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 § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 13-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kwon et al. (hereinafter “Kwon”), US Pub. No. 2022/0335882.
Regarding claim 1, Kwon teaches a pixel (fig. 2) comprising: a light-emitting element through which a driving current flows (fig. 2, LED); a light-emitting element driver which generates the driving current based on a pulse width modulation signal (fig. 2, transistor T1); and a pulse width modulator which generates the pulse width modulation signal based on first to kth data bits, k being a natural number greater than 2 (fig. 2, PX1), and the pulse width modulator including: a data writer which writes the first to kth data bits in response to a scan signal (fig. 2, Mux_W); a pulse width modulation controller which stores the first to kth data bits and sequentially outputs the first to kth data bits in response to a clock signal (fig. 2, SR_F); and a pulse width modulation signal generator which generates the pulse width modulation signal in response to the first to kth data bits and an emission signal (fig. 2, A_P).
Regarding claim 2, Kwon teaches wherein the pulse width modulation controller includes: first to kth flip-flops which shift the first to kth data bits in response to the clock signal (fig. 2, SR_F); and first to kth connection transistors which connect the first to kth flip-flops in response to the scan signal.
Regarding claim 13, Kwon teaches wherein the light-emitting element driver includes: an emission transistor which forms a current path of the driving current in response to the pulse width modulation signal; and a current source which controls an amplitude of the driving current (fig. 2, transistor T1, current I1).
Regarding claim 14, Kwon teaches wherein the emission transistor is one of a p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor and an n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor ([0050]).
Regarding claim 15, Kwon teaches wherein the emission transistor is connected to a line which transmits an emission high voltage (fig. 2, voltage VDHH), wherein the light-emitting element is connected to a line which transmits an emission low voltage (fig. 2, ground voltage), and wherein the current source is connected between the emission transistor and the light-emitting element (fig. 2, current source I1).
Regarding claim 16, Kwon teaches wherein the light-emitting element is connected to a line which transmits an emission high voltage (fig. 2, voltage VDHH), wherein the emission transistor is connected to a line which transmits an emission low voltage (fig. 2, ground voltage), and wherein the current source is connected between the light-emitting element and the emission transistor (fig. 2, current source I1).
Regarding claim 17, it is a display device of claim 1 and is rejected on the same grounds presented above.
Regarding claim 18, Kwon teaches wherein each of the scan signals, the clock signals, and the emission signals are sequentially provided to pixel rows of the display panel at horizontal time intervals ([0057, 0074-0076]; figs. 5,6).
Regarding claim 19, Kwon teaches wherein the scan signals are sequentially provided to pixel rows of the display panel at horizontal time intervals, and wherein each of the clock signals and the emission signals are simultaneously provided to the pixel rows (figs. 5, 6).
Regarding claim 20, it is an electronic apparatus of claim 1 and is rejected on the same grounds presented above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-12 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. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: None of the prior art, either singularly or in combination teaches or fairly suggests the specific combination comprising the specific elements included in the dependent claims above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Rotzoll et al. (US Pub. No. 2018/0197471) teaches pwm method, flip flops, and data bits.
Shin (US Pub. No. 2005/0264496) teaches a display circuit including pulse widths, and flip flops.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENNETH B LEE JR whose telephone number is (571)270-3147. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 9am-5pm.
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/KENNETH B LEE JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2625