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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/09/2026 has been entered.
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 1-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US PGPub 2024/0257748) in view of Chou et al. (US 11,735,147) and Manabe (US PGPub 2010/0128054).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a display apparatus ([0037] and fig. 1, display device) comprising:
a display panel (fig. 1, display panel 150) including a pixel ([0040], “The display panel 150 may include a plurality of sub-pixels SP”);
a data driver (fig. 1, data driver 140) which applies a data voltage based on a data signal to the pixel ([0043], “The data driver 140 may sample and latch the deterioration-compensated data signal IDATA′ in response to the data timing control signal DDC supplied from the timing controller 120, convert the data signal in a digital form into an analog data voltage VDATA on the basis of a gamma reference voltage, and output the analog data voltage VDATA”); and
a driving controller (fig. 1, timing controller 120; where according to [0075], “The deterioration compensation device 200 having the above-described configuration may be included in the timing controller 120 in the form of a memory in which an algorithm for processing a series of functions performed by the deterioration compensation device 200 and gamma correction LUTs are stored” thus elements of the deterioration compensation device 200 could be in the timing controller 120) which receives input image data and outputs the data signal ([0042], “The timing controller 120 may provide the data signal IDATA supplied from the image provider 110 to the data driver 140 along with the data timing control signal DDC. Here, the timing controller 120 may supply, to the data driver 140, a deterioration-compensated data signal IDATA′ obtained by reflecting compensation data calculated depending on the accumulated amount of deterioration of OLEDs in the data signal IDATA. The deterioration compensation function of the timing controller 120 will be described later in detail”),
wherein the driving controller generates the data signal based on a luminance gain calculated based on a luminance recognition test data ([0054]-[0055], “Through the above tests, it can be ascertained that OLEDs have different degrees of deterioration by color, gray level, and driving time, and when a fixed gamma value (2.5) is applied to the relational expression showing the relationship between the luminance compensation gain (L gain) and the data compensation gain (D gain), actually measured data cannot reflect differences in degrees of deterioration. Therefore, the deterioration compensation device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can convert a luminance compensation gain (L gain) into a data compensation gain (D gain) by applying a gamma value that matches each color, gray level, and driving time, and apply a data compensation gain (D gain) calculated using a changed gamma value to input image data, to thereby compensate for deterioration”)
While Kim teaches generating a data signal based on a calculated luminance gain ([0054]-[0055]), it has been known to generate a data signal based on a plurality of known degradation factors including both luminance gain and color gain. In a similar field of endeavor of burn-in compensation methods for display devices, Chou discloses wherein the driving controller generates the data signal (column 19, lines 41-45, “the gain parameters 68 include a brightness adaptation factor to adjust the gains based on the global brightness setting and a normalization factor to account for the maximum gains across the different color component channels”) based on a luminance gain calculated based on a luminance recognition test data (column 19, lines 50-58, “In some embodiments, the brightness adaptation factor may be determined via a lookup table (LUT) based on the pixel values of the input image data 58 scaled by a function of the global brightness setting and the emission duty cycle. As should be appreciated, the brightness adaptation factor may be obtained via a LUT, by computation, or any suitable method accounting for the global brightness setting of the electronic display 12 and/or the emission duty cycle of the pixel of interest”) and a color sense gain calculated based on a color sense recognition test data (column 19, line 61 – column 20, line 4, “The normalization factor may compensate for an estimated pixel burn-in of the most burnt-in pixel with respect to the maximum gain of each color component. For example, in some embodiments, the normalization factor may assign a gain of 1.0 to the pixel(s) determined to have the most burn-in and a gain of less than 1.0 to the pixel(s) that are less likely to exhibit burn-in effects. As such, the gain parameters 68 may be used in conjunction with the multi-resolution gain maps 144 to compensate the input image data 58 for burn-in related aging of the display pixels”).
In view of the teachings of Kim and Chou, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use both luminance and color gain to compensate input image data, as taught by Chou, within the deterioration compensation system of Kim, for the purpose of improving user’s experience such that the pixels of the electronic display that are likely to exhibit the greatest amount of aging will appear to be equally as bright as pixels with less aging, as such, perceivable burn-in artifacts on the electronic display may be reduced or eliminated (Chou: column 2, lines 43-47).
The combination of Kim and Chou further discloses wherein each of the luminance recognition test data and the color sense recognition test data (Chou: columns 19-20, see above) as the test data. While the combination of Kim and Chou teaches performing tests to compensate input image data, it has been known to have a user select test images as a choice between manual or automatic. In a similar field of endeavor of display device compensation, Manabe discloses wherein a test image is displayed by the display panel ([0008] and fig. 11, “a plurality of test images are displayed in the display screen, each at a different luminous frequency”), and wherein test data is determined based on a region selected within the test image by a user ([0088] and fig. 11, “a plurality of test images are displayed in the display screen, each at a different luminous frequency, and the user is allowed to select the luminous frequency forming the brightest image among the test images. The user inputs evaluation values regarding brightness for the plurality of test images”).
In view of the teachings of Kim, Chou and Manabe, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to allow a user to specify data in test images of Manabe, in the system of Kim and Chou, as a known choice between manual or automatic test selection where manual selection allows a user to have more control over the selection.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein the data signal is generated based on a final gain, and
wherein the final gain is a product of the luminance gain and the color sense gain (Chou: column 10, lines 48-56, “The gain parameters 68 may augment the gain maps 74 during BIC 62 to account for global and/or average display characteristics for the image frame. For example, the gain parameters 68 may include a normalization factor and a brightness adaptation factor, which may vary depending on the global display brightness, the gray level of the input image data 58, the emission duty cycle of the pixels, and/or which color component (e.g., red, green, or blue) the gain parameters 68 is applied”).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein a luminance level is determined based on the luminance recognition test data, and
wherein the luminance gain has a second luminance gain higher than a first luminance gain when the luminance level is in a second luminance level higher than a first luminance level (Chou: column 19, lines 50-58, “the brightness adaptation factor may be determined via a lookup table (LUT) based on the pixel values of the input image data 58 scaled by a function of the global brightness setting and the emission duty cycle. As should be appreciated, the brightness adaptation factor may be obtained via a LUT, by computation, or any suitable method accounting for the global brightness setting of the electronic display 12 and/or the emission duty cycle of the pixel of interest”).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein a luminance level is determined based on the luminance recognition test data, and
wherein when the luminance level is increased, the luminance gain is increased (Chou: column 10, lines 21-38: “The history update 66 is an incremental update representing an increased amount of pixel aging that is estimated to have occurred since a corresponding previous history update 66. As should be appreciated, history updates 66 may be performed for each image frame, sub-sampled at a desired frequency (e.g., every other image frame, every third image frame, every fourth image frame, and so on), and/or the pixels may be divided into groups such that each group of pixels is sampled over a different image frame. In some embodiments, gain parameters 68 such as a normalization factor, a brightness adaptation factor, a duty cycle, and/or a global brightness setting, may be used in generating the history update 66 to determine or otherwise calculate the estimated amount of pixel aging. Furthermore, each history update 66 may be aggregated to maintain a burn-in history map 70 indicative of the total estimated burn-in that has occurred to the display pixels of the electronic display 12”).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein the final gain includes a first color final gain, a second color final gain and a third color final gain, wherein the first color final gain is a product of a first color sense gain and the luminance gain, wherein the second color final gain is a product of a second color sense gain and the luminance gain, and wherein the third color final gain is a product of a third color sense gain and the luminance gain (Chou: column 4, lines 53-57, “image data may indicate luminance per color component, for example, via red component image data, blue component image data, and green component image data, collectively referred to as RGB image data (e.g., RGB, sRGB)”).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein the first color sense gain is higher than a first reference gain when a color sense level determined based on the color sense recognition test data is in a first color sense level range, wherein the second color sense gain is higher than a second reference gain when the color sense level is in a second color sense range different from the first color sense level range, and wherein the third color sense gain is higher than a third reference gain when the color sense level is in a third color sense range different from the first color sense level range and the second color sense level range (Chou: column 10, lines 21-38: “The history update 66 is an incremental update representing an increased amount of pixel aging that is estimated to have occurred since a corresponding previous history update 66. As should be appreciated, history updates 66 may be performed for each image frame, sub-sampled at a desired frequency (e.g., every other image frame, every third image frame, every fourth image frame, and so on), and/or the pixels may be divided into groups such that each group of pixels is sampled over a different image frame. In some embodiments, gain parameters 68 such as a normalization factor, a brightness adaptation factor, a duty cycle, and/or a global brightness setting, may be used in generating the history update 66 to determine or otherwise calculate the estimated amount of pixel aging. Furthermore, each history update 66 may be aggregated to maintain a burn-in history map 70 indicative of the total estimated burn-in that has occurred to the display pixels of the electronic display 12”).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein the luminance recognition test data has a value determined based on a selected luminance of the region selected from the test image, and the color sense recognition test data has a value based on a selected color of the region selected from the test image, and
wherein when the selected color is a first color, the first color sense gain is a maximum color sense gain (Chou: column 19, lines 41-45, “the gain parameters 68 include a brightness adaptation factor to adjust the gains based on the global brightness setting and a normalization factor to account for the maximum gains across the different color component channels” where Orio teaches regions of test images (see claim 1)).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein a first color luminance of the display panel is controlled based on the first color final gain, wherein a second color luminance of the display panel is controlled based on the second color final gain, and wherein a third color luminance of the display panel is controlled based on the third color final gain (Chou: column 4, lines 53-57, “image data may indicate luminance per color component, for example, via red component image data, blue component image data, and green component image data, collectively referred to as RGB image data (e.g., RGB, sRGB)”).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein the luminance recognition test data has a value determined based on a selected luminance of the region selected from the test image, and
wherein the color sense recognition test data has a value determined based on a selected color of the region selected from the test image (Chou: column 19, lines 41-45, “the gain parameters 68 include a brightness adaptation factor to adjust the gains based on the global brightness setting and a normalization factor to account for the maximum gains across the different color component channels”, where Orio teaches regions of test images (see claim 1)).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein the test image includes a luminance test image and a color sense test image, wherein the luminance test image includes a first luminance image and a second luminance image, wherein the first luminance image includes a first luminance region, wherein the second luminance image includes a second luminance region having a luminance lower than a luminance of the first luminance region (Chou: column 2, lines 54-65, “For example, if a gain map is generated that is downsampled by a factor of two in both the vertical and horizontal directions (relative to the pixel resolution of the electronic display) and the electronic display is divided into regions having content grouped pixels of 1×1, 2×2, and 4×4, the gain map may be upsampled to compensate 1×1 grouped pixels (e.g., individual pixels), downsampled to compensate 4×4 grouped pixels, and used natively for 2×2 grouped pixels. Furthermore, different upsamplings and downsamplings may occur in different directions (e.g., vertically and horizontally) depending on the adjustable regions defined by the boundary data”).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein the test image includes a luminance test image and a color sense recognition test image, and wherein the color sense test image includes a first color region having a first color and a second color region having a second color different from the first color (Chou: column 2, lines 54-65, “For example, if a gain map is generated that is downsampled by a factor of two in both the vertical and horizontal directions (relative to the pixel resolution of the electronic display) and the electronic display is divided into regions having content grouped pixels of 1×1, 2×2, and 4×4, the gain map may be upsampled to compensate 1×1 grouped pixels (e.g., individual pixels), downsampled to compensate 4×4 grouped pixels, and used natively for 2×2 grouped pixels. Furthermore, different upsamplings and downsamplings may occur in different directions (e.g., vertically and horizontally) depending on the adjustable regions defined by the boundary data”).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein the test image includes a luminance test image and a color sense test image, and wherein the luminance test image includes a first luminance region, a second luminance region having a luminance lower than a luminance of the first luminance region and a third luminance region having a luminance lower than a luminance of the second luminance region (Chou: column 2, lines 54-65, “For example, if a gain map is generated that is downsampled by a factor of two in both the vertical and horizontal directions (relative to the pixel resolution of the electronic display) and the electronic display is divided into regions having content grouped pixels of 1×1, 2×2, and 4×4, the gain map may be upsampled to compensate 1×1 grouped pixels (e.g., individual pixels), downsampled to compensate 4×4 grouped pixels, and used natively for 2×2 grouped pixels. Furthermore, different upsamplings and downsamplings may occur in different directions (e.g., vertically and horizontally) depending on the adjustable regions defined by the boundary data”).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein the driving controller includes:
a luminance data calculator which determines a luminance level based on the luminance recognition test data (Chou: fig. 8, gain parameters 68);
a color sense data calculator which determines a color sense level based on the color sense recognition test data (Chou: fig. 8, gain maps 74);
a gain calculator which calculates a final gain based on the luminance level and the color sense level (Chou: fig. 8, burn-in compensation 62); and
a signal outputter which generates the data signal based on the final gain and the input image data (Chou: fig. 8, compensated image data 60).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Kim, Chou and Manabe further discloses wherein the driving controller further includes:
a stress converter which determines a deterioration of the display panel and outputs deterioration data corresponding to the deterioration of the display panel (Chou: fig. 8, burn-in compensation 62); and
a compensation signal generator which receives the deterioration data and the final gain, and outputs a compensation signal generated based on the deterioration data and the final gain (Chou: fig. 8, compensated image data 60).
Regarding claim 15, Kim discloses a method of driving a display panel ([0006], “a display device and a method of driving the same”), the method comprising:
driving the display panel for displaying a test image ([0049], “FIG. 4 shows results of testing deterioration characteristics according to colors, driving times, and gray levels of OLEDs, and shows results of tests of luminances, lifespans, and gamma characteristics of red, green and blue OLEDS for each gray level based on driving for 1200 hours (1200 hr)”);
receiving test data based on the test image ([0058], “The cumulative deterioration amount calculator 210 may calculate a cumulative deterioration amount by calculating a luminance compensation amount or by sensing the amount of change in the threshold voltage Vth of the OLEDs from the display panel 150”);
calculating a luminance gain (0054]-[0055], “Through the above tests, it can be ascertained that OLEDs have different degrees of deterioration by color, gray level, and driving time, and when a fixed gamma value (2.5) is applied to the relational expression showing the relationship between the luminance compensation gain (L gain) and the data compensation gain (D gain), actually measured data cannot reflect differences in degrees of deterioration. Therefore, the deterioration compensation device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can convert a luminance compensation gain (L gain) into a data compensation gain (D gain) by applying a gamma value that matches each color, gray level, and driving time, and apply a data compensation gain (D gain) calculated using a changed gamma value to input image data, to thereby compensate for deterioration”).
While Kim teaches generating a data signal based on a calculated luminance gain ([0054]-[0055]), it has been known to generate a data signal based on a plurality of known degradation factors including both luminance gain and color gain. In a similar field of endeavor of burn-in compensation methods for display devices, Chou discloses calculating a luminance gain and a color sense gain(column 19, lines 50-58, “In some embodiments, the brightness adaptation factor may be determined via a lookup table (LUT) based on the pixel values of the input image data 58 scaled by a function of the global brightness setting and the emission duty cycle. As should be appreciated, the brightness adaptation factor may be obtained via a LUT, by computation, or any suitable method accounting for the global brightness setting of the electronic display 12 and/or the emission duty cycle of the pixel of interest”) and the color sense gain (column 19, line 61 – column 20, line 4, “The normalization factor may compensate for an estimated pixel burn-in of the most burnt-in pixel with respect to the maximum gain of each color component. For example, in some embodiments, the normalization factor may assign a gain of 1.0 to the pixel(s) determined to have the most burn-in and a gain of less than 1.0 to the pixel(s) that are less likely to exhibit burn-in effects. As such, the gain parameters 68 may be used in conjunction with the multi-resolution gain maps 144 to compensate the input image data 58 for burn-in related aging of the display pixels”).
In view of the teachings of Kim and Chou, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use both luminance and color gain to compensate input image data, as taught by Chou, within the deterioration compensation system of Kim, for the purpose of improving user’s experience such that the pixels of the electronic display that are likely to exhibit the greatest amount of aging will appear to be equally as bright as pixels with less aging, as such, perceivable burn-in artifacts on the electronic display may be reduced or eliminated (Chou: column 2, lines 43-47).
The combination of Kim and Chou further discloses wherein each of the luminance recognition test data and the color sense recognition test data (Chou: columns 19-20, see above) as the test data. While the combination of Kim and Chou teaches performing tests to compensate input image data, it has been known to have a user select test images as a choice between manual or automatic. In a similar field of endeavor of display device compensation, Manabe discloses display a test image such that the test image is displayed by the display panel ([0008] and fig. 11, “a plurality of test images are displayed in the display screen, each at a different luminous frequency”), and selecting a region within the test image by a user ([0088] and fig. 11, “a plurality of test images are displayed in the display screen, each at a different luminous frequency, and the user is allowed to select the luminous frequency forming the brightest image among the test images. The user inputs evaluation values regarding brightness for the plurality of test images”).
In view of the teachings of Kim, Chou and Manabe, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to allow a user to specify data in test images of Manabe, in the system of Kim and Chou, as a known choice between manual or automatic test selection where manual selection allows a user to have more control over the selection.
Claims 16-20 are method claims drawn to the device of claims 2, 4, 3, 5 and 6 respectively and are therefore interpreted and rejected based on similar reasoning.
Regrading claim 21, Kim discloses an electronic device ([0037] and fig. 1, display device) comprising:
a display panel (fig. 1, display panel 150) including a pixel ([0040], “The display panel 150 may include a plurality of sub-pixels SP”);
a data driver (fig. 1, data driver 140) which applies a data voltage based on a data signal to the pixel ([0043], “The data driver 140 may sample and latch the deterioration-compensated data signal IDATA′ in response to the data timing control signal DDC supplied from the timing controller 120, convert the data signal in a digital form into an analog data voltage VDATA on the basis of a gamma reference voltage, and output the analog data voltage VDATA”);
a driving controller (fig. 1, timing controller 120) which receives input image data and outputs the data signal based on an input control signal ([0042], “The timing controller 120 may provide the data signal IDATA supplied from the image provider 110 to the data driver 140 along with the data timing control signal DDC. Here, the timing controller 120 may supply, to the data driver 140, a deterioration-compensated data signal IDATA′ obtained by reflecting compensation data calculated depending on the accumulated amount of deterioration of OLEDs in the data signal IDATA. The deterioration compensation function of the timing controller 120 will be described later in detail”); and
a processor (fig. 1, deterioration compensation device 200) which outputs the input control signal (fig. 1, timing controller 120; where according to [0075], “The deterioration compensation device 200 having the above-described configuration may be included in the timing controller 120 in the form of a memory in which an algorithm for processing a series of functions performed by the deterioration compensation device 200 and gamma correction LUTs are stored” thus elements of the deterioration compensation device 200 could be in the timing controller 120),
wherein the driving controller generates the data signal based on a luminance gain calculated based on a luminance recognition test data ([0054]-[0055], “Through the above tests, it can be ascertained that OLEDs have different degrees of deterioration by color, gray level, and driving time, and when a fixed gamma value (2.5) is applied to the relational expression showing the relationship between the luminance compensation gain (L gain) and the data compensation gain (D gain), actually measured data cannot reflect differences in degrees of deterioration. Therefore, the deterioration compensation device according to the embodiment of the present disclosure can convert a luminance compensation gain (L gain) into a data compensation gain (D gain) by applying a gamma value that matches each color, gray level, and driving time, and apply a data compensation gain (D gain) calculated using a changed gamma value to input image data, to thereby compensate for deterioration”)
While Kim teaches generating a data signal based on a calculated luminance gain ([0054]-[0055]), it has been known to generate a data signal based on a plurality of known degradation factors including both luminance gain and color gain. In a similar field of endeavor of burn-in compensation methods for display devices, Chou discloses wherein the driving controller generates the data signal (column 19, lines 41-45, “the gain parameters 68 include a brightness adaptation factor to adjust the gains based on the global brightness setting and a normalization factor to account for the maximum gains across the different color component channels”) based on a luminance gain calculated based on a luminance recognition test data (column 19, lines 50-58, “In some embodiments, the brightness adaptation factor may be determined via a lookup table (LUT) based on the pixel values of the input image data 58 scaled by a function of the global brightness setting and the emission duty cycle. As should be appreciated, the brightness adaptation factor may be obtained via a LUT, by computation, or any suitable method accounting for the global brightness setting of the electronic display 12 and/or the emission duty cycle of the pixel of interest”) and a color sense gain calculated based on a color sense recognition test data (column 19, line 61 – column 20, line 4, “The normalization factor may compensate for an estimated pixel burn-in of the most burnt-in pixel with respect to the maximum gain of each color component. For example, in some embodiments, the normalization factor may assign a gain of 1.0 to the pixel(s) determined to have the most burn-in and a gain of less than 1.0 to the pixel(s) that are less likely to exhibit burn-in effects. As such, the gain parameters 68 may be used in conjunction with the multi-resolution gain maps 144 to compensate the input image data 58 for burn-in related aging of the display pixels”).
In view of the teachings of Kim and Chou, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use both luminance and color gain to compensate input image data, as taught by Chou, within the deterioration compensation system of Kim, for the purpose of improving user’s experience such that the pixels of the electronic display that are likely to exhibit the greatest amount of aging will appear to be equally as bright as pixels with less aging, as such, perceivable burn-in artifacts on the electronic display may be reduced or eliminated (Chou: column 2, lines 43-47).
The combination of Kim and Chou further discloses wherein each of the luminance recognition test data and the color sense recognition test data (Chou: columns 19-20, see above) as the test data. While the combination of Kim and Chou teaches performing tests to compensate input image data, it has been known to have a user select test images as a choice between manual or automatic. In a similar field of endeavor of display device compensation, Manabe discloses wherein a test image is displayed by the display panel ([0008] and fig. 11, “a plurality of test images are displayed in the display screen, each at a different luminous frequency”), and wherein test data is determined based on a region selected within the test image by a user ([0088] and fig. 11, “a plurality of test images are displayed in the display screen, each at a different luminous frequency, and the user is allowed to select the luminous frequency forming the brightest image among the test images. The user inputs evaluation values regarding brightness for the plurality of test images”).
In view of the teachings of Kim, Chou and Manabe, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to allow a user to specify data in test images of Manabe, in the system of Kim and Chou, as a known choice between manual or automatic test selection where manual selection allows a user to have more control over the selection.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 15, and 21 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMILY J FRANK whose telephone number is (571)270-7255. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8AM-6PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin C Lee can be reached at (571)272-2963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/EJF/
/BENJAMIN C LEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2629