DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/21/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
As per claim 1, Applicant argues that the cited prior art does not teach: “wherein the driving controller comprises: a temperature predictor configured to generate an initial temperature prediction value based on the grayscale value, the grayscale data voltage, the grayscale data current, the high power voltage setting value and the low power voltage setting value and configured to output the initial temperature prediction value to a temperature adjuster; and the temperature adjuster configured to generate the temperature prediction value by adjusting the initial temperature prediction value received from the temperature predictor using the temperature efficiency which is varied according to the usage time of the display panel.”
In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
The Office respectfully submits that the cited prior art seems to teach the claimed limitations, More specifically, the previously cited Lee and Pyun et al. teach wherein the driving controller comprises: a temperature predictor (Lee, Fig. 2, means for generating TD) configured to generate an initial temperature prediction value based on the grayscale value (Fig. 3B, data PD is used during temperature estimation periods), the grayscale data voltage, the grayscale data current (Figs. 2 and 3, grayscale PD determines the circuit voltages and corresponding current I1), the high power voltage setting value and the low power voltage setting value (Fig. 2, the measure current I1 used to determine a temperature value depends, at least indirectly, on ELVDD and ELVSS) and configured to output the initial temperature prediction value (Pyun, Fig. 4, TD) to a temperature adjuster (Pyun, Fig. 4, temperature calculator 720); the temperature adjuster (Pyun, Fig. 4, temperature calculator 720) configured to generate the temperature prediction value (Pyun, Fig. 4, BT) by adjusting the initial temperature prediction value (Pyun, Fig. 4, TD) using the temperature efficiency which is varied according to the usage time of the display panel (Pyun, Fig. 4, paragraphs 157-158, “the current amount flowing through the display panel 100 may decrease as the deterioration value AGE of the pixels PX included in the display panel 100 increases. That is, a temperature of a block having a high deterioration value AGE (or life data BA for each block) may be lower than a temperature of a block having a low deterioration value AGE … generate the temperature data BT for each block, based on at least … the life data BA, which may be obtained in correspondence with whether … the life data calculator 713 are included”).
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, 6, 9, 13, 17 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0042630 to Lee; in view of US 2022/0262307 to Pyun et al.
As per claim 1, Lee teaches a display apparatus comprising:
a display panel (Fig. 1, 150);
a data driver (Fig. 1, 120) configured to output a data voltage to the display panel; and
a driving controller (Fig. 1, 110/170) configured to control the data driver,
wherein the driving controller is configured to generate a temperature prediction value (Fig. 2, TD) according to a location in the display panel (Fig. 2, pixel location) based on a grayscale value of input image data (Fig. 3B, data PD is used during temperature estimation periods), a grayscale data voltage corresponding to the grayscale value, a grayscale data current corresponding to the grayscale value (Figs. 2 and 3, grayscale PD determines the circuit voltages and corresponding current I1), a high power voltage setting value of the display panel and a low power voltage setting value of the display panel (Fig. 2, the measure current I1 used to determine a temperature value depends, at least indirectly, on ELVDD and ELVSS).
Lee does not teach wherein the driving controller is further configured to generate a temperature prediction value according to a temperature efficiency which is varied according to a usage time of the display panel.
Pyun et al. teach wherein the driving controller is further configured to generate a temperature prediction value according to a temperature efficiency which is varied according to a usage time of the display panel (Fig. 4, paragraphs 157-158, “the current amount flowing through the display panel 100 may decrease as the deterioration value AGE of the pixels PX included in the display panel 100 increases. That is, a temperature of a block having a high deterioration value AGE (or life data BA for each block) may be lower than a temperature of a block having a low deterioration value AGE … generate the temperature data BT for each block, based on at least … the life data BA, which may be obtained in correspondence with whether … the life data calculator 713 are included”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Lee so that the driving controller is further configured to generate a temperature prediction value according to a temperature efficiency which is varied according to a usage time of the display panel, such as taught by Pyun et al. for the purpose of accounting for time dependent display panel deterioration.
As per claim 6, Lee and Pyun et al. teach the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the temperature efficiency is represented as a ratio of a present temperature change for an input power at a present time point to an initial temperature change for the input power at an initial time point (Pyun, Fig. 5A represents a percentage/ratio between a current time point and an initial time point, as per paragraphs 157-158, said ratio can be interpreted as the percentage of reduction in current/brightness based on elapsed time).
As per claim 9, Lee and Pyun et al. teach the display apparatus of claim 8, wherein the temperature efficiency is represented as a ratio of a present temperature change for an input power at a present time point to an initial temperature change for the input power at an initial time point, and wherein the temperature adjuster is configured to multiply the initial temperature prediction value by the ratio (Pyun, Fig. 5A represents a percentage/ratio between a current time point and an initial time point, as per paragraphs 157-158, said ratio can be interpreted as the percentage of reduction in current/brightness based on elapsed time and it is implicitly stated that the ratio may be used as a multiplication factor to ensure consistencyto a given reference point).
As per claim 13, Lee, Pyun an Chun et al. teach the display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the driving controller comprises: an efficiency calculator configured to calculate the temperature efficiency based on the usage time (Pyun, Figs. 4 and 5, paragraphs 157-158, “the current amount flowing through the display panel 100 may decrease as the deterioration value AGE of the pixels PX included in the display panel 100 increases. That is, a temperature of a block having a high deterioration value AGE (or life data BA for each block) may be lower than a temperature of a block having a low deterioration value AGE … generate the temperature data BT for each block, based on at least … the life data BA, which may be obtained in correspondence with whether … the life data calculator 713 are included”).
As per claim 17, it is a method comprising similar limitations to the apparatus in claim 1 and it is therefore rejected for similar reasons.
Furthermore, Lee and Pyun et al. further generating a data voltage for the grayscale value based on the input image data and the temperature prediction value; and displaying an image on the display panel based on the data voltage for the grayscale value (Lee, Fig. 1, paragraph 30, “The timing controller 110 supplies, to the data driver 120, data supplied from the outside of the organic light emitting display device. The timing controller 110 may compensate for the data supplied from the outside based on a temperature data TD output from the temperature estimating unit 170”).
As per claim 21, it comprises similar limitations to those in claim 1 and it is therefore rejected for similar reasons.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0042630 to Lee; in view of US 2022/0262307 to Pyun et al; in view of US 2022/0165220 to Kim et al.
As per claim 2, Lee and Pyun et al. teach the display apparatus of claim 1.
Lee and Pyun et al. do not teach wherein the grayscale data voltage is varied according to a luminance setting value set by a user.
Kim et al. teach wherein the grayscale data voltage is varied according to a luminance setting value set by a user (Fig. 3, paragraph 28).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Lee and Pyun et al., so that the grayscale data voltage is varied according to a luminance setting value set by a user, such as taught by Kim et al., for the purpose of improving display quality.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0042630 to Lee; in view of US 2022/0262307 to Pyun et al; in view of US 201/90180695 to Ha et al.
As per claim 3, Lee and Pyun et al. teach the display apparatus of claim 1.
Lee and Pyun et al. do not teach the grayscale data voltage is varied according to a driving frequency of the display panel.
Kim et al. teach wherein the grayscale data voltage is varied according to a driving frequency of the display panel (Fig. 9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Lee and Pyun et al., so that the grayscale data voltage is varied according to a driving frequency of the display panel, such as taught by Ha et al., for the purpose of improving display quality.
Claims 4, 5 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0042630 to Lee; in view of US 2022/0262307 to Pyun et al; in view of US 2024/0212576 to Lee et al from here-on referred to as Lee2.
As per claim 4, Lee and Pyun et al. teach the display apparatus of claim 1.
Lee and Pyun et al. do not teach wherein the grayscale data voltage is varied according to a color of a pixel of the display panel.
Lee2 teaches wherein the grayscale data voltage is varied according to a color of a pixel of the display panel (paragraph 129).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Lee and Pyun et al., so that the grayscale data voltage is varied according to a color of a pixel of the display panel, such as taught by Lee2, for the purpose of improving display quality.
As per claim 5, Lee, Pyun and Lee2 et al. teach the display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the grayscale data current is varied according to the grayscale data voltage and the color of the pixel of the display panel (Lee2, paragraph 129; Lee, Fig. 2, the data current depends on the pixel voltage, which depends on the pixel color).
As per claim 18, Lee and Pyun et al. teach the method of claim 17.
Lee and Pyun et al. do not teach wherein the grayscale data voltage is varied according to at least one of a luminance setting value set by a user, a driving frequency of the display panel and a color of a pixel of the display panel, and wherein the grayscale data current is varied according to the grayscale data voltage and the color of the pixel of the display panel.
Lee2 teaches wherein the grayscale data voltage is varied according to at least one of a luminance setting value set by a user, a driving frequency of the display panel and a color of a pixel of the display panel (paragraph 129), and wherein the grayscale data current is varied according to the grayscale data voltage and the color of the pixel of the display panel (Lee2, paragraph 129; Lee, Fig. 2, the data current depends on the pixel voltage, which depends on the pixel color).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Lee and Pyun et al., so that the grayscale data voltage is varied according to at least one of a luminance setting value set by a user, a driving frequency of the display panel and a color of a pixel of the display panel, and wherein the grayscale data current is varied according to the grayscale data voltage and the color of the pixel of the display panel, such as taught by Lee2, for the purpose of improving display quality.
Claims 7, 10, 11, 15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0042630 to Lee; in view of US 2022/0262307 to Pyun et al; in view of US 20140118426 to Chun et al.
As per claim 7, Lee and Pyun et al. teach the display apparatus of claim 1.
Lee and Pyun et al. do not teach wherein the high power voltage setting value and the low power voltage setting value are varied according to the usage time of the display panel.
Chun et al. teach wherein the high power voltage setting value and the low power voltage setting value are varied according to the usage time of the display panel (Figs. 1 and 2, paragraph 127, the power supply is compensated based, at least in part, on usage time).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Lee and Pyun et al., so that the high power voltage setting value and the low power voltage setting value are varied according to the usage time of the display panel, such as taught by Chun et al., for the purpose of improving display quality.
As per claim 10, Lee and Pyun et al. teach the display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving controller is configured to generate the temperature prediction value (Fig. 2, TD) based on the grayscale value (Fig. 3B, data PD is used during temperature estimation periods), the grayscale data voltage, the grayscale data current (Figs. 2 and 3, grayscale PD determines the circuit voltages and corresponding current I1), the temperature efficiency which is varied according to the usage time of the display panel (Pyun, Fig. 4, paragraphs 157-158, “the current amount flowing through the display panel 100 may decrease as the deterioration value AGE of the pixels PX included in the display panel 100 increases. That is, a temperature of a block having a high deterioration value AGE (or life data BA for each block) may be lower than a temperature of a block having a low deterioration value AGE … generate the temperature data BT for each block, based on at least … the life data BA, which may be obtained in correspondence with whether … the life data calculator 713 are included”), the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value (Fig. 2, the measure current I1 used to determine a temperature value depends, at least indirectly, on ELVDD and ELVSS).
Lee and Pyun et al. do not teach further generating the prediction value based on a data power voltage setting value of the data driver, and wherein the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value and the data power voltage setting value are varied according to the usage time of the display panel.
Chun et al. teach further generating the prediction value based on a data power voltage setting value of the data driver (Fig. 1, degradation compensator 400 is being construed as part of the data driver and generates data power voltage setting value Pcon), and wherein the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value and the data power voltage setting value are varied according to the usage time of the display panel (Figs. 1 and 2, paragraph 127, Pcon and the power supply are compensated based, at least in part, on usage time).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Lee and Pyun et al., so as to further generate the prediction value based on a data power voltage setting value of the data driver, and wherein the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value and the data power voltage setting value are varied according to the usage time of the display panel, such as taught by Chun et al., for the purpose of improving display quality.
As per claim 11, Lee, Pyun an Chun et al. teach the display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the driving controller comprises: an efficiency calculator configured to calculate the temperature efficiency based on the usage time (Pyun, Figs. 4 and 5, paragraphs 157-158, “the current amount flowing through the display panel 100 may decrease as the deterioration value AGE of the pixels PX included in the display panel 100 increases. That is, a temperature of a block having a high deterioration value AGE (or life data BA for each block) may be lower than a temperature of a block having a low deterioration value AGE … generate the temperature data BT for each block, based on at least … the life data BA, which may be obtained in correspondence with whether … the life data calculator 713 are included”); a power voltage determiner configured to determine the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value and the data power voltage setting value based on the usage time (Chun, Fig. 2); a temperature predictor (Lee, Fig. 2, means for generating TD) configured to generate an initial temperature prediction value based on the grayscale value (Lee, Fig. 3B, data PD is used during temperature estimation periods), the grayscale data voltage, the grayscale data current (Lee, Figs. 2 and 3, grayscale PD determines the circuit voltages and corresponding current I1), the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value and the data power voltage setting value (Pyun, Figs. 1 and 2); and a temperature adjuster configured to generate the temperature prediction value by adjusting the initial temperature prediction value using the temperature efficiency varied according to the usage time of the display panel (Pyun, Fig. 4, paragraphs 157-158, “the current amount flowing through the display panel 100 may decrease as the deterioration value AGE of the pixels PX included in the display panel 100 increases. That is, a temperature of a block having a high deterioration value AGE (or life data BA for each block) may be lower than a temperature of a block having a low deterioration value AGE … generate the temperature data BT for each block, based on at least … the life data BA, which may be obtained in correspondence with whether … the life data calculator 713 are included”), wherein the temperature predictor is configured to generate the initial temperature prediction value further based on the data power voltage setting value (Chun, Fig. 2, different weights are used to calculate a data power setting value Pcon, which is in turn used to calculate ELVDD and ELVSS, which in turn control, at least indirectly, the initial temperature prediction value), and wherein the display apparatus further comprises a power voltage generator (Chun, Fig. 2) configured to generate a high power voltage of the display panel, a low power voltage of the display panel and a data power voltage of the data driver which are varied according to the usage time based on the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value and the data power voltage setting value (Chun, Fig. 2, different weights are used to calculate a data power setting value Pcon, which is in turn used to calculate ELVDD and ELVSS).
As per claim 15, Lee and Pyun teach the display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the driving controller comprises: a usage time calculator configured to calculate the usage time of the display panel and an efficiency calculator configured to calculate the temperature efficiency based on the usage time (Pyun, Figs. 4 and 5, paragraphs 157-158, “the current amount flowing through the display panel 100 may decrease as the deterioration value AGE of the pixels PX included in the display panel 100 increases. That is, a temperature of a block having a high deterioration value AGE (or life data BA for each block) may be lower than a temperature of a block having a low deterioration value AGE … generate the temperature data BT for each block, based on at least … the life data BA, which may be obtained in correspondence with whether … the life data calculator 713 are included”);
a power voltage determiner configured to determine the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value and the data power voltage setting value based on the usage time (Chun, Fig. 2).
Lee and Pyun et al. do not teach wherein the display apparatus further comprises a power voltage generator configured to generate a high power voltage of the display panel, a low power voltage of the display panel and a data power voltage of the data driver which are varied according to the usage time based on the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value and the data power voltage setting value, wherein the temperature predictor is configured to generate the initial temperature prediction value further based on the data power voltage setting value.
Chun et al. teach wherein the temperature predictor is configured to generate the initial temperature prediction value further based on the data power voltage setting value, wherein the display apparatus further comprises a power voltage generator (Chun, Fig. 2) configured to generate a high power voltage of the display panel, a low power voltage of the display panel and a data power voltage of the data driver which are varied according to the usage time based on the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value and the data power voltage setting value (Chun, Fig. 2, different weights are used to calculate a data power setting value Pcon, which is in turn used to calculate ELVDD and ELVSS, which in turn control, at least indirectly, the initial temperature prediction value).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Lee and Pyun et al., so that the temperature predictor is configured to generate the initial temperature prediction value further based on the data power voltage setting value, the display apparatus further comprises a power voltage generator configured to generate a high power voltage of the display panel, a low power voltage of the display panel and a data power voltage of the data driver which are varied according to the usage time based on the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value and the data power voltage setting value, such as taught by Chun et al., for the purpose of improving display quality.
As per claim 20, it comprises similar limitations to those in claim 10 and it is therefore rejected for similar reasons.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2015/0042630 to Lee; in view of US 2022/0262307 to Pyun et al; in view of US 20140118426 to Chun et al.; further in view of US 2021/0366343 to Oh et al.
As per claim 12, Lee and Pyun et al. teach the display apparatus of claim 10, wherein the driving controller comprises: an efficiency calculator configured to calculate the temperature efficiency based on the usage time (Pyun, Figs. 4 and 5, paragraphs 157-158, “the current amount flowing through the display panel 100 may decrease as the deterioration value AGE of the pixels PX included in the display panel 100 increases. That is, a temperature of a block having a high deterioration value AGE (or life data BA for each block) may be lower than a temperature of a block having a low deterioration value AGE … generate the temperature data BT for each block, based on at least … the life data BA, which may be obtained in correspondence with whether … the life data calculator 713 are included”), and wherein the display apparatus further comprises a power voltage generator (Chun, Fig. 2) configured to generate a high power voltage of the display panel, a low power voltage of the display panel which are varied according to the usage time based on the high power voltage setting value and the low power voltage setting value (Chun, Fig. 2, different weights are used to calculate a data power setting value Pcon, which is in turn used to calculate ELVDD and ELVSS).
Lee and Pyun et al. do not teach a power voltage determiner configured to determine the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value based on the usage time.
Chun et al. teach a power voltage determiner configured to determine the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value based on the usage time (Chun, Fig. 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Lee and Pyun et al., so as to include a power voltage determiner configured to determine the high power voltage setting value, the low power voltage setting value based on the usage time, such as taught by Chun et al., for the purpose of improving display quality.
Lee, Pyun and Chun et al. do not teach wherein the power voltage generator is configured to generate a data power voltage of the data driver fixed regardless of the usage time.
Oh et al. teach wherein the power voltage generator is configured to generate a data power voltage of the data driver fixed regardless of the usage time (Fig. 1, VGMA is generated independently from ELVDD and ELVSS).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, to modify the device of Lee, Pyun and Chun et al., so that the power voltage generator is configured to generate a data power voltage of the data driver fixed regardless of the usage time, such as taught by Oh et al., for the purpose of improving display quality.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 14 is 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.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/JOSE R SOTO LOPEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2622