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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of species 3 corresponding to fig. 7 in the reply filed on 03/06/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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.
1. Claim(s) 1, 2, 17 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lim et al (US 2022/0358872).
As to claim 1, Lim teaches a display device comprising:
a display panel comprising pixels (display unit 100, [0050], fig. 1);
a scan driver configured to provide scan signals to the pixels (scan driver 110, [0054], fig. 1);
a data driver configured to provide data signals to the pixels (data driver 120, [0056], fig. 1);
a controller configured to control the scan driver and the data driver (signal controller 150, [0062], fig. 1);
a power board configured to generate a power supply voltage for the pixels (the first power supply 130 and the second power supply 140, [0064], fig. 1); and
a scaler (signal controller 150, fig. 1) configured to receive input image data from a host processor (application processor 160, [0058] The signal controller 150 receives an image signal IS and an input control signal CONT to control its operations from the application processor 160, fig. 1), to convert a data format of the input image data ([0060] The signal controller 150 generates the control signals CONT1, CONT2, CONT3, and CONT4 and the image data signal DATA according to the image signal IS, the horizontal synchronizing signal, the vertical synchronization signal, the main clock signal, the data enable signal, and the TE signal), to provide converted input image data to the controller (examiner’s note: the signal controller 150 functions as a scaler and a controller), to determine a luminance mode of the display device, and to control the power board to adjust the power supply voltage according to the luminance mode ([0064] The signal controller 150 may control the driving of the first power supply 130 and the second power supply 140 according to a power control signal indicative of the luminance of the image displayed and/or to be displayed by the display unit 100, which is in the form of the luminance setting value DBV…the signal controller 150 transmits the control signal CONT3 to the first power supply 130 so that the first power supply 130 may transmit the power voltages ELVDD1 and ELVSS1 to the display unit 100. The signal controller 150 transmits the control signal CONT4 to the second power supply 140 so that the second power supply 140 may transmit the power voltages ELVDD2 and ELVSS2 to the display unit 100).
As to claim 2, Lim teaches the display device, wherein a voltage level of the power supply voltage increases as a maximum luminance of the luminance mode increases ([0063] the luminance setting value DBV may express a maximum luminance value displayed by the display unit 100…[0064] control the driving of the first power supply 130 and the second power supply 140 according to a power control signal … the form of the luminance setting value DBV).
3. (Withdrawn)
10. (Withdrawn)
11. (Withdrawn)
12. (Withdrawn)
13. (Withdrawn)
14. (Withdrawn)
15. (Withdrawn)
16. (Withdrawn)
As to claim 17, Lim teaches a method of operating a display device, the method comprising: determining, by a scaler of the display device (signal controller 150, fig. 1), a luminance mode of the display device ([0064] The signal controller 150 may control the driving of the first power supply 130 and the second power supply 140 according to a power control signal indicative of the luminance of the image displayed and/or to be displayed by the display unit 100, which is in the form of the luminance setting value DBV); determining a power supply voltage according to the luminance mode ([0064] The signal controller 150 may control the driving of the first power supply 130 and the second power supply 140 according to a power control signal indicative of the luminance of the image displayed and/or to be displayed by the display unit 100, which is in the form of the luminance setting value DBV…the signal controller 150 transmits the control signal CONT3 to the first power supply 130 so that the first power supply 130 may transmit the power voltages ELVDD1 and ELVSS1 to the display unit 100. The signal controller 150 transmits the control signal CONT4 to the second power supply 140 so that the second power supply 140 may transmit the power voltages ELVDD2 and ELVSS2 to the display unit 100); generating, by a power board of the display device, the power supply voltage determined according to the luminance mode ([0064] The signal controller 150 may control the driving of the first power supply 130 and the second power supply 140 according to a power control signal indicative of the luminance of the image displayed and/or to be displayed by the display unit 100, which is in the form of the luminance setting value DBV…the signal controller 150 transmits the control signal CONT3 to the first power supply 130 so that the first power supply 130 may transmit the power voltages ELVDD1 and ELVSS1 to the display unit 100. The signal controller 150 transmits the control signal CONT4 to the second power supply 140 so that the second power supply 140 may transmit the power voltages ELVDD2 and ELVSS2 to the display unit 100); and displaying, by a display panel of the display device, an image based on the power supply voltage received from the power board (fig. 1 illustrates a display panel with power supply ELVDD1, ELVDD2, ELVSS1 and ELVSS2).
19. (Withdrawn)
As to claim 20, Lim teaches an electronic device comprising a display device comprising:
a display panel comprising pixels (display unit 100, [0050], fig. 1);
a scan driver configured to provide scan signals to the pixels (scan driver 110, [0054], fig. 1);
a data driver configured to provide data signals to the pixels (data driver 120, [0056], fig. 1);
a controller configured to control the scan driver and the data driver (signal controller 150, [0062], fig. 1);
a power board configured to generate a power supply voltage for the pixels (the first power supply 130 and the second power supply 140, [0064], fig. 1); and
a scaler (signal controller 150, fig. 1) configured to receive input image data from a host processor (application processor 160, [0058] The signal controller 150 receives an image signal IS and an input control signal CONT to control its operations from the application processor 160, fig. 1), to convert a data format of the input image data ([0060] The signal controller 150 generates the control signals CONT1, CONT2, CONT3, and CONT4 and the image data signal DATA according to the image signal IS, the horizontal synchronizing signal, the vertical synchronization signal, the main clock signal, the data enable signal, and the TE signal), to provide converted input image data to the controller (examiner’s note: the signal controller 150 functions as a scaler and a controller), to determine a luminance mode of the display device, and to control the power board to adjust the power supply voltage according to the luminance mode ([0064] The signal controller 150 may control the driving of the first power supply 130 and the second power supply 140 according to a power control signal indicative of the luminance of the image displayed and/or to be displayed by the display unit 100, which is in the form of the luminance setting value DBV…the signal controller 150 transmits the control signal CONT3 to the first power supply 130 so that the first power supply 130 may transmit the power voltages ELVDD1 and ELVSS1 to the display unit 100. The signal controller 150 transmits the control signal CONT4 to the second power supply 140 so that the second power supply 140 may transmit the power voltages ELVDD2 and ELVSS2 to the display unit 100).
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.
2. Claim(s) 4 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim et al (US 2022/0358872) in view of Bae (US 2015/0170577).
As to claim 4, Lim does not teach a mode-to-power supply voltage lookup table and a power supply voltage determiner as claimed.
However, Bae teaches the display device, wherein the controller comprises: a mode-to-power supply voltage lookup table configured to store voltage levels of the power supply voltage respectively corresponding to luminance modes ([0121] lookup table 340 stores information about the driving voltage corresponding to the maximum luminance value); and a power supply voltage determiner configured to: receive a mode signal indicating the luminance mode from the scaler (fig. 9 illustrates that the driving voltage calculation unit 330 receives d_max from the maximum value detection unit); and determine one of the voltage levels of the power supply voltage corresponding to the luminance mode using the mode-to-power supply voltage lookup table ([0121] the driving voltage calculation unit 330 calculates the maximum luminance value corresponding to the maximum value d_max, and detects the driving voltage corresponding to the maximum luminance value by using the lookup table 340).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Lim to teach, the mode-to-power supply voltage lookup table and the power supply voltage determiner, as suggested by Bae. The motivation would have been in order to provide a display device “which allow for improved outdoor visibility at a low grayscale level” ([0013]).
As to claim 5, Lim in view of Bae teach the display device, wherein the controller is configured to provide a power supply voltage level signal indicating the one of the voltage levels of the power supply voltage (Lim: control signal CONT3 and control signal CONT4) to the scaler (examiner’s note: the signal controller 150 functions as a scaler and a controller), and wherein the scaler is configured to control the power board in response to the power supply voltage level signal such that the power supply voltage has the one of the voltage levels (Lim: [0064] The signal controller 150 may control the driving of the first power supply 130 and the second power supply 140 according to a power control signal indicative of the luminance of the image displayed and/or to be displayed by the display unit 100, which is in the form of the luminance setting value DBV…the signal controller 150 transmits the control signal CONT3 to the first power supply 130 so that the first power supply 130 may transmit the power voltages ELVDD1 and ELVSS1 to the display unit 100. The signal controller 150 transmits the control signal CONT4 to the second power supply 140 so that the second power supply 140 may transmit the power voltages ELVDD2 and ELVSS2 to the display unit 100).
3. Claim(s) 6-7 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim et al (US 2022/0358872) in view of Tu et al (US 2022/0068227).
As to claim 6, while Lim teaches the power supply voltage is determined based on the luminance mode (see paragraph [0064]), Lim does not teach the power supply voltage is determined based on a panel efficiency of the display panel.
However, Tu teaches the display device, wherein the power supply voltage is determined based on the luminance mode and a panel efficiency of the display panel ([0066] estimating the power consumption P.sub.DSP based on the brightness setting and the display efficiency lookup table 600).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Lim to teach, determining power supply voltage based on the panel efficiency, as suggested by Tu. The motivation would have been in order to reduce the cost of power consumption estimation compared to the direct power monitoring ([0066]).
As to claim 7, Lim in view of Tu teaches the display device, wherein a voltage level of the power supply voltage increases as a maximum luminance of the luminance mode increases (Tu: [0049] A maximum display driver current is associated with a maximum brightness level… A linear relationship exists between the brightness setting and the display driver current I.sub.D. Given the brightness setting, the display driver current I.sub.D is estimated based on the linear relationship), and decreases as the panel efficiency increases (Tu: [0050] determine the display efficiency η.sub.D based on the display driver current I.sub.D. [0050]-[0051]. Examiner’s note: additionally, it is well known that power consumption decreases as the panel efficiency increases).
As to claim 18, Lim does not teach storing panel efficiency information as claimed.
However, Tu teaches the method, wherein a voltage level of the power supply voltage increases as a maximum luminance of the luminance mode increases ([0049] A maximum display driver current is associated with a maximum brightness level… A linear relationship exists between the brightness setting and the display driver current I.sub.D. Given the brightness setting, the display driver current I.sub.D is estimated based on the linear relationship), and wherein the method further comprises: storing panel efficiency information indicating a panel efficiency of the display panel ([0049] FIG. 6 is an example display efficiency lookup table 600 for estimating power consumption P.sub.DSP of a display driver 140); and adjusting a voltage level of the power supply voltage according to the panel efficiency ([0050] determine the display efficiency η.sub.D based on the display driver current I.sub.D. [0050]-[0051]. Examiner’s note: additionally, it is well known that power consumption decreases as the panel efficiency increases).
Allowable Subject Matter
4. Claims 8 and 9 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMEN W BOGALE whose telephone number is (571)270-1579. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:AM-6:PM.
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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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/AMEN W BOGALE/ Examiner, Art Unit 2628
/NITIN PATEL/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2628
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