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 .
This Office Action is made in response to applicant’s papers filed on 10/27/2025. Claims 1-20 are currently pending in the application. An action follows below:
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f), is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f). The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f). The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitations are: “an analyzer,” “a region divider,” “a region determiner,” “a weight calculator,” and “a dimming applicator,” of claim 18.
Because these claim limitations are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), they are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
A review of the specification did not reveal any corresponding structures of the above underlined limitations that perform the claimed functions.
If applicant wishes to provide an explanation of the corresponding structure, applicant must identify the corresponding structure with reference to the specification by page and line number, and to the drawing, if any, by reference characters in response to this Office action.
If applicant does not intend to have the claim limitations treated under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), applicant may amend the claim(s) so that they will clearly not invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f), or present a sufficient showing that the claim recites/recite sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function to preclude application of 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
For more information, see MPEP § 2173 et seq. and Supplementary Examination Guidelines for Determining Compliance With 35 U.S.C. 112 and for Treatment of Related Issues in Patent Applications, 76 FR 7162, 7167 (Feb. 9, 2011).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, the applicant regards as the invention.
As per claim 18, Applicant’s claims have been interpreted as invoking 35 USC 112 6th paragraph as per above discussion under section 35 USC 112(f). Claim 18 is indefinite under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), because the disclosure does not clearly specify the necessary corresponding structures of “an analyzer,” “a region divider,” “a region determiner,” “a weight calculator,” and “a dimming applicator,” that can be used to achieve the claimed functions.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefore, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as not falling within one of the four statutory categories of invention. Supreme Court precedent1 and recent Federal Circuit decisions2 indicate that a statutory “process” under 35 U.S.C. 101 must (1) be tied to another statutory category (such as a particular apparatus), or (2) transform underlying subject matter (such as an article or material) to a different state or thing. While the instant claim(s) recite a series of steps or acts to be performed, the claim(s) neither transform underlying subject matter nor positively tie to another statutory category that accomplishes the claimed method steps, and therefore do not qualify as a statutory process. In the instant case, an edge dimming control method comprising: steps of “receiving …; analyzing …; obtaining …, and determining …; determining …; calculating a dimming weight to be applied to the divided region to be dimmed; applying …; and controlling … output,” as cited in this claim, is of sufficient breadth that it would be reasonably interpreted as a series of steps completely performed mentally, verbally or without a machine. See In re Bilski. The instant claim neither transforms underlying subject matter nor positively ties to another statutory category that accomplishes the claimed method steps, and therefore does not qualify as a statutory process. In order for a process to be "tied" to another statutory category, the structure of another statutory category should be positively recited in a step or steps significant to the basic inventive concept, and NOT just in association with statements of intended use or purpose, insignificant pre or post solution activity, or implicitly.
Notice to Applicant(s)
Examiner notes that the specification is not the measure of invention. Therefore, limitations contained therein can’t be read into the claims for the purpose of avoiding the prior art. See In re Sporck, 55 CCPA 743, 386 F.2d 924, 155 USPQ 687 (1968).
Further, the names/ terms of the features/elements used in the pending application or pending claims may be different from the names/terms of the matching features/ elements of the prior arts; however, the matching features/ elements of the prior arts contain all characteristics/ functions of the features/elements DEFINED by the pending claims.
Note that in order to avoid confusion, the below citations in the below rejection(s) are mere one or more places in the reference to disclose the "claimed" limitation(s) and/or are directed to one or more of embodiments disclosed by the cited reference(s). In other words, the “claimed” features/limitations may be read in other places in the reference or other embodiments of the reference. In order to better understand how the claimed limitations are taught by the reference(s), a review of the entire reference(s) is suggested by the examiner. Applicant is reminded a prior art reference must be considered in its entirety, i.e., as a whole, including portions that would lead away from the claimed invention as not all relevant paragraphs may have been cited in the rejection. W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. v. Garlock, Inc., 721 F.2d 1540, 220 USPQ 303 (Fed. Cir. 1983), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 851 (1984).
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 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.
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 of this title, 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.
FIRST SET OF REJECTIONS:
Claims 1-6, 12-14, 17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim Tae Uk et al. (KR-10-2020-0001302 A; hereinafter Kim; see the Machined English Translation attached hereto for the following citations.)
As per claims 1 and 20, Kim discloses a display device (see at least Fig. 1; Abstract) comprising:
a display configured to display an image (see at least Fig. 1 and any of Figs. 3-8, showing a display comprising at least element 100 and configured to display an image on the display panel 100;) and
an edge dimming control device configured to control dimming of the display (see at least Fig. 1, disclosing an edge dimming control device comprising at least the timing controller 400 and the image processor 600 either integrated in the timing controller as shown in Fig. 1 or separated from the timing controller 400, as disclosed in the paragraph on page 5 of the translation “Meanwhile, the image processor 600 may be separated from the timing controller 400 …”,)
wherein the edge dimming control device comprises:
a source module configured to provide a dimming command for an image frame (see at least Fig. 1; page 4 of translation, disclosing the timing controller 400 including a source module configured to receive source image and timing control signals from a host system and provide an image frame and a dimming command for an image frame for the image processor 600 performing a plurality of image processing algorithms;) and
a sink module configured to control dimming of the display device based on the dimming command (see at least Fig. 1; page 4 of translation, disclosing the image processor 600 performing a plurality of image processing algorithms including at least luminance reduction processing on the indifference/uninterested region [[as the claimed non-updated region]] and luminance processing on the interest/image-change region [[as the claimed updated region]], based on the dimming command,)
wherein the sink module is configured to, when the dimming command is input, obtain an updated region and a non-updated region of the image frame based on the dimming command, determine whether the non-updated region is identified (see at least Fig. 1; page 4 of translation, disclosing: “The image processor 600 may analyze the supplied image to determine a window region having an image change from the input image to the main viewing region viewed by the user as the region of interest, and determine the other region as the indifferent region. When there is no image change for a predetermined time in the region of indifference, the image processor 600 may reduce the unnecessary power consumption, deterioration of the light emitting element, and improve the lifespan of the light emitting element by performing luminance reduction processing on the region of indifference. The image processor 600 may gradually reduce the luminance of the indifferent region over time … in the luminance reduction processing of the uninterested region, the image processing unit 600 changes the color (color coordinates) together with the brightness reduction for the uninterested region by reducing the luminance to different levels by reflecting the different life characteristics of each light emitting device … determine the degree of luminance reduction …”,) calculate a luminance reduction degree for the non-updated region when the non-updated region is identified, and control dimming of the display such that edge dimming is applied to the non-updated region of the image frame based on the calculated luminance reduction degree (see the above discussion; further see Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description.)
Accordingly, Kim discloses all limitations of this claim except that Kim uses the term, “a luminance reduction degree”, instead of “a dimming weight” as claimed. However, since this claim does not specifically define “the dimming weight” so as to be distinct from “the luminance reduction degree” of Kim, a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of invention of the pending application would have obviously construed “the luminance reduction degree” of Kim corresponding to “the dimming weight” of this claim.
As per claim 2, Kim discloses the source module configured to provide the dimming command including updated region information indicating an updated region in which updated image content is located in the image frame (see the discussion in the rejection of claim 1; or see at least page 4 of translation, disclosing “The image processor 600 may analyze the supplied image to determine a window region having an image change from the input image to the main viewing region viewed by the user as the region of interest, and determine the other region as the indifferent region …”.)
As per claim 3, Kim discloses the source module configured to provide the dimming command further including at least one of dimming weight information, dimming time information, and dimming region identification information (see the discussion in the rejection of claim 1; or see at least page 4 of translation, disclosing: “The image processor 600 may analyze the supplied image to determine a window region having an image change from the input image to the main viewing region viewed by the user as the region of interest, and determine the other region as the indifferent region. When there is no image change for a predetermined time in the region of indifference, the image processor 600 may reduce the unnecessary power consumption, deterioration of the light emitting element, and improve the lifespan of the light emitting element by performing luminance reduction processing on the region of indifference. The image processor 600 may gradually reduce the luminance of the indifferent region over time …”; page 6 of translation, disclosing: “The image processor 600 … determine the other region as an indifferent region when there is no image change for a predetermined time. The image processor 600 may reduce the luminance and change the color over time …”.)
As per claim 4, Kim discloses: wherein the sink module is configured to, when the dimming command is input, indicating an updated region in which updated image content is located from the dimming command, and obtain the updated region and the non-updated region of the image frame based on the see the discussion in the rejection of claim 1; or see at least page 4 of translation, disclosing: “The image processor 600 may analyze the supplied image to determine a window region having an image change from the input image to the main viewing region viewed by the user as the region of interest, and determine the other region as the indifferent region…”,) but is silent to the extraction, as claimed. Official Notice is taken that both the concept and the advantages of extracting the updated region information to obtain the updated region and the non-updated region of the image frame based on the updated region information in the image processing are well-known and expected in the art. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention of the pending application to utilize the well-known extraction of the updated region information to obtain the same predictable result of obtaining the updated region and the non-updated region of the image frame.
As per claim 5, Kim obviously discloses: wherein the sink module is configured to, when both vertical and horizontal coordinates of a region in which the updated image content is located are included in the updated region information, identify an upper non-updated region and a lower non-updated region by calculating an upper length of a non-updated region located above the updated region and a lower length of a non-updated region located below the updated region based on the vertical coordinates, and identify a right non-updated region and a left non-updated region by calculating a right length of a non-updated region located to the right of the updated region and a left length of a non-updated region located to the left of the updated region based on the horizontal coordinates (see at least Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description on pages 6-7 of the translation, disclosing: in order to determine a region of interest and an uninterested region from an input image, performing operations of: detecting a boundary line image by applying a boundary line detection mask to the input image; detecting each edge by applying an edge detection mask to the boundary line image; and detecting each quadrangle and the area of the quadrangle by searching for edges which face each other by being located on the same line in any one of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction from the detected each edge.)
As per claim 6, Kim obviously discloses: wherein the sink module is configured to, when dimming weight information including a dimming weight value corresponding to the non-updated region is extracted from the dimming command, control dimming of the display device such that dimming is simultaneously applied to the upper, lower, right, and left non-updated regions of the image frame displayed on the display device based on the dimming weight value (see at least page 4 of translation, disclosing: “…When there is no image change for a predetermined time in the region of indifference, the image processor 600 may reduce the unnecessary power consumption, deterioration of the light emitting element, and improve the lifespan of the light emitting element by performing luminance reduction processing on the region of indifference. The image processor 600 may gradually reduce the luminance of the indifferent region over time …”; page 6 of translation, disclosing: “The image processor 600 … determine the other region as an indifferent region when there is no image change for a predetermined time. The image processor 600 may reduce the luminance and change the color over time …”; further see Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description on pages 6-7 of the translation, disclosing, discussing to control dimming of the display device such that dimming is simultaneously applied to the upper, lower, right, and left non-updated regions of the image frame displayed on the display device based on the dimming weight value.)
As per claim 12, Kim obviously discloses: wherein the sink module is configured to, when only vertical coordinates of a region in which the updated image content is located is included in the updated region information, identify the upper non-updated region from the lower non-updated region by calculating an upper length of a non-updated region located above the updated region and a lower length of a non-updated region located below the updated region based on the vertical coordinates (see at least Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description on pages 6-7 of the translation, disclosing: in order to determine a region of interest and an uninterested region from an input image, performing operations of: detecting a boundary line image by applying a boundary line detection mask to the input image; detecting each edge by applying an edge detection mask to the boundary line image; and detecting each quadrangle and the area of the quadrangle by searching for edges which face each other by being located on the same line in any one of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction from the detected each edge.)
As per claim 13, Kim obviously discloses: wherein the sink module is configured to, when dimming weight information is not extracted from the dimming command, generate new dimming weight values to be applied to the upper and lower non-updated regions based on a luminance value of the updated region, and control dimming of the display device such that dimming is simultaneously applied to the upper and lower non-updated regions of the image frame displayed on the display device based on the new dimming weight values (see at least Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description on pages 6-7 of the translation, disclosing the image processor 600 configured to, when dimming weight information is not extracted from the dimming command, generate new luminance reduction degrees [[new dimming weight values]] to be applied to the upper and lower non-updated regions based on a luminance value of the updated region, and control dimming of the display device such that dimming is simultaneously applied to the upper and lower non-updated regions of the image frame displayed on the display device based on the new dimming weight values.)
As per claim 14, Kim obviously discloses: wherein the sink module is configured to, when dimming weight information including dimming weight values corresponding to the upper and lower non-updated regions is extracted from the dimming command, control dimming of the display device such that dimming is simultaneously applied to the upper and lower non-updated regions of the image frame displayed on the display device based on the dimming weight values (see at least Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description on pages 6-7 of the translation, disclosing the image processor 600 configured to, when luminance reduction degree information [[as dimming weight information]] including luminance reduction degrees [[dimming weight values]] corresponding to the upper and lower non-updated regions is extracted from the dimming command, control dimming of the display device such that dimming is simultaneously applied to the upper and lower non-updated regions of the image frame displayed on the display device based on luminance reduction degrees [[the dimming weight values]].)
As per claim 17, Kim obviously discloses: wherein the sink module is configured to, when controlling dimming of the display device, control dimming of the display device by adjusting at least one of pixel data of a display panel and luminance data of a backlight based on a panel type of the display device (see at least page 5 of the translation, disclosing “… The image processor 600 may de-gamma correct the input image before performing image preprocessing such as the above-described peak luminance control, and perform image post-processing such as the luminance reduction processing for the above-described indifferent region. Thereafter, the gamma-corrected image may be output after gamma correction…”.)
SECOND/ ALTERNATIVE SET OF REJECTIONS:
Claims 1-6, 12-14, and 17-20 are rejected, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Lee et al. (US 2020/0320940 A1; hereinafter Lee.)
As per claims 1 and 20, Kim discloses a display device (see at least Fig. 1; Abstract) comprising:
a display configured to display an image (see at least Fig. 1 and any of Figs. 3-8, showing a display comprising at least element 100 and configured to display an image on the display panel 100;) and
an edge dimming control device configured to control dimming of the display (see at least Fig. 1, disclosing an edge dimming control device comprising at least the timing controller 400 and the image processor 600 either integrated in the timing controller as shown in Fig. 1 or separated from the timing controller 400, as disclosed in the paragraph on page 5 of the translation “Meanwhile, the image processor 600 may be separated from the timing controller 400 …”,)
wherein the edge dimming control device comprises:
a source module configured to provide a dimming command for an image frame (see at least Fig. 1; page 4 of translation, disclosing the timing controller 400 including a source module configured to receive source image and timing control signals from a host system and provide an image frame and a dimming command for an image frame for the image processor 600 performing a plurality of image processing algorithms;) and
a sink module configured to control dimming of the display device based on the dimming command (see at least Fig. 1; page 4 of translation, disclosing the image processor 600 performing a plurality of image processing algorithms including at least luminance reduction processing on the indifference/uninterested region [[as the claimed non-updated region]] and luminance processing on the interest/image-change region [[as the claimed updated region]], based on the dimming command,)
wherein the sink module is configured to, when the dimming command is input, obtain an updated region and a non-updated region of the image frame based on the dimming command, determine whether the non-updated region is identified (see at least Fig. 1; page 4 of translation, disclosing: “The image processor 600 may analyze the supplied image to determine a window region having an image change from the input image to the main viewing region viewed by the user as the region of interest, and determine the other region as the indifferent region. When there is no image change for a predetermined time in the region of indifference, the image processor 600 may reduce the unnecessary power consumption, deterioration of the light emitting element, and improve the lifespan of the light emitting element by performing luminance reduction processing on the region of indifference. The image processor 600 may gradually reduce the luminance of the indifferent region over time … in the luminance reduction processing of the uninterested region, the image processing unit 600 changes the color (color coordinates) together with the brightness reduction for the uninterested region by reducing the luminance to different levels by reflecting the different life characteristics of each light emitting device … determine the degree of luminance reduction …”,) calculate a luminance reduction degree for the non-updated region when the non-updated region is identified, and control dimming of the display such that edge dimming is applied to the non-updated region of the image frame based on the calculated luminance reduction degree (see the above discussion; further see Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description.)
Accordingly, Kim discloses all limitations of this claim except that Kim uses the term, “a luminance reduction degree”, instead of “a dimming weight” as claimed.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Lee discloses a display device [100] (see at least Figs. 2, 5; ¶ 46 disclosing the display 180 being OLED display device, a LCD, or etc.) comprising a sink module [a dimming controller 510; Fig. 8] configured to receive an input image data [RGB], obtain a plurality of blocks/regions of the input image data [RGB], calculate a dimming value/weight for each of the plurality of blocks/regions, and control dimming of the display such that display dimming includes edge dimming applied to the edge region of the image frame based on the calculated dimming value/weight (see at least Figs. 7-9; ¶¶ 157-162,) thereby improving local dimming of the display device (see at least Abstract.)
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of invention of the pending application to recognize that Lee remedies for the above deficiency of Kim, as explicitly using the dimming weight or to modify the dimming control device of Kim to use the dimming weight, in view of the teaching in the Lee reference, to improve the above modified display device of the Kim reference for the predictable result of improving local dimming of the display device.
As per claim 2, Kim discloses the source module configured to provide the dimming command including updated region information indicating an updated region in which updated image content is located in the image frame (see the discussion in the rejection of claim 1; or see at least page 4 of translation, disclosing “The image processor 600 may analyze the supplied image to determine a window region having an image change from the input image to the main viewing region viewed by the user as the region of interest, and determine the other region as the indifferent region …”.)
As per claim 3, the above modified Kim obviously renders the source module configured to provide the dimming command further including at least one of dimming weight information, dimming time information, and dimming region identification information (see the discussion in the rejection of claim 1; or see Kim at least page 4 of translation, disclosing: “The image processor 600 may analyze the supplied image to determine a window region having an image change from the input image to the main viewing region viewed by the user as the region of interest, and determine the other region as the indifferent region. When there is no image change for a predetermined time in the region of indifference, the image processor 600 may reduce the unnecessary power consumption, deterioration of the light emitting element, and improve the lifespan of the light emitting element by performing luminance reduction processing on the region of indifference. The image processor 600 may gradually reduce the luminance of the indifferent region over time …”; page 6 of translation, disclosing: “The image processor 600 … determine the other region as an indifferent region when there is no image change for a predetermined time. The image processor 600 may reduce the luminance and change the color over time …”.)
As per claim 4, the above modified Kim obviously renders: wherein the sink module is configured to, when the dimming command is input, see the discussion in the rejection of claim 1; or see Kim at least page 4 of translation, disclosing: “The image processor 600 may analyze the supplied image to determine a window region having an image change from the input image to the main viewing region viewed by the user as the region of interest, and determine the other region as the indifferent region…”,) but is silent to the extraction, as claimed. Official Notice is taken that both the concept and the advantages of extracting the updated region information to obtain the updated region and the non-updated region of the image frame based on the updated region information in the image processing are well-known and expected in the art. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention of the pending application to utilize the well-known extraction of the updated region information to obtain the same predictable result of obtaining the updated region and the non-updated region of the image frame.
As per claim 5, the above modified Kim obviously renders: wherein the sink module is configured to, when both vertical and horizontal coordinates of a region in which the updated image content is located are included in the updated region information, identify an upper non-updated region and a lower non-updated region by calculating an upper length of a non-updated region located above the updated region and a lower length of a non-updated region located below the updated region based on the vertical coordinates, and identify a right non-updated region and a left non-updated region by calculating a right length of a non-updated region located to the right of the updated region and a left length of a non-updated region located to the left of the updated region based on the horizontal coordinates (see Kim at least Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description on pages 6-7 of the translation, disclosing: in order to determine a region of interest and an uninterested region from an input image, performing operations of: detecting a boundary line image by applying a boundary line detection mask to the input image; detecting each edge by applying an edge detection mask to the boundary line image; and detecting each quadrangle and the area of the quadrangle by searching for edges which face each other by being located on the same line in any one of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction from the detected each edge.)
As per claim 6, Kim obviously discloses: wherein the sink module is configured to, when dimming weight information including a dimming weight value corresponding to the non-updated region is extracted from the dimming command, control dimming of the display device such that dimming is simultaneously applied to the upper, lower, right, and left non-updated regions of the image frame displayed on the display device based on the dimming weight value (see at least page 4 of translation, disclosing: “…When there is no image change for a predetermined time in the region of indifference, the image processor 600 may reduce the unnecessary power consumption, deterioration of the light emitting element, and improve the lifespan of the light emitting element by performing luminance reduction processing on the region of indifference. The image processor 600 may gradually reduce the luminance of the indifferent region over time …”; page 6 of translation, disclosing: “The image processor 600 … determine the other region as an indifferent region when there is no image change for a predetermined time. The image processor 600 may reduce the luminance and change the color over time …”; further see Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description on pages 6-7 of the translation, disclosing, discussing to control dimming of the display device such that dimming is simultaneously applied to the upper, lower, right, and left non-updated regions of the image frame displayed on the display device based on the dimming weight value.)
As per claim 12, the above modified Kim obviously renders: wherein the sink module is configured to, when only vertical coordinates of a region in which the updated image content is located is included in the updated region information, identify the upper non-updated region from the lower non-updated region by calculating an upper length of a non-updated region located above the updated region and a lower length of a non-updated region located below the updated region based on the vertical coordinates (see Kim at least Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description on pages 6-7 of the translation, disclosing: in order to determine a region of interest and an uninterested region from an input image, performing operations of: detecting a boundary line image by applying a boundary line detection mask to the input image; detecting each edge by applying an edge detection mask to the boundary line image; and detecting each quadrangle and the area of the quadrangle by searching for edges which face each other by being located on the same line in any one of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction from the detected each edge.)
As per claim 13, the above modified Kim obviously renders: wherein the sink module is configured to, when dimming weight information is not extracted from the dimming command, generate new dimming weight values to be applied to the upper and lower non-updated regions based on a luminance value of the updated region, and control dimming of the display device such that dimming is simultaneously applied to the upper and lower non-updated regions of the image frame displayed on the display device based on the new dimming weight values (see Kim at least Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description on pages 6-7 of the translation, disclosing the image processor 600 configured to, when dimming weight information is not extracted from the dimming command, generate new luminance reduction degrees [[new dimming weight values]] to be applied to the upper and lower non-updated regions based on a luminance value of the updated region, and control dimming of the display device such that dimming is simultaneously applied to the upper and lower non-updated regions of the image frame displayed on the display device based on the new dimming weight values.)
As per claim 14, the above modified Kim obviously renders: wherein the sink module is configured to, when dimming weight information including dimming weight values corresponding to the upper and lower non-updated regions is extracted from the dimming command, control dimming of the display device such that dimming is simultaneously applied to the upper and lower non-updated regions of the image frame displayed on the display device based on the dimming weight values (see Kim at least Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description on pages 6-7 of the translation, disclosing the image processor 600 configured to, when luminance reduction degree information [[as dimming weight information]] including luminance reduction degrees [[dimming weight values]] corresponding to the upper and lower non-updated regions is extracted from the dimming command, control dimming of the display device such that dimming is simultaneously applied to the upper and lower non-updated regions of the image frame displayed on the display device based on luminance reduction degrees [[the dimming weight values]].)
As per claim 17, the above modified Kim obviously renders: wherein the sink module is configured to, when controlling dimming of the display device, control dimming of the display device by adjusting at least one of pixel data of a display panel and luminance data of a backlight based on a panel type of the display device (see Kim at least page 5 of the translation, disclosing “… The image processor 600 may de-gamma correct the input image before performing image preprocessing such as the above-described peak luminance control, and perform image post-processing such as the luminance reduction processing for the above-described indifferent region. Thereafter, the gamma-corrected image may be output after gamma correction…”.)
As per claim 18, the above modified Kim in view of Lee, discussed in the rejection of claim 1, obviously renders: wherein the sink module comprises:
an analyzer configured to analyze the dimming command when the dimming command is input (see Kim at least Fig. 1; page 4 of translation, disclosing the timing controller 400 including a source module configured to receive source image and timing control signals from a host system and provide an image frame and a dimming command for an image frame for the image processor 600, which includes an analyzer configured to analyze the dimming command when the dimming command is input and performs a plurality of image processing including at least luminance reduction processing on the indifference/uninterested region [[as the claimed non-updated region]] and luminance processing on the interest/image-change region [[as the claimed updated region]], based on the dimming command; further see Lee at least Fig. 8; ¶¶ 186-187 disclosing an element 520, including an analyzer, configured to receive image data and analyze the receive image data;)
a region divider configured to obtain an updated region and a non-updated region of the image frame based on the analyzed dimming command, and to divide the non-updated region into a plurality of divided regions (see Kim at least Fig. 1; page 4 of translation, disclosing: “The image processor 600 may analyze the supplied image to determine a window region having an image change from the input image to the main viewing region viewed by the user as the region of interest, and determine the other region as the indifferent region…”, i.e., the image processor 600 including a region divider configured to obtain an updated region and a non-updated region of the image frame based on the analyzed dimming command, and to divide the non-updated region into a plurality of divided regions; further see Lee at least Fig. 8; ¶¶ 186-187, disclosing the element 520, including a region divider configured to obtain and divide the image into a plurality of regions;)
a region determiner configured to determine a divided region to be dimmed among the plurality of divided regions (see the above discussion; further see Kim Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description, disclosing the image processor 600 including a region determiner configured to determine a divided region to be dimmed among the plurality of divided regions; further see Lee at least Fig. 8; ¶¶ 157-161, disclosing the element 511 including a region determiner configured to determine a divided region to be dimmed among the plurality of divided regions;)
a weight calculator configured to calculate a dimming weight to be applied to the divided region to be dimmed (see the above discussion; further see Kim Figs. 4-6 and the corresponding description, disclosing the image processor 600 including a weight calculator configured to calculate a dimming weight to be applied to the divided region to be dimmed; further see Lee at least Fig. 8; ¶¶ 157-161, disclosing the element 511 including a weight calculator configured to calculate a dimming weight to be applied to the divided region to be dimmed;) and
a dimming applicator configured to control dimming of the display device such that edge dimming is applied to the non-updated region of the image frame based on the calculated dimming weight (see at least Kim Figs. 1, 4-6; page 5 of the translation, disclosing “… The image processor 600 may apply an image preprocessing algorithm for improving image quality, reducing power consumption, and compensating for degradation of the entire input image before the luminance reduction processing for the indifferent region. The image processor 600 may detect a region of interest from a preprocessed image and apply a luminance reduction process of an uninterested region as an image post-processing algorithm … the output of the image processor 600 may be a data driver through the timing controller 400. 300 may be supplied …”, i.e., the image processor 600 alone or in combination of the timing controller 400 including a dimming applicator configured to control dimming of the display device such that edge dimming is applied to the non-updated region of the image frame based on the calculated dimming weight; further see Lee at least Fig. 8; ¶ 162, disclosing an element 513, including a dimming applicator applied to the calculated dimming value to each of regions of the image frame based on the calculated dimming value/weight and outputting the corrected image data to control dimming of the display device in the plurality of regions/blocks of the display device.)
As per claim 19, since this method claim is similar to the apparatus claim 18, the above modified Kim in view of Lee, as discussed in the rejection of claims 1 and 18, obviously renders all limitations of claim 19.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-11, 15 and 16 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the claimed invention is directed to an edge dimming control device, capable of reducing power consumption and providing natural images to the user by actively or passively controlling edge dimming for non-updated regions of an image frame based on image information. Claim 7 identifies the uniquely distinct limitations, “wherein the sink module is configured to, when dimming region identification information is extracted from the dimming command, obtain, from the dimming region identification information, information for the number of divisions of the non-updated regions excluding the updated region in which the updated image content is located, and for determining dimming on/off of each non-updated region divided corresponding to the number of divisions, divide the non-updated region into a plurality of divided regions based on the number of divisions of the non-updated region, and determine dimming on/off of each of the divided regions based on the information for determining dimming on/off.” Claim 9 identifies the uniquely distinct limitations, “wherein the sink module is configured to, when dimming region identification information is not extracted from the dimming command, identify a location of the updated region by obtaining coordinates of a region in which the updated image content is located, and autonomously divide the non-updated region into a plurality of divided regions based on the location of the updated region.” Claim 15 identifies the uniquely distinct limitations, “wherein the sink module is configured to, when dimming weight information including dimming weight values corresponding to the upper and lower non-updated regions is extracted from the dimming command, calculate a variation between a current frame and a previous frame, determine whether the calculated variation is less than a threshold value, when the calculated variation is less than the threshold value, select a left non-updated region located to the left of the updated region and a right non- updated region located to the right of the updated region as dimming regions, and determine dimming weight values for the left and right non-updated regions based on the calculated variation.” The closest prior arts, discussed above, either singularly or in combination, fail to anticipate or render the above underlined limitations in combination with all of the other claimed limitations particularly recited by these claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Jeong et al. (US 2021/0090488 A1; see at least Figs. 5-9 and the corresponding description,) Nam et al. (US 2021/0304689 A1; see at least Figs. 2, 3, 5, 8/11, and 12 and the corresponding description,) and An (US 9,189,998 B2; see at least Figs. 1-3 and the corresponding description,) all disclose a related display device comprising: a display configured to display an image; and an edge dimming control device configured to control local dimming of the display.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jimmy H Nguyen whose telephone number is (571) 272-7675. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:30AM-6PM.
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/Jimmy H Nguyen/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2626
1 Diamond v. Diehr, 450 U.S. 175, 184 (1981); Parker v. Flook, 437 U.S. 584, 588 n.9 (1978); Gottschalk v. Benson, 409 U.S. 63, 70 (1972); Cochrane v. Deener, 94 U.S. 780, 787-88 (1876).
2 In re Bilski, 88 USPQ2d 1385 (Fed. Cir. 2008).
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