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 .
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, 5, 9, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2022/0415226) in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0144675).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a slidable electronic device (Fig. 3B; [0077], e.g., a slidable electronic device 101) comprising:
a housing including a first housing part and a second housing part engaged with the first housing part ([0077], e.g., the housing 300 include a first housing part and a second housing part) the second housing part is configured to be slid with respect to the first housing part ([0086], e.g., the state 310 is switched to the state 350 by sliding the second housing part with respect to the first housing part);
a flexible display panel coupled to the first housing part and the second housing part ([0074], e.g., the flexible display 210 is coupled to the first and second housings) so that a size of an active area visible from a front side of the housing changes by at least partially rolling into the first housing part as the second housing part is slid with respect to the first housing part ([0074], [0077]-[0078], e.g., in the state 310, a first display area 320 is visible and the remaining portion 330 is rolled into the housing 300); and
display driver circuitry in the housing ([0074], e.g., the display driver circuitry 230 is included in the housing), that is configured to:
in a state in which a first part of the active area is visible from the front side and a second part of the active area is invisible from the front side (Fig. 4; [0084]-[0085], e.g., in the state 310, the first part 320 is visible from the front side and the second part 330 is invisible from the front side),
control at least a portion of first light emitting elements located within a first area to emit light to display a screen within the first area in the first part (Fig, 4; [0081], [0086], e.g., control at least a portion of first pixels located within a first area to emit light to display a screen within the first area in the first part 320) having rectangular corners adjacent to a boundary between the first part and the second part ([0085]-[0086], e.g., the boundary 410 between the first part 320 and the second part 330).
Kim further discloses displaying a black image in the second part while the screen is displayed in the state (Fig. 4; [0144]).
Kim does not specifically disclose wherein the first area in the first part has rounded corners, and the display driver circuitry configured to, while the screen is displayed in the state, control at least a portion of second light emitting elements within a second area in the first part that is located outside of the rounded corners to emit light for reference time.
However, Lee discloses a display device (Fig. 1; [0054], e.g., display device 1) comprising:
a display driver (Fig. 2; [0066], e.g., drivers 220, 230) configured to at least a portion of first light emitting elements located within a first area to emit light to display a screen within the first area in a display area having rounded corners (Figs 3-4; [0064], [0082]-[0090], [0097]-[0098], e.g., control first light emitting elements (the pixels PX4, PX6, PX7, PX8, PX10, PX11, and PX12) disposed within the imaginary line IL to emit light to display an image within a first area); and
control at least a portion of second light emitting elements within a second area in the display area that is located outside of the rounded corners to emit light for reference time (Figs 3-4; [0064], [0082]-[0090], [0097]-[0098], e.g., control a portion of second light emitting elements (the pixels PX1, PX2, and PX5) located outside of the rounded corners to emit light to display a color for a reference time. The first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements are displayed together for the reference time).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teachings of Lee in the invention of Park for displaying a screen within a first area in a first part having rounded corners and emitting light for reference time by controlling second light emitting elements within a second area in the first part that is located outside of the rounded corners in order to provide a display devices having rectangular display areas that give the appearance of having rounded corners (see [0006] and [0021] of Lee).
Regarding claim 2, Kim further discloses the slidable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display driver circuitry is further configured to: after the state is changed to another state in which the first part is visible from the front side and at least a portion of the second part is visible from the front side, control light emitting elements including the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements to emit light to display an extended screen (Fig. 4; [0086], e.g., in the state 350, the first part 320 and the second part 350 are visible from the front side, and the first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements to emit light to display an extended screen).
Regarding claim 5, Kim further discloses the slidable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: at least one processor in the housing (Fig. 3A; processor 120), wherein the display driver circuitry is configured to: receive, from the processor, information for an image (Fig. 5; [0091], e.g., receive image information that contains image data for an image), control, in the state, the at least a portion of the first light emitting elements to emit light based on a portion of the image to display the screen within the first area ([0091], e.g., in the state 310, a portion of the first light emitting pixels emit lights based on a portion of the image to display the screen within the first area 320), and control, while the screen is displayed in the state, light emitting elements of the second part to emit light based on another portion of the image ([0091], e.g., the black image).
Lee further discloses the display device wherein the display driver configured to:
receive, from the processor, information for an image (Fig. 2; [0067]-[0068], e.g., receive information for an image from a processor 211),
control a portion of the first light emitting elements to emit light based on a portion of an image to display the screen within the first area (Fig. 4A; [0087], [0089], e.g., control the first light emitting elements to emit light based on a portion of the image), and
control the at least a portion of the second light emitting elements to emit light based on another portion of the image ([0091], e.g., control the second light emitting elements PX1, PX2 and PX5 to emit light based on another portion of the image).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Park in view of Lee for controlling at least a portion of second light emitting elements to emit light based on another portion of an image or a black image in order to display the image with the appearance of rounded corners.
Regarding claim 9, Kim further discloses the slidable electronic device of claim 5, wherein the display driver circuitry is configured to control second light emitting elements to emit light to provide a gradient content having slightly different grayscale values in an image received from the processor (Fig. 13; [0135], e.g., control a portion of light emitting elements (pixels) to emit light to provide a gradient effect having gradually changed grayscale values).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Kim in view of Lee for controlling second light emitting elements to emit light to provide a gradient content having slightly different grayscale values in a content of another portion of an image received from a processor so that an afterimage in the vicinity of a boundary can be reduced or minimized.
Regarding claim 19, Park discloses a method executed in a slidable electronic device with a housing (Figs 4-5; [0075]-[0076], e.g., a slidable electronic device 400 with a housing) and a flexible display panel ([0081], e.g., a flexible display 450) including an active area configured to be at least partially rolled into the housing ([0097], e.g., the extended area AA2 of an active area is at least partially rolled into the housing), the method comprising:
in a state in which a first part of the active area is visible from a front side and a second part of the active area is invisible from the front side (Figs 4 and 5; e.g., in the first state, a first part AA1 is visible from a front side and a second part AA2 is invisible from the front side), emitting light via at least a portion of first light emitting elements located within a first area to display a screen within the first area in the first part (Figs 4 and 8; [0061], [0118], e.g., control at least a portion of first pixels located within the first area to emit light to display a screen 810 within the first area in the first part AA1) having rectangular corners adjacent to a boundary between the first part and the second part (Fig. 5).
Park does not specifically disclose wherein the first area in the first part has rounded corners, and the method further comprising: while the screen is displayed in the state, emitting, for reference time, light via at least a portion of second light emitting elements within a second area in the first part that is located outside of the rounded corners.
However, Lee discloses a display device (Fig. 1; [0054], e.g., display device 1) comprising:
a display driver (Fig. 2; [0066], e.g., drivers 220, 230) configured to at least a portion of first light emitting elements located within a first area to emit light to display a screen within the first area in a display area having rounded corners (Figs 3-4; [0064], [0082]-[0090], [0097]-[0098], e.g., control first light emitting elements (the pixels PX4, PX6, PX7, PX8, PX10, PX11, and PX12) disposed within the imaginary line IL to emit light to display an image within a first area); and
control at least a portion of second light emitting elements within a second area in the display area that is located outside of the rounded corners to emit light for reference time (Figs 3-4; [0064], [0082]-[0090], [0097]-[0098], e.g., control a portion of second light emitting elements (the pixels PX1, PX2, and PX5) located outside of the rounded corners to emit light to display a color for reference time. The first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements are displayed together for the reference time).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teachings of Lee in the invention of Park for displaying a screen within a first area in a first part having rounded corners and emitting light for reference time by controlling second light emitting elements within a second area in the first part that is located outside of the rounded corners in order to provide a display devices having rectangular display areas that give the appearance of having rounded corners (see [0006] and [0021] of Lee).
Regarding claim 20, Park discloses one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media storing one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions ([0208]) that, when executed by one or more processors of a slidable electronic device with a housing (Figs 4-5; [0075]-[0076], [0208], e.g., executed by a processor 120 of a slidable electronic device 400 with a housing) and
a flexible display panel ([0081], e.g., a flexible display 450) including an active area configured to be at least partially rolled into the housing individually or collectively ([0097], e.g., the extended area AA2 of an active area is at least partially rolled into the housing), cause the slidable electronic device to perform operations, the operations comprising:
in a state in which a first part of the active area is visible from a front side and a second part of the active area is invisible from the front side (Figs 4 and 5; e.g., in the first state, a first part AA1 is visible from a front side and a second part AA2 is invisible from the front side), controlling at least a portion of first light emitting elements located within a first area to emit light to display a screen within the first area in the first part (Figs 4 and 8; [0061], [0118], e.g., control at least a portion of first pixels located within the first area to emit light to display a screen 810 within the first area in the first part AA1) having rectangular corners adjacent to a boundary between the first part and the second part (Fig. 5).
Park does not specifically disclose wherein the first area in the first part has rounded corners, and the operations comprising: while the screen is displayed in the state, controlling at least a portion of second light emitting elements within a second area in the first part that is located outside of the rounded corners to emit light for reference time.
However, Lee discloses a display device (Fig. 1; [0054], e.g., display device 1) comprising:
a display driver (Fig. 2; [0066], e.g., drivers 220, 230) configured to at least a portion of first light emitting elements located within a first area to emit light to display a screen within the first area in a display area having rounded corners (Figs 3-4; [0064], [0082]-[0090], [0097]-[0098], e.g., control first light emitting elements (the pixels PX4, PX6, PX7, PX8, PX10, PX11, and PX12) disposed within the imaginary line IL to emit light to display an image within a first area); and
control at least a portion of second light emitting elements within a second area in the display area that is located outside of the rounded corners to emit light for reference time (Figs 3-4; [0064], [0082]-[0090], [0097]-[0098], e.g., control a portion of second light emitting elements (the pixels PX1, PX2, and PX5) located outside of the rounded corners to emit light to display a color for reference time. The first light emitting elements and the second light emitting elements are displayed together for the reference time).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teachings of Lee in the invention of Park for displaying a screen within a first area in a first part having rounded corners and emitting light for reference time by controlling second light emitting elements within a second area in the first part that is located outside of the rounded corners in order to provide a display devices having rectangular display areas that give the appearance of having rounded corners (see [0006] and [0021] of Lee).
Claim(s) 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2022/0415226) in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0144675), and further in view of Kim et al. (US 2020/0286451, hereinafter referred to as “Kim451”).
Regarding claim 4, Kim in view of Lee does not specifically disclose the slidable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display driver circuitry is further configured to periodically change a location of the at least a portion of the second light emitting elements controlled to emit light while the screen is displayed in the state.
However, Kim451 discloses a slidable electronic device (Figs 1A-1B; [0046], e.g., a slidable display 100) wherein display driver circuitry (Fig. 2; [0059]-[0060], e.g., driver 200) is configured to periodically change a location of at least a portion of light emitting elements controlled to emit light while a screen is displayed in a partial display mode (Figs 4A-4B and Figs 5A-5B; [0067], [0089]-[0090], e.g., periodically change a location of light emitting elements (pixels for displaying the supplementary image SIA) while the screen is in a second mode).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teachings of Kim451 in the invention of Kim in view of Lee for periodically change a location of at least a portion of the second light emitting elements controlled to emit light while the screen is displayed in the state so that a degradation deviation (e.g., an image quality deviation or an afterimage) that may occur at a boundary between a first display area and a second display area AA2 can be reduced or minimized (see [0096] of Kim451).
Claim(s) 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2022/0415226) in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0144675), and further in view of Nomura (US 2015/0009105).
Regarding claim 6, Kim in view of Lee does not specifically disclose the slidable electronic device of claim 5, wherein the at least a portion of the second light emitting elements is controlled to emit light based on gamma correction regarding the other portion of the image.
However, Nomura discloses an electronic device (Fig. 1; [0033]-[0034]) wherein light emitting elements are controlled to emit light based on gamma correction regarding an image ([0036], e.g., light emitting pixels are controlled to emit light to display an image based on image data after gamma correction).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teachings of Nomura in the invention of Kim in view of Lee for performing a gamma correction process on image data of another portion of an image so that the other portion of the image can be reproduced accurately on a display panel.
Regarding claim 7, Kim in view of Lee and Nomura further discloses the slidable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the gamma correction is executed by the processor, before the processor transmits the information to the display driver circuitry (Nomura, Fig. 1; [0036], e.g., the image data processing circuit performs the gamma correction before the image data is transmitted to the data driver).
Claim(s) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2022/0415226) in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0144675) and Nomura (US 2015/0009105), and further in view of Hayashi et al. (US 2014/0111505)
Regarding claim 8, Kim in view of Lee and Nomura does not specifically disclose the slidable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the gamma correction is executed by the display driver circuitry, after the display driver circuitry receives the information from the processor.
However, Hayashi discloses a display device (Fig. 2) wherein gamma correction is executed by a display driver circuitry, after the display driver circuitry receives image data from an image processing device ([0054], e.g., the drive unit 50 performs gamma correction on the image data supplied from the image processing device 10 with a built-in gamma control circuit, and outputs image data having the characteristic with gamma value being "2.2" to the display unit 60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teachings of Hayashi in the invention of Kim in view of Lee and Nomura for performing a gamma correction process on image data of another portion of an image by a display driver circuitry so that the other portion of the image has the characteristic with gamma value being “2.2”.
Claim(s) 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2022/0415226) in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0144675), and further in view of Kim (US 2016/0180558, hereinafter referred to as “KIM558”).
Regarding claim 10, Kim in view of Lee does not specifically disclose the slidable electronic device of claim 5, wherein the at least a portion of the second light emitting elements is controlled to emit light based on adjustment of transparency of the other portion of the image.
However, Kim558 discloses a display device (Fig. 1; [0039]-[0040], e.g., display device 100) wherein a portion of light emitting elements is controlled to emit light based on adjustment of transparency of a portion of an image (Figs 3-4; [0052]-[0054], [0071]-[0072], e.g., a portion of light emitting pixels is controller to emit light to display a partial image based on adjustment of transparency of the partial image).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teachings of Kim558 in the invention of Kim in view of Lee for controlling a portion of second light emitting elements to emit light based on adjustment of transparency of another portion of an image in order to provide a display device having the ability to display images of adjustable transparency.
Regarding claim 11, Kim in view of Lee and Kim558 further discloses the slidable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the adjustment of the transparency is executed by the processor, before the processor transmits the information to the display driver circuitry (Kim558, Fig. 1; [0072], e.g., the processor 120 adjust the transparency of the partial image before the processor transmits the partial image to the display 110).
Claim(s) 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2022/0415226) in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0144675) and Kim (US 2016/0180558, hereinafter referred to as “KIM558”), and further in view of Joo et al. (US 2016/0225344).
Regarding claim 12, Kim in view of Lee and Kim558 does not specifically disclose the slidable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the adjustment of the transparency is executed by the display driver circuitry, after the display driver circuitry receives the information from the processor.
However, Joo discloses a display device (Fig. 1; [0069], e.g., device 100) wherein adjustment of transparency is executed by a display driver circuitry (Figs 5-6; [0091]-[0092], e.g., the display driving integrated circuit 140 can adjust the luminance of a logo region LG of an image displayed on a display panel).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teachings of Joo in the invention of Kim in view of Lee and Kim558 for adjusting transparency (luminance) by display driver circuitry after the display driver circuitry receives information from a processor because as taught by Joo, the display device can efficiently adjust the transparency (the luminance) of a region of an image (see [0129] of Joo).
Claim(s) 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2022/0415226) in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0144675), and further in view of Yang et al. (US 2022/0345785).
Regarding claim 15, Kim in view of Lee does not specifically disclose the slidable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display driver circuitry is further configured to increase transparency of content provided within the second area in accordance with emitting the at least the portion of the second light emitting elements, based on length of time in which the screen is displayed in the state.
However, Yang discloses a display device (Fig. 7; [0021], [0102], e.g., device 700) configured to increase transparency of an image provided in an area based on length of time in which the image is displayed ([0037], e.g., changing gradually, in response to the at least one image being displayed for a preset time with the transparency of 0%, to display the at least one image with the transparency of 100%).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the teachings of Yang in the invention of Kim in view of Lee for increase transparency of content provided within a second area in accordance with emitting the at least the portion of second light emitting elements based on length of time in which a screen is displayed in the state so as to enhance the dynamic effect of an image display.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 13-14 and 16-18 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.
Lee et al. (US 2018/0342192) discloses a display device comprising a first display area and a second display area, wherein when the display is driven in a partial display mode, a gradation image is displayed on a region, adjacent to the first display area, of the second display area, and a luminance of the gradation image may be gradually reduced in a direction away from the first display area (Fig. 13B).
Gupta et al. (US 2023/0099088) discloses a display device comprising display driver circuitry configured to control a portion of light emitting elements to emit light to create the appearance of a rounded corner (Figs 13-14).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HONG ZHOU whose telephone number is (571)270-5372. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-5:00 PM.
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/HONG ZHOU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629
