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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7-14 and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. (US 2020/0279090).
Regarding independent claim 1, He teaches a method of driving a display device (figures 1-3) including a pixel (pixel 753, Fig 3) and a photo sensing pixel (a sensing pixel 182A, See ¶96), the method comprising:
performing a first sensing operation of emitting light by the pixel and operating the photo sensing pixel (Par. 260 explained a first illumination probe beam is directed to illuminate a designated fingerprint sensing area over the top transparent layer in a first illumination direction and to enter a user finger over the designated fingerprint sensing area to produce first scattered probe light…)
performing a second sensing operation of not emitting light by the pixel and operating the photo sensing pixel (Par. 117 and 261 explained a second illumination probe beam, while turning off the first illumination light source, is directed to illuminate the designated fingerprint sensing area over the top transparent layer in a second, different illumination direction and to enter the user finger to produce second scattered probe light…);
He does not disclose in the above-cited embodiment "calculating a compensation value for compensating degradation of the pixel based on first sensing data according to the first sensing operation and second sensing data according to the second sensing operation."
However, in another embodiment He does suggest "calculating a compensation value for compensating degradation of the pixel based on first sensing data according to the first sensing operation and second sensing data according to the second sensing operation." (Par. 160 explained an operation process for correcting the image distortion in the optical sensor module…, and the background subtraction is performed. The resultant image has a reduced background light effect and includes images from pixel emitting lights. At step 1304, the capture image is processed and calibrated to correct image system distortions. At step 1305, the corrected image is used as a human fingerprint image for user authentication.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ), to have an operation process for correcting the image distortion in the optical sensor module, and the background subtraction is performed. The resultant image has a reduced background light effect and includes images from pixel emitting lights. At step 1304, the capture image is processed and calibrated to correct image system distortions. At step 1305, the corrected image is used as a human fingerprint image for user authentication, as He teaches, to modify the embodiment of Fig. 3. The motivation for doing so would improve the optical fingerprint sensing, e.g., by improving the signal to noise ratio in the detection. (See He ¶245).
Regarding independent claim 11, He teaches a display device (a display device 100, Fig 3) comprising:
a display panel (a OLED display panel, ¶101) including a pixel (a pixel 753, Fig 3) and a photo sensing pixel (a sensing pixel 182A, See ¶96) ; a panel driver (a drive circuitry 789, Fig 3) configured to drive the pixel (the pixel 753) to emit light; and
a sensor driver (a sense circuitry 787, Fig 3) configured to operate the photo sensing pixel (the sensing pixel 182A),
wherein the sensor driver acquires first sensing data by operating the photo sensing pixel while the pixel emits light (Par. 260 explained a first illumination probe beam is directed to illuminate a designated fingerprint sensing area over the top transparent layer in a first illumination direction and to enter a user finger over the designated fingerprint sensing area to produce first scattered probe light…);
acquires second sensing data by operating the photo sensing pixel while the pixel does not emit light (Par. 117 and 261 explained a second illumination probe beam, while turning off the first illumination light source, is directed to illuminate the designated fingerprint sensing area over the top transparent layer in a second, different illumination direction and to enter the user finger to produce second scattered probe light…);
He does not disclose in the above-cited embodiment "wherein the panel driver calculates a compensation value for compensating degradation of the pixel based on the first sensing data and the second sensing data."
However, in another embodiment He does suggest "wherein the panel driver calculates a compensation value for compensating degradation of the pixel based on the first sensing data and the second sensing data." (Par. 160 explained an operation process for correcting the image distortion in the optical sensor module…, and the background subtraction is performed. The resultant image has a reduced background light effect and includes images from pixel emitting lights. At step 1304, the capture image is processed and calibrated to correct image system distortions. At step 1305, the corrected image is used as a human fingerprint image for user authentication.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ), to have an operation process for correcting the image distortion in the optical sensor module, and the background subtraction is performed. The resultant image has a reduced background light effect and includes images from pixel emitting lights. At step 1304, the capture image is processed and calibrated to correct image system distortions. At step 1305, the corrected image is used as a human fingerprint image for user authentication, as He teaches, to modify the embodiment of Fig. 3. The motivation for doing so would improve the optical fingerprint sensing, e.g., by improving the signal to noise ratio in the detection. (See He ¶245).
Regarding claims 2 and 12, He teaches a method of claim 1, wherein the pixel includes a light emitting element, the photo sensing pixel includes a light receiving element, and the light emitting element and the light receiving element are disposed in a same layer. (See Fig 40 and ¶249).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, He teaches the method of claim 1, wherein some of the light emitted from the pixel is reflected inside the display device to reach the photo sensing pixel located adjacent to the pixel. (See Fig 40 and ¶137, ¶249).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, He teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the calculating the compensation value includes: acquiring differential data by performing a subtraction operation on the first sensing data and the second sensing data; calculating a degradation degree of the pixel based on comparing the differential data and baseline data; and calculating the compensation value, based on the degradation degree, and wherein the baseline data includes an average value of the first sensing data or the differential data, or the baseline data is differential data generated before the pixel is degraded. ([0159] FIG. 12 shows an example of an operation of the fingerprint sensor for reducing or eliminating undesired contributions from the background light in fingerprint sensing. The optical sensor array can be used to capture various frames and the captured frames can be used to perform differential and averaging operations among multiple frames to reduce the influence of the background light. For example, in frame A the OLED display is turned on to illuminate the finger touching area, in frame B the illumination is changed or turned off. Subtraction of the signals of frame B from the signals of frame A can be used in the image processing to reduce the undesired background light influence.)
Regarding claim 7, He teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising: performing a third sensing operation of allowing the pixel to emit light and allowing the photo sensing pixel to operate by reflecting the compensation value; determining whether values of third sensing data according to the third sensing operation are uniform; and repeating the performing of the first sensing operation, the performing of the second sensing operation, and the calculating of the compensation value when the values of the third sensing data are not uniform. (See ¶119).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, He teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the pixel includes sub-pixels each of which is configured to emits light of a different color, wherein the performing the first sensing operation drives only one sub-pixel of the sub-pixels to emit light, and wherein the calculating the compensation value calculates the compensation value for the one sub-pixel of the sub-pixels. (See ¶122).
Regarding claims 9 and 18, He teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether an object exists on a display surface of the display device through a touch sensor, wherein the first sensing operation is performed when the object does not exist on the display surface, and wherein the first sensing operation is not performed when the object exists on the display surface. (See ¶165 and Fig 14B).
Regarding claims 10 and 19, He teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether an illuminance calculated based on the second sensing data is smaller than a reference value, wherein the first sensing operation is performed when the illuminance is smaller than the reference value, and wherein the first sensing operation is not performed when the illuminance is greater than or equal to the reference value. (See ¶159 and Fig 12).
Regarding independent claim 20, He teaches an electronic device (an electronic device, ¶11, figures 1-3) comprising: a processor (a processor 186, ¶96) configured to provide an input image data; a display device (700, Fig 3) configured to display an image, based on the input image data; and
a power supply (a power supply, ¶110) configured to supply power to the display device,
a display panel (a display panel, ¶10) including a pixel (a pixel 753, Fig 3) and a photo sensing pixel (a sensing pixel 182A, ¶96); a panel driver (a drive circuitry 789, fig 3) configured to drive the pixel (the pixel 753) to emit light; and a sensor driver (a sense circuitry 787, Fig 3) configured to operate the photo sensing pixel (the sensing pixel 182A),
wherein the sensor driver acquires first sensing data by operating the photo sensing pixel while the pixel emits light (Par. 260 explained a first illumination probe beam is directed to illuminate a designated fingerprint sensing area over the top transparent layer in a first illumination direction and to enter a user finger over the designated fingerprint sensing area to produce first scattered probe light…);
acquires second sensing data by operating the photo sensing pixel while the pixel does not emit light (Par. 117 and 261 explained a second illumination probe beam, while turning off the first illumination light source, is directed to illuminate the designated fingerprint sensing area over the top transparent layer in a second, different illumination direction and to enter the user finger to produce second scattered probe light…);
He does not disclose in the above-cited embodiment "wherein the panel driver calculates a compensation value for compensating degradation of the pixel based on the first sensing data and the second sensing data."
However, in another embodiment He does suggest "wherein the panel driver calculates a compensation value for compensating degradation of the pixel based on the first sensing data and the second sensing data." (Par. 160 explained an operation process for correcting the image distortion in the optical sensor module…, and the background subtraction is performed. The resultant image has a reduced background light effect and includes images from pixel emitting lights. At step 1304, the capture image is processed and calibrated to correct image system distortions. At step 1305, the corrected image is used as a human fingerprint image for user authentication.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ), to have an operation process for correcting the image distortion in the optical sensor module, and the background subtraction is performed. The resultant image has a reduced background light effect and includes images from pixel emitting lights. At step 1304, the capture image is processed and calibrated to correct image system distortions. At step 1305, the corrected image is used as a human fingerprint image for user authentication, as He teaches, to modify the embodiment of Fig. 3. The motivation for doing so would improve the optical fingerprint sensing, e.g., by improving the signal to noise ratio in the detection. (See He ¶245).
Claim(s) 5-6 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Kim US 2022/0147730.
Regarding claims 5-6 and 15, He fails to teach the sensor driver acquires the first sensing data, the panel driver drives pixels of the display device to emit light with a maximum brightness in a whole of a display surface of the display panel.
Kim teaches the sensor driver 220 acquires the first sensing data, the panel driver 210 emits light with a maximum brightness in a whole of a display surface of the display panel. (See Kim ¶44, ¶31, ¶76, ¶110, Fig 1A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ), to implement the sensor driver 220 acquires the first sensing data, the panel driver 210 emits light with a maximum brightness in a whole of a display surface of the display panel, as Kim teaches, to modify the display device of He. The motivation for doing so would improves performance of fingerprint detection more accuracy in the variety of conditions, even when only a partial area of the sensor is used. See Kim ¶ 5-¶6.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kevin Nguyen whose telephone is 571-272-7697. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm Eastern Time.
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KEVIN M NGUYEN
Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2628
/Kevin M Nguyen/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2628 Telephone: (571) 272-7697
Email: kevin.nguyen2@uspto.gov