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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in Korean parent Application No. KR10-2024-0099519, filed on July 26, 2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on March 31, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 11-14 and 18-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takahashi et al., United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2022/0350432 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Takahashi discloses a display device (Fig. 1, Fig. 37, generally, Summary) comprising:
a display panel including a light emitting pixel having a light emitting element and a light sensing pixel having an organic photodiode within a sensing region (Figs. 1-4, specifically Fig. 3 and pixel, #12; Detailed Description, [0090-0105], “The pixel 12 having a configuration illustrated in FIG. 3A includes a pixel circuit 14R having a function of emitting red light 16R, a pixel circuit 14G having a function of emitting green light 16G, a pixel circuit 14B having a function of emitting blue light 16B, and a pixel circuit 15 having a function of sensing light 17. Each of the pixel circuit 14R, the pixel circuit 14G, and the pixel circuit 14B includes a light-emitting device, so that an image can be displayed on the display portion 11 with the use of pixel circuits 14. The pixel circuit 15 includes a light-receiving device.”; See also Detailed Description, [0159], “As the light-receiving device, a pn photodiode or a pin photodiode can be used, for example. The light-receiving device has a function of a photoelectric conversion device that senses light incident on the light-receiving device and generates electric charge”); and
a panel driver configured to drive the display panel (Fig. 1-3,integrated circuit, #20; Detailed Description, [0085-0100]), the panel driver further configured to:
drive the light emitting pixel to emit light with a first luminance in a first period (Fig. 8-10, Detailed Description, [0150-0160], “When the gate driver circuit 13 outputs the first scan signal to the wiring 31, the potential of the wiring 31 to which the first scan signal is output becomes a high potential. Thus, the transistor 61 electrically connected to the wiring 31 to which the first scan signal is output is turned on, so that the image data output to the wiring 33 from the data driver circuit 23 is written to the pixel circuit 14. Specifically, the potential of the gate of the transistor 62 becomes a potential corresponding to the image data. Accordingly, a current whose amount corresponds to the potential of the gate of the transistor 62 flows between the drain and the source of the transistor 62 and through the light-emitting device 60. Thus, the light-emitting device 60 emits light with luminance corresponding to the potential of the gate of the transistor 62, which enables an image to be displayed on the display portion 11.”) ;
reset the organic photodiode of the light sensing pixel in a second period (Figs. 15-18, Detailed Description, [0162-0168], “The other of the source and the drain of the transistor 74 is electrically connected to the wiring 35. A gate of the transistor 74 is electrically connected to the wiring 32. ..Here, correlated double sampling on the imaging data acquired by the pixel circuit 15 refers to extraction of a difference between the potential of the wiring 35 when the imaging data written to the pixel circuit 15 is read out and the potential of the wiring 35 when the imaging data written to the pixel circuit 15 is reset.”; See also Figs. 20-22, Detailed Description, [0237][0275-0285], “As shown in FIG. 21, the potential of the wiring 32 is set to a low potential in the period T21, so that the transistor 74, which is provided in the pixel circuit 15 and electrically connected to the wiring 35, is turned off In the period T21, precharge of the node FD1, offset correction of the comparator circuit 53, and the like are performed”);
drive the light emitting pixel to emit light with a second luminance such that the organic photodiode receives reflected light in a third period (Detailed Description, [0093-0098], “For example, the light 16 emitted from the light-emitting device included in the pixel circuit 14 is reflected by a finger 122 touching the display device 10, so that the reflected light is sensed as the light 17 by the light-receiving device provided in the pixel circuit 15. Thus, the touch of the finger 122 on the display device 10 can be sensed.”); and
receive a sensing current corresponding to an intensity of the reflected light from the light sensing pixel in a fourth period, wherein the first luminance in the first period is higher than the second luminance in the third period (Detailed Description, [0108], “The driving transistor has a function of controlling a current flowing through the light-emitting device according to image data written to the pixel 12. Controlling a current flowing through the light-emitting device can control the emission luminance of the light-emitting device. In the case where the threshold voltage of the driving transistor varies between the pixel circuits 14, display unevenness or the like might occur. The display device 10 has a function of reading out, as monitor current data, the amount of current flowing between the drain and the source of the driving transistor provided in the pixel circuit 14. The threshold voltage or the like of the driving transistor is corrected on the basis of the current value represented by monitor current data, whereby display unevenness or the like can be reduced. Thus, high-quality images can be displayed on the display portion 11.”; See also Detailed Description, [0155-0166], “Accordingly, a current whose amount corresponds to the potential of the gate of the transistor 62 flows between the drain and the source of the transistor 62 and through the light-emitting device 60. Thus, the light-emitting device 60 emits light with luminance corresponding to the potential of the gate of the transistor 62, which enables an image to be displayed on the display portion 11.”).
Regarding claim 2, Takahashi discloses wherein the second luminance is lower than a maximum luminance of the light emitting pixel in a normal mode, and wherein the first luminance is higher than the maximum luminance of the light emitting pixel in the normal mode (Detailed Description, [0191-0192], “ Thus, the data Da and the data db are superimposed on each other, whereby the potential of the node FD11 can be made higher than the maximum potential that can be output from the data driver circuit 23. For example, when the capacitive coupling coefficient c of the node FD11 is 1, the maximum value of the potential of the node FD11 can be twice the maximum potential that can be output from the data driver circuit 23. Thus, a potential higher than the maximum potential that can be output from the data driver circuit 23 can be applied to the gate of the transistor 62, which is a driving transistor, resulting in an increase in the amount of current supplied to the light-emitting device 60. Therefore, the emission luminance of the light-emitting device 60 can be increased, so that a high-luminance image can be displayed on the display portion 11. Furthermore, a dynamic range, which is a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the emission luminance of the light-emitting device 60, when an image is displayed on the display portion 11 can be widened”).
Regarding claim 3, Takahashi discloses wherein the panel driver is configured to provide a first data voltage to the light emitting pixel such that the light emitting pixel is configured to emit light with the first luminance in the first period, and is configured to provide a second data voltage different from the first data voltage to the light emitting pixel such that the light emitting pixel is configured to emit light with the second luminance in the third period (Detailed Description, [0079-0085], “In the case where a light-emitting device is used as a display element used in displaying an image, a current flowing through the light-emitting device is controlled to control emission luminance, whereby an image can be displayed on a display portion. Here, in the case where the threshold voltage of a driving transistor that is electrically connected to a light-emitting device and has a function of controlling a current flowing through the light-emitting device in accordance with image data written to a pixel varies between pixels…”; See also Detailed Description, [0191-0200] on different data voltages).
Regarding claim 4, Takahashi discloses wherein the light emitting pixel includes a P-type driving transistor (Detailed Description,[0386-0387] [0430]), and wherein the first data voltage is lower than the second data voltage Detailed Description, [0079-0085], “In the case where a light-emitting device is used as a display element used in displaying an image, a current flowing through the light-emitting device is controlled to control emission luminance, whereby an image can be displayed on a display portion. Here, in the case where the threshold voltage of a driving transistor that is electrically connected to a light-emitting device and has a function of controlling a current flowing through the light-emitting device in accordance with image data written to a pixel varies between pixels…”; See also Detailed Description, [0191-0200] on different data voltages).
Regarding claim 5, Takahashi disclose wherein the second data voltage is higher than a data voltage corresponding to a maximum gray level in a normal mode (Detailed Description, [0191-0192], “ Thus, the data Da and the data db are superimposed on each other, whereby the potential of the node FD11 can be made higher than the maximum potential that can be output from the data driver circuit 23. For example, when the capacitive coupling coefficient c of the node FD11 is 1, the maximum value of the potential of the node FD11 can be twice the maximum potential that can be output from the data driver circuit 23. Thus, a potential higher than the maximum potential that can be output from the data driver circuit 23 can be applied to the gate of the transistor 62, which is a driving transistor, resulting in an increase in the amount of current supplied to the light-emitting device 60. Therefore, the emission luminance of the light-emitting device 60 can be increased, so that a high-luminance image can be displayed on the display portion 11. Furthermore, a dynamic range, which is a difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the emission luminance of the light-emitting device 60, when an image is displayed on the display portion 11 can be widened”)., and wherein the first data voltage is lower than the data voltage corresponding to the maximum gray level in the normal mode (Fig. 8-10, Detailed Description, [0150-0160], “When the gate driver circuit 13 outputs the first scan signal to the wiring 31, the potential of the wiring 31 to which the first scan signal is output becomes a high potential. Thus, the transistor 61 electrically connected to the wiring 31 to which the first scan signal is output is turned on, so that the image data output to the wiring 33 from the data driver circuit 23 is written to the pixel circuit 14. Specifically, the potential of the gate of the transistor 62 becomes a potential corresponding to the image data. Accordingly, a current whose amount corresponds to the potential of the gate of the transistor 62 flows between the drain and the source of the transistor 62 and through the light-emitting device 60. Thus, the light emitting device 60 emits light with luminance corresponding to the potential of the gate of the transistor 62, which enables an image to be displayed on the display portion 11.”).
Regarding claim 6, Takahashi discloses wherein, in the first period, a leakage current flows from the light emitting pixel to the light sensing pixel, and a voltage of an internal node connected to the organic photodiode is changed based on the leakage current (Detailed Description, [0488][0515]).
Regarding claim 7, Takahashi discloses wherein the panel driver is configured to drive the light emitting pixel to emit light with the second luminance in the second period (Detailed Description, [0164][0301-0306]).
Regarding claim 8, Takahashi discloses wherein each of the first period and the second period corresponds to at least one frame period (Figs. 5-11, Detailed Description, [0136-0140], “In one frame period, one period T1 and one period T2 may be provided.”).
Regarding claim 11, Takahashi discloses wherein the first period and the second period correspond to a same frame period (Figs. 5-11, Detailed Description, [0136-0140], “In the driving method shown in FIG. 5, the period T1 and the period T2 are repeated more than once in one frame period… In one frame period, one period T1 and one period T2 may be provided.”).
Regarding claim 12, Takahashi discloses wherein the light emitting pixel is configured to not emit light in the second period (Figs. 11, Detailed Description, [0174-0192], “ In the pixel circuit 14 having the configuration illustrated in FIG. 11A, by turning off the transistor 61a, the potential of the node FD11 can be held. By turning off the transistor 61b and the transistor 66, the potential of the node FD12 can be held…. In the period T102, the potential of the wiring 31a is set to a low potential, so that the transistor 61a and the transistor 66 are turned off. Accordingly, the supply of the potential VDa to the node FD11 and the supply of the potential V0 to the node FD12 are terminated.).
Regarding claim 13, Takahashi discloses wherein the sensing region is a fingerprint sensing region configured to sense a fingerprint of a user (Detailed Description, [0095-0100], “The display device 10 can acquire data on fingerprint, palm print, iris, or the like. Thus, the display device 10 can have a function of biometric authentication. In that case, it can be said that the light-receiving device provided in the pixel circuit 15 has a function of a sensor for biometric authentication and the display device 10 incorporates a sensor for biometric authentication.”).
Regarding claim 14, Takahashi discloses wherein the panel driver includes:
a data driver configured to provide a data voltage to the light emitting pixel through a data line (Fig. 4, data driver circuit, #23; Detailed Description, [0102-0120], “e data driver circuit 23 has a function of supplying image data represented by the digital image signal GS_D to the pixels 12 through the wirings 33. Specifically, the data driver circuit 23 has a function of supplying image data represented by the digital image signal GS_D to the pixels 12 selected when the gate driver circuit 13 outputs the first scan signal to the wirings 31.”);
a scan driver configured to provide a write signal to the light emitting pixel and the light sensing pixel (Fig. 4, gate driver circuit, #13; Detailed Decsription, [0102-0120]), and to further provide a compensation signal (Detailed Description, [0108], “The driving transistor has a function of controlling a current flowing through the light-emitting device according to image data written to the pixel 12. Controlling a current flowing through the light-emitting device can control the emission luminance of the light-emitting device. In the case where the threshold voltage of the driving transistor varies between the pixel circuits 14, display unevenness or the like might occur. The display device 10 has a function of reading out, as monitor current data, the amount of current flowing between the drain and the source of the driving transistor provided in the pixel circuit 14. The threshold voltage or the like of the driving transistor is corrected on the basis of the current value represented by monitor current data, whereby display unevenness or the like can be reduced.”), an initialization signal and a bypass signal to the light emitting pixel (Fig. 8-9, Detailed Description, [0160-165], “The wiring 35 is electrically connected to the A/D converter circuit 42 and a current source 131. The current source 131 can be a transistor driven in a saturation region, for example. In the case where a transistor is used as the current source 131, the transistor can be regarded as a bias transistor, and the potential of a gate of the transistor can be regarded as a bias potential.”; See also Figs. 11A and V0 on 68; Detailed Description, [0182-0190]);
an emission driver configured to provide an emission signal to the light emitting pixel (Fig. 4, row driver, #19; Detailed Description, [0102-0120][0191-0192]); and
a readout circuit connected to the light sensing pixel through a readout line, and configured to provide a global reset signal to the light sensing pixel (Fig. 4-7, read circuit, #24; Detailed Description, [0124][0143-0150]).
Regarding claim 18, Takahashi discloses a method of operating a display device (See Figs. 1-19, particularly Figs. 5 and 13-15, 19) including the structural and functional limitations of claim 1. Thus, claim 18 is rejected under the same reasoning as claim 1.
Regarding claim 19, this is met by the rejection to claim 2.
Regarding claim 20, this is met by the rejection to claim 4.
Regarding claim 21, Takahashi discloses an electronic device (Figs. 37-38) comprising: a processor configured to provide image data (Figs. 1-8, IC; #20); and a display device configured to display an image based on the image data (Figs 1-38, display portion, #7000; Detailed Description, [0622]), the display device including the structural and functional limitations of claim 1.
Thus, claim 21 is rejected under the same reasoning as claim 1.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi in view of Kim, United States Patent Application Publication No. 2024/0212565 A1.
Regarding claim 9, Takahashi discloses every element of claim 8, but does not disclose wherein the first period corresponds to a first frame period, and the second period corresponds to a second frame period.
Kim, in a similar field of endeavor, discloses a display device wherein the first period corresponds to a first frame period, and the second period corresponds to a second frame period (Summary, [0009-0010]; Detailed Description, [0105-0111], “A method of driving a display device including a display panel including a plurality of subpixels with each subpixel including a light-emitting element according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes supplying a data voltage to each of the subpixels in a emission period to emit light and to supply an OBS voltage to each of the subpixels in a non-emission period during a first frame period, and supplying an OBS voltage to each of the subpixels in a non-emission period and maintaining the data voltage supplied in the first frame period to emit light in an emission period during a second frame period, wherein an OBS period performed in the non-emission period of the second frame period can be set to be twice or more than an OBS period performed nearest to the last emission period of the first frame period.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the period timings of Takahashi to include the teachings of Kim in such a way to provide wherein the first period corresponds to a first frame period, and the second period corresponds to a second frame period. The motivation to combine these arts is to separate out the difference in luminances between multiple frames, which improves display quality and reduces power consumption (See Kim, Detailed Description, [0108-0115], “The embodiments of the present disclosure can provide a display device capable of improving image quality by preventing occurrence of flickering during a low-power driving for reducing power consumption and a method of driving the same.”). The fact that Kim discloses similar types of display devices with light receiving pixels and corrective driving techniques makes this combination more easily implemented.
Regarding claim 10, Takahashi discloses every element of claim 8, but does not disclose wherein the first period corresponds to a first frame period, and the second period corresponds to second and third frame periods.
Kim, in a similar field of endeavor, discloses a display device wherein the first period corresponds to a first frame period, and the second period corresponds to a second and third frame periods (Summary, [0009-0010]; Detailed Description, [0105-0111]; See next Fig. 2, Detailed Description, [0044-0048] on additional frames).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the period timings of Takahashi to include the teachings of Kim in such a way to provide wherein the first period corresponds to a first frame period, and the second period corresponds to second and third frame periods. The motivation to combine these arts is to separate out the difference in luminances between multiple frames, which improves display quality and reduces power consumption (See Kim, Detailed Description, [0108-0115], “The embodiments of the present disclosure can provide a display device capable of improving image quality by preventing occurrence of flickering during a low-power driving for reducing power consumption and a method of driving the same.”). The fact that Kim discloses similar types of display devices with light receiving pixels and corrective driving techniques makes this combination more easily implemented.
Other References
The following references are also cited as pertinent to the Instant Invention but may not be specifically relied upon within this Action:
Toyotaka et al. (US 2024/0363069 A1)
Brewer (US 2024/0211265 A1)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-17 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:
Regarding claim 15, the prior art of record does not disclose or suggest the display device wherein the light emitting pixel includes:
a first transistor configured to generate a driving current;
a second transistor configured to transfer the data voltage in response to the write signal;
a third transistor configured to diode-connect the first transistor in response to the compensation signal;
a fourth transistor configured to transfer an initialization voltage to a gate of the first transistor in response to the initialization signal;
a fifth transistor configured to connect a line that is configured to transfer a first power supply voltage and the first transistor in response to the emission signal;
a sixth transistor configured to connect the first transistor and the light emitting element in response to the emission signal;
a seventh transistor configured to transfer an anode initialization voltage to the light emitting element in response to the bypass signal;
a storage capacitor connected between the line that is configured to transfer the first power supply voltage and the gate of the first transistor; and
the light emitting element configured to emit light based on the driving current.
The prior art does not fully teach the exact transistor arrangement as recited in combination with the functional/connective aspects of the first through seventh transistors in addition to the base elements of the claim. Further reasons for allowance may be given in a Notice of Allowance.
Claims 16-17 are dependent off of claim 15 and also would be allowable as a result of their dependencies.
Conclusion
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/KWIN XIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2626