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
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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al., US Patent Publication 2023/0260439 in view of Rogers et al., US Patent Publication 2010/0317132.
Regarding independent claim 1, Lee et al. teaches a compensation method for a stretchable display device including a light-emitting element,
wherein the method compensates for luminance variations occurring during the stretching process of the stretchable display device (paragraphs 0079-0081 explains how the operation parameter is controlled in proportion to the stretching or tensile information of the stretchable display)
by increasing the light-emission time of the light-emitting element (paragraph 0084 explains that the operation parameter includes a light emission time).
Lee et al. does not specify that the stretchable display uses micro-LED light-emitting elements. Rogers et al. teaches the use of a stretchable display made through the use of micro-LED light-emitting elements (paragraphs 0058, 0060, and 0506 all describe the micro-LED array in a stretchable display). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to specify the use of micro-LED light-emitting elements as taught by Rogers et al. to be used in the system of Lee et al. The rationale to combine would be to provide smaller electronic devices with flexible devices and arrays of light emitting diodes (paragraphs 0004-0005 of Rogers et al.).
Regarding claim 2, Lee et al. teaches the compensation method for a stretchable display device including a light-emitting element according to claim 1,
wherein the light-emission time of the light-emitting element increases in proportion to the stretching ratio of the stretchable display device (paragraphs 0079-0081 explains how the operation parameter is controlled in proportion to the stretching or tensile information of the stretchable display where paragraph 0084 explains that the operation parameter includes a light emission time).
Lee et al. does not specify that the stretchable display uses micro-LED light-emitting elements. Rogers et al. teaches the use of a stretchable display made through the use of micro-LED light-emitting elements (paragraphs 0058, 0060, and 0506 all describe the micro-LED array in a stretchable display). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to specify the use of micro-LED light-emitting elements as taught by Rogers et al. to be used in the system of Lee et al. The rationale to combine would be to provide smaller electronic devices with flexible devices and arrays of light emitting diodes (paragraphs 0004-0005 of Rogers et al.).
Regarding claim 3, Lee et al. teaches the compensation method for a stretchable display device including a light-emitting element according to claim 1,
wherein the current level of the light-emitting element is maintained constant during the stretching process of the stretchable display device (paragraphs 0072-0073 explain how a current value is generated for the image and the driving is based on that so that visual information is displayed consistently).
Lee et al. does not specify that the stretchable display uses micro-LED light-emitting elements. Rogers et al. teaches the use of a stretchable display made through the use of micro-LED light-emitting elements (paragraphs 0058, 0060, and 0506 all describe the micro-LED array in a stretchable display). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to specify the use of micro-LED light-emitting elements as taught by Rogers et al. to be used in the system of Lee et al. The rationale to combine would be to provide smaller electronic devices with flexible devices and arrays of light emitting diodes (paragraphs 0004-0005 of Rogers et al.).
Regarding claim 4, Lee et al. teaches the compensation method for a stretchable display device including a light-emitting element according to claim 1,
wherein the control of the light-emission time is performed through a compensation circuit comprising: a PWM circuit unit (to control the intensity and frequency as given in paragraph 0084) configured to adjust the light-emission time of the LED (paragraphs 0079-0081 explains how the operation parameter is controlled in proportion to the stretching or tensile information of the stretchable display where paragraph 0084 explains that the operation parameter includes a light emission time); and a CCG circuit unit (to provide control described in paragraphs 0072-0073) configured to control a constant current flow during the light emission of the LED (paragraphs 0072-0073 explain how a current value is generated for the image and the driving is based on that so that visual information is displayed consistently).
Lee et al. does not specify that the stretchable display uses micro-LED light-emitting elements. Rogers et al. teaches the use of a stretchable display made through the use of micro-LED light-emitting elements (paragraphs 0058, 0060, and 0506 all describe the micro-LED array in a stretchable display). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to specify the use of micro-LED light-emitting elements as taught by Rogers et al. to be used in the system of Lee et al. The rationale to combine would be to provide smaller electronic devices with flexible devices and arrays of light emitting diodes (paragraphs 0004-0005 of Rogers et al.).
Regarding claim 5, Lee et al. teaches the compensation method for a stretchable display device including a light-emitting element according to claim 4,
wherein the stretchable display device includes a plurality of divided regions and sensors for detecting the stretching ratio of each divided region (paragraphs 0173 and 0176 explain that the display can be divided into partial areas of some pixels to correspond to the light receiving module of the optical sensor. Although only one region is specified, including more regions with more sensor would be an obvious matter of duplication of parts. In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960)),
and wherein the light-emission time of one or more pixels, including light-emitting elements located in the corresponding divided region, is increased based on the detected stretching ratio of the divided region (paragraph 0173 explains how the operation parameter is adjusted for the stretchable display or just a partial area of some pixels aligned with the optical sensor).
Lee et al. does not specify that the stretchable display uses micro-LED light-emitting elements. Rogers et al. teaches the use of a stretchable display made through the use of micro-LED light-emitting elements (paragraphs 0058, 0060, and 0506 all describe the micro-LED array in a stretchable display). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to specify the use of micro-LED light-emitting elements as taught by Rogers et al. to be used in the system of Lee et al. The rationale to combine would be to provide smaller electronic devices with flexible devices and arrays of light emitting diodes (paragraphs 0004-0005 of Rogers et al.).
Regarding independent claim 6, Lee et al. teaches a stretchable display device including a driving circuit for LEDs, comprising: a pixel array in which pixels composed of a plurality of light-emitting elements are arranged along multiple row lines (depicted in figures 4A and 4B and described in paragraphs 0109-0110);
a stretchable display panel including sub-pixel circuits provided for each of the plurality of light-emitting elements to supply a driving current to the light-emitting elements (paragraphs 0109-0110 explain driving the array of light-emitting elements depicted in figures 4A and 4B); and
a driving unit configured to set image data voltages to the sub-pixel circuits of the display panel in a row line sequence during a data setting period, and to drive the sub-pixel circuits such that the driving current is supplied to the light-emitting elements of the pixel array in a row line sequence during a light-emission period, based on a sweep signal that sweeps from a first voltage to a second voltage and the set image data voltages (paragraph 0073 explains how the pixels are driven based on the voltage to display the image data and figures 4A and 4B depict the pixels to be in a row and column array as given in paragraphs 0109-0110);
wherein each of the sub-pixel circuits includes: a PWM circuit unit configured to adjust the light-emission time of the micro-LED (to provide control as given in paragraph 0084); and
a CCG circuit unit (to provide controls described in paragraphs 0072-0073) configured to control a constant current flow during the light emission of the LED (paragraphs 0072-0073 explain how a current value is generated for the image and the driving is based on that so that visual information is displayed consistently);
and wherein the PWM circuit unit (to control the intensity and frequency as given in paragraph 0084) controls the light-emission time of the LED in response to the stretching ratio of the stretchable display panel (paragraphs 0079-0081 explains how the operation parameter is controlled in proportion to the stretching or tensile information of the stretchable display where paragraph 0084 explains that the operation parameter includes a light emission time).
Lee et al. does not specify that the stretchable display uses inorganic micro-LED light-emitting elements. Rogers et al. teaches the use of a stretchable display made through the use of inorganic micro-LED light-emitting elements (paragraphs 0058, 0060, and 0506 all describe the micro-LED array in a stretchable display and paragraph 0221 specifically recites that the light-emitting diodes are inorganic light0emitting diodes). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to specify the use of inorganic micro-LED light-emitting elements as taught by Rogers et al. to be used in the system of Lee et al. The rationale to combine would be to provide smaller electronic devices with flexible devices and arrays of light emitting diodes (paragraphs 0004-0005 of Rogers et al.).
Regarding claim 7, Lee et al. teaches the stretchable display device including a light-emitting element according to claim 6,
wherein the stretchable display includes divided regions (paragraphs 0173 and 0176 explain that the display can be divided into partial areas of some pixels),
each of the divided regions further comprising a sensor for measuring the stretching ratio of the stretchable display (paragraphs 0173 and 0176 explain that the display can be divided into partial areas of some pixels to correspond to the light receiving module of the optical sensor. Although only one region is specified, including more regions with more sensor would be an obvious matter of duplication of parts. In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960)),
and wherein the PWM circuit unit (to control the intensity and frequency as given in paragraph 0084) controls the light-emission time of one or more pixels, including micro-LED light-emitting elements located in the corresponding divided region, to increase in proportion to the measurement values obtained from the sensor (paragraph 0173 explains how the operation parameter is adjusted for the stretchable display or just a partial area of some pixels aligned with the optical sensor).
Lee et al. does not specify that the stretchable display uses micro-LED light-emitting elements. Rogers et al. teaches the use of a stretchable display made through the use of micro-LED light-emitting elements (paragraphs 0058, 0060, and 0506 all describe the micro-LED array in a stretchable display). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date to specify the use of micro-LED light-emitting elements as taught by Rogers et al. to be used in the system of Lee et al. The rationale to combine would be to provide smaller electronic devices with flexible devices and arrays of light emitting diodes (paragraphs 0004-0005 of Rogers et al.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The closest prior art is made of record in the attached notice of references cited.
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/PARUL H GUPTA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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