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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 18/436,891, filed on 08 February 2024.
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 1-3, 5-14, and 16-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-4, 6, 11, and 14-17 of U.S. Patent No. 12,347,357 (resulting from parent application 18/436,891). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the patent claims, as a whole, include all of the limitations of the instant application claims, respectively. The patent claims, as a whole, also include additional limitations. Hence, the instant application claims are generic to the species of invention covered by the respective patent claims, as a whole. As such, the instant application claims are anticipated by the patent claims, as a whole, and are therefore not patentably distinct therefrom. (See Eli Lilly and Co. v. Barr Laboratories Inc., 58 USPQ2D 1869, "a later genus claim limitation is anticipated by, and therefore not patentably distinct from, an earlier species claim", In re Goodman, 29 USPQ2d 2010, "Thus, the generic invention is 'anticipated' by the species of the patented invention" and the instant “application claims are generic to species of invention covered by the patent claim, and since without terminal disclaimer, extant species claims preclude issuance of generic application claims”). See the following table.
Claims 4 and 15 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-4 and 11 of U.S. Patent No. 12,347,357, in view of Kim et al (US 2021/0350735; hereinafter Kim).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, US 12,347,357 claims everything in claims 1-4 and 11 except the additional details of the one gamma amplifier.
In the same field of endeavor, Kim discloses the additional details of the one gamma amplifier, as shown in the following table.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the claimed invention of US 12,347,357 according to the teachings of Kim, for the purpose of minimizing a color difference between the black represented in a first panel region and a second panel region when driving in the low power mode (¶ 8).
US 19/224,356
US 12,347,357 (resulting from 18/436,891)
1. A display driving device comprising:
a first gamma control register configured to store a first gamma voltage control signal;
a second gamma control register configured to store a second gamma voltage control signal that has a same number of bits as the first gamma voltage control signal;
a multiplexer configured to selectively output the first gamma voltage control signal or the second gamma voltage control signal;
a gamma voltage generator configured to output a first plurality of gamma voltages based on the first gamma voltage control signal and a second gamma voltage based on the second gamma voltage control signal;
a plurality of amplifier areas configured to generate data signals based on the first plurality of gamma voltages and to provide the data signals to a plurality of source lines; and
a plurality of switches configured to connect the plurality of source lines and the gamma voltage generator,
wherein the plurality of switches are open during a first time period and one switch of the plurality of switches is closed during a second time period different from the first time period, and
wherein the first gamma voltage control signal is output during the first time period and the second gamma voltage control signal is output during the second time period.
1. A source driver comprising:
11. The display driving device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of gamma voltage control signals comprises
a plurality of first gamma voltage control signals generated during the first time period and a plurality of second gamma voltage control signals generated during the second time period, and
wherein the display driving device further comprises:
a first gamma control register configured to store a first gamma voltage control signal from among the plurality of gamma voltage control signals;
a second gamma control register configured to store a second gamma voltage control signal from among the plurality of gamma voltage control signals,
wherein the second gamma voltage control signal comprises a same number of bits as the first gamma voltage control signal; and
a multiplexer configured to selectively output the plurality of first gamma voltage control signals and the plurality of second gamma voltage control signals based on a gamma control signal.
1. …a gamma voltage generator comprising:
a plurality of gamma amplifiers configured to output a plurality of tap gamma voltages; and
a first resistor string configured to divide the plurality of tap gamma voltages to generate a plurality of first gamma voltages;
a plurality of amplifier areas connected to a plurality of source lines;
a second resistor string configured to divide a maximum gamma voltage and a minimum gamma voltage and to generate a plurality of reference gamma voltages; and
a plurality of gamma decoders,
wherein the gamma voltage generator is configured to:
output the plurality of first gamma voltages during a first time period, and
output a second gamma voltage to the plurality of source lines during a second time period different from the first time period,
wherein the gamma voltage generator is connected to the plurality of source lines during the second time period,
wherein each of the plurality of amplifier areas is configured to:
output a plurality of data signals based on the plurality of first gamma voltages during the first time period, and be disabled during the second time period,
wherein each of the plurality of gamma decoders is configured to:
receive corresponding reference gamma voltages from among the plurality of reference gamma voltages, and
output one of the corresponding reference gamma voltages to a gamma amplifier among the plurality of gamma amplifiers based on a plurality of gamma voltage control signals, and
wherein a number of bits of the plurality of gamma voltage control signals input to the plurality of gamma decoders during the first time period and a number of bits of the plurality of gamma voltage control signals input to the plurality of gamma decoders during the second time period are substantially the same.
2. The source driver of claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of switches configured to connect the plurality of source lines and the plurality of gamma amplifiers.
4. The source driver of claim 3, wherein
the plurality of switches are configured to be in an open state during the first time period, and
wherein a switch, of the plurality of switches, connected to the gamma amplifier configured to be enabled during the second time period is configured to be in a closed state during the second time period and the remaining switches of the plurality of switches are configured to be in the open state during the second time period.
11. …a plurality of first gamma voltage control signals generated during the first time period and a plurality of second gamma voltage control signals generated during the second time period, and …
2. The display driving device of claim 1, wherein the gamma voltage generator comprises:
a plurality of gamma amplifiers configured to output a plurality of tap gamma voltages; and
a first resistor string configured to divide the plurality of tap gamma voltages to generate the first plurality of gamma voltages, and
wherein the second gamma voltage is one of the plurality of tap gamma voltages.
1. A source driver comprising: …
a plurality of gamma amplifiers configured to output a plurality of tap gamma voltages; and
a first resistor string configured to divide the plurality of tap gamma voltages to generate a plurality of first gamma voltages; …
output a second gamma voltage to the plurality of source lines during a second time period different from the first time period, …
3. The display driving device of claim 2, wherein
the plurality of gamma amplifiers are enabled during the first time period and
one gamma amplifier of the plurality of gamma amplifiers is enabled and a remainder of the plurality of gamma amplifiers are disabled during the second time period.
3. The source driver of claim 2, wherein
the plurality of gamma amplifiers are configured to be enabled during the first time period, and
wherein a gamma amplifier among the plurality of gamma amplifiers is configured to be enabled during the second time period and the remaining gamma amplifiers of the plurality of gamma amplifiers are configured to be disabled during the second time period.
4. The display driving device of claim 3, wherein
the one gamma amplifier enabled during the second time period is configured to output a tap gamma voltage corresponding to a lowest gray level.
Kim: “black” in ¶s 74, 75, 86, and 87
5. The display driving device of claim 3, wherein
the one switch of the plurality of switches that is closed during the second time period is connected to the one gamma amplifier of the plurality of gamma amplifiers that is enabled during the second time period.
4. The source driver of claim 3, wherein …
a switch, of the plurality of switches, connected to the gamma amplifier configured to be enabled during the second time period is configured to be in a closed state during the second time period and the remaining switches of the plurality of switches are configured to be in the open state during the second time period.
6. The display driving device of claim 2, wherein
the gamma voltage generator further comprises:
a second resistor string configured to divide a maximum gamma voltage and a minimum gamma voltage and to generate a plurality of reference gamma voltages; and
a plurality of gamma decoders configured to:
receive corresponding reference gamma voltages among the plurality of reference gamma voltages, and
output one of the corresponding reference gamma voltages to the plurality of gamma amplifiers based on a plurality of gamma voltage control signals.
1. A source driver comprising: …
a second resistor string configured to divide a maximum gamma voltage and a minimum gamma voltage and to generate a plurality of reference gamma voltages; and
a plurality of gamma decoders, …
wherein each of the plurality of gamma decoders is configured to:
receive corresponding reference gamma voltages from among the plurality of reference gamma voltages, and
output one of the corresponding reference gamma voltages to a gamma amplifier among the plurality of gamma amplifiers based on a plurality of gamma voltage control signals, and …
7. The display driving device of claim 1, wherein
the plurality of amplifier areas are configured to provide the data signals to the plurality of source lines during the first time period and are disabled during the second time period.
1. A source driver comprising: …
wherein each of the plurality of amplifier areas is configured to:
output a plurality of data signals based on the plurality of first gamma voltages during the first time period, and be disabled during the second time period, …
8. The display driving device of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of amplifier areas comprises:
a level shifter configured to level-shift image data;
a decoder configured to select at least one gamma voltage of the first plurality of gamma voltages in response to the level-shifted image data; and
a source amplifier configured to output, during the first time period, a data signal corresponding to the selected at least one gamma voltage to a corresponding source line.
6. The source driver of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of amplifier areas comprises:
a level shifter configured to receive video data and to output decoded image data obtained by level shifting the video data;
a decoder configured to output at least one first gamma voltage of the plurality of first gamma voltages based on the decoded image data; and
a source amplifier configured to amplify the at least one first gamma voltage received from the decoder and to output the amplified at least one first gamma voltage received from the decoder to a corresponding source line among the plurality of source lines.
9. The display driving device of claim 1, further comprising
a mode determiner configured to:
receive an event signal and an image signal, and
determine the first time period and the second time period based on a reception time of the event signal and a reception time of the image signal.
14. The display driving device of claim 8, wherein the timing controller is further configured to:
receive an event signal and an image signal, and
determine the first time period and the second time period based on a reception time of the event signal and a reception time of the image signal.
10. The display driving device of claim 1, further comprising
a mode determiner configured to:
receive mode information for adjusting a frame rate, and
determine the first time period and the second time period based on the mode information.
15. The display driving device of claim 8, wherein the timing controller is further configured to:
receive mode information for adjusting a frame rate, and
determine the first time period and the second time period based on the mode information.
11. The display driving device of claim 1, further comprising:
a mode determiner configured to determine the first time period and the second time period based on current frame data and previous frame data.
16. The display driving device of claim 8, wherein the timing controller is further configured to
determine the first time period and the second time period based on current frame data and previous frame data.
12. A display device comprising:
a display panel comprising a plurality of source lines and a plurality of pixels connected to the plurality of source lines; and
a display driving device comprising:
a first gamma control register configured to store a first gamma voltage control signal;
a second gamma control register configured to store a second gamma voltage control signal that has a same number of bits as the first gamma voltage control signal;
a multiplexer configured to selectively output the first gamma voltage control signal or the second gamma voltage control signal;
a gamma voltage generator configured to output a first plurality of gamma voltages based on the first gamma voltage control signal and a second gamma voltage based on the second gamma voltage control signal;
a plurality of amplifier areas configured to generate data signals based on the first plurality of gamma voltages and to provide the data signals to the plurality of source lines; and
a plurality of switches configured to connect the plurality of source lines and the gamma voltage generator,
wherein the plurality of switches are open during a first time period and one switch of the plurality of switches is closed during a second time period different from the first time period, and
wherein the first gamma voltage control signal is output during the first time period and the second gamma voltage control signal is output during the second time period.
17. A display device comprising:
a display panel comprising a source line and pixels connected to the source line; and
a display driving device comprising:…
1. A source driver comprising:
11. The display driving device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of gamma voltage control signals comprises …
…a first gamma control register configured to store a first gamma voltage control signal from among the plurality of gamma voltage control signals;
a second gamma control register configured to store a second gamma voltage control signal from among the plurality of gamma voltage control signals, …
…a multiplexer configured to selectively output the plurality of first gamma voltage control signals and the plurality of second gamma voltage control signals based on a gamma control signal.
1. …wherein the gamma voltage generator is configured to:
output the plurality of first gamma voltages during a first time period, and
output a second gamma voltage to the plurality of source lines during a second time period different from the first time period, …
wherein each of the plurality of amplifier areas is configured to:
output a plurality of data signals based on the plurality of first gamma voltages during the first time period, and be disabled during the second time period, …
2. The source driver of claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of switches configured to connect the plurality of source lines and the plurality of gamma amplifiers.
4. The source driver of claim 3, wherein
the plurality of switches are configured to be in an open state during the first time period, and
wherein a switch, of the plurality of switches, connected to the gamma amplifier configured to be enabled during the second time period is configured to be in a closed state during the second time period and the remaining switches of the plurality of switches are configured to be in the open state during the second time period.
11. …a plurality of first gamma voltage control signals generated during the first time period and a plurality of second gamma voltage control signals generated during the second time period, and …
13. The display device of claim 12, wherein the gamma voltage generator comprises:
a plurality of gamma amplifiers configured to output a plurality of tap gamma voltages; and
a first resistor string configured to divide the plurality of tap gamma voltages to generate the first plurality of gamma voltages, and
wherein the second gamma voltage is one of the plurality of tap gamma voltages.
1. A source driver comprising: …
a plurality of gamma amplifiers configured to output a plurality of tap gamma voltages; and
a first resistor string configured to divide the plurality of tap gamma voltages to generate a plurality of first gamma voltages; …
output a second gamma voltage to the plurality of source lines during a second time period different from the first time period, …
14. The display device of claim 13, wherein
the plurality of gamma amplifiers are enabled during the first time period and
one gamma amplifier of the plurality of gamma amplifiers is enabled and a remainder of the plurality of gamma amplifiers are disabled during the second time period.
3. The source driver of claim 2, wherein
the plurality of gamma amplifiers are configured to be enabled during the first time period, and
wherein a gamma amplifier among the plurality of gamma amplifiers is configured to be enabled during the second time period and the remaining gamma amplifiers of the plurality of gamma amplifiers are configured to be disabled during the second time period.
15. The display device of claim 14, wherein
the one gamma amplifier enabled during the second time period is configured to output a tap gamma voltage corresponding to a lowest gray level.
Kim: “black” in ¶s 74, 75, 86, and 87
16. The display device of claim 14, wherein
the one switch of the plurality of switches that is closed during the second time period is connected to the one gamma amplifier of the plurality of gamma amplifiers that is enabled during the second time period.
4. The source driver of claim 3, wherein …
a switch, of the plurality of switches, connected to the gamma amplifier configured to be enabled during the second time period is configured to be in a closed state during the second time period and the remaining switches of the plurality of switches are configured to be in the open state during the second time period.
17. The display device of claim 12, wherein
the plurality of amplifier areas are configured to provide the data signals to the plurality of source lines during the first time period and are disabled during the second time period.
1. A source driver comprising: …
wherein each of the plurality of amplifier areas is configured to:
output a plurality of data signals based on the plurality of first gamma voltages during the first time period, and be disabled during the second time period, …
18. The display device of claim 12, wherein the display driving device further comprises
a mode determiner configured to:
receive an event signal and an image signal, and
determine the first time period and the second time period based on a reception time of the event signal and a reception time of the image signal.
14. The display driving device of claim 8, wherein the timing controller is further configured to:
receive an event signal and an image signal, and
determine the first time period and the second time period based on a reception time of the event signal and a reception time of the image signal.
19. The display device of claim 12, wherein the display driving device further comprises
a mode determiner configured to:
receive mode information for adjusting a frame rate, and
determine the first time period and the second time period based on the mode information.
15. The display driving device of claim 8, wherein the timing controller is further configured to:
receive mode information for adjusting a frame rate, and
determine the first time period and the second time period based on the mode information.
20. The display device of claim 12, wherein the display driving device further comprises
a mode determiner configured to determine the first time period and the second time period based on current frame data and previous frame data.
16. The display driving device of claim 8, wherein the timing controller is further configured to
determine the first time period and the second time period based on current frame data and previous frame data.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the Double Patenting rejection set forth in this Office action, or upon the filing of a proper Terminal Disclaimer listing the US Patent forming the basis of the Double Patenting rejection set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record, either alone or in combination, fails to teach or fairly suggest, in claims 1 and 12, where “the display driving device comprises … a multiplexer configured to selectively output the first gamma voltage control signal or the second gamma voltage control signal; …[and] the first gamma voltage control signal is output during the first time period and the second gamma voltage control signal is output during the second time period”, in combination with all the remaining limitations in each claim. Claims 2-11 and 13-20 would be allowable based on their dependence from one of claims 1 and 12..
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
a. Song et al (US 2008/0170024) disclose a display device in which a multiplexer is used in combination with polarity control and source output enable signals to select one of a positive and negative gamma compensation voltage (see at least figure 23 and ¶ 98), but do not disclose the aforementioned limitations.
b. Sun (US 2009/0040163) discloses a display device in which a multiplexer is used to provide a control signal for selecting corresponding voltage values of a gamma curve from a lookup table (see at least figure 3 and ¶ 22), but does not disclose the aforementioned limitations.
Closing Remarks/Comments
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHAN DANIELSEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4248. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern Time.
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/NATHAN DANIELSEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2622