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 8/18/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the rejection of claim 1, the Applicant argues [Remarks: pg. 8, 2nd para. – pg. 9, 2nd para.], that neither Lin nor Song teach the amended claim limitation.
The Office respectfully disagrees.
Refer to figs. 6c & 7b & paragraph 58 of Lin, which teaches data signals corresponding to “source” [para. 45] in timing diagram, that varies in length dependent on frame frequency [frame length vs frame length_lp]. During these periods, data signals are applied corresponding to the corresponding frame [para. 58].
Thus, Lin teaches amended limitation of independent claim 1.
Regarding the rejection of claim 14, the Applicant argues [Remarks: pg. 9, 3rd para. – pg. 10, 3rd, para.], that neither Lin, Song, nor Gong teach the amended claim limitation.
The Office respectfully disagrees.
Refer to figs. 6c & 7b & paragraph 58 of Lin, which teaches data signals corresponding to “source” [para. 45] in timing diagram, that varies in length dependent on frame frequency [frame length vs frame length_lp]. During these periods, data signals are applied corresponding to the corresponding frame [para. 58].
Thus, Lin teaches amended limitation of independent claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1 & 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (US 20220036827), in view of Song et al. (US 20210201738).
As to claim 1, Lin teaches a display device [abstract], comprising:
a timing controller (control logic 104) [figs. 1 & 3 & para. 24 & 34-36] configured to generate a control signal using a clock signal (light emitting clock signal em_clk) [figs. 1, 3, 6c, & 7b & para. 34-36 & 58-61] determined based on a frame frequency (power save mode & normal mode utilize different frame rate) [figs. 6c & 7b & para. 58] of the display device;
a pixel (active region 300 with plurality of subpixels) [fig. 3 & para. 34] connected to a scan line (gate lines g1 to gm) [fig. 3 & para. 40], a data line (source lines s1 to sn) [fig. 3 & para. 42], and an emission control line (emission lines e1 to ek) [fig. 3 & para. 41];
an emission driver (light emitting driver 302) [fig. 3 & para. 34] configured to supply an emission control signal (emission signals) [fig. 3 & 4b & para. 41] to the emission control line in response to an emission start signal included in the control signal;
a scan driver (gate scanning driver 304) [fig. 3 & para. 34] configured to supply a scan signal (scan signals) [fig. 3 & 4a & para. 40] to the scan line in response to the control signal; and
a data driver (source writing driver 306) [fig. 3 & para. 34] configured to supply a data signal (display data signals) [fig. 3 & para. 42] to the data line in response to the control signal,
wherein a number of off periods of the emission control signal included in one frame is fixed when the frame frequency is changed (light emitting enable signal em_stv) [fig. 6c & 7b & para. 58-61],
wherein a ratio occupied by an off period of the emission control signal in the one frame is fixed when the frame frequency is changed (light emitting enable signal em_stv) [fig. 6c & 7b & para. 58-61], and
wherein a width of an active period in which the data signal is supplied in the one frame is changed when the frame frequency is changed (frame length vs frame length_lp of source) [figs. 6c & 7b & para. 58-61 & 45].
Lin does not explicitly teach wherein a ratio occupied by an off period of the emission control signal in each of the one frame is fixed when the frame frequency is changed.
Song the concept of a display device [abstract], wherein a ratio occupied by an off period of the emission control signal in each of the one frame is fixed when the frame frequency is changed (duty ratio of light emission control signal em is 50%) [figs. 4a-5b & para. 92].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the display device of Lin, such that a ratio occupied by an off period of the emission control signal in each of the one frame is fixed when the frame frequency is changed, as taught by Song, to improve image quality by reducing sudden changes in luminance noticeable to a user, as taught by Song [para. 112-116].
As to claim 8, Lin as modified by Song teaches the display device according to claim 1, wherein the timing controller receives a mode control signal including a mode corresponding to the frame frequency (signal indicating determination of still or slow-moving images changes mode from normal mode to power saving mode) [Lin: figs. 6c & 7b & para. 20-21 & 58 & Song: para. 31, 34, 64-67].
Claim(s) 14 & 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (US 20220036827), in view of Gong et al. (US 20050057551).
As to claim 14, Lin teaches an electronic device [abstract], comprising:
a processor (control logic 104) [figs. 1 & 3 & para. 24 & 34-36] configured to output an image data [figs. 1 & 3 & para. 24 & 34-36], and to generate a control signal [figs. 1, 3, 6c, & 7b & para. 34-36 & 58-61] determined based on a frame frequency (power save mode & normal mode utilize different frame rate) [figs. 6c & 7b & para. 58];
a display panel (active region 300 with plurality of subpixels) [fig. 3 & para. 34] controlled by the control signal to display an image corresponding to the image data [figs. 1 & 3 & para. 34-36];
an emission driver (light emitting driver 302) [fig. 3 & para. 34] configured to supply an emission control signal (emission signals) [fig. 3 & 4b & para. 41] to the display panel in response to an emission start signal (emission lines e1 to ek) [fig. 3 & para. 41] included in the control signal [fig. 6c];
a scan driver (gate scanning driver 304) [fig. 3 & para. 34] configured to supply a scan signal (scan signals) [fig. 3 & 4a & para. 40] to scan lines (gate lines g1 to gm) [fig. 3 & para. 40] in response to the control signal,
a data driver (source writing driver 306) [fig. 3 & para. 34] configured to supply a data signal (display data signals) [fig. 3 & para. 42] to data lines (source lines s1 to sn) [fig. 3 & para. 42] in response to the control signal,
wherein a number of off periods of the emission control signal included in one frame is fixed when the frame frequency is changed (light emitting enable signal em_stv) [fig. 6c & 7b & para. 58-61], and
wherein a width of an active period in which the data signal is supplied in the one frame is changed when the frame frequency is changed (frame length vs frame length_lp of source) [figs. 6c & 7b & para. 58-61 & 45].
Lin does not explicitly teach wherein a frequency of the clock signal increases as the frame frequency increases.
Gong teaches the concept of an electronic device [abstract], wherein a frequency of the clock signal increases as the frame frequency increases [figs. 2-5 & para. 19-22].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the clock signal of the electronic device of Lin, such that a frequency of the clock signal increases as the frame frequency increases, as taught by Gong, to improve image quality by improving frame synchronization, as taught by Gong [para. 9 & 20].
As to claim 18, Lin as modified by Gong teaches the electronic device according to claim 14, wherein a ratio occupied by an off period of the emission control signal in the one frame is fixed when the frame frequency is changed (light emitting enable signal em_stv) [Lin: fig. 6c & 7b & para. 58-61].
As to claim 19, Lin as modified by Gong teaches the electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the processor receives a mode control signal including a mode corresponding to the frame frequency (signal indicating determination of still or slow-moving images changes mode from normal mode to power saving mode) [Lin: figs. 6c & 7b & para. 20-21 & 58].
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin, in view of Song, and further in view of Gong et al. (US 20050057551).
As to claim 2, Lin as modified by Song teaches the display device according to claim 1 (see above).
Lin as modified by Song does not explicitly teach wherein a frequency of the clock signal increases as the frame frequency increases.
Gong teaches the concept of a display device [abstract], wherein a frequency of the clock signal increases as the frame frequency increases [figs. 2-5 & para. 19-22].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the clock signal of the timing controller of the display device of Lin as modified by Song, such that a frequency of the clock signal increases as the frame frequency increases, as taught by Gong, to improve image quality by improving frame synchronization, as taught by Gong [para. 9 & 20].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 9-13, 17, & 20 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.
Conclusion
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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/DAVID TUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2622
