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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/27/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
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Claim 1-16 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-16 of U.S. Patent No. 12,494,158. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the patent claims include the limitations of the instant application claims. The patent claims also include additional limitations.
Although, Claim 1 of US Patent ‘158 does not expressly disclose “wherein M is a positive integer greater than one…wherein N is a positive integer greater than one”.
The patent Claim 1, recites “…a plurality of M light-emitting-diode (LED) driving circuits which are connected in series defining a plurality of first driving circuit stages… includes a plurality of N light-emitting-diode (LED) driving circuits which are connected in series defining a plurality of second driving circuit stages…” which suggests that the M is a positive integer greater than one, and N is a positive integer greater than one. Therefore, although not identical, an obvious variant thereof.
Instant Application 19/369,770
1. A light-emitting-diode (LED) driver structure applicable to driving a display panel, comprising:
a first LED driving group, having a plurality of M LED driving circuits connected in series, wherein M is a positive integer greater than one;
a first common data line configured to receive a first data input signal, and connected to respective data input terminals of each of the plurality of M LED driving circuits;
US Patent 12,494,158
1. A light-emitting-diode (LED) driver structure applicable to driving a display panel, comprising:
a first light-emitting-diode (LED) driving group, which includes a plurality of M light-emitting-diode (LED) driving circuits which are connected in series defining a plurality of first driving circuit stages, and configured to receive a first data input signal on a first common data line connected to respective data input terminals of each of said M light-emitting-diode (LED) driving circuits, wherein M is a positive integer; and
a second LED driving group, having a plurality of N LED driving circuits connected in series, wherein N is a positive integer greater than one; and
a second common data line configured to receive a second data input signal which is a data output signal of a last stage of the first LED driving group, and connected to respective data input terminals of each of the plurality of N LED driving circuits;
a second light-emitting-diode (LED) driving group, which includes a plurality of N light-emitting-diode (LED) driving circuits which are connected in series defining a plurality of second driving circuit stages, and configured to receive a second data input signal which is a data output signal of a last stage of the plurality of M light-emitting-diode (LED) driving circuits of the first light-emitting-diode (LED) driving group on a second common data line connected to respective data input terminals of each of said N light-emitting-diode (LED) driving circuits, wherein N is a positive integer, and said first data input signal and said second data input signal, which is the data output signal of said last stage of said first light-emitting-diode (LED) driving group, represent RGB display data for driving the display panel:
wherein the first data input signal and the second data input signal comprise RGB display data for generating a plurality of output signals on a plurality of red output data transmission lines, a plurality of green output data transmission lines and a plurality of blue output data transmission lines.
wherein each of said plurality of M and N LED driving circuits providing a plurality of output signals resulting from said RGB display data and consisting of a first output signal on a red output data transmission line, a second output signal on a green output data transmission line, and a third output signal on a blue data transmission line.
Claims 2-8
Claims 9-16
Claims 2-8
Claims 9-16
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 9 would be allowable if overcome the double patenting rejection as set forth above.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Independent Claim 1 is allowable over the prior art of record since the cited references alone or in combination do not teach or suggest “a first common data line configured to receive a first data input signal, and connected to respective data input terminals of each of the plurality of M LED driving circuits; a second common data line configured to receive a second data input signal which is a data output signal of a last stage of the first LED driving group, and connected to respective data input terminals of each of the plurality of N LED driving circuits” in combination with the other limitations in the claim.
Independent Claim 9 is allowable over the prior art of record since the cited references alone or in combination do not teach or suggest “a first common data line configured to receive a first data input signal, and connected to respective data input terminals of each of the plurality of M LED driving circuits; a second common data line configured to receive a second data input signal which is a data output signal of a last stage of the first LED driving group, and connected to respective data input terminals of each of the plurality of N LED driving circuits” in combination with the other limitations in the claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: see PTO-892 form.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DISMERY E. MERCEDES whose telephone number is (571)272-7558. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ke Xiao can be reached at 571-272-7776. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DISMERY MERCEDES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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