DETAILED ACTION
1. This Office Action is responsive to claims filed for No. 18/980,768 on January 30, 2026. Please note Claims 1-22 are pending. Please note the withdrawal of Claims 13-15 in light of an earlier restriction requirement.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Allowable Subject Matter
3. Claims 7-10 and 18-20 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.
Claim 7 recites aspects of threshold value related to a number of pixels. This level of detail is not taught by the prior art. The same reasoning is applicable to Claim 18 as well.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Claims 1, 4-6, 11, 12, 16, 17, 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. ( US 2025/0273174 A1 ) in view of Hwang ( US 2017/0186389 A1 ).
Park teaches in Claim 1:
A display apparatus ( Figure 1, [0031] discloses a display apparatus ) comprising:
a display panel comprising a first display area and a second display area ( Figures 1 and 6, [0093] discloses a first data driving portion 221 and second data driving portion 222, arranged on top and bottom sides of the display. Also, Figure 3, [0072] shows first and second gate driving portions 211 and 212 arranged on both sides, left and right. It is clear that the display panel has a plurality of areas for these various drivers to output to. Furthermore, this will be expanded on below in the combination );
a first gate driver configured to output a first gate signal to the first display area ( Figure 1, [0072]-[0074] disclose a gate driving portion 210/211 which can output first scan signals SC1 );
a first data driver configured to output a first data voltage to the first display area ( Figure 1, [0092] discloses data driving portion 220/221 can output a data voltage Vdata );
a first driving controller configured to control the first gate driver and the first data driver ( Figure 1, [0068] disclose a timing control portion 240 can generate a gate control signal GCS and a data control signal DCS. This is applicable to 221 and 211 );
a second gate driver configured to output a second gate signal to the second display area ( Figure 1, [0072]-[0074] disclose a gate driving portion 210/212 which can output second scan signals SC2 );
a second data driver configured to output a second data voltage to the second display area ( Figure 1, [0092] discloses data driving portion 220/222 can output a data voltage Vdata ); and
a second driving controller configured to control the second gate driver and the second data driver ( Figure 1, [0068] disclose a timing control portion 240 can generate a gate control signal GCS and a data control signal DCS. This is applicable to 222 and 212 ); but
Park may not explicitly teach “wherein at least one of the first driving controller or the second driving controller is configured to compare a difference between input data and sensed data to a threshold difference, and to generate a shutdown signal based on a comparison result of the difference between the input data and the sensed data to the threshold difference.”
Initially, Park teaches: [0163]-[0167] disclose real time monitoring for lock failures and in response to failures, the transmission of image data Do can be turned off (or stopped), resulting in data voltage Vdata being turned off. [0168] discloses a comparison circuit 250 for the top and bottom channels.
As for sensing and comparing input data and sensed data, in the same field of endeavor, display driving using multiple data drivers, Hwang teaches of multiple data drivers, similar to Park, ( Hwang, Figure 1, [0080] ). Notably, Hwang teaches each data driver receives data voltages, DAT1 and DAT2, respectively, and Figure 3, [0068]+ discloses first sensor 220 and second sensor 230 which can receive/sense the input data. The comparator 240 can then compare these two sensed outputs and based on this, load outputs can be generated. To expand on the aspects of comparing a difference to a threshold difference, Hwang teaches in [0089] that the two outputs can be summed, compared and this comparison result is determined to be smaller than, equal to, or greater than a reference value (read as a threshold difference). Based on this reference value and the determination, the load signals can be generated accordingly, as shown in Figure 3. To clarify, as combined with Park, the sensor aspects can be combined in order to generate the off state of the data drivers.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the effective filed date of the invention, to implement the sensors of Hwang, with the motivation that by comparing the data drivers, voltage variations in the data lines can be minimized, ( Hwang, [0004] ).
Park and Hwang teach in Claim 4:
The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second driving controller is configured to output second input data of the second display area to the first driving controller. ( Hwang teaches in Figure 3 of outputting both sets from both data drivers to be compared, which Park also teaches with the comparison circuit that compares lock signals from each data driving portion, [0035]. Respectfully, outputting the input data to a comparison element or to another timing controller is a design choice issue given the comparison is still being done and output to, for example, the control signal generator 250 of Hwang’s Figure 3 )
Park and Hwang teach in Claim 5:
The display apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first driving controller comprises:
an input data processor configured to simplify the input data to generate simplified input data ( Hwang, Figure 3 shows image processor 210. Likewise, Park teaches in Figure 1 of portion 240 which receives data to be output as well );
a sensed data processor configured to simplify the sensed data to generate simplified sensed data ( Hwang, Figure 3 shows first and second sensors 220 and 230, respectively );
a comparator configured to compare the simplified input data and the simplified sensed data ( Hwang, Figure 3 shows comparator 240 which receives the data to be compared ); and
a shutdown controller configured to generate the shutdown signal based on a comparison result of the simplified input data and the simplified sensed data. ( As the combination notes, Hwang teaches of comparing two sensed aspects (and Park teaches of comparing two aspects in general) with the ability to turn off the data driving portions, as Park teaches in [0167] )
Park and Hwang teach in Claim 6:
The display apparatus of claim 5, wherein at least one of the input data processor or the sensed data processor is configured to perform data conversion to unify formats of the input data and the sensed data. ( Hwang, Figure 3, [0068] discloses multiple values which represent a sum of grayscales, read as unifying )
Park teaches in Claim 11:
The display apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensed data are configured to be generated in a unit of a horizontal line, and wherein the sensed data are configured to be sensed from an upper end portion of the display panel or from a lower end portion of the display panel. ( Park teaches of determining synchronous aspects that are relevant between the top and bottom because of the placement of the data driving portions. In a similar fashion, Hwang of generating load signals which are of a horizontal duration and detailed in [0044]. Respectfully, the sensed data is used to determine the load aspects. The horizontal line aspect is not well defined and respectfully, SSx of Hwang is generated as such data )
Park teaches in Claim 12:
The display apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power voltage generator configured to output a first power voltage to the display panel, wherein the power voltage generator is configured not to output the first power voltage, or is configured to change a level of the first power voltage, based on receiving the shutdown signal that is activated. ( [0167], [0193] disclose the first or second data driving portions can be powered off, i.e. changing a level of the power voltage 280, as detailed in [0217] )
Park teaches in Claim 16:
A method of driving a display panel ( Figure 1, [0031] discloses a display apparatus ), the method comprising:
outputting a first gate signal to a first display area of the display panel ( Figures 1 and 6, [0093] discloses a first data driving portion 221 and second data driving portion 222, arranged on top and bottom sides of the display. Also, Figure 3, [0072] shows first and second gate driving portions 211 and 212 arranged on both sides, left and right. It is clear that the display panel has a plurality of areas for these various drivers to output to. Furthermore, this will be expanded on below in the combination. Figure 1, [0072]-[0074] disclose a gate driving portion 210/211 which can output first scan signals SC1 );
outputting a first data voltage to the first display area ( Figure 1, [0092] discloses data driving portion 220/221 can output a data voltage Vdata ); outputting a second gate signal to a second display area of the display panel ( Figure 1, [0072]-[0074] disclose a gate driving portion 210/212 which can output second scan signals SC2 );
outputting a second data voltage to the second display area ( Figure 1, [0092] discloses data driving portion 220/222 can output a data voltage Vdata ); but
Park does not explicitly teach of “sensing output data of the display panel; comparing a difference between input data and sensed data to a threshold difference using at least one of a first driving controller controlling driving of the first display area or a second driving controller controlling driving of the second display area; and generating a shutdown signal based on a comparison result of the difference between the input data and the sensed data to the threshold difference.”
Initially, Park teaches: [0163]-[0167] disclose real time monitoring for lock failures and in response to failures, the transmission of image data Do can be turned off (or stopped), resulting in data voltage Vdata being turned off. [0168] discloses a comparison circuit 250 for the top and bottom channels.
As for sensing and comparing input data and sensed data, in the same field of endeavor, display driving using multiple data drivers, Hwang teaches of multiple data drivers, similar to Park, ( Hwang, Figure 1, [0080] ). Notably, Hwang teaches each data driver receives data voltages, DAT1 and DAT2, respectively, and Figure 3, [0068]+ discloses first sensor 220 and second sensor 230 which can receive/sense the input data. The comparator 240 can then compare these two sensed outputs and based on this, load outputs can be generated. To expand on the aspects of comparing a difference to a threshold difference, Hwang teaches in [0089] that the two outputs can be summed, compared and this comparison result is determined to be smaller than, equal to, or greater than a reference value (read as a threshold difference). Based on this reference value and the determination, the load signals can be generated accordingly, as shown in Figure 3. To clarify, as combined with Park, the sensor aspects can be combined in order to generate the off state of the data drivers.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the effective filed date of the invention, to implement the sensors of Hwang, with the motivation that by comparing the data drivers, voltage variations in the data lines can be minimized, ( Hwang, [0004] ).
Park and Hwang teach in Claim 17:
The method of claim 16, further comprising:
simplifying the input data to generate simplified input data ( Hwang, Figure 3 shows image processor 210. Likewise, Park teaches in Figure 1 of portion 240 which receives data to be output as well );
simplifying the sensed data to generate simplified sensed data ( Hwang, Figure 3 shows first and second sensors 220 and 230, respectively );
comparing the simplified input data and the simplified sensed data ( Hwang, Figure 3 shows comparator 240 which receives the data to be compared ); and
generating the shutdown signal based on a comparison result of the simplified input data and the simplified sensed data. ( As the combination notes, Hwang teaches of comparing two sensed aspects (and Park teaches of comparing two aspects in general) with the ability to turn off the data driving portions, as Park teaches in [0167] )
Park teaches in Claim 21:
An electronic device comprising a display apparatus ( Figure 1, [0031] discloses a display apparatus ) comprising:
a display panel comprising a first display area and a second display area ( Figures 1 and 6, [0093] discloses a first data driving portion 221 and second data driving portion 222, arranged on top and bottom sides of the display. Also, Figure 3, [0072] shows first and second gate driving portions 211 and 212 arranged on both sides, left and right. It is clear that the display panel has a plurality of areas for these various drivers to output to. Furthermore, this will be expanded on below in the combination );
a first gate driver configured to output a first gate signal to the first display area ( Figure 1, [0072]-[0074] disclose a gate driving portion 210/211 which can output first scan signals SC1 );
a first data driver configured to output a first data voltage to the first display area ( Figure 1, [0092] discloses data driving portion 220/221 can output a data voltage Vdata );
a first driving controller configured to control the first gate driver and the first data driver ( Figure 1, [0068] disclose a timing control portion 240 can generate a gate control signal GCS and a data control signal DCS. This is applicable to 221 and 211 );
a second gate driver configured to output a second gate signal to the second display area ( Figure 1, [0072]-[0074] disclose a gate driving portion 210/212 which can output second scan signals SC2 );
a second data driver configured to output a second data voltage to the second display area ( Figure 1, [0092] discloses data driving portion 220/222 can output a data voltage Vdata ); and
a second driving controller configured to control the second gate driver and the second data driver ( Figure 1, [0068] disclose a timing control portion 240 can generate a gate control signal GCS and a data control signal DCS. This is applicable to 222 and 212 ); but
Park does not explicitly teach “wherein at least one of the first driving controller or the second driving controller is configured to compare a difference between input data and sensed data to a threshold difference, and to generate a shutdown signal based on a comparison result of the difference between the input data and the sensed data to the threshold difference.”
Initially, Park teaches: [0163]-[0167] disclose real time monitoring for lock failures and in response to failures, the transmission of image data Do can be turned off (or stopped), resulting in data voltage Vdata being turned off. [0168] discloses a comparison circuit 250 for the top and bottom channels.
As for sensing and comparing input data and sensed data, in the same field of endeavor, display driving using multiple data drivers, Hwang teaches of multiple data drivers, similar to Park, ( Hwang, Figure 1, [0080] ). Notably, Hwang teaches each data driver receives data voltages, DAT1 and DAT2, respectively, and Figure 3, [0068]+ discloses first sensor 220 and second sensor 230 which can receive/sense the input data. The comparator 240 can then compare these two sensed outputs and based on this, load outputs can be generated. To expand on the aspects of comparing a difference to a threshold difference, Hwang teaches in [0089] that the two outputs can be summed, compared and this comparison result is determined to be smaller than, equal to, or greater than a reference value (read as a threshold difference). Based on this reference value and the determination, the load signals can be generated accordingly, as shown in Figure 3. To clarify, as combined with Park, the sensor aspects can be combined in order to generate the off state of the data drivers.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the effective filed date of the invention, to implement the sensors of Hwang, with the motivation that by comparing the data drivers, voltage variations in the data lines can be minimized, ( Hwang, [0004] ).
Park teaches in Claim 22:
The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the electronic device comprises a smartphone, a television, a monitor, a tablet, an electric vehicle, a mobile phone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a mobile communication terminal, an electronic notebook, an electronic book, a portable multimedia player (PMP), a navigation device, an ultra-mobile PC (UMPC), a laptop computer, a billboard, an Internet of Things (IoT) device, a smartwatch, a watch phone, or a head-mounted display (HMD). ( [0070] discloses a television, monitor, mobile device, wearable device, etc, which read on these limitations. Examiner interprets this as a conjunctive limitation )
7. Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al.
( US 2025/0273174 A1 ) in view of Hwang ( US 2017/0186389 A1 ), as applied to Claim 1, further in view of Kim et al. ( US 2021/0028265 A1 ).
As per Claim 2:
Park does not explicitly teach “wherein the sensed data corresponds to an anode electrode of a light-emitting element of a pixel of the display panel.”
However, in the same field of endeavor, sensing in the display area, Kim teaches of a sensing unit 140, ( Kim, Figure 1 ). Notably, Kim teaches in Figure 3, [0076] that the second node N2 of the pixel can be sensed in real time, which corresponds to the anode of the OLED element, as shown. Furthermore, this impact is because of the first transistor characteristics as well. As combined with Park, pixel characteristics can be sensed.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the effective filed date of the invention, to implement the sensing at the anode, as taught by Kim, with the motivation that threshold voltage, current mobility of the first transistor can be compensated for, improving drive operation and emitting aspects, ( Kim, [0077] ).
Kim teaches in Claim 3:
The display apparatus of claim 2, wherein the pixel comprises:
a first thin film transistor configured to apply a first power voltage to a second node in response to a signal of a first node ( Kim, Figure 3 shows transistor T1 which outputs ELVDD to node N2 in response to transistor T2 receiving a scan signal and outputting to node N1 );
a second thin film transistor configured to output a data voltage to the first node in response to a first signal (Figure 3 shows transistor T2 outputting a data voltage from Dj in response to scan signal on Sci );
a third thin film transistor configured to output a signal of the second node to a sensing node in response to a second signal ( Figure 3 shows transistor T3 sensing node N2 in response to SSi );
a storage capacitor comprising a first end portion coupled to the first node, and a second end portion coupled to the second node ( Figure 3 shows capacitor Cst with a first end portion connected to N1 and a second end portion connected to N2 ); and
the light-emitting element comprising the anode electrode coupled to the second node, and a cathode electrode configured to receive a second power voltage. ( Figure 3 shows OLED with an anode connected to N2 and a cathode connected to ELVSS )
Response to Arguments
8. Applicant’s arguments considered, but are respectfully not persuasive.
Please note the updated rejection in light of the claim amendments. While Examiner appreciates Applicant’s arguments with regards to Hwang, the claim language is not detailed enough to distinguish over Hwang and in general, a combination with Park. Hwang, as taught in Figure 3 teaches of two sensors which output summed values to a comparator. Hwang teaches in [0089] of specifics of the load control signals which are generated by the comparator, notably the signal can be based on a reference value. Specifically, Hwang teaches of comparing the sum (which encompasses the input data and sensed data) to this reference value and outputs different values for the load control signal based on if the difference is smaller than, equal to, or greater than the reference value.
Respectfully, Applicant’s claim language, specifically with regards to the comparison to a threshold difference, needs to be better defined in order to overcome the current rejection.
Conclusion
9. 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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/DENNIS P JOSEPH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621