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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 8/5/2026 has been entered.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-18 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-14 of U.S. Patent No. 12,020,629 B2 and claims 1-9 of U.S. Patent No. US 12,315,435 B2, respectively. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because it is clear that all of the elements of the application claims except the enable signal are to be found in patent claims 1-14 and 1-9 (as the application claims 1-18 fully encompass patent claims 1-14 and 1-9, respectively). The difference of an enable signal is common and Examiner is taking official notice that this signal is well known in the art and would be obvious to one skilled in the art to incorporate. The rationale to support a conclusion that the claim would have been obvious is that all the claimed elements are known in the art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yields nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. The other difference between the application claims 1-18 lies in the fact that the patent claims include more elements and is thus more specific. Thus the invention of claims 1-14 and 1-9 of the patents are in effect a “species” of the “generic” invention of the application claims 1-18, respectively. It has been held that the generic invention is “anticipated” by the “species”. See In re Goodman, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Since application claims 1-8 are anticipated by claims 1-14 and 1-9 of the patents, it is not patentably distinct from claims 1-14 and 1-9 of the patents.
Patent No. US 12,020,629 B2
Patent No. US 12,315,435 B2
Instant Application 19/192,782
1. A display device, comprising:
a display panel including scan lines, data lines, and pixels connected to the scan lines and the data lines;
a scan driver configured to provide a scan signal to one of the scan lines; and
a data driver configured to generate a data signal based on image data and provide the data signal to one of the data lines,
wherein the data driver includes:
a controller configured to generate a gamma voltage control signal with respect to gamma voltage information corresponding to a target luminance level of an image displayed by the display panel;
a gamma voltage generator configured to generate gamma voltages having a voltage range corresponding to the target luminance level based on the gamma voltage control signal; and
a decoder configured to generate the data signal corresponding to a grayscale value using the gamma voltages,
wherein the controller calculates an offset value corresponding to the target luminance level and applies the offset value to values obtained using gamma voltage information about sample luminance levels to obtain the gamma voltage information corresponding to the target luminance level, wherein the gamma voltage information is changed nonlinearly in an area to which the target luminance level belongs among areas between the sample luminance levels, and
wherein the, offset value is calculated using Equation 1 below:
PNG
media_image1.png
64
279
media_image1.png
Greyscale
wherein, in Equation 1, OS denotes the offset value, DV denotes the target luminance level, DBV1 and DBV2 denote a first sample luminance level and a second sample luminance level that have the smallest difference from the target luminance level among the sample luminance levels, and a and b are proportional constants according to emission characteristics of the pixel.
1. A display device, comprising:
a display panel including scan lines, data lines, and pixels connected to the scan lines and the data lines;
a timing controller configured to convert first data to serialized second data;
a scan driver configured to provide a scan signal to one of the scan lines; and
a data driver configured to generate a data signal based on the serialized second data and provide the data signal to one of the data lines,
wherein the data driver includes:
a shift register;
a controller configured to generate a gamma voltage control signal with respect to gamma voltage information corresponding to a target luminance level of an image displayed by the display panel and covert the serialized second data received from the timing controller to parallelized third data and provide the parallelized third data to the shift register;
a gamma voltage generator configured to generate gamma voltages having a voltage range corresponding to the target luminance level based on the gamma voltage control signal; and
a decoder configured to generate the data signal corresponding to a grayscale value using the gamma voltages,
wherein the controller calculates an offset value corresponding to the target luminance level and applies the offset value to values obtained using gamma voltage information about sample luminance levels to obtain the gamma voltage information corresponding to the target luminance level, and
wherein the offset value is calculated using Equation 1 below:
PNG
media_image1.png
64
279
media_image1.png
Greyscale
wherein, in Equation 1, OS denotes the offset value, DV denotes the target luminance level, DBV1 and DBV2 denote a first sample luminance level and a second sample luminance level that have the smallest difference from the target luminance level among the sample luminance levels, and a and b are proportional constants according to emission characteristics of the pixel.
1. A display device, comprising:
a controller configured to receive image data, a data control signal, and a luminance control signal, to generate a gamma enable signal based on the image data and the data control signal, and to generate a gamma voltage control signal based on the luminance control signal; and
a gamma voltage generator configured to receive the gamma enable signal and the gamma voltage control signal, to generate gamma voltages based on the gamma enable signal, and to change a voltage range of the gamma voltages based on the gamma voltage control signal, and
wherein the luminance control signal includes information corresponding to a target luminance level of an image, and wherein the gamma voltage control signal includes target gamma voltage information corresponding to the target luminance level,
wherein the controller is configured to calculate an offset value corresponding to the target luminance level and to apply the offset value to values obtained using gamma voltage information about sample luminance levels to obtain the target gamma voltage information,
wherein the offset value is calculated based on proportional constants determined according to a grayscale value in the image data and the target luminance level according to emission characteristics of a pixel.
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 1-4, 6-13 and 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (USPN 2020/0286448 A1), in view of Park et al. (USPN 2013/0120659 A1), and further in view of Park et al. (US 2013/0135272 A1).
As to claim 1, Kim teaches a display device (see at least fig. 1: display device 100 and [0055] “a display device 100 may include a display unit 110 (or a display panel), a scan driver 120 (or a gate driver), a data driver 130 (or a source driver), a timing controller 140, and a light emitting driver 150 (or an emission EM driver)”), comprising:
a controller configured to receive image data, a data control signal, and a luminance control signal (see at least [0062] “The data driver 130 may generate data signals based on image data DATA2 and a is data control signal DCS provided from the timing controller 140”; [0083] “the data driver 130 (or a source driver) may include a controller 310”; [0084] “The controller 310 may receive the data control signal DCS from the timing controller 140.”; [0088] “The controller 310 may convert serialized data received from the timing controller 140 into parallelized data DATA.”; [0117] “vary the minimum gamma voltage .. in response to a luminance control signal LCS. The luminance control signal LCS may be provided from the outside, such as from the timing controller 140.”),
to generate a gamma enable signal based on the image data and the data control signal (see at least [0062] “The data control signal DCS controls an operation of the data driver 130 and may include a load signal (or a data enable signal) for instructing an output of a valid data signal.”; [0087] “The controller 310 may generate a gamma enable signal G_EN. The gamma enable signal G_EN may control the gamma voltage generator 330”; [0128] “The gamma buffer control signal CS_AMP may be included in the gamma enable signal G_EN .., or may be provided to the gamma voltage generator 330 from the controller 310 together with the gamma enable signal G_EN.”; [0131] “the controller 310 described above with reference to FIG. 3 may generate the gamma buffer control signal CS_AMP based on the horizontal synchronization signal HSYNC.”; [0148]-[0164], [0167]-[0175]), and to generate a gamma voltage control signal based on the luminance control signal (see at least [0117] “vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. ... vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.”); and
a gamma voltage generator configured to receive the gamma enable signal and the gamma voltage control signal, to generate gamma voltages based on the gamma enable signal, and to change a voltage range of the gamma voltages based on the gamma voltage control signal (see at least [0090] “The gamma voltage generator 330 may receive the gamma enable signal G_EN and generate the gamma voltages VG0 to VG2047 having various voltage levels.”; [0117] “the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. .., the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.”; [0119] “at least some of the first to tenth gamma buffers .. may be turned on or off by a gamma buffer control signal CS_AMP (or a gamma enable signal G_EN”), and
wherein the luminance control signal includes information corresponding to a target luminance level of an image (see at least [0117] “vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.”; [0121]-[0126] “gamma voltages is output .. in correspondence with a first luminance, .. the gamma voltages output .. in correspondence with a second luminance and a third luminance, respectively”).
Kim does not directly teach wherein the gamma voltage control signal includes target gamma voltage information corresponding to the target luminance level, wherein the controller is configured to calculate an offset value corresponding to the target luminance level and to apply the offset value to values obtained using gamma voltage information about sample luminance levels to obtain the target gamma voltage information, wherein the offset value is calculated based on proportional constants determined according to a grayscale value in the image data and the target luminance level according to emission characteristics of a pixel.
Park ‘659 teaches wherein the gamma voltage control signal includes target gamma voltage information corresponding to the target luminance level, wherein the controller is configured to calculate an offset value corresponding to the target luminance level and to apply the offset value to values obtained using gamma voltage information about sample luminance levels to obtain the target gamma voltage information (see at least [0032] “At least two gray values among the reference luminance value may be selected as sample gray values to be applied to a compensation process.”; [0033] “luminance which is provided as a direct input value in a compensation process of optical characteristics such as luminance”; [0034] “the optical characteristic may be adjusted by using an offset value corresponding to a difference between a desired output luminance value and an actual output luminance value.”; [0036] “the luminance compensator 22 performs luminance correction for the other luminance adjustment steps by using the actual gamma data value corresponding to a corresponding gray value after the compensation and the offset value.”; [0039]-[0043] “the gamma value converter 23 converts the gamma data value after compensation … into a corresponding data voltage value”; [0053] “reference gamma voltage is adjusted so that the actual display luminance becomes target luminance. .. and the adjusted reference gamma voltage is referred to as an offset value.”; [0072] “gamma data values and offset values for sample gray values 255, 63, and 31 are transferred from each correction process adjustment step. Then, result values of other luminance adjustment steps are calculated by using the information.”; [0078]-[0080] “data NNX=data DNX-offset value(Q/W) (Equation 2). Wherein in Equation 2, data NNX: corrected value of gamma data according to X gray value of other luminance adjustment step N by calculation.”; [0083] “Q/W: luminance ratio”; [0118] “obtaining a gamma data compensation value for the rest of the luminance values by using the gamma data result value for the sample gray value calculated after the optical compensation and an offset value acquired from the optical compensation”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Park ’659’s known offset-based calculation in Kim to obtain target gamma-voltage information for the desired luminance without separately calibrating gamma values for every modifiable luminance, predictably reducing calibration effort and associated cost while maintaining desired optical characteristics (see Kim at least [0064], [0125] and Park ‘659 at least [0088]-[0099]).
Park ‘659 does not directly teach wherein the offset value is calculated based on proportional constants determined according to a grayscale value in the image data and the target luminance level according to emission characteristics of a pixel.
Park ‘272 teaches wherein the offset value is calculated based on proportional constants determined according to a grayscale value in the image data and the target luminance level according to emission characteristics of a pixel (see at least [0075] “The transfer factors of the transfer function include an efficiency proportional factor "c1" .., a critical point proportional factor "c2"”; [0076] “The efficiency proportional factor "c1" … corresponds to actual emission efficiency. The efficiency proportional factor "c1" includes all variables between an input and an output that occur by a material characteristic difference, a pixel structure difference”; [0077] “The critical point proportional factor "c2" is defined as a variable (on an arbitrary operation start time) that includes all variables between an input and an output that occur by a material characteristic difference, a pixel structure difference, a manufacturing process difference, an aging degree, the change of an ambient environment, mobility of a driving TFT, a parasitic capacitance difference or the like, ... An amount of luminance is measured at an arbitrary light emission critical point .., and the critical point proportional factor "c2" may be mathematically calculated”; [0107] “When the target voltage "V(n)" and the target luminance "L(n)" have been decided, the efficiency proportional factor "c1" and the critical point proportional factor "c2" are calculated according to a numerical formula.”; [0109] “calculates "c1A", "c2A", and "rA" using the measurement luminance "L(n+1)" and the target luminance "L(n)", and converts a difference between the transfer factors into a voltage value before and after change by applying "c1A", "c2A", "rA", and the target luminance "L(n)" to a transfer function.”; [0196] “c1R(n)=LR(n)/VR(n), c1G(n)=LG(n)/VG(n), c1B(n)=LB(n)/VB(n) (9), where n indicates a grayscale level from 0 to 255, .., c1R(n) indicates a static IR drop efficiency proportion factor of R data in the n grayscale level, c1G(n) indicates a static IR drop efficiency proportion factor of G data in the n grayscale level, c1B(n) indicates a static IR drop efficiency proportion factor of B data in the n grayscale level”; [0199] “may calculate the voltage-luminance static IR drop efficiency proportion factors "c1R(n)", "c1G(n)" and "c1B(n)" with only eight RGB grayscale points”; [0107] “When the target voltage "V(n)" and the target luminance "L(n)" have been decided, the efficiency proportional factor "c1" and the critical point proportional factor "c2" are calculated according to a numerical formula.” [0222] “applies the target luminance value and zero calibration transfer factors to the luminance transfer function to calculate a compensation voltage”; [0216] “The target calibration operation calculates a target register for each of grayscale levels of eight points for each of RGB, by using target calibration transfer factors that are calculated based on the target luminance value and the arbitrary target voltage condition.”; [0217] “calculated based on .. color coordinates R(x,y), G(x,y) and B(x,y) being inherent characteristic of a light emitting organic material”; [0222] “applies the target luminance value and zero calibration transfer factors to the luminance transfer function to calculate a compensation voltage”; [0234] “color coordinates (x, y) in RGB luminance require the input of an actual value of an organic material.”; [0251] “The target calibration stage 5100 applies an arbitrary voltage value and a target luminance value to a transfer function to calculate and set target calibration transfer factors "c1 and c2"”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate known proportional factors as taught by Park ’272 into Park ’659’s offset-based compensation to predictably permit the offset used to obtain Kim’s target gamma voltages to account for the actual emission characteristics of the pixel at the relevant grayscale and target luminance, thereby providing more accurate gamma-voltage compensation for achieving the desired luminance.
As to claim 10, Kim teaches an electronic device, comprising: a processor configured to generate input image data and a control signal (see at least [0068] “The timing controller 140 may receive input image data DATA1 and a control signal CS from an external device, such as a graphic processor”);
a timing controller configured to receive the input image data and the control signal, to generate image data based on the input image data, and to generate a data control signal and a luminance control signal based on the control signal (see at least [0068] “The timing controller 140 may receive input image data DATA1 and a control signal CS from an external device, such as a graphic processor), generate the scan control signal SCS and a data control signal DCS based on the control signal CS, and generate the image data DATA2 by converting the input image data DATA1.”; [0117] “The luminance control signal LCS may be provided from the outside, such as from the timing controller 140.”); and
a data driver configured to generate data signals based on the image data, the data control signal, and the luminance control signal (see at least [0062] “The data driver 130 may generate data signals based on image data DATA2 and a is data control signal DCS provided from the timing controller 140”; [0096] “The decoder 360 may convert digital type data (e.g., gray scale value of the parallelized data DATA) into analog type data signal (or data voltage) using the gamma voltages VG0 to VG2047.”; [0117] “vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. .., the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.”), and
wherein the data driver comprises: a controller configured to receive the image data, the data control signal, and the luminance control signal (see at least [0052] “each block, .. may be physically separated into two or more interacting and discrete blocks, ..the blocks, .. may be physically combined into more complex blocks”; [0083] “the data driver 130 (or a source driver) may include a controller 310 (or a control logic)”; [0084] “The controller 310 may receive the data control signal DCS from the timing controller 140”; [0087] “DATA (e.g., the image data DATA2 of FIG. 1)”; [0088] “The controller 310 may convert serialized data received from the timing controller 140 into parallelized data DATA.”; [0117] “the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. The luminance control signal LCS may be provided from the outside, such as from the timing controller 140. More particularly, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.”),
to generate a gamma enable signal based on the image data and the data control signal (see at least [0062] “The data control signal DCS ..may include a load signal (or a data enable signal) for instructing an output of a valid data signal.”; [0087] “The controller 310 may generate a gamma enable signal G_EN. The gamma enable signal G_EN may control the gamma voltage generator 330”; [0128] “The gamma buffer control signal CS_AMP may be included in the gamma enable signal G_EN .., or may be provided to the gamma voltage generator 330 from the controller 310 together with the gamma enable signal G_EN.”; [0131] “the controller 310 .. may generate the gamma buffer control signal CS_AMP based on the horizontal synchronization signal HSYNC.”; [0148]-[0164]; [0167] “DATA2 (see FIG. 1) may have a gray scale value valid only for an image .. and may have a black gray scale value .. in the remaining area.”; [0172] The gamma buffer control signal CS_AMP may be changed to have the second value LESS ... Since only the data signal corresponding to black may be generated”; [0174] “the gamma buffer control signal CS_AMP may be changed to have the first value FULL from the second value LESS”), and to generate a gamma voltage control signal based on the luminance control signal (see at least [0117] “vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. ... vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.”); and
a gamma voltage generator configured to receive the gamma enable signal and the gamma voltage control signal, to generate gamma voltages based on the gamma enable signal, and to change a voltage range of the gamma voltages based on the gamma voltage control signal (see at least [0087] “The gamma enable signal G_EN may control the gamma voltage generator 330, such that the gamma voltage generator 330 generates the gamma voltages VG0 to VG2047.”; [0090] “The gamma voltage generator 330 may receive the gamma enable signal G_EN and generate the gamma voltages VG0 to VG2047 having various voltage levels.”; [0117] “the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. .., the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.”),
wherein the luminance control signal includes information corresponding to a target luminance level of an image (see at least [0064] “An overall voltage range of the gamma voltages and target voltage levels of the gamma voltages may be changed depending on a luminance.”; [0117] “may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. .. vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.”; [0121]-[0126] “gamma voltages output .. in correspondence with the first luminance, … gamma voltages output .. in correspondence with a second luminance and a third luminance”).
Kim does not directly teach wherein the gamma voltage control signal includes target gamma voltage information corresponding to the target luminance level, wherein the controller is configured to calculate an offset value corresponding to the target luminance level and to apply the offset value to values obtained using gamma voltage information about sample luminance levels to obtain the target gamma voltage information, wherein the offset value is calculated based on proportional constants determined according to a grayscale value in the image data and the target luminance level according to emission characteristics of a pixel.
Park ‘659 teaches wherein the gamma voltage control signal includes target gamma voltage information corresponding to the target luminance level, wherein the controller is configured to calculate an offset value corresponding to the target luminance level and to apply the offset value to values obtained using gamma voltage information about sample luminance levels to obtain the target gamma voltage information (see at least [0032] “At least two gray values among the reference luminance value may be selected as sample gray values to be applied to a compensation process.”; [0033] “luminance which is provided as a direct input value in a compensation process of optical characteristics such as luminance”; [0034] “the optical characteristic may be adjusted by using an offset value corresponding to a difference between a desired output luminance value and an actual output luminance value.”; [0036] “the luminance compensator 22 performs luminance correction for the other luminance adjustment steps by using the actual gamma data value corresponding to a corresponding gray value after the compensation and the offset value.”; [0039]-[0043] “the gamma value converter 23 converts the gamma data value after compensation … into a corresponding data voltage value”; [0053] “reference gamma voltage is adjusted so that the actual display luminance becomes target luminance. .. and the adjusted reference gamma voltage is referred to as an offset value.”; [0072] “gamma data values and offset values for sample gray values 255, 63, and 31 are transferred from each correction process adjustment step. Then, result values of other luminance adjustment steps are calculated by using the information.”; [0078]-[0080] “data NNX=data DNX-offset value(Q/W) (Equation 2). Wherein in Equation 2, data NNX: corrected value of gamma data according to X gray value of other luminance adjustment step N by calculation.”; [0083] “Q/W: luminance ratio”; [0118] “obtaining a gamma data compensation value for the rest of the luminance values by using the gamma data result value for the sample gray value calculated after the optical compensation and an offset value acquired from the optical compensation”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Park ’659’s known offset-based calculation in Kim to obtain target gamma-voltage information for the desired luminance without separately calibrating gamma values for every modifiable luminance, predictably reducing calibration effort and associated cost while maintaining desired optical characteristics (see Kim at least [0064], [0125] and Park ‘659 at least [0088]-[0099]).
Park ‘659 does not directly teach wherein the offset value is calculated based on proportional constants determined according to a grayscale value in the image data and the target luminance level according to emission characteristics of a pixel.
Park ‘272 teaches wherein the offset value is calculated based on proportional constants determined according to a grayscale value in the image data and the target luminance level according to emission characteristics of a pixel (see at least [0075] “The transfer factors of the transfer function include an efficiency proportional factor "c1" .., a critical point proportional factor "c2"”; [0076] “The efficiency proportional factor "c1" … corresponds to actual emission efficiency. The efficiency proportional factor "c1" includes all variables between an input and an output that occur by a material characteristic difference, a pixel structure difference”; [0077] “The critical point proportional factor "c2" is defined as a variable (on an arbitrary operation start time) that includes all variables between an input and an output that occur by a material characteristic difference, a pixel structure difference, a manufacturing process difference, an aging degree, the change of an ambient environment, mobility of a driving TFT, a parasitic capacitance difference or the like, ... An amount of luminance is measured at an arbitrary light emission critical point .., and the critical point proportional factor "c2" may be mathematically calculated”; [0107] “When the target voltage "V(n)" and the target luminance "L(n)" have been decided, the efficiency proportional factor "c1" and the critical point proportional factor "c2" are calculated according to a numerical formula.”; [0109] “calculates "c1A", "c2A", and "rA" using the measurement luminance "L(n+1)" and the target luminance "L(n)", and converts a difference between the transfer factors into a voltage value before and after change by applying "c1A", "c2A", "rA", and the target luminance "L(n)" to a transfer function.”; [0196] “c1R(n)=LR(n)/VR(n), c1G(n)=LG(n)/VG(n), c1B(n)=LB(n)/VB(n) (9), where n indicates a grayscale level from 0 to 255, .., c1R(n) indicates a static IR drop efficiency proportion factor of R data in the n grayscale level, c1G(n) indicates a static IR drop efficiency proportion factor of G data in the n grayscale level, c1B(n) indicates a static IR drop efficiency proportion factor of B data in the n grayscale level”; [0199] “may calculate the voltage-luminance static IR drop efficiency proportion factors "c1R(n)", "c1G(n)" and "c1B(n)" with only eight RGB grayscale points”; [0107] “When the target voltage "V(n)" and the target luminance "L(n)" have been decided, the efficiency proportional factor "c1" and the critical point proportional factor "c2" are calculated according to a numerical formula.” [0222] “applies the target luminance value and zero calibration transfer factors to the luminance transfer function to calculate a compensation voltage”; [0216] “The target calibration operation calculates a target register for each of grayscale levels of eight points for each of RGB, by using target calibration transfer factors that are calculated based on the target luminance value and the arbitrary target voltage condition.”; [0217] “calculated based on .. color coordinates R(x,y), G(x,y) and B(x,y) being inherent characteristic of a light emitting organic material”; [0222] “applies the target luminance value and zero calibration transfer factors to the luminance transfer function to calculate a compensation voltage”; [0234] “color coordinates (x, y) in RGB luminance require the input of an actual value of an organic material.”; [0251] “The target calibration stage 5100 applies an arbitrary voltage value and a target luminance value to a transfer function to calculate and set target calibration transfer factors "c1 and c2"”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate known proportional factors as taught by Park ’272 into Park ’659’s offset-based compensation to predictably permit the offset used to obtain Kim’s target gamma voltages to account for the actual emission characteristics of the pixel at the relevant grayscale and target luminance, thereby providing more accurate gamma-voltage compensation for achieving the desired luminance.
As to claim 2, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the display device of claim 1 (see above rejection), wherein the controller comprises a look-up table including gamma voltage information corresponding to sample luminance levels (see Kim at least [0100] “the decoder 360 may output the data voltage VGS corresponding to a gray scale value by using a separate look-up table, in which relationships between the gray scale value GRAY and the gamma voltages VG0 to VG2047 are defined”).
As to claim 3, the combination Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the display device of claim 2 (see above rejection), wherein, when the target luminance level is equal to a sample luminance level among the sample luminance levels, the controller is configured to calculate first gamma voltage information corresponding to the sample luminance level as the target gamma voltage information (see Kim at least [0121]-[0126] and Park ‘659 at least [0072] “gamma data values and offset values for sample gray values 255, 63, and 31 are transferred from each correction process adjustment step. Then, result values of other luminance adjustment steps are calculated by using the information”; [0112] “The gamma value converter may calculate data voltage for the rest of luminance by using linear interpolation”; [0118] “obtaining a gamma data compensation value for the rest of the luminance values by using the gamma data result value for the sample gray value calculated after the optical compensation and an offset value acquired from the optical compensation” – note when the target luminance corresponds to a sampled luminance level, the gamma information already corresponding to that sampled level is used as the gamma information for that target luminance).
As to claim 4, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the display device of claim 2 (see above rejection), wherein, when the target luminance level is different from the sample luminance levels (see Kim at least [0064] “overall voltage range of the gamma voltages and target voltage levels of the gamma voltages may be changed depending on a luminance.”; [0124] “when a display luminance of the display device 100 is changed from the first luminance to the second luminance, ..”), the controller is configured to calculate second gamma voltage information by applying a linear interpolation method to the gamma voltage information (see Park ‘659 at least [0112] “The gamma value converter may calculate data voltage for the rest of luminance by using linear interpolation. The optical characteristic information may be information on luminance and a color coordinate of the displayed video, but is not limited thereto.”; claim 6. “the gamma value converter calculates data voltage for the rest of the luminance values by using linear interpolation.”); and to calculate third gamma voltage information, by applying the offset value corresponding to the target luminance level to the second gamma voltage information, as the target gamma voltage information (see Kim at least [0064] “actual voltage levels .. may be based on offsets”; [0124] “an offset .. is changed according to a change of the minimum gamma voltage”; [0132] “the gamma voltages may have errors due to the offsets”).
As to claim 6, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the display device of claim 1 (see above rejection), wherein, when the target luminance level is increased, the gamma voltage generator is configured to widen the voltage range of the gamma voltages by decreasing a value of a first gamma voltage corresponding to a minimum value of the gamma voltages (see Kim at least [0117] “According to an exemplary embodiment, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. The luminance control signal LCS may be provided from the outside, such as from the timing controller 140. More particularly, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.” – note decreasing a minimum gamma voltage widens the voltage range, increasing a minimum gamma voltage narrows the voltage range. Adjusting the maximum gamma voltage is an obvious symmetrical variation to adjusting the minimum gamma voltage, yielding predictable results).
As to claim 7, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the display device of claim 1 (see above rejection), wherein, when the target luminance level is decreased, the gamma voltage generator is configured to narrow the voltage range of the gamma voltages by increasing a value of a first gamma voltage corresponding to a minimum value of the gamma voltages (see Kim at least [0117] “According to an exemplary embodiment, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. The luminance control signal LCS may be provided from the outside, such as from the timing controller 140. More particularly, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.” – note decreasing a minimum gamma voltage widens the voltage range, increasing a minimum gamma voltage narrows the voltage range. Adjusting the maximum gamma voltage is an obvious symmetrical variation to adjusting the minimum gamma voltage, yielding predictable results).
As to claim 8, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the display device of claim 1 (see above rejection), wherein, when the target luminance level is increased, the gamma voltage generator is configured to widen the voltage range of the gamma voltages by increasing a value of a second gamma voltage corresponding to a maximum value of the gamma voltages (see Kim at least [0117] “According to an exemplary embodiment, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. The luminance control signal LCS may be provided from the outside, such as from the timing controller 140. More particularly, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.” – note decreasing a minimum gamma voltage widens the voltage range, increasing a minimum gamma voltage narrows the voltage range. Adjusting the maximum gamma voltage is an obvious symmetrical variation to adjusting the minimum gamma voltage, yielding predictable results).
As to claim 9, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the display device of claim 1 (see above rejection), wherein, when the target luminance level is decreased, the gamma voltage generator is configured to narrow the voltage range of the gamma voltages by decreasing a value of a second gamma voltage corresponding to a maximum value of the gamma voltages (see Kim at least [0117] “According to an exemplary embodiment, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. The luminance control signal LCS may be provided from the outside, such as from the timing controller 140. More particularly, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.” – note decreasing a minimum gamma voltage widens the voltage range, increasing a minimum gamma voltage narrows the voltage range. Adjusting the maximum gamma voltage is an obvious symmetrical variation to adjusting the minimum gamma voltage, yielding predictable results).
As to claim 11, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the electronic device of claim 10 (see above rejection), wherein the controller comprises a look-up table including gamma voltage information corresponding to sample luminance levels (see Kim at least [0100] “the decoder 360 may output the data voltage VGS corresponding to a gray scale value by using a separate look-up table, in which relationships between the gray scale value GRAY and the gamma voltages VG0 to VG2047 are defined”).
As to claim 12, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the electronic device of claim 11 (see above rejection), wherein, when the target luminance level is equal to a sample luminance level among the sample luminance levels, the controller is configured to calculate first gamma voltage information corresponding to the sample luminance level as the target gamma voltage information (see Kim at least [0121]-[0126] and Park ‘659 at least [0072] “gamma data values and offset values for sample gray values 255, 63, and 31 are transferred from each correction process adjustment step. Then, result values of other luminance adjustment steps are calculated by using the information”; [0112] “The gamma value converter may calculate data voltage for the rest of luminance by using linear interpolation”; [0118] “obtaining a gamma data compensation value for the rest of the luminance values by using the gamma data result value for the sample gray value calculated after the optical compensation and an offset value acquired from the optical compensation” – note when the target luminance corresponds to a sampled luminance level, the gamma information already corresponding to that sampled level is used as the gamma information for that target luminance).
As to claim 13, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the electronic device of claim 11 (see above rejection), wherein, when the target luminance level is different from the sample luminance levels (see Kim at least [0064] “overall voltage range of the gamma voltages and target voltage levels of the gamma voltages may be changed depending on a luminance.”; [0124] “when a display luminance of the display device 100 is changed from the first luminance to the second luminance, ..”), the controller is configured to calculate second gamma voltage information by applying a linear interpolation method to the gamma voltage information (see Park ‘659 at least [0112] “The gamma value converter may calculate data voltage for the rest of luminance by using linear interpolation. The optical characteristic information may be information on luminance and a color coordinate of the displayed video, but is not limited thereto.”; claim 6. “the gamma value converter calculates data voltage for the rest of the luminance values by using linear interpolation.”); and to calculate third gamma voltage information, by applying the offset value corresponding to the target luminance level to the second gamma voltage information, as the target gamma voltage information (see Kim at least [0064] “actual voltage levels .. may be based on offsets”; [0124] “an offset .. is changed according to a change of the minimum gamma voltage”; [0132] “the gamma voltages may have errors due to the offsets”).
As to claim 15, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the electronic device of claim 10 (see above rejection), wherein, when the target luminance level is increased, the gamma voltage generator is configured to widen the voltage range of the gamma voltages by decreasing a value of a first gamma voltage corresponding to a minimum value of the gamma voltages (see Kim at least [0117] “According to an exemplary embodiment, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. The luminance control signal LCS may be provided from the outside, such as from the timing controller 140. More particularly, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.” – note decreasing a minimum gamma voltage widens the voltage range, increasing a minimum gamma voltage narrows the voltage range. Adjusting the maximum gamma voltage is an obvious symmetrical variation to adjusting the minimum gamma voltage, yielding predictable results).
As to claim 16, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the electronic device of claim 10 (see above rejection), wherein, when the target luminance level is decreased, the gamma voltage generator is configured to narrow the voltage range of the gamma voltages by increasing a value of a first gamma voltage corresponding to a minimum value of the gamma voltages (see Kim at least [0117] “According to an exemplary embodiment, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. The luminance control signal LCS may be provided from the outside, such as from the timing controller 140. More particularly, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.” – note decreasing a minimum gamma voltage widens the voltage range, increasing a minimum gamma voltage narrows the voltage range. Adjusting the maximum gamma voltage is an obvious symmetrical variation to adjusting the minimum gamma voltage, yielding predictable results).
As to claim 17, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the electronic device of claim 10 (see above rejection), wherein, when the target luminance level is increased, the gamma voltage generator is configured to widen the voltage range of the gamma voltages by increasing a value of a second gamma voltage corresponding to a maximum value of the gamma voltages (see Kim at least [0117] “According to an exemplary embodiment, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. The luminance control signal LCS may be provided from the outside, such as from the timing controller 140. More particularly, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.” – note decreasing a minimum gamma voltage widens the voltage range, increasing a minimum gamma voltage narrows the voltage range. Adjusting the maximum gamma voltage is an obvious symmetrical variation to adjusting the minimum gamma voltage, yielding predictable results).
As to claim 18, the combination of Kim, Park ‘659 and Park ‘272 teach the electronic device of claim 10 (see above rejection), wherein, when the target luminance level is decreased, the gamma voltage generator is configured to narrow the voltage range of the gamma voltages by decreasing a value of a second gamma voltage corresponding to a maximum value of the gamma voltages (see Kim at least [0117] “According to an exemplary embodiment, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT in response to a luminance control signal LCS. The luminance control signal LCS may be provided from the outside, such as from the timing controller 140. More particularly, the second buffer AMP_BOT may vary the minimum gamma voltage VG_BOT according to a display luminance of the display device 100, and thus, a range of the gamma voltages VO to V2047 may be adjusted.” – note decreasing a minimum gamma voltage widens the voltage range, increasing a minimum gamma voltage narrows the voltage range. Adjusting the maximum gamma voltage is an obvious symmetrical variation to adjusting the minimum gamma voltage, yielding predictable results).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 is 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 of record teach:
“A display device comprising:
a controller configured to receive image data, a data control signal, and a luminance control signal, to generate a gamma enable signal based on the image data and the data control signal, and to generate a gamma voltage control signal based on the luminance control signal; and
a gamma voltage generator configured to receive the gamma enable signal and the gamma voltage control signal, to generate gamma voltages based on the gamma enable signal, and to change a voltage range of the gamma voltages based on the gamma voltage control signal, and wherein the luminance control signal includes information corresponding to a target luminance level of an image, and
wherein the gamma voltage control signal includes target gamma voltage information corresponding to the target luminance level,
wherein the controller is configured to calculate an offset value corresponding to the target luminance level and to apply the offset value to values obtained using gamma voltage information about sample luminance levels to obtain the target gamma voltage information,
wherein the offset value is calculated based on proportional constants determined according to a grayscale value in the image data and the target luminance level according to emission characteristics of a pixel,
wherein the controller is configured to calculate the offset value using Equation 1 below:
PNG
media_image1.png
64
279
media_image1.png
Greyscale
wherein, in Equation 1, OS denotes the offset value, DV denotes the target luminance level, DBV1 and DBV2 denote a first sample luminance level and a second sample luminance level that have the smallest difference from the target luminance level among the sample luminance levels, and a and b are proportional constants according to emission characteristics of a pixel.”
Claims 14 would be allowable if Double Patenting Rejection is overcome for at least the same reasons as the allowable subject matter for claim 5 above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 7/28/2026 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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/JENNIFER L ZUBAJLO/Examiner, Art Unit 2627 8/12/2026
/KE XIAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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