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) 1-2, 7, 8, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM (US 2024/0159947) in view of HARAD et al. (US 2019/00064559).
Regarding claim 1, KIM (US 2024/0159947, fig. 1, discloses a display device comprising pixels comprising the sub-pixels that comprise: an 11th sub-pixel configured to emit light of a first color (PB_GWr); a 21st sub-pixel configured to emit light of a second color, and adjacent to the 11th sub-pixel in a first direction; a 12th sub-pixel configured to emit light of a third color (PB_BW), and adjacent to the 11th sub-pixel in a second direction; and a 22nd sub-pixel configured to emit light of the first color (PB_GWb_, and in a diagonal direction with respect to the 11th sub-pixel (The pixel array 100 may include a plurality of sub-pixel blocks (PB_RW, PB_GWr, PB_GWb, PB_BW). The sub-pixel blocks (PB_RW, PB_GWr, PB_GWb, PB_BW) may be arranged to form a matrix including rows and columns. Each of the sub-pixel blocks (PB_RW, PB_GWr, PB_GWb, PB_BW) may include a structure in which the plurality of unit pixels is arranged adjacent to each other in an (N×N) array (where, N is a natural number of 2 or greater). Each unit pixel may generate an electrical signal (pixel signal) that is produced by the photoelectric conversion of the incident light incident on each unit. Each of the sub-pixel blocks (PB_RW, PB_GWr, PB_GWb, PB_BW) may have a structure in which four unit pixels are arranged adjacent to each other in a (2×2) array. In the example, each of the sub-pixel blocks (PB_RW, PB_GWr, PB_GWb, PB_BW) may include color filters of two different colors).
KIM (US 2024/0159947, fig. 1 is silent about control luminance of one or more sub-pixels,
It would have been obvious to the skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to provide control luminance of one or more sub-pixels in KIM US 2024/0159947, as suggested by HARADA et al. (US 2019/0064559), the motivation in order to control the luminance of one or more sub-pixels.
Therefore, the combination of KIM and HARADA et al., discloses a display device comprising: a driver configured to provide second image data based on first image data, and comprising a dimming circuit configured to control luminance of one or more sub-pixels; and a display panel configured to receive the second image data, configured to display an image based on the second image data (KIM FIG. 1, the image sensing device may include a pixel array 100, a row driver 200, a correlated double sampler (CDS) 300, an analog-digital converter (ADC) 400, an output buffer 500, a column driver 600, and a timing controller 700. HARADA et al., The display unit 20 includes an image display panel 30 and an image display panel driver 40. The image display panel 30 includes a display area OA provided with the pixels 48. The pixels 48 are arranged, for example, in a matrix (row-column configuration). The image display panel 30 of this embodiment is a liquid crystal image display panel. The image display panel driver 40 includes a signal output circuit 41 and a scanning circuit 42. The signal output circuit 41 drives the pixels 48 based on the output signals OP. The scanning circuit 42 outputs a drive signal for scanning the pixels 48 arranged in a matrix on a per predetermined number of lines basis (such as on a per row basis). The pixels 48 are driven so as to output gradation values corresponding to the output image signals OP at the time when the drive signal is output).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of KIM and HARADA et al., discloses the display device according to claim 1, wherein the dimming circuit is configured to reduce luminance of ones of the pixels at an edge of the display panel among the pixels (see HARADA et al. The image analyzer 102 may apply a smoothing filter to the input image, and then use the highest gradation value in each piece of the first partial data. The case can reduce an influence of a value of a high luminance pixel, such as an isolated bright point or noise, having little effect on display quality. As a result, the overall power consumption can be reduced. Instead of using the smoothing filter, a histogram analysis can be performed to reduce the highest gradation value as far as having little effect on the display quality. In other words, the output of the image analyzer 102 can be selected depending on whether to display the image closer to the input image, or to perform the control with a higher priority on the power).
Regarding claims 7, 18, the combination of KIM and HARADA et al., discloses a display device comprising: a display panel configured to receive second image data, configured to display an image based on the second image data, and comprising pixels that comprises sub-pixels; and a driver configured to provide the second image data based on first image data (see KIM FIG. 1, the image sensing device may include a pixel array 100, a row driver 200, a correlated double sampler (CDS) 300, an analog-digital converter (ADC) 400, an output buffer 500, a column driver 600, and a timing controller 700 , and comprising: a padding circuit configured to convert the first image data into padding data by reflecting different offset values according to locations of the pixels; and a rendering circuit configured to convert the padding data into rendering data by applying different rendering filters according to colors represented by the sub-pixels) (HARADA et al., The light source control circuit 60 is, for example, a driver circuit for lighting up the light sources 51 included in the light source device 50, and operates the light source device 50 according to the light source drive signals BL. [0030] The display unit 20 includes an image display panel 30 and an image display panel driver 40. The image display panel 30 includes a display area OA provided with the pixels 48. The pixels 48 are arranged, for example, in a matrix (row-column configuration). The image display panel 30 of this embodiment is a liquid crystal image display panel. The image display panel driver 40 includes a signal output circuit 41 and a scanning circuit 42. The dimming panel 80 may have, as a more specific configuration, for example, the same configuration as that of the image display panel 30 illustrated in FIG. 5. However, since the second segment regions 81 have no color filter, the dimming panel 80 has, for example, a configuration obtained by removing the filter layer 26 from the configuration described with reference to FIG. 5. By having the configuration with no color filter, the dimming panel 80 can obtain higher light transmittance. The dimming panel 80 may have other specific configurations. For example, a liquid crystal panel of another type, such as a twisted nematic (TN) liquid crystal panel, may be provided as the dimming panel 80).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of KIM and HARADA et al., discloses the display device according to claim 7, wherein the pixels comprise: an 11th sub-pixel configured to emit light of a first color; a 21st sub-pixel configured to emit light of a second color, and adjacent to the 11th sub-pixel in a first direction; a 12th sub-pixel configured to emit light of a third color, and adjacent to the 11th sub-pixel in a second direction; and a 22nd sub-pixel configured to emit light of the first color, and in a diagonal direction with respect to the 11th sub-pixel (see rejection above of claim 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6, 9-17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
None of the references cited in record disclose or suggest that the display device according to claim 2, wherein the pixels comprise: an 11th pixel at an uppermost end of one side of the display panel (fig. 1, PB_GWr); and a 22nd pixel closer to a center of the display panel than the 11th pixel, and wherein the dimming circuit is configured to decrease a luminance of the 11th pixel more than a luminance of the 22nd pixel; and/or the display device according to claim 8, wherein the pixels comprise an 11th pixel at an uppermost end of one side of the display panel, and wherein the padding circuit is configured to add a padding value to the first image data corresponding to the 11th pixel, and is configured to apply a first offset value to the padding value.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Van N Chow whose telephone number is (571)272-7590. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-6PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Xiao Ke can be reached at 5712727776. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VAN N CHOW/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627