and a second stretch ratio set to the second time point; and correct image data input between the first time point and the third time point and image data input between the second time point and the third time point”.
The closest prior art to Wu or Kim fail to disclose these features. Nor does any other prior art disclose these features.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art fails to disclose ALL limitations of claims 1+3+9, in addition to “wherein the touch sensing unit is configured to sense a touch when a capacitance for each coordinate of the sensor is greater than a reference capacitance, wherein the stretch sensing unit is configured to sense a stretch when a capacitance for each coordinate of the sensor is less than or equal to the reference capacitance, and wherein the reference capacitance is a maximum capacitance of the sensor calculated in a maximum stretch state”.
Regarding claim 19, the prior art fails to disclose ALL limitations of claim 18, in addition to “wherein the sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor, wherein the electrical characteristic change of the sensor comprises a capacitance change amount, and wherein the processor is configured to receive, from the stretch sensing unit, the stretch data determined based on a capacitive change amount of the sensor and receive, from a touch sensing unit of the display device, touch data determined based on the capacitive change amount of the sensor”.
The closest prior art to Wu or Kim fail to disclose the limitations of claims 11 or 19.
Zhai in US 2019/0107911 discloses using the same capacitance sensor for touch sensing and for stretch sensing (par. 47), but fails to disclose the limitations described in claims 11 or 19. Nor does any other prior art disclose these features.
Conclusion
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/LILIANA CERULLO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621