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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I (Figs. 1-12; claims 1-13, 18-20) in the reply filed on 01/05/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “color coordinate compensation lookup table configured to”, “efficiency lookup table configured to” in claim 2; “a data loading unit”, “a compensation value determining unit configured to”, “a data correcting unit configured to” in claims 8-10; “a first color space converting unit configured to”, “a compensation value applying unit”, “a second color space converting unit configured to” in claim 11.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim limitation ““a data loading unit”, “a compensation value determining unit configured to”, “a data correcting unit configured to” in claims 8-10; “a first color space converting unit configured to”, “a compensation value applying unit”, “a second color space converting unit configured to” in claim 11.” invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. Therefore, the claim is indefinite and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim so that the claim limitation will no longer be interpreted as a limitation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph;
(b) Amend the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites what structure, material, or acts perform the entire claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(c) Amend the written description of the specification such that it clearly links the structure, material, or acts disclosed therein to the function recited in the claim, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)).
If applicant is of the opinion that the written description of the specification already implicitly or inherently discloses the corresponding structure, material, or acts and clearly links them to the function so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize what structure, material, or acts perform the claimed function, applicant should clarify the record by either:
(a) Amending the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function and clearly links or associates the structure, material, or acts to the claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(b) Stating on the record what the corresponding structure, material, or acts, which are implicitly or inherently set forth in the written description of the specification, perform the claimed function. For more information, see 37 CFR 1.75(d) and MPEP §§ 608.01(o) and 2181.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-5, 12, 18, 19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2017/0352310 (hereinafter Kim) in view of Pyo U.S. Patent Publication No. 2023/0085452 (hereinafter Pyo).
Consider claim 1, Kim teaches a display device comprising: a display panel including a plurality of pixels (Figure 1 and [0042]); and a panel driver coupled to the display panel (Figure 2, 130, 160 and 140), wherein the panel driver is configured to store color coordinate compensation data which represents a color coordinate compensation value according to a temperature value and a light emitting element efficiency ([0057], the storage 140 may store a correction coefficient per pixel to compensate (or adjust) at least one of the brightness and color coordinates of the light emitting diode according to at least one of a temperature characteristic and a service life characteristic of the light emitting diode included in the display panel 120), determine temperature values of the plurality of pixels ([0057], temperature; [0064], temperature sensor), determine color coordinate compensation values for the plurality of pixels based on the color coordinate compensation data, the efficiency data and the temperature values of the plurality of pixels ([0071], the processor 160 may acquire, from the storage 140, a color coordinate value of the corresponding pixel area according to at least one of the temperature characteristic and the service life characteristic sensed by the at least one sensor 150. [0072], compensate at least one of the brightness and color coordinates of a pixel area to have a target value may be outputted to the panel driver. [0078], When a target value is set, the processor 160 may acquire a correction coefficient per pixel to compensate at least one of the brightness and color coordinates of the pixel area in the display panel 120 to have a target value from the storage 140, and compensate at least one of the brightness and color coordinates of the pixel area based on the acquired correction coefficient), generate corrected image data by correcting input image data based on the color coordinate compensation values, and drive the display panel based on the corrected image data ([0078], compensate at least one of the brightness and color coordinates of the pixel area based on the acquired correction coefficient. [0080], panel driver 130 may provide driving currents to the display panel 120 corresponding to each driving signal (or control signal) outputted from the processor 160, to drive the display panel 120. Thus, the display panel 120 may adjust time or intensity of the driving currents provided to each LED device corresponding to each inputted driving signal and output a result).
Kim does not appear to specifically disclose store efficiency data which represents the light emitting element efficiency according to a gray level.
However, in a related field of endeavor, Pyo teaches a display comprising temperature sensors TMP1-4 in figure 5 and further teaches store efficiency data which represents the light emitting element efficiency according to a gray level ([0092] and figures 7a-b, the first memory MM1 stores the reference gamma voltage RGV corresponding to the reference temperature RT. In an embodiment, the reference temperature RT includes the plurality of sub-reference temperatures SRT1 to SRTn corresponding to the plurality of reference grayscales RG1 to RGn).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to store and represents the light emitting element efficiency according to a gray level as taught by Pyo with the benefit that when there are temperature differences DT1 to DTm between the reference temperature RT at a point in time when the reference gamma voltage RGV is determined and the measurement temperature MST of the display panel DP measured through the temperature measuring part TMP, the display panel DP may have a gamma curve different from a gamma curve at a point in time when the reference gamma voltage RGV is determined as suggested in [0093].
Consider claim 2, Kim and Pyo teach all the limitations of claim 1. In addition, Kim teaches wherein the panel driver includes: a color coordinate compensation lookup table configured to store the color coordinate compensation data [0061]; and an efficiency lookup table configured to store the efficiency data [0061], a brightness value and a color coordinate value corresponding to temperature A and service life B may be stored), and determines the color coordinate compensation value which corresponds to the temperature value and the light emitting element efficiency for each of the plurality of pixels using the color coordinate compensation lookup table [0061]. In addition, Pyo teaches wherein the panel driver determines the light emitting element efficiency which corresponds to a gray level indicated by the input image data for each of the plurality of pixels using the efficiency lookup table ([0092] and figures 7a-b, the first memory MM1 stores the reference gamma voltage RGV corresponding to the reference temperature RT. In an embodiment, the reference temperature RT includes the plurality of sub-reference temperatures SRT1 to SRTn corresponding to the plurality of reference grayscales RG1 to RGn. [0093], the display panel DP has a same gamma curve as the gamma curve at a point in time when the reference gamma voltage RGV is determined, by providing the correction gamma voltage CGV to the display panel DP, see motivation to combine in claim 1).
Consider claim 3, Kim and Pyo teach all the limitations of claim 1. In addition, Kim teaches wherein, with respect to each of the plurality of pixels, the panel driver generates the corrected image data by adding the color coordinate compensation value to a color coordinate which corresponds to the input image data ([0078], compensate (and thus adding) at least one of the brightness and color coordinates of the pixel area based on the acquired correction coefficient. [0080], panel driver 130 may provide driving currents to the display panel 120 corresponding to each driving signal (or control signal) outputted from the processor 160, to drive the display panel 120. Thus, the display panel 120 may adjust time or intensity of the driving currents provided to each LED device corresponding to each inputted driving signal and output a result).
Consider claim 4, Kim and Pyo teach all the limitations of claim 1. In addition, Kim teaches wherein the panel driver includes: a data driver configured to provide data signals to the plurality of pixels based on the corrected image data (Figure 2 and [0063], 130); a sensing circuit configured to generate sensing values by performing a sensing operation on the plurality of pixels (Figure 2, 150); a memory configured to store the color coordinate compensation data and the efficiency data (Figure 2, storage 140; [0057], the storage 140 may store a correction coefficient per pixel to compensate (or adjust) at least one of the brightness and color coordinates of the light emitting diode according to at least one of a temperature characteristic and a service life characteristic of the light emitting diode included in the display panel 120); and a controller (Figure 2, 160) configured to determine the color coordinate compensation values for the plurality of pixels based on the color coordinate compensation data, the efficiency data and the temperature values of the plurality of pixels ([0071], the processor 160 may acquire, from the storage 140, a color coordinate value of the corresponding pixel area according to at least one of the temperature characteristic and the service life characteristic sensed by the at least one sensor 150), and to generate the corrected image data by correcting the input image data based on the color coordinate compensation values [0063].
Kim’s figure 2 does not show non-volatile memory.
However, Kim teaches non-volatile memory (permanent storage unit, disk) in [0130].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide non-volatile memory as taught by Kim’s [0130] for permanent storage benefits.
Kim does not appear to specifically disclose a scan driver configured to provide scan signals to the plurality of pixels.
However, Pyo teaches a scan driver configured to provide scan signals to the plurality of pixels [0080].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a scan/gate driver as taught by Pyo with the benefit that the gate driver may apply the data signal DS to a plurality of pixels included in the display panel DP based on the gate control signal, may generate a scan signal for adjusting the timing at which pixels display the image IM, and may provide the scan signal to the display panel DP as suggested in [0080].
Consider claim 5, Kim and Pyo teach all the limitations of claim 4. In addition, Kim teaches wherein the sensing circuit generates the sensing values for pixels in at least one row among the plurality of pixels by performing the sensing operation on the pixels in the at least one row during a blank period of a frame period ([0067], the at least one sensor 150 may sense the temperature and the service life corresponding to a pixel area (and thus corresponding row area) at a preset time interval or may sense the temperature and the service life when a preset event such as, for example, electrical power on/off occurs), and provides the sensing values for the pixels in the at least one row to the controller (Figure 2, 150-160), wherein the controller determines the temperature values of the pixels in the at least one row based on the sensing values for the pixels in the at least one row [0067].
Consider claim 12, Kim and Pyo teach all the limitations of claim 1. In addition, Kim teaches a plurality of temperature sensors arranged at a plurality of reference positions of the display panel ([0064], The at least one sensor 150 may be provided per LED pixel, or per pixel area (and thus reference positions) including one or a plurality of LED pixels, or the at least one sensor 150 may be provided per the entire display panel 120).
Consider claim 18, it includes the limitations of claim 1 and thus rejected by the same reasoning.
Consider claim 19, it includes the limitations of claim 5 and thus rejected by the same reasoning.
Consider claim 20, Kim and Pyo teach all the limitations of claim 1. In addition, Kim teaches wherein determining the color coordinate compensation values for the plurality of pixels includes: determining light emitting element efficiencies of the plurality of pixels based on the efficiency data and the input image data ([0065], [0057], a service life characteristic of the light emitting diode included in the pixel area) and determining the color coordinate compensation values for the plurality of pixels based on the color coordinate compensation data, the light emitting element efficiencies of the plurality of pixels and the temperature values of the plurality of pixels ([0071], the processor 160 may acquire, from the storage 140, a color coordinate value of the corresponding pixel area according to at least one of the temperature characteristic and the service life characteristic sensed by the at least one sensor 150. [0072], compensate at least one of the brightness and color coordinates of a pixel area to have a target value may be outputted to the panel driver. [0078], When a target value is set, the processor 160 may acquire a correction coefficient per pixel to compensate at least one of the brightness and color coordinates of the pixel area in the display panel 120 to have a target value from the storage 140, and compensate at least one of the brightness and color coordinates of the pixel area based on the acquired correction coefficient).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Pyo as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Tani et al. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2016/0351095 (hereinafter Tani).
Consider claim 6, Kim and Pyo teach all the limitations of claim 5.
Kim does not appear to specifically disclose wherein the at least one row on which the sensing operation is performed is randomly selected from a plurality of rows of the display panel during the blank period of each frame period.
However, in a related field of endeavor, Tani teaches a display panel 100 in figures 1-2 and further teaches wherein the at least one row on which the sensing operation is performed is randomly selected from a plurality of rows of the display panel [0161] during the blank period of each frame period [0159].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to sense randomly as taught by Tani in order to reduce sensing subpixel line viewing phenomenon as suggested in [0159] and [0161].
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Pyo as applied to claim 12 above, and further in view of Jin U.S. Patent Publication No. 2019/0378454 (hereinafter Jin).
Consider claim 13, Kim and Pyo teach all the limitations of claim 12. In addition, Kim teaches wherein the panel driver receives reference temperature values at the plurality of reference positions from the plurality of temperature sensors, and wherein, with respect to each of the plurality of pixels [0064].
Kim does not appear to specifically disclose the panel driver determines the temperature value of each of the plurality of pixels by interpolating the reference temperature values at four reference positions disposed adjacent to each of the plurality of pixels among the plurality of reference positions.
However, in a related field of endeavor, Jin teaches an OLED panel temperature compensation system (abstract) and further teaches the panel driver determines the temperature value of each of the plurality of pixels by interpolating the reference temperature values at four reference positions disposed adjacent to each of the plurality of pixels among the plurality of reference positions (Figure 2 and [0044], the processing module 2 obtains the temperatures of the first temperature sensor A, the second temperature sensor B, the third temperature sensor C, and the fourth temperature sensor D, and calculates the temperature of the to-be-tested sub-pixel a according to a bilinear interpolation calculation formula).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide temperature sensors as shown in Jin’s figure 2 with the benefit that the number of the temperature sensors 111 in the temperature sensor layer 11 can be specifically designed according to the size of the OLED panel 1 as suggested in [0047].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7 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.
Claims 8-11 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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: Prior arts do not appear to disclose the look-up tables mentioned in claim 7 in combination to other limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/ROBERTO W FLORES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621