Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 19/177,692

DRIVING METHOD OF DISPLAY PANEL, DRIVING CIRCUIT, AND DISPLAY PANEL

Non-Final OA §103§112
Filed
Apr 14, 2025
Examiner
YANG, NAN-YING
Art Unit
2629
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
HKC Corporation Limited
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
77%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 1m
To Grant
86%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 77% — above average
77%
Career Allow Rate
629 granted / 815 resolved
+15.2% vs TC avg
Moderate +9% lift
Without
With
+8.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 1m
Avg Prosecution
16 currently pending
Career history
831
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.5%
-38.5% vs TC avg
§103
74.1%
+34.1% vs TC avg
§102
10.3%
-29.7% vs TC avg
§112
7.7%
-32.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 815 resolved cases

Office Action

§103 §112
T 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 . Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/14/2025 is being considered by the examiner. Claim Objections Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities: the limitation “the program instructions comprising a detection and determination module” is suggest to read as “the driving circuit comprising a detection and determination module”. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Interpretation under 35 USC § 112(f) or 35 USC 112 (pre-AIA ) sixth paragraph The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f): (f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph: An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. Use of the word “means” (or “step for”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim element is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph). The presumption that 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph) is invoked is rebutted when the function is recited with sufficient structure, material, or acts within the claim itself to entirely perform the recited function. Absence of the word “means” (or “step for”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim element is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph). The presumption that 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph) is not invoked is rebutted when the claim element recites function but fails to recite sufficiently definite structure, material or acts to perform that function. This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: the detection and determination module is configured to determine, the refresh driving signal generation module to generate a refresh driving signal, and the equipotential control module is configured to receive the refresh driving signal in claim 11. Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof. A review of the specification shows that the following appears to be the corresponding structure described in the specification for the 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph limitation: page 14, paragraph 69 recites “thereby controlling the equipotential control module 40, i.e., the second active switch 160”. Therefore, the examiner believes that the equipotential control module indicates as an active switch. However, a review of the specification did not reveal any specific structures of the detection and determination module and the refresh driving signal generation module corresponding to the claim language and capable of performing recited by the claim functions. The specification simply recites the aforementioned "modules” in a same way as the claims do, i.e. using functional language without any structural modifiers as stated in paragraphs [14], [37], [39] and [69]. Therefore, claim 11 is rejected under 112 (b) or 112 (second paragraph) due to indefinite. If applicant wishes to provide an explanation of the corresponding structure, applicant must identify the corresponding structure with reference to the specification by page and line number, and to the drawing, if any, by reference characters in response to this Office action. If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. For more information, see MPEP § 2173 et seq. and Supplementary Examination Guidelines for Determining Compliance With 35 U.S.C. 112 and for Treatment of Related Issues in Patent Applications, 76 FR 7162, 7167 (Feb. 9, 2011). Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Applicant’s claims have been interpreted as invoking 35 USC 112 6th paragraph as per above discussion under section 35 USC 112(f). However, Applicant's specification does not specify corresponding structures of the recited “the detection and determination module” and “the refresh driving signal generation module” in claim 11. Therefore, the recited limitations are indefinite since the specification appears to contemplate all “module” implementing the recited “module” including those which are not described in the disclosure. 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. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. Claim(s) 1-5 and 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamauchi et al. (US. Pub. No. 2012/0075251, hereinafter “Yamauchi”) in view of Wu et al. (US. Pub. No. 2013/0307835, hereinafter “Wu”). As to claim 1, Yamauchi discloses a driving method of a display panel [figure 1, a display panel, abstract, a driving method of a display panel], the driving method comprising the following operations: the display panel meets a preset refresh condition [figure 4, the display panel meets a preset refresh condition (self-refreshing period/refreshing mode), paragraph 202, monitoring the self-refreshing period starts to perform a refreshing operation to suppress voltage creep (caused by leak current) in the pixel electrode Ep in each pixel circuit 112. The operation mode for the self-refreshing period will be called "refreshing mode".]; in response to the preset refresh condition is met, driving all pixel electrodes in the display panel to be short-circuited by a refresh driving signal [figures 4, 6 and 7 (c), in response the preset refresh condition is met (refresh mode starts), T1 is switch on to let signal RL to drive all pixel electrodes Ep in the display panel to be short-circuited by a refresh driving signal BST, figure 1, each pixel is connected to RL, T1 of each pixel is controlled by BST to be turned on, when BST sends signal to turn on T1 in each pixel, all pixels electrodes are connected via RL, therefore short-circuited, paragraph 203, a voltage pulse as a boosting signal BST is applied to the boosting signal line BSL for each frame period, whereby a refreshing procedure is performed to all of the pixel circuits P(i, j) in one entire screen], and disconnecting all the pixel electrodes from each other after a first preset time [figures 4, 6 and 7, disconnect all the pixel electrodes Ep after a first preset time (refresh period ends) by turning off T1]. Yamauchi does not expressly disclose monitoring whether the display panel meets a preset refresh condition, in response to monitoring that the preset refresh condition is met. Wu teaches monitoring whether a display panel meets a preset refresh condition [paragraph 9, determines whether to generate a refresh request signal according to a state of a display frame], in response to monitoring that the preset refresh condition is met [paragraph 9, when the refresh request signal is generated, the panel self refresh unit compresses the present display data into a refresh display data]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the driving method of Yamauchi to monitor whether a display panel meets a preset refresh condition, as taught by Wu, in order to decrease the volume of the panel control apparatus (Wu, paragraph 7). As to claim 2, Yamauchi, as modified by Wu, discloses the driving method as recited in claim 1, wherein the operation of in response to monitoring that the preset refresh condition is met, driving all the pixel electrodes in the display panel to be short-circuited by the refresh driving signal, and disconnecting all the pixel electrodes from each other after a first preset time comprises: in response to monitoring that the preset refresh condition is met, driving all the pixel electrodes in the display panel to be connected to each other through a metal line by the refresh driving signal [Yamauchi, figures 4, 6 and 7 (c), in response the preset refresh condition is met (refresh mode starts), T1 is switch on to let signal RL to drive all pixel electrodes Ep in the display panel to be short-circuited by the refresh driving signal BST, figure 1, each pixel is connected to RL (metal line), T1 of each pixel is controlled by BST to be turned on, when BST sends signal to turn on T1 in each pixel, all pixels electrodes are connected via RL, therefore short-circuited, paragraph 203, a voltage pulse as a boosting signal BST is applied to the boosting signal line BSL for each frame period, whereby a refreshing procedure is performed to all of the pixel circuits P(i, j) in one entire screen, Wu, paragraph 9, determines whether to generate a refresh request signal according to a state of a display frame], and disconnecting all the pixel electrodes in the display panel from each other after the first preset time [Yamauchi, figures 4, 6 and 7, disconnect all the pixel electrodes Ep after a first preset time (refresh period ends) by turning off T1]. In addition, the same rationale is used as in rejection for claim 1. As to claim 3, Yamauchi, as modified by Wu, discloses the driving method as recited in claim 2, wherein the operation of in response to monitoring that the preset refresh condition is met, driving all the pixel electrodes in the display panel to be connected to each other through the metal line by the refresh driving signal, and disconnecting all the pixel electrodes in the display panel from each other after the first preset time comprises: in response to monitoring that the preset refresh condition is met, driving all the pixel electrodes in the display panel to be connected to a common electrode line by the refresh driving signal [Yamauchi, figures 4, 6 and 7 (c), in response the preset refresh condition is met (refresh mode starts), T1 is switch on to let signal RL to drive all pixel electrodes Ep in the display panel to be short-circuited by the refresh driving signal BST, figure 1, each pixel is connected to RL (common electrode line), T1 of each pixel is controlled by BST to be turned on, when BST sends signal to turn on T1 in each pixel, all pixels electrodes are connected via RL, therefore short-circuited, paragraph 203, a voltage pulse as a boosting signal BST is applied to the boosting signal line BSL for each frame period, whereby a refreshing procedure is performed to all of the pixel circuits P(i, j) in one entire screen, Wu, paragraph 9, determines whether to generate a refresh request signal according to a state of a display frame], and disconnecting all the pixel electrodes in the display panel from the common electrode line after the first preset time [Yamauchi, figures 4, 6 and 7, disconnect all the pixel electrodes Ep after a first preset time (refresh period ends) by turning off T1]. In addition, the same rationale is used as in rejection for claim 1. As to claim 4, Yamauchi, as modified by Wu, discloses the driving method as recited in claim 2, wherein the operation of in response to monitoring that the preset refresh condition is met, driving all the pixel electrodes in the display panel to be short-circuited by the refresh driving signal, and disconnecting all the pixel electrodes from each other after the first preset time comprises: in response to monitoring that the preset refresh condition is met, driving all the pixel electrodes in the display panel to be connected to respective data lines by the refresh driving signal [Yamauchi, figures 4, 6 and 7, driving all the pixel electrode in the display panel to be connected to respective data lines by the refresh driving signal, Wu, paragraph 9, determines whether to generate a refresh request signal according to a state of a display frame], and disconnecting all the pixel electrodes in the display panel from the respective data lines after the first preset time [Yamauchi, figures 4, 6 and 7, disconnect all the pixel electrodes Ep after a first preset time (refresh period ends) by turning off T1]. In addition, the same rationale is used as in rejection for claim 1. As to claim 5, Yamauchi, as modified by Wu, discloses the driving method as recited in claim 2, wherein the operation of in response to monitoring that the preset refresh condition is met, driving all the pixel electrodes in the display panel to be short-circuited by the refresh driving signal, and disconnecting all the pixel electrodes from each other after a first preset time comprises: in response to monitoring that the preset refresh condition is met, driving all the pixel electrodes in the display panel to be connected to respective scan lines by the refresh driving signal [Yamauchi, figures 4, 6 and 7, driving all the pixel electrode in the display panel to be connected to respective scan lines by the refresh driving signal, Wu, paragraph 9, determines whether to generate a refresh request signal according to a state of a display frame], and disconnecting all the pixel electrodes in the display panel from the respective scan lines after the first preset time [Yamauchi, figures 4, 6 and 7, disconnect all the pixel electrodes Ep after a first preset time (refresh period ends) by turning off T1]. In addition, the same rationale is used as in rejection for claim 1. As to claim 10, Yamauchi, as modified by Wu, discloses the display panel as recited in claim 1, wherein the refresh driving signal is generated externally to the display panel [Yamauchi, figure 1, refreshing driving signal is generated by 200 which is external to the display panel]. As to claim 11, Yamauchi discloses a driving circuit [figure 1, driving circuit 200, 300, 410, 600], comprising at least one processor [figure 1, display control circuit 200 inheritably includes a processor as a control circuit] and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium [paragraph 224, a memory which stores image data (at least data for one frame) of a still image to be displayed in the permanent display mode. In the polarity inverting period, the liquid crystal display device according to the present embodiment receives this image data from the external memory, and performs essentially the same operations as the permanent display mode writing operation using the source driver 300, based on pixel data which constitute the supplied image data while taking into account that all operations are performed under the polarity inverting scheme. It should be noted here that if the source driver 300 includes a memory which is capable of storing at least one frame-full of image data, this memory may be utilized instead of the external memory, as a storage of the image data of the still image] storing program instructions executable by the at least one processor, the program instructions comprising a refresh driving signal generation module, and an equipotential control module; the display panel meets a preset refresh condition [figure 4, the display panel meets a preset refresh condition (self-refreshing period/refreshing mode), paragraph 202, monitoring the self-refreshing period starts to perform a refreshing operation to suppress voltage creep (caused by leak current) in the pixel electrode Ep in each pixel circuit 112. The operation mode for the self-refreshing period will be called "refreshing mode".]; generate a refresh driving signal [figures 4, 6 and 7, generate a refresh driving signal to T1]; wherein the equipotential control module is connected to each of the pixel electrode and the refresh driving signal generation module, and is configured to receive the refresh driving signal sent by the refresh driving signal generation module and control all pixel electrodes to be short-circuited [figures 4, 6 and 7 (c), in response the preset refresh condition is met (refresh mode starts), T1 is switch on to let signal RL to drive all pixel electrodes Ep in the display panel to be short-circuited by a refresh driving signal BST, figure 1, each pixel is connected to RL, T1 of each pixel is controlled by BST to be turned on, when BST sends signal to turn on T1 in each pixel, all pixels electrodes are connected via RL, therefore short-circuited, paragraph 203, a voltage pulse as a boosting signal BST is applied to the boosting signal line BSL for each frame period, whereby a refreshing procedure is performed to all of the pixel circuits P(i, j) in one entire screen]. Yamauchi does not disclose a detection and determination module; wherein the detection and determination module is configured to determine whether the display panel meets a preset refresh condition; wherein the detection and determination module is connected to the refresh driving signal generation module and configured to control the refresh driving signal generation module to generate a refresh driving signal. Wu teaches a detection and determination module [figure 1, scalar 110, paragraph 23, the scalar 110 performs motion detection to the display frame displayed by the display panel 200 to determine whether the present display frame is correspondent with the generation condition of the refresh request signal S_req]; wherein the detection and determination module is configured to determine whether the display panel meets a preset refresh condition [paragraph 23, the scalar 110 performs motion detection to the display frame displayed by the display panel 200 to determine whether the present display frame is correspondent with the generation condition of the refresh request signal S_req]; wherein the detection and determination module is connected to the refresh driving signal generation module and configured to control the refresh driving signal generation module to generate a refresh driving signal [figure 1, scalar 110 is connected to refresh driving signal generation module to generate a refresh driving signal S_req]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the driving method of Yamauchi to comprise a detection and determination module; wherein the detection and determination module is configured to determine whether the display panel meets a preset refresh condition; wherein the detection and determination module is connected to the refresh driving signal generation module and configured to control the refresh driving signal generation module to generate a refresh driving signal, as taught by Wu, in order to decrease the volume of the panel control apparatus (Wu, paragraph 7). Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamauchi in view of Wu, as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Edwards et al. (US. Pub. No. 2003/0016202, hereinafter “Edwards”). As to claim 9, Yamauchi, as modified by Wu, discloses the display panel as recited in claim 1. Yamauchi, as modified by Wu, does not disclose wherein the refresh driving signal is generated inside the display panel. Edwards teaches wherein a refreshing driving signal is generated inside a display panel [figure 10, a refreshing driving signal is generated by 74 inside a display panel]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the driving method of Yamauchi to generate the refreshing driving signal inside the display panel, as taught by Edwards, in order to reduce the power consumption of the display device (Edwards, paragraph 5). Claim(s) 12, 14 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamauchi in view of Shin et al. (US. Pub. No. 2010/0123841, hereinafter “Shin”). As to claim 12, Yamauchi discloses a display panel [figure 1, a display panel, abstract, a driving method of a display panel], comprising an array substrate [figure 1, active matrix substrate 101], wherein the array substrate comprises a plurality of data lines [figure 1, data lines SL], a plurality of scan lines [figure 1, scan lines GL], a plurality of pixel electrodes [figure 1, pixel electrodes Ep], a plurality of first active switches [figure 2, a plurality of first active switches T3], and a plurality of second active switches [figure 2, a plurality of second active switches T1]; wherein the plurality of data lines and the plurality of scan lines are arranged in a crisscross pattern to divide the display panel into a plurality of pixel units [figures 1-2, data lines SL and scan lines GL are arranged in a crisscross pattern to divide the display panel into a plurality of pixel units]; wherein the plurality of first active switches, the plurality of second active switches, and the plurality of pixel electrodes are each arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of pixel units [figures 1-2, T3, T1 and Ep are each arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of pixel units]; wherein a gate of each of the plurality of first active switches is connected to the respective scan line [figure 2, gate of T3 is connected to respective scan line G(i)], wherein a source of each of the plurality of first active switches is connected to the respective data line [figure 2, source of T3 is connected to respective data line S(j)], wherein a drain of each of the plurality of first active switches is connected to the respective pixel electrode [figure 2, drain of T3 is connected to respective Ep]; wherein a gate of each of the plurality of second active switches is configured to receive a refresh driving signal [figure 2, gate of T1 is configured to receive a refresh driving signal BST], a source of each of the plurality of second active switches is connected to the respective pixel electrode [figure 2, source of T1 is connected to Ep], and wherein respective drains of the plurality of second active switches are connected to each other [figures 1-2, respective drains of T1 are connected to each other via wire RFL]. Yamauchi does not expressly disclose the array substrate comprises a first base, and a plurality of data lines, a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of first active switches, and a plurality of second active switches that are arranged on the first base. Shin teaches an array substrate comprises a first base [figure 9, array substrate comprises a first base 110], and a plurality of data lines, a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of first active switches, and a plurality of second active switches that are arranged on the first base [figures 8-9, data line DL, scan line SL, pixel electrodes E3/E4, first active switches TR1, second active switches TR2 are arranged on 110]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the driving method of Yamauchi to comprise a first base, and a plurality of data lines, a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of pixel electrodes, a plurality of first active switches, and a plurality of second active switches that are arranged on the first base, as taught by Shin, in order to provide an array substrate capable of enhancing side visibility (Shin, paragraph 10). As to claim 14, Yamauchi, as modified by Shin, discloses the display panel as recited in claim 12, wherein the source of each of the plurality of second active switches is connected to the respective pixel electrode [Yamauchi, figure 2, source of each of T1 is connected to respective pixel electrode Ep], the drain of each of the plurality of second active switches is connected to the respective scan line [Yamauchi, figure 2, drain of each of T1 is connected to the respective scan line G], and wherein the drains of the second active switches corresponding to each same row of pixel electrodes are connected to the respective scan line of a same row [Yamauchi, figure 2, drains of T1 corresponding to each same row of pixel electrodes are connected to the respective scan line of a same row]. As to claim 16, Yamauchi, as modified by Shin, discloses the display panel as recited in claim 12, wherein the source of each of the plurality of second active switches is connected to the respective pixel electrode [Yamauchi, figure 2, source of each of T1 is connected to respective pixel electrode Ep], and the drain of each of the plurality of second active switches is connected to the respective data line [Yamauchi, figure 2, drain of each of T1 is connected to the respective data line S]; and wherein the second active switches corresponding to a same column of data line are connected to the same column of data line [Yamauchi, figure 2, T1 corresponding to a same column of S are connected to the same column of data line]. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 6-8, 13, 15 and 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: None of the prior art, made of record, singularly or in combination, teaches or fairly suggests the features presented in the combination limitations of dependent claims 6-7, 13, 15 and 17, such as “wherein the display panel is a liquid crystal display panel; wherein the preset refresh condition comprises that a current image is a static image, and that a duration of the static image is 5-10 minutes; wherein the method further comprises the following operation subsequent to the operation of in response to monitoring that the preset refresh condition is met, driving all the pixel electrodes in the display panel to be short-circuited by the refresh driving signal, and disconnecting all the pixel electrodes from each other after a first preset time: recharging the pixel electrodes to maintain a display of a current image”, recited by claim 6; “wherein the display panel is an electronic paper display panel, and wherein the preset refresh condition comprises image switching; wherein the method further comprises the following operation subsequent to the operation of in response to monitoring that the preset refresh condition is met, driving all the pixel electrodes in the display panel to be connected to the common electrode line by the refresh driving signal, and disconnecting all the pixel electrodes in the display panel from the common electrode line after the first preset time: charging the pixel electrodes with data driving signals of a next frame to keep the image switching”, recited by claim 7; “wherein the display panel comprises an array substrate and an opposing substrate that are arranged opposite to each other, wherein the array substrate is arranged opposite to the opposing substrate, wherein the opposing substrate comprises a second base and a common electrode arranged on the second base, wherein the common electrode is arranged opposite to the pixel electrode; wherein the array substrate further comprises a common electrode line arranged on the first base, wherein the common electrode line is connected to the common electrode; wherein the respective drains of the plurality of second active switches are connected to each other through the common electrode line”, recited by claim 13; “wherein the array substrate further comprises a plurality of third active switches, wherein a source and drain of each of the plurality of third active switches are respectively connected to two adjacent scan lines, and wherein the refresh driving signal is operative to drive all the plurality of third active switches to be turned on simultaneously”, recited by claim 15; and “comprising a plurality of fourth active switches, wherein a source and a drain of each of the plurality of fourth active switches are respectively connected to two adjacent data lines, and wherein the refresh driving signal is operative to drive all the plurality of fourth active switches to be turned on simultaneously”, recited by claim 17. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US. Patent Pub. No. 2003/0043134 (Cairns et al.) is considered as pertinent art as seen in figure 12. US. Patent Pub. No. 2011/0298784 (Yamashita et al.) is also considered as pertinent art as seen in figures 1-2. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NAN-YING YANG whose telephone number is (571)272-2211. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm, EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, BENJAMIN LEE can be reached at (571)272-2963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /NAN-YING YANG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Apr 14, 2025
Application Filed
Feb 18, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103, §112 (current)

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1-2
Expected OA Rounds
77%
Grant Probability
86%
With Interview (+8.9%)
2y 1m
Median Time to Grant
Low
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