The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Detailed Action
Current Status of Claims
This action is response to communication of June 3, 2025. Claims 1 to 20 are currently active in the application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on June 3, 2025 was filed before the mailing date of the first action on merits. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities: the term “period” in the second occurrence in line 3 should be replaced with “periods”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-6, 11-17 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ha et al. (US Patent Publication Application 2022/0343825 A1) in view of Shin et al. (US Patent Publication Application 2021/0272531 A1).
In regard of claim 1, Ha et al. disclose a display device comprising: a display panel including a plurality of pixels (See Figure 3 of Ha et al. illustrating a display device (DD) with display panel (DP) comprising plurality of pixels (PX11-PXnm) as discussed in paragraphs [0051-0053]); and a display driver configured to display an image on the display panel in units of frame periods (See Figure 3 of Ha et al. illustrating display driver (SDB, GDB) as discussed in paragraphs [0051-0052]), wherein during a blank period of one of the frame periods the display driver is configured to supply data signals including at least one data drop waveform to the display panel (See Figure 8 of Ha et al. illustrating the time diagram with data signal (DVL1) dropping waveform during blank period (BLK) .
However, the reference to Ha et al. does not specifically show a display device to supply data signals corresponding to the image to the display panel during a display period of the frame period to display the image, and to not display the image during a blank period of the frame period.
In the same field of endeavor, Shin et al. discloses a display device (1000) shown in Figure 1 which supplies data signals (FD) during display period (ACT) of the frame and do not display the image during a blank period (BLNK) as illustrated in the time diagram in Figure 3 and discussed in paragraphs [0055-0057] of Shin et al.
Therefore, it would be obvious for a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a way to supply data signals to display as shown by Shin et al. with the device of Ha et al. in order to reduce the amount of leakage current during the blank periods.
In regard of claim 2, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose the display device of claim 1, wherein each of the data drop waveforms corresponds to a waveform that rises in a step shape and then vertically falls (See Figure 8 of Ha et al. illustrating data drop waveform (DVL1) comprises step chape rise and vertical fall).
In regard of claim 3, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose the display device of claim 2, wherein a maximum voltage value of each of the data drop waveforms is greater than voltage values of the data signals supplied to the display panel during the display period of the one of the frame periods (See Figure 8 of Ha et al. illustrating maximum voltage value of data drop (DVL1) is greater than voltages (DVL2, DVL3) as discussed in paragraph [0106] of Ha et al.).
In regard of claim 4, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose the display device of claim 2, wherein a number of the data drop waveforms is determined by a length of the blank period of the one of the frame periods (See Figure 3 of Shin et al. illustrating that the data drop is determined by a length of the blank period (BLANK2) wherein data signal voltage increased when blank period get longer (BLANK2_2) as discussed in paragraph [0063-0065]).
In regard of claim 5, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose the display device of claim 4, wherein the number of the data drop waveforms increases as the length of the blank period in the one of the frame periods increases (See Figure 3 of Shin et al. illustrating that in Frame 2 wherein blank period increases the higher data voltage also provided for longer time (BLANK2_2)).
In regard of claim 6, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose the display device of claim 2, wherein an interval between the data drop waveforms is constant (See Figure 14 of Shin et al. illustrating interval between data drop (BLANK2_2) and (BLANK3_3) is constant).
In regard of claim 11, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose the display device of claim 1, wherein a length of the display period in which the display driver is driven at a first driving frequency and a length of the display period in which the display driver is driven at a second driving frequency greater than the first driving frequency are equal (See Figure 3 of Shin et al. illustrating length of the display periods (ACT1, ACT2) driven at different frequencies (144Hz, 60Hz) are equal).
In regard of claim 12, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose the display device of claim 1, wherein a length of the display period in which the display driver is driven at a first driving frequency is longer than a length of the display period in which the display driver is driven at a second driving frequency greater than the first driving frequency (See Figure 16 of Shin et al. illustrating display periods in different frame frequencies and longest frame is at the lowest frequency (48Hz)).
In regard of claim 13, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose a driving method of a display device that includes a display panel including a plurality of pixels and a display driver configured to display an image on the display panel in units of frame periods, comprising: supplying data signals corresponding to the image to the display panel during a display period of one frame period to display the image; and supplying data signals including at least one data drop waveform to the display panel during a blank period of the one frame period (See rejection of claim 1 provided above).
In regard of claim 14, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose the driving method of the display device of claim 13, wherein each of the data drop waveforms corresponds to a waveform that rises in a step shape and then vertically falls (See rejection of claim 2 provided above).
In regard of claim 15, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose the driving method of the display device of claim 14, wherein a maximum voltage value of each of the data drop waveforms is greater than voltage values of the data signals supplied to the display panel during the display period of the one frame period (See rejection of claim 3 provided above).
In regard of claim 16, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose the driving method of the display device of claim 14, wherein a number of the data drop waveforms is determined by a length of the blank period of the one frame period (See rejection of claim 4 provided above).
In regard of claim 17, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose the driving method of the display device of claim 14, wherein an interval between the data drop waveforms is constant (See rejection of claim 6 provided above).
In regard of claim 20, Ha et al. and Shin et al. further disclose an electronic device, comprising: a processor to provide input image data; and a display device to display an image based on the input image data, the display device comprising: a display panel including a plurality of pixels; and a display driver configured to display an image on the display panel in units of frame periods, to supply data signals corresponding to the image to the display panel during a display period of the frame period to display the image, and to not display the image during a blank period of the frame period, wherein during a blank period of one of the frame periods, the display driver is configured to supply data signals including at least one data drop waveform to the display panel (See at least Figure 3 of Ha et al.. illustrating electronic device (DD) with processor (CP) providing input image data (IMD) and display device (DP) with plurality of pixels (PX11-PXnm) and display drivers (SDB, GBD) driving display panel as addressed in rejection of claim 1 provided above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 and 18-19 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure:
US Patent Publication Application 2019/0371250 A1 to Back et al. discloses a display controller generating the image data signal DAT so that a flicker is not generated corresponding to the varied frame frequency as shown in Figure 5.
US Patent Publication Application 2022/1130317 A1 to Lan et al. discloses a display device providing data signal during blank period so the leakage current may be reduced, thereby mitigating flicker or mitigating the dimming problem of the brightness.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Olga Aronovich whose telephone number is (571)270-7796. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri. from 7:30-5:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's Supervisor, Benjamin C. Lee can be reached on (571) 272-2963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/OLGA V MERKOULOVA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629
Prosecution Insights