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 .
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.
Claims 1-5 and 8-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2020/0111403; hereinafter Kim), in view of Han et al (US 2025/0201196; hereinafter Han), and further in view of Oh (US 2008/0218449).
• Regarding claims 1 and 10, Kim discloses a display device, and corresponding method, (figures 13 and 14) comprising:
a display panel (figure 13) comprising:
a pixel array comprising pixels arranged in a plurality of row lines, the pixels comprising a plurality of inorganic light-emitting elements (figure 3 and ¶s 70 and 71); and
sub-pixel circuits corresponding to the plurality of inorganic light-emitting elements of the pixel array (figures 9 and 12B and ¶ 111); and
a driver (element 820 in figure 13 and ¶ 239) configured to:
set an image data voltage corresponding to an image frame in sub-pixels of the plurality of row lines in the sub-pixel circuits (Sig<m> in figure 9 and ¶s 153 and 239);
drive the sub-pixel circuits so that an inorganic light-emitting element, of the inorganic light-emitting elements, emits light based on the set image data voltage (¶s 151, 153, and 239).
However, Kim fails to disclose the additional details of the display device.
In the same field of endeavor, Han discloses where:
a driver (element 20 in figure 2) configured to:
set a reset voltage in the sub-pixels of the plurality of row lines in an anode terminal of the inorganic light-emitting elements (V0 in figure 2 and ¶ 61); and
drive the sub-pixel circuits so that an inorganic light-emitting element, of the inorganic light-emitting elements, emits light based on the reset voltage (¶ 66),
wherein the reset voltage is a voltage for compensating for at least one of an electrical characteristic deviation of the inorganic light-emitting element or a ground voltage deviation applied to a cathode terminal of the inorganic light-emitting elements (¶s 64 and 67).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the invention of Kim according to the teachings of Han, for the purposes of reducing a fluctuation amplitude of a voltage difference between the anode and the cathode input to a light-emitting device, reducing changes of the brightness and chroma of a display screen, and improving display quality of a display panel (¶ 68). However, Han also fails to disclose the additional details of the display device.
In the same field of endeavor, Oh discloses where the driver si configured to:
obtain a reset voltage (steps ST100 and ST110 in figure 6 and ¶s 35-40);
store the reset voltage in the display device (step ST120 in figure 6 and ¶s 35 and 41);
apply the stored reset voltage in the sub-pixels (¶s 38-40); and
drive the sub-pixel circuits so that an inorganic light-emitting element, of the inorganic light-emitting elements, emits light based on the reset voltage (¶s 38-40).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the invention of Kim, as modified by Han, according to the teachings of Oh, for the purpose of reducing a defective proportion of produced displays by correcting the brightness thereof, if the brightness deviates from a normal brightness range (¶s 12 and 42).
• Regarding claims 2-5, 8, 9, and 11-14, Kim, in view of Han and Oh, discloses everything claimed, as applied to claims 1 and 10. Additionally, Kim discloses where:
Claims 3 & 12: the driver comprises:
a first data driver configured to provide the image data voltage (element 820 in figure 13 and ¶ 239).
Claims 5 & 14: the driver is further configured to
set the image data voltage in the sub-pixels of the plurality of row lines in the sub-pixel circuits by applying a scan signal in the sub-pixels of the plurality of row lines (element 830 in figure 13 and ¶s 240 and 241).
Claim 8: the inorganic light-emitting element is configured to emit light according to driving current provided from the sub-pixel circuits (¶ 110), and
each of the sub-pixel circuits comprises at least one of a Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) circuit for controlling a magnitude of the driving current based on the image data voltage (element 310 in figure 9 and ¶ 110) or a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) circuit for controlling a pulse width of the driving current based on the image data voltage (element 320 in figure 9 and ¶ 110).
Claim 9: the PAM circuit comprises a first drive transistor (element 311 in figure 9 and ¶s 112-115) and
the PWM circuit comprises a second drive transistor (element 321 in figure 9 and ¶s 112-115), and
a first threshold voltage of the first drive transistor is compensated when the image data voltage is set in the sub-pixel circuits (¶s 120-125), and
a second threshold voltage of the second drive transistor is compensated when the image data voltage is set in the sub-pixel circuits (¶s 120-125).
However, Kim fails to disclose the additional details of the display device.
In the same field of endeavor, Han discloses where:
Claims 2 & 11: the reset voltage is applied to the anode terminal of the inorganic light-emitting element through a line separate from a line through which the image data voltage is applied (note where V0 and Da in figure 1 are separate lines, as further suggested by the structure of figure 2).
Claims 3 & 12: the driver comprises:
a second data driver configured to provide the reset voltage (element 20 in figure 2 and ¶ 61).
Claims 4 & 13: each of the sub-pixel circuits comprises a reset transistor configured to apply the reset voltage provided by the second data driver to the anode terminal of the inorganic light-emitting elements while turned on (element T7 in figure 1 and ¶ 63).
Claims 5 & 14: the driver is further configured to
set the image data voltage in the sub-pixels of the plurality of row lines in the sub-pixel circuits by applying a scan signal in the sub-pixels of the plurality of row lines (Sn and element T2 in figure 1 and ¶ 63); and
the reset transistor is turned on based on the scan signal (Sn and element T7 in figure 1 and ¶ 63).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the invention of Kim according to the teachings of Han, for the purposes of reducing a fluctuation amplitude of a voltage difference between the anode and the cathode input to a light-emitting device, reducing changes of the brightness and chroma of a display screen, and improving display quality of a display panel (¶ 68).
Claims 6, 7, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim, in view of Han and Oh, and further in view of Park et al (US 2017/0124954; hereinafter Park).
• Regarding claims 6, 7, and 15, Kim, in view of Han and Oh, discloses everything claimed, as applied to claims 1 and 10. However, Kim, in view of Han and Oh, fails to disclose the additional details of the display device.
In the same field of endeavor, Park discloses where:
Claims 6 & 15: the driver is further configured to:
set the image data voltage in the sub-pixels of the plurality of row lines in the sub-pixel circuits by applying a first scan signal in the sub-pixels of the plurality of row lines (SCAN in figures 15 and 16 and ¶s 71 and 142); and
turn on the reset transistor in the sub-pixels of the plurality of row lines by applying a second scan signal separate from the first scan signal in the sub-pixels of the plurality of row lines (GI in figures 15 and 16 and ¶ 143).
Claim 7: the reset voltage set in the anode terminal of the inorganic light-emitting element is maintained by parasitic capacitance formed between the anode terminal and the cathode terminal of each inorganic light-emitting element until each inorganic light-emitting element emits light (¶s 96 and 97).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the invention of Kim, as modified by Han and Oh, according to the teachings of Park, for the purpose of more accurately compensating the threshold voltage of a driving transistor (¶ 113).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 10 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Closing Remarks/Comments
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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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/NATHAN DANIELSEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2622