DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the response to this Office action, the Office respectfully requests that support be shown for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line numbers in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist the Office in prosecuting this application.
The Office has cited particular figures, elements, paragraphs and/or columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant, in preparing the responses, to fully consider each of the cited references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage disclosed by the Office.
Priority
2. Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) is acknowledged.
Disposition of the Claims
3. The instant application was effectively filed on March 06, 2025, wherein claims 1-15 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7 and 9-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kwon et al. US PG-PUB 20220139330 A1 (hereafter Kwon).
Regarding claim 1, Kwon teaches A display apparatus (Fig. 1; display device DD), comprising: a display panel comprising a first display region and a second display region (Fig’s. 1, 4 and Para. [0024]; a display device includes dividing a display panel DP into a first display region and a second display region in which the first image IM1 and the second image IM2 are displayed); and a drive controller (Fig. 4 and Para.[0096]; driving controller 100), configured to calculate a difference of image data between a current frame and a previous frame, and enable the display panel to operate in a multi-frequency mode or a conventional mode according to the difference (Para. [0085]; the driving controller 100 according to an embodiment of the inventive concept may change the operation mode to the normal mode when a difference between an image signal of a current frame to be displayed in the first display region DA1 (refer to FIG. 1) and an image signal of a previous frame is greater than a reference value during the multi-frequency mode), wherein in the multi-frequency mode, the first display region has a different drive frequency from the second display region (Para. [0096]; In the multi-frequency mode, the driving controller 100 may drive the first display region DA1 at a first driving frequency (e.g., 120 Hz) and the second display region DA2 at a second driving frequency (e.g., 1 Hz).); and wherein in the conventional mode, the first display region has a same drive frequency as the second display region (Para. [0096]; the driving controller 100 drives each of the first display region DA1 and the second display region DA2 at a normal frequency (e.g., 60 Hz) in the normal mode.).
Regarding claim 2, Kwon teaches The display apparatus according to claim 1, Kwon further teaches wherein the drive controller is configured to enable the display panel to operate in the conventional mode when the difference is greater than a first preset value (Para. [0155]; If the luminance difference between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame is equal to or greater than the reference value, the frequency mode determination part 120 changes the operation mode from the multi-frequency mode to the normal mode and outputs the mode signal MD corresponding to the determined frequency mode (S220)); and the drive controller is configured to enable the display panel to operate in the multi-frequency mode when the difference is less than or equal to the first preset value (Para. [0153]-[0154]; The frequency mode determination part 120 compares a reference value with the luminance difference between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame (S210). If the luminance difference between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame is less than the reference value, the frequency mode determination part 120 maintains the operation mode as the multi-frequency mode.).
Regarding claim 3, Kwon teaches The display apparatus according to claim 1, Kwon further teaches wherein the first display region and the second display region comprises sub-pixels, respectively (Fig’s. 4, 5 and Para. [0096]); wherein the drive controller comprises a difference calculation unit and a mode determination unit (Para. [0125]; the driving controller 100 includes a memory 110, a frequency mode determination part 120, and a signal generator 130); wherein the difference calculation unit is configured to calculate a difference between image data of any one of the sub-pixels in a current frame and image data of the one of the sub- pixels in a previous frame, and send the difference to the mode determination unit; and wherein the mode determination unit is configured to enable the display panel to operate in a multi-frequency mode or a conventional mode according to the difference (Para. [0152] The frequency mode determination part 120 of the driving controller 100 calculates a luminance difference (or difference value) between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame stored in the memory 110 in the multi-frequency mode (S200). Each of the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame may have a certain gradation level. The driving controller 100 may calculate a luminance difference on the basis of a gradation level difference between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame. In this embodiment, the driving controller 100 calculates the luminance difference using the difference value between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame, but an embodiment of the inventive concept is not limited thereto. For example, the driving controller 100 may calculate a difference in the current led (refer to FIG. 5) flowing through the light-emitting diode ED (refer to FIG. 5) using the gradation difference between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame. In another embodiment, the driving controller 100 may calculate an on-pixel ratio (OPR) difference between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame. The on-pixel ratio difference may be a difference between the ratio of maximum luminance of the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the ratio of maximum luminance of the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame. As described above, the difference value between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame may be any one of a gradation difference, on-pixel ratio difference, current difference, and luminance difference. Para. [0153] The frequency mode determination part 120 compares a reference value with the luminance difference between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame (S210). Para. [0154] If the luminance difference between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame is less than the reference value, the frequency mode determination part 120 maintains the operation mode as the multi-frequency mode. Para. [0155] If the luminance difference between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame is equal to or greater than the reference value, the frequency mode determination part 120 changes the operation mode from the multi-frequency mode to the normal mode and outputs the mode signal MD corresponding to the determined frequency mode (S220).).
Regarding claim 7, Kwon teaches The display apparatus according to claim 1, Kwon further teaches wherein the first display region and the second display region comprise sub-pixels (Fig. 4, 5), respectively; one of the sub-pixels comprises a pixel drive circuit (Fig. 5), the pixel drive circuit receives a first power voltage and a data voltage (Fig. 5 and Para. [0101]; receives power voltage VL1 and data voltage Di), and generates a drive current according to the first power voltage and the data voltage (Fig. 5 and Para. [0112]-[0117]; the driving current Id is generated according to a voltage difference between the first driving voltage ELVDD and the gate voltage of the gate electrode of the first transistor T1, and the driving current Id is supplied to the light-emitting diode ED via the sixth transistor T6 so that the current flows through the light-emitting diode ED); and the display apparatus further comprises a voltage drop compensation unit configured to compensate a voltage drop of the first power supply voltage received by different sub-pixels with the data voltage (Para. [0139]).
Regarding claim 9, Kwon teaches The display apparatus according to claim 1, Kwon further teaches wherein the display apparatus comprises a drive IC (Fig. 8), the drive IC comprises a timing controller electrically connected to the drive controller (Fig. 8 signal generator), the drive controller is configured to output a mode control signal to the timing controller, and the mode control signal is configured to enable the timing controller to control the display panel to switch between the multi-frequency mode and the conventional mode (Para. [0126]-[0129]; the driving controller may include a frequency mode determination part configured to determine the operation mode based on the image signal of the current frame, the image signal of the previous frame, and a control signal, and output a mode signal, and a signal generator configured to output an image data signal to the data driving circuit, a data control signal to the data driving circuit and a scan control signal to the scan driving circuit corresponding to the mode signal).
Regarding claim 10, Kwon teaches The display apparatus according to claim 9, Kwon further teaches wherein the drive controller is integrated into the drive IC (See Fig. 8).
Regarding claim 11, Kwon teaches The display apparatus according to claim 9, Kwon further teaches wherein the display apparatus further comprises an application management module electrically connected to the timing controller (Para. [0125]; driving controller 100 is electrically connected to signal generator 130); and the drive controller is integrated into the application management module (Para. [0084]-[0085]; driving controller 100 includes a memory 110, a frequency mode determination part 120 and a signal generator. The driving controller 100 receives an image signal RGB and a control signal CTRL. The driving controller 100 generates image data signal DATA by converting a data format of the image signal RGB so that the image signal RGB is compatible with a specification of interface with the data driving circuit 200. The driving controller 100 outputs a scan control signal SCS, a data control signal DCS, and an emission control signal ECS.).
Regarding claim 12, Kwon teaches A method for driving a display panel (Para. [0024]; a method of driving a display device includes dividing a display panel), wherein the display panel comprises a first display region and a second display region (Para. [0024]; a method of driving a display device includes dividing a display panel into a first display region and a second display region), and the method comprises: calculating a difference between image data in a current frame and image data in a previous frame, and enabling the display panel to operate in a multi-frequency mode or a conventional mode according to the difference (Para. [0085]; the driving controller 100 according to an embodiment of the inventive concept may change the operation mode to the normal mode when a difference between an image signal of a current frame to be displayed in the first display region DA1 (refer to FIG. 1) and an image signal of a previous frame is greater than a reference value during the multi-frequency mode), wherein in the multi-frequency mode, the first display region has a different drive frequency from the second display region (Para. [0096]; In the multi-frequency mode, the driving controller 100 may drive the first display region DA1 at a first driving frequency (e.g., 120 Hz) and the second display region DA2 at a second driving frequency (e.g., 1 Hz).); and wherein in the conventional mode, the first display region has a same drive frequency as the second display region (Para. [0096]; the driving controller 100 drives each of the first display region DA1 and the second display region DA2 at a normal frequency (e.g., 60 Hz) in the normal mode.).
Regarding claim 13, Kwon teaches The method according to claim 12, Kwon further teaches wherein the display panel operates in the conventional mode when the difference is greater than a first preset value (Para. [0155]; If the luminance difference between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame is equal to or greater than the reference value, the frequency mode determination part 120 changes the operation mode from the multi-frequency mode to the normal mode and outputs the mode signal MD corresponding to the determined frequency mode (S220)); and the display panel operates in the multi-frequency mode when the difference is less than or equal to the first preset value (Para. [0153]-[0154]; The frequency mode determination part 120 compares a reference value with the luminance difference between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame (S210). If the luminance difference between the image signal RGBk of the current frame and the image signal RGBk−1 of the previous frame is less than the reference value, the frequency mode determination part 120 maintains the operation mode as the multi-frequency mode.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 8, 14 and 15 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
4. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMY ONYEKABA whose telephone number is (571)270-7633. The examiner can normally be reached on 9-5.
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/AMY ONYEKABA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2628