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 .
Drawings
Figures 1A-1C should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-5, 10-12, 14-19, 24-26 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al. (US 20220208142).
As to claim 1, Yang discloses a method for dynamic, localized screen intensity reduction for an under-display ambient light sensor ([0018]), the method comprising:
determining a first ambient light intensity value using an under-display ambient light sensor located under a display screen (Fig. 2(110, 112), Fig. 9(902, 910), [0039], [0125] – [0127], adjustment determination module 902 receives an ambient light level measurement by an low power ambient light sensor such as a camera positioned beneath a camera region of the display);
determining that the first ambient light intensity value is below a first ambient light intensity threshold (Fig. 9(902), [0130], adjustment determination module 902 determines that the ambient light measurement is less than 50 lux, between 50 lux and 1000, or more than 50000 lux); and
modifying an image being displayed within a first region of the display screen, wherein the first region of the display screen comprises less than all pixels in the display screen and comprises at least the pixels of the display screen located above the under-display ambient light sensor (Fig. 9(906), [0130], [0134], [0136], blackout control module 902 blacks out the camera region or reduces the display brightness in the camera region, if the ambient light measurement is less than 50 lux or between 50 lux and 1000 lux, respectively, wherein blacking out means deactivating pixels or displaying black).
As to claim 2, Yang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein modifying the image being displayed within the first region of the display screen based on the first ambient light intensity value comprises reducing a brightness of the pixels in the first region, changing a color of the pixels in the first region to black, or turning off the pixels in the first region (Fig. 9(906), [0130], [0134], [0136], blackout control module 902 blacks out the camera region or reduces the display brightness in the camera region, if the ambient light measurement is less than 50 lux or between 50 lux and 1000, respectively, wherein blacking out means deactivating pixels or displaying black).
As to claim 3, Yang teaches the method of claim 2, wherein reducing the brightness of the pixels in the first region comprises setting the brightness of the pixels to a zero value, or reducing the brightness of the pixels by a percentage (Fig. 9(906), [0130], [0134], [0136], blackout control module 906 blacks out the camera region or reduces the display brightness in the camera region, if the ambient light measurement is less than 50 lux or between 50 lux and 1000, respectively, wherein blacking out means deactivating pixels or displaying black).
As to claim 4, Yang teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a second ambient light intensity value using the under-display ambient light sensor located under the display screen (Fig. 2(110, 112), Fig. 9(902, 910), [0039], [0127], adjustment determination module 902 receives an ambient light level measurement by an low power ambient light sensor such as a camera positioned beneath a camera region of the display); and
setting a brightness of the image being displayed based on the second ambient light intensity value, using the second ambient light intensity value by image capture hardware and/or software, or a combination thereof (Fig. 9(906), [0130], [0134], [0136], blackout control module 906 blacks out the camera region or reduces the display brightness in the camera region, if the ambient light measurement is less than 50 lux or between 50 lux and 1000 lux, respectively, wherein blacking out means deactivating pixels or displaying black).
As to claim 5, Yang teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a third ambient light intensity value using the under-display ambient light sensor located under the display screen (Fig. 2(110, 112), Fig. 9(902, 910), [0039], [0127], adjustment determination module 902 receives an ambient light level measurement by an low power ambient light sensor such as a camera positioned beneath a camera region of the display);
determining that the third ambient light intensity value is above a second ambient light intensity threshold (Fig. 9(902), [0130], adjustment determination module 902 determines that the ambient light measurement is less than 50 lux, between 50 lux and 1000, or more than 50000 lux); and
reversing or cancelling modifications made to the image being displayed within the first region of the display screen (Fig. 12, [0136] – [0137], [0145], the camera region is blacked out while the digital camera is capturing an image, wherein blacking out means deactivating pixels or displaying black, but is not blacked out at other times).
As to claim 10, Yang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the first region of the display screen further comprises pixels within a predetermined distance from an outer boundary of the under-display ambient light sensor ([0139], the camera region and an expanded region, i.e. some of the peripheral region surrounding the camera region, are blackened out).
As to claim 11, Yang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein size, shape, or area of the first region of the display screen is dynamically adjusted by an operating system or application ([0140], blackout control module 906 determines an amount of the peripheral region surrounding the camera region to be included in the expanded region).
As to claim 12, Yang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein modifying the image being displayed within a first region of the display screen further comprises displaying additional information with the first region (Fig. 9, [0147], the brightness control module 904 determines to reduce the brightness across the entire display based on the ambient light level measurement).
As to claim 14, Yang teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a user interface element in response to modifying the image being displayed within a first region of the display screen ([0147], the brightness control module 904 determines to reduce the brightness across the entire display based on the ambient light level measurement).
As to claims 15-19, 24-26 and 28, it is the apparatus performs the operation of claims 1-5, 10-12 and 14. Please see claims 1-5, 10-12 and 14 for detail analysis.
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.
Claims 13 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US 20220208142) in view of Bell et al. (US 20150070337).
As to claim 13, Yang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein modifying the image being displayed within a first region of the display screen (Fig. 9(906), [0130], [0134], [0136], black out control module blacks out the camera region or reduces the display brightness in the camera region, if the ambient light measurement is less than 50 lux or between 50 lux and 1000, respectively, wherein blacking out means deactivating pixels or displaying black).
Yang does not expressly teach modifying the image being displayed within a first region of the display screen comprises performing a transition effect from an unmodified state to a modified state or from the modified state to the unmodified state.
Bell teaches modifying the image being displayed within a first region of the display screen comprises performing a transition effect from an unmodified state to a modified state or from the modified state to the unmodified state (Fig. 12, [0050], [0067], [0079]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yang’s display by incorporating Bell’ idea of adjusting brightness and color to modify the image being displayed on the display screen in order to improve user’s viewing experience.
As to claim 27, it is the apparatus performs the operation of claim 13. Please see claim 13 for detail analysis.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AFROZA Y CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-1543. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nitin Patel can be reached at (571)272-7677. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AFROZA CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2628
