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 03/25/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., “wherein range data is independently generated, calculated, or uniquely assigned for each individual unit block”) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
As per claim 1, Applicant contends that Kim's adaptive range bits (AR) constitute a global, model-level allocation and therefore do not disclose the claimed "local compensation parameter range data for each unit block."
The Office respectfully disagrees and submits that Applicant's position seems premised on a limitation that is not recited in the current claims. Specifically, the current claim requires "local compensation parameter range data for each unit block" but it does not require that such range data be independently generated, calculated, or uniquely assigned for each individual unit block. The current claim language contains no such restriction.
Kim discloses performing Mura correction on a block-by-block basis, with correction coefficients calculated and stored for respective blocks (see Kim, Fig. 5, paragraph 68). Kim further discloses (paragraphs 78-79) adaptive range bits (AR) associated with coefficient a, which corresponds, at least in part, to the claimed local compensation parameter. The AR bits define the representation range of the coefficient values used in the block-based correction process and are therefore applicable to each unit block for which the coefficient is stored and utilized.
The Office respectfully submits that under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language, the claimed "local compensation parameter range data for each unit block" encompasses range data that governs the representation of local compensation parameters used for the respective unit blocks, regardless of whether the range data is separately derived for each block. Because Kim's AR bits are operative with respect to the local compensation coefficients used in the correction of each unit block, Kim discloses the claimed limitation.
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 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2020/0211502 to Kim et al..
As per claim 1, Kim et al. teach a mura compensation apparatus comprising:
calculate first to third compensation parameter data, which are data for first to third compensation parameters (Fig. 6, a/b/c coefficients and their corresponding associated data will be construed as the claimed compensation parameters and compensation parameter data) in a mura compensation formula (Fig. 6, paragraph 71, “the Mura correction device 100 generates the coefficient values of the coefficients of the Mura correction equation that is a quadratic equation, and the driver 200 applies the coefficient values of the coefficients to the Mura correction equation, corrects an input value (display data) by the Mura correction equation and outputs driving signals corresponding to the corrected display data”), for each unit block by using first to third test image data (Fig. 1, a plurality of test image data are supplied) and first to third captured image data (Fig. 4, paragraph 63, frames A-D are captured), wherein the first to third captured image data are obtained by capturing the first to third test images displayed on the display panel by inputting the first to third test image data into the display panel (paragraphs 45-46, “The display panel 10 may receive a test image, that is, test image data, supplied from the test image supply unit 20, may drive pixels arranged in the form of a matrix depending on the test image data, and may display the test image through the driving of the pixels. The image detection unit 30 may be understood as a camera which uses an image sensor, and obtains a detection image by photographing the test image displayed on the display panel 10, to analyze Mura.”), and are composed of unit blocks including at least one pixel (Fig. 5, each of blocks B within captured frames A-D in Fig, 4 comprises a plurality of pixels P),
calculate first to third compensation parameter range data for all the unit blocks by using the first to third compensation parameters (Fig. 7, paragraphs 78-80, “the coefficient a of the highest order among the coefficients is set to include adaptive range bits AR and basic range bits GA, and the remaining coefficients b and c are set to include basic range bits GB and GC …. the basic range bits GA, GB and GC of the respective coefficients may be set to have different numbers of bits”, in other words, for each of a, b and c, a particular data range (# of bits) is determined. Furthermore, notice that as per paragraph 82, said ranges (# bits) are dynamically determined based on data modeling requirements),
determine, among the first to third compensation parameters, a compensation parameter exhibiting the greatest variation in values for the unit blocks as a local compensation parameter (Fig. 7, paragraph 78, the highest order coefficient a is determined as having the largest variation in potential calculated values and is therefore allocated the most bits, i.e., AR + GA), and calculating local compensation parameter data, which are data for the local compensation parameter (paragraph 79 implicitly discloses wherein the number of bits n, for parameter AR, may be individually and dynamically set, based on data modeling requirements (see paragraphs 79-82)), and local compensation parameter range data for each unit block for the compensation parameter determined as the local compensation parameter (paragraph 79, the number of range bits GA (m1) may be further determined according to a desired function/equation fitting precision), and
output mura compensation data (Fig. 7, the actual calculated values and the determined number of bits for each of AR, GA, GB and GC will be construed as the claimed output compensation data) by using the first to third compensation parameter data and the first to third compensation parameter range data, and the local compensation parameter data and the local compensation parameter range data for the local compensation parameter (paragraphs 78-82, the determined ranges (# of bits) for each of coefficients a, b and c, and the actual calculated coefficient values within said determined ranges are used to compensate for Mura defects).
As per claim 2, Kim et al. teach the mura compensation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the local compensation parameter range data (Fig. 7, paragraph 79, the number of range bits GA (m1)) is data on the range of the compensation parameter determined as the local compensation parameter for each unit block (paragraph 79, the selected number of range bits determines the range of possible GA values).
As per claim 3, Kim et al. teach the mura compensation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mura compensation data includes:
the first to third compensation parameter data (Fig. 6, a/b/c coefficients and their corresponding associated data will be construed as the claimed compensation parameters and compensation parameter data) for each unit block (Figs. 5-6, paragraph 68, “The coefficient generator 142 generates coefficient values of coefficients of a Mura correction equation as a quadratic equation for correcting a measurement value of a Mura block for each gray level to an average pixel brightness value for each gray level of the display panel 10, and stores a position value of the Mura block and the coefficient values of the coefficients of the Mura correction equation in the memory 160”, in other words, each block has a corresponding Mura correction equation with corresponding coefficients), and the local compensation parameter range data (Fig. 7, paragraph 78, the highest order coefficient a is determined as having the largest variation in potential calculated values and is therefore allocated the most bits, i.e., AR + GA) for each unit block of the compensation parameter determined as the local compensation parameter; and
the compensation parameter range data for all unit blocks of the compensation parameters that are not determined as the local compensation parameter (Fig. 7, GB/GC), and
wherein the number of each of the first to third compensation parameter data, the local compensation parameter data, and the local compensation parameter range data included in the mura compensation data is substantially equal to the total number of unit blocks in each of the first to third captured image data (Figs. 5-6, paragraph 68, “The coefficient generator 142 generates coefficient values of coefficients of a Mura correction equation as a quadratic equation for correcting a measurement value of a Mura block for each gray level to an average pixel brightness value for each gray level of the display panel 10, and stores a position value of the Mura block and the coefficient values of the coefficients of the Mura correction equation in the memory 160”, in other words, each block has a corresponding Mura correction equation with corresponding coefficients).
As per claim 4, Kim et al. teach the mura compensation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a local compensation parameter determination part included in the mura compensation apparatus is configured to generate local data, which is data for the compensation parameter determined as the local compensation parameter among the first to third compensation parameters (Fig. 7, paragraphs 78-80, “the coefficient a of the highest order among the coefficients is set to include adaptive range bits AR and basic range bits GA, and the remaining coefficients b and c are set to include basic range bits GB and GC …. the basic range bits GA, GB and GC of the respective coefficients may be set to have different numbers of bits”, the (implicit) means for generating the determined number of bits and the actual values of AR + GA will be construed as the claimed local compensation parameter determination part),
a mura compensation data output part included in the mura compensation apparatus is configured to output the mura compensation data by using the local data (Fig. 7, the mura compensation data includes the actual calculated values and the determined number of bits for each of AR, GA, GB and GC, in other words, local data AR+GA is part of the output mura compensation data, the means for consolidating said data will be construed as the claimed mura compensation data output part), and
wherein the mura compensation data includes:
the first to third compensation parameters for each unit block and the local compensation parameter range data for each unit block of the compensation parameter determined as the local compensation parameter; the compensation parameter range data for all unit blocks of the compensation parameters that are not determined as the local compensation parameter; and the local data (Fig. 7, the actual calculated values and the determined number of bits for each of AR, GA, GB and GC will be construed as the claimed output compensation data).
As per claim 5, Kim et al. teach the mura compensation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a compensation parameter range calculation part included in the mura compensation apparatus is configured to calculate the range of each of the first to third compensation parameters for all unit blocks by using the first to third compensation parameters (Fig. 7, paragraphs 78-80, “the coefficient a of the highest order among the coefficients is set to include adaptive range bits AR and basic range bits GA, and the remaining coefficients b and c are set to include basic range bits GB and GC …. the basic range bits GA, GB and GC of the respective coefficients may be set to have different numbers of bits”), to classify the range of each of the first to third compensation parameters according to a predetermined range reference (Fig. 7, paragraphs 78-80, a predetermined 24 total bits, for example, are dynamically split into AR +GA, GB, GC according to a desired fitting precision), and to generate first to third compensation parameter range data (Fig. 6, a/b/c coefficients and their corresponding associated data will be construed as the claimed compensation parameters and compensation parameter data) for all unit blocks (Figs. 5-6, paragraph 68, “The coefficient generator 142 generates coefficient values of coefficients of a Mura correction equation as a quadratic equation for correcting a measurement value of a Mura block for each gray level to an average pixel brightness value for each gray level of the display panel 10, and stores a position value of the Mura block and the coefficient values of the coefficients of the Mura correction equation in the memory 160”, in other words, each block has a corresponding Mura correction equation with corresponding coefficients), and
a local compensation parameter determination part included in the mura compensation apparatus is configured to determine, among the first to third compensation parameters, a compensation parameter exhibiting the greatest variation in values for each unit block across all unit blocks as the local compensation parameter by using at least one of the range of each of the first to third compensation parameters and the first to third compensation parameter range data (Fig. 7, paragraph 78, the highest order coefficient a is determined as having the largest variation in potential calculated values and is therefore allocated the most bits, i.e., AR + GA, in other words, the range (bit size) is used to designate a local parameter that will have the most potential possible calculated values).
As per claim 6, Kim et al. teach the mura compensation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a compensation parameter range calculation part included in the mura compensation apparatus is configured to generate compensation parameter range data (Fig. 6, a/b/c coefficients and their corresponding associated data will be construed as the claimed compensation parameters and compensation parameter data) for all unit blocks (Figs. 5-6, paragraph 68, “The coefficient generator 142 generates coefficient values of coefficients of a Mura correction equation as a quadratic equation for correcting a measurement value of a Mura block for each gray level to an average pixel brightness value for each gray level of the display panel 10, and stores a position value of the Mura block and the coefficient values of the coefficients of the Mura correction equation in the memory 160”, in other words, each block has a corresponding Mura correction equation with corresponding coefficients) according to a predetermined reference range (Fig. 7, paragraphs 78-80, a predetermined 24 total bits, for example, are dynamically split into AR +GA, GB, GC according to a desired fitting precision), and
a mura compensation data output part included in the mura compensation apparatus is configured to:
for the compensation parameters that are not determined as the local compensation parameter (Fig. 7, GB/GC),
divide the parameter range corresponding to the compensation parameter range data calculated for all unit blocks into a predetermined plurality of steps (paragraph 68, each block B1-B4 in Fig. 10 is associated with its own unique set of a/b/c coefficients, paragraph 109, each of said blocks B1-B4 is referenced by the coordinate of their top leftmost pixel, which are located at horizontal and vertical steps that are a multiples of 2, more specifically, there is a reference block/pixel (1, 1) and the other blocks are referenced by steps that are multiples of 2: (1 + 2 * i, 1 + 2 * j), i.e., by horizontal and vertical steps of 2*k units from a reference block/pixel), and determines the step corresponding to each unit block's compensation parameter among the plurality of steps as the compensation parameter data for each unit block (Figs. 10-11, data associated with each block is referenced by the coordinate of said block’s top leftmost pixel, see also paragraph 67, “The Mura block detector 140 outputs data including the position value of the Mura block and the detection image V_DATA for the block, to the coefficient generator 142”), and
for the compensation parameter determined as the local compensation parameter (Fig. 7, AR/GA),
divide the parameter range corresponding to the compensation parameter range data calculated for each unit block into the predetermined plurality of steps (paragraph 68, each block B1-B4 in Fig. 10 is associated with its own unique set of a/b/c coefficients, paragraph 109, each of said blocks B1-B4 is referenced by the coordinate of their top leftmost pixel, which are located at horizontal and vertical steps that are a multiples of 2, more specifically, there is a reference block/pixel (1, 1) and the other blocks are referenced by steps that are multiples of 2: (1 + 2 * i, 1 + 2 * j), i.e., by horizontal and vertical steps of 2*k units from a reference block/pixel), and determines the step corresponding to each unit block's compensation parameter among the plurality of steps as the compensation parameter data for each unit block (Figs. 10-11, data associated with each block is referenced by the coordinate of said block’s top leftmost pixel, see also paragraph 67, “The Mura block detector 140 outputs data including the position value of the Mura block and the detection image V_DATA for the block, to the coefficient generator 142”).
As per claim 7, Kim et al. teach a display driving apparatus comprising:
a register configured to store mura compensation data (Fig. 17, the means for storing the disclosed correction parameters will be construed as the claimed register), the mura compensation data including first to third compensation parameter data (Fig. 6, a/b/c coefficients and their corresponding associated data will be construed as the claimed compensation parameters and compensation parameter data) for each unit block (Figs. 5-6, paragraph 68, “The coefficient generator 142 generates coefficient values of coefficients of a Mura correction equation as a quadratic equation for correcting a measurement value of a Mura block for each gray level to an average pixel brightness value for each gray level of the display panel 10, and stores a position value of the Mura block and the coefficient values of the coefficients of the Mura correction equation in the memory 160”, in other words, each block has a corresponding Mura correction equation with corresponding coefficients), local compensation parameter range data for each unit block of the compensation parameter determined as the local compensation parameter (Fig. 7, paragraph 78, the highest order coefficient a is determined as having the largest variation in potential calculated values and is therefore allocated the most bits, i.e., AR + GA), and compensation parameter range data for all unit blocks of the compensation parameters that are not determined as the local compensation parameter (Fig. 7, GB/GC and corresponding allocated bits); and
a display driver (Figs. 19 and 20) configured to restore the first to third compensation parameters for each unit block by using the mura compensation data (Fig. 20, paragraph 176) and to calculate a mura compensation value (Fig. 20, T_DATA).
As per claim 8, Kim et al. teach the display driving apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the number of each of the first to third compensation parameters and the local compensation parameter range data for each unit block of the compensation parameter determined as the local compensation parameter included in the mura compensation data is substantially equal to the total number of unit blocks in each of the first to third captured image data (Figs. 5-6, paragraph 68, “The coefficient generator 142 generates coefficient values of coefficients of a Mura correction equation as a quadratic equation for correcting a measurement value of a Mura block for each gray level to an average pixel brightness value for each gray level of the display panel 10, and stores a position value of the Mura block and the coefficient values of the coefficients of the Mura correction equation in the memory 160”, in other words, each block has a corresponding Mura correction equation with corresponding coefficients).
As per claim 9, Kim et al. teach the display driving apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the mura compensation data further includes local data, which is data for the compensation parameter determined as the local compensation parameter among the first to third compensation parameters (Fig. 7, the mura compensation data includes the actual calculated values and the determined number of bits for each of AR, GA, GB and GC, in other words, local data AR+GA is part of the output mura compensation data.
As per claim 10, Kim et al. teach the display driving apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the display driver is configured to:
set the local compensation parameter among the first to third compensation parameters by using the local data, for the compensation parameter set as the local compensation parameter, to restore the compensation parameter by using the compensation parameter data of the compensation parameter for each unit block of the corresponding compensation parameter and the compensation parameter range data for each unit block of the corresponding compensation parameter (Fig. 20, coefficient a implies, at least indirectly, restoration of the determined number of bits and the actual computed value for the local parameter), and
for the compensation parameters that are not determined as the local compensation parameter, to restore the compensation parameter by using the compensation parameter data of the compensation parameter for each unit block of the corresponding compensation parameter and the compensation parameter range data for all unit blocks of the corresponding compensation parameter (Fig. 20, coefficients b and c imply, at least indirectly, restoration of the determined number of bits and the actual computed values for the parameters not determined as the local parameters).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE R SOTO LOPEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5689. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, from 8 am - 5 pm.
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/JOSE R SOTO LOPEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2622
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