DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to 06/02/2026.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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, 3-5, 9-10, 12-14, and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US Pub. 2023/0215345), hereinafter Kim, in view of Cho et al. (US Patent 10,235,120 B2), hereinafter Cho, and Choi (US Pub. 2016/0034239).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a first display module (display module CB directly connected to set board (SET)-see fig. 1) among a plurality of display modules connected in a daisy chain method (a plurality of display modules CB (see fig. 1 and [0031]) connected through a serial interface (see fig. 1 and [0032])), the first display module comprising: a communication interface (see figs. 6 and 8 with further description in [0033] and [0036]-for example, serial interface may be based on a V-by-One (Vx1)); and a plurality of driver integrated circuits (ICs)-(each CB comprises a control printed circuit board CPCB with a timing controller TCON mounted thereon, and a plurality of printed circuit boards SPCB with integrated circuits mounted thereon-see fig. 2, [0034], and [0039]), wherein a first driver IC (TCON-see figs. 1-2) among the plurality of driver ICs is configured to: based on obtaining a driving signal from an external device through the communication interface, transmit the driving signal to remaining driver ICs among the plurality of driver ICs (the set board SET may transfer image data, which is configured for implementing an input image, to one of the plurality of display modules CB through a serial interface-see figs. 1, 6, and 8 with description in, for example, [0033]-[0034]. The timing controller TCON in each display module transmits the image data to each panel driving circuit-see figs. 2, 6, and [0038]-[0041]); transmit, to a second display module among the plurality of display modules, the driving signal (see fig. 2 with description in [0007] and [0036]).
Kim discloses that the timing controller of each display module CB may be connected to the panel driving circuits of a corresponding display module CB through a branch cable CBL in parallel, therefore, Kim does not appear to expressly disclose transmit the driving signal to a second driver IC adjacent to the first driver IC so that the driving signal is sequentially transmitted to remaining driver ICs among the plurality of driver ICs.
However, connecting the integrated circuits (ICs) in series, wherein a driving signal is sequentially transmitted from one IC to the other, would have been an obvious design choice before the effectively filing date of the claim invention, and constitutes choosing from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions for transmitting a driving signal to the ICs of each display module CB, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Kim does not appear to expressly disclose transmit, to a second display module among the plurality of display modules, the driving signal based on module connection information, wherein the module connection information includes information indicating whether the second display module is connected to the first display module, wherein the first driver IC is configured to obtain the module connection information based on whether a connection signal is received from the second display module.
Cho is relied upon to teach Kim does not appear to expressly disclose transmit, to a second display module among the plurality of display modules, the driving signal based on module connection information, wherein the module connection information includes information indicating whether the second display module is connected to the first display module, wherein the first driver IC is configured to obtain the module connection information based on whether a connection signal is received from the second display module (see, for example, fig. 1 and [col. 1, ll. 53-56], [col. 5, ll. 43-51], [col. 9, ll. 4-15], and [col. 13, ll. 52-60], which teaches a display apparatus for recognizing each display apparatus easily and displaying a sub-image automatically, wherein, in for example, flowchart of fig. 10, identification information is received from an adjacent display apparatus (S1010), allocation identification information corresponding to a display apparatus may be allocated based on the received identification information, and location relation with the adjacent display apparatus, and a sub-image may be displayed based on the allocation identification information. A processor 130 may determine connection state of the adjacent display based on identification information received through a first communicator 110-see fig.4, [col. 5, ll. 50-56] and [col. 8, ll. 21-51]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Cho with the invention of Kim such that the first driver IC transmits the driving signal to at least one of display module among the plurality of display modules based on module connection information, such as information as to whether the at least one display module is connected to the first display module, as taught by Cho, in order to provide a display apparatus for recognizing each display apparatus easily, and displaying a sub-image automatically, when a plurality of display apparatuses are connected and used (see [col. 1, ll. 46-51]).
Kim in view of Cho does not appear to expressly teach and wherein the first driver IC is further configured to, based on the first display module being located at an end point among the plurality of display modules, control transmission of the driving signal.
Choi is relied upon to teach and wherein the first driver IC is further configured to, based on the first display module being located at an end point among the plurality of display modules, control transmission of the driving signal (see, for example, figs. 2, 9 and [0062], which illustrate a multi display system having a plurality of display apparatuses 100, 200, 300, and 400 connected in a daisy chain to form a video wall, and, for example, [0038], [0045], and fig. 10 with description in [0188]-[0189], which teach a method that includes determining whether a display apparatus is a last display apparatus of the multi display system, determining whether the multi display apparatus is in a picture in picture (PIP) circulating mode, in response to determining that the display apparatus is a last display apparatus, transmitting information of a movement of a PIP screen to a first display apparatus in response to determining that the multi display system is in PIP circulating mode).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Choi with the inventions of Kim and Cho to include controlling transmission of a display driving signal based on a determination that a first display module in a plurality of display modules connected in a daisy chain method is located at an end point of the plurality of display modules, as taught by Choi, therefore a sub screen displaying the PIP screen is not fixed at a selected position of the position is selected once as in a conventional PIP function (see [0007]).
Regarding claim 10, Kim discloses Kim discloses a method (see [0024]) of controlling a first display module among a plurality of display modules connected in a daisy chain method (a plurality of display modules CB (see fig. 1 and [0031]) connected through a serial interface (see fig. 1 and [0032])), the method comprising: transmitting, by a first driver integrated circuit (IC)-(TCON-see figs. 1-2) among a plurality of driver ICs included in the first display module (each CB comprises a control printed circuit board CPCB with a timing controller TCON mounted thereon, and a plurality of printed circuit boards SPCB with integrated circuits mounted thereon-see fig. 2, [0034], and [0039]), a driving signal to the remaining driver ICs among the plurality of driver ICs (the set board SET may transfer image data, which is configured for implementing an input image, to one of the plurality of display modules CB through a serial interface-see figs. 1, 6, and 8 with description in, for example, [0033]-[0034]. The timing controller TCON in each display module transmits the image data to each panel driving circuit-see figs. 2, 6, and [0038]-[0041]); and transmitting, to a second display module among the plurality of display modules, the driving signal (see fig. 2 with description in [0007] and [0036]).
Kim discloses that the timing controller of each display module CB may be connected to the panel driving circuits of a corresponding display module CB through a branch cable CBL in parallel, therefore, Kim does not appear to expressly disclose transmit the driving signal to a second driver IC adjacent to the first driver IC so that the driving signal is sequentially transmitted to remaining driver ICs among the plurality of driver ICs.
However, connecting the integrated circuits (ICs) in series, wherein a driving signal is sequentially transmitted from one IC to the other, would have been an obvious design choice before the effectively filing date of the claim invention, and constitutes choosing from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions for transmitting a driving signal to the ICs of each display module CB, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Kim does not appear to expressly disclose and transmitting, to a second display module among the plurality of display modules, the driving signal based on module connection information, wherein the module connection information includes information indicating whether the second display module is connected to the first display module, wherein the transmitting the driving signal to the second display module comprises: obtaining the module connection information based on whether a connection signal is received from the second display module.
Cho is relied upon to teach Kim does not appear to expressly disclose and transmitting, to a second display module among the plurality of display modules, the driving signal based on module connection information, wherein the module connection information includes information indicating whether the second display module is connected to the first display module, wherein the transmitting the driving signal to the second display module comprises: obtaining the module connection information based on whether a connection signal is received from the second display module (see, for example, fig. 1 and [col. 1, ll. 53-56], [col. 5, ll. 43-51], [col. 9, ll. 4-15], and [col. 13, ll. 52-60], which teaches a display apparatus for recognizing each display apparatus easily and displaying a sub-image automatically, wherein, in for example, flowchart of fig. 10, identification information is received from an adjacent display apparatus (S1010), allocation identification information corresponding to a display apparatus may be allocated based on the received identification information, and location relation with the adjacent display apparatus, and a sub-image may be displayed based on the allocation identification information. A processor 130 may determine connection state of the adjacent display based on identification information received through a first communicator 110-see fig.4, [col. 5, ll. 50-56] and [col. 8, ll. 21-51]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Cho with the invention of Kim such that the first driver IC transmits the driving signal to at least one of display module among the plurality of display modules based on module connection information, such as information as to whether the at least one display module is connected to the first display module, as taught by Cho, in order to provide a display apparatus for recognizing each display apparatus easily, and displaying a sub-image automatically, when a plurality of display apparatuses are connected and used (see [col. 1, ll. 46-51]).
Kim in view of Cho does not appear to expressly teach and wherein the transmitting the driving signal to the second display module further comprises, based on the first display module being located at an end point among the plurality of display modules, controlling transmission of the driving signal.
Choi is relied upon to teach and wherein the transmitting the driving signal to the second display module further comprises, based on the first display module being located at an end point among the plurality of display modules, controlling transmission of the driving signal (see, for example, figs. 2, 9 and [0062], which illustrate a multi display system having a plurality of display apparatuses 100, 200, 300, and 400 connected in a daisy chain to form a video wall, and, for example, [0038], [0045], and fig. 10 with description in [0188]-[0189], which teach a method that includes determining whether a display apparatus is a last display apparatus of the multi display system, determining whether the multi display apparatus is in a picture in picture (PIP) circulating mode, in response to determining that the display apparatus is a last display apparatus, transmitting information of a movement of a PIP screen to a first display apparatus in response to determining that the multi display system is in PIP circulating mode).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Choi with the inventions of Kim and Cho to include controlling transmission of a display driving signal based on a determination that a first display module in a plurality of display modules connected in a daisy chain method is located at an end point of the plurality of display modules, as taught by Choi, therefore a sub screen displaying the PIP screen is not fixed at a selected position of the position is selected once as in a conventional PIP function (see [0007]).
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Cho is further relied upon to teach wherein the first driver IC is further configured to: based on the second display module being connected to the first display module, obtain the connection signal from the second display module, and obtain the module connection information based on the obtained connection signal (see [col. 5, ll. 43-56] and [col. 8, ll. 32-51]-a sensing module 161 may sense may sense whether an adjacent display apparatus is connected to at least one port in a side of display 100’ (see fig. 4) and generate and process a value representing the connection state).
Regarding claims 4 and 13, Cho is further relied upon to teach wherein the first driver IC is further configured to, based on the second display module being connected to the first display module, transmit the driving signal to the second display module, and based on the second display module being not connected to the first display module, not transmit the driving signal to the outside (see fig. 4 with description in [col. 8, ll. 63-67]-image processing module 164 may perform operation of generating a sub-image by processing an image area corresponding to allocated identification information out of an image based on received arrangement information and the allocated identification information. Also, see fig. 7 with description in [col. 12, ll. 9-16]-display apparatus 701 may transit a signal including identification information of display apparatus 701 to display apparatus 702 that is connected to the right side of display apparatus 701).
Regarding claims 5 and 14, Kim discloses wherein the external device is a third display module connected to the first display module to provide the driving signal to the first display module such that the driving signal is sequentially transmitted to at least some of the plurality of display modules or the external device is a timing controller for controlling the plurality of display modules (the set board SET may transfer image data, which is configured for implementing an input image, to one of the plurality of display modules CB through a serial interface circuit (see fig. 1 and [0033]), and timing controllers TCON configured for the plurality of display modules are sequentially connected to one another in a first direction, and are configured to receive input enable signal and image data at different timings from the set board SET-see [0007], [0036], [0054], and figs. 6 and 8).
Regarding claims 9 and 18, Kim discloses appear to expressly disclose wherein the plurality of driver ICs are connected by the daisy chain method.
However, connecting the integrated circuits (ICs) within each display module in a serial or daisy-chain method, would have been an obvious design choice before the effectively filing date of the claim invention, and simply amounts to choosing from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions for connecting driving ICs of the display module CB, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding claim 19, Kim discloses a first display module (display module CB directly connected to set board (SET)-see fig. 1) comprising: a plurality of driver integrated circuits (ICs)-(each CB comprises a control printed circuit board CPCB with a timing controller TCON mounted thereon, and a plurality of printed circuit boards SPCB with integrated circuits mounted thereon-see fig. 2, [0034], and [0039]), wherein a first driver IC (TCON-see figs. 1-2) among the plurality of driver ICs is configured to: based on obtaining a driving signal from an external device, transmit the driving signal to remaining driver ICs among the plurality of driver ICs (the set board SET may transfer image data, which is configured for implementing an input image, to one of the plurality of display modules CB through a serial interface-see figs. 1, 6, and 8 with description in, for example, [0033]-[0034]. The timing controller TCON in each display module transmits the image data to each panel driving circuit-see figs. 2, 6, and [0038]-[0041]); and transmit, to a second display module among a plurality of display modules connected in a daisy chain method, the driving signal (see fig. 2 with description in [0007] and [0036]).
Kim discloses that the timing controller of each display module CB may be connected to the panel driving circuits of a corresponding display module CB through a branch cable CBL in parallel, therefore, Kim does not appear to expressly disclose transmit the driving signal to a second driver IC adjacent to the first driver IC so that the driving signal is sequentially transmitted to remaining driver ICs among the plurality of driver ICs.
However, connecting the integrated circuits (ICs) in series, wherein a driving signal is sequentially transmitted from one IC to the other, would have been an obvious design choice before the effectively filing date of the claim invention, and constitutes choosing from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions for transmitting a driving signal to the ICs of each display module CB, with a reasonable expectation of success.
Kim does not appear to expressly disclose and transmit, to a second display module among the plurality of display modules connected in a daisy chain method, the driving signal based on module connection information, wherein the module connection information includes information indicating whether the second display module is connected to the first display module among the plurality of display modules, wherein the first driver IC is configured to obtain the module connection information based on whether a connection signal is received from the second display module.
Cho is relied upon to teach Kim does not appear to expressly disclose and transmit, to a second display module among the plurality of display modules, the driving signal based on module connection information, wherein the module connection information includes information indicating whether the second display module is connected to the first display module among the plurality of display modules, wherein the first driver IC is configured to obtain the module connection information based on whether a connection signal is received from the second display module (see, for example, fig. 1 and [col. 1, ll. 53-56], [col. 5, ll. 43-51], [col. 9, ll. 4-15], and [col. 13, ll. 52-60], which teaches a display apparatus for recognizing each display apparatus easily and displaying a sub-image automatically, wherein, in for example, flowchart of fig. 10, identification information is received from an adjacent display apparatus (S1010), allocation identification information corresponding to a display apparatus may be allocated based on the received identification information, and location relation with the adjacent display apparatus, and a sub-image may be displayed based on the allocation identification information. A processor 130 may determine connection state of the adjacent display based on identification information received through a first communicator 110-see fig.4, [col. 5, ll. 50-56] and [col. 8, ll. 21-51]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Cho with the invention of Kim such that the first driver IC transmits the driving signal to at least one of display module among the plurality of display modules based on module connection information, such as information as to whether the at least one display module is connected to the first display module, as taught by Cho, in order to provide a display apparatus for recognizing each display apparatus easily, and displaying a sub-image automatically, when a plurality of display apparatuses are connected and used (see [col. 1, ll. 46-51]).
Kim in view of Cho does not appear to expressly teach and wherein the first driver IC is further configured to, based on the first display module being located at an end point among the plurality of display modules, control transmission of the driving signal.
Choi is relied upon to teach and wherein the first driver IC is further configured to, based on the first display module being located at an end point among the plurality of display modules, control transmission of the driving signal (see, for example, figs. 2, 9 and [0062], which illustrate a multi display system having a plurality of display apparatuses 100, 200, 300, and 400 connected in a daisy chain to form a video wall, and, for example, [0038], [0045], and fig. 10 with description in [0188]-[0189], which teach a method that includes determining whether a display apparatus is a last display apparatus of the multi display system, determining whether the multi display apparatus is in a picture in picture (PIP) circulating mode, in response to determining that the display apparatus is a last display apparatus, transmitting information of a movement of a PIP screen to a first display apparatus in response to determining that the multi display system is in PIP circulating mode).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Choi with the inventions of Kim and Cho to include controlling transmission of a display driving signal based on a determination that a first display module in a plurality of display modules connected in a daisy chain method is located at an end point of the plurality of display modules, as taught by Choi, therefore a sub screen displaying the PIP screen is not fixed at a selected position of the position is selected once as in a conventional PIP function (see [0007]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 6-8, 11, 15-17, and 20 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: The references of record fail to teach or suggest the following:
“wherein the first driver IC is further configured to, based on the first display module being located at an end point among the plurality of display modules, not transmit the driving signal to outside”, as recited in claims 2 and 11.
“wherein the driving signal obtained from a timing controller comprises a driving protocol set so that the first display module located at an end of the plurality of display modules is configured to not output the driving signal”, as recited in claims 6 and 15. Claims 7-8, 16-17, and 20 depend from and recite limitations that further narrow claims 6 and 15, and are therefore equally indicated as allowable.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see applicant remarks, pg. 9-11, filed 06/02/2026, have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Choi (US Pub. 2016/0034239).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SARDIS F AZONGHA whose telephone number is (571)270-7706. The examiner can normally be reached 10AM-7:00PM.
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/SARDIS F AZONGHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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