`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMIVHSSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313-1450
`wwwusptogov
`
`
`
`
`
`14/122,205
`
`11/25/2013
`
`Toshiki Onishi
`
`075192—0120
`
`5182
`
`53080
`7590
`”m”
`McDermon Will and Emery LLP —
`The McDermott Building
`GUPTA, PARUL H
`500 North Capitol Street, NW.
`WASHINGTON, DC 20001
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`2627
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`12/08/2016
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/0r attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
`
`mweipdocket @ mwe.com
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 14/122,205 ONISHI ET AL.
`
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventor to File)
`Office Action Summary
`
`PARUL GUPTA its“ 2627
`
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR1. 136( a).
`after SIX () MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1 .704(b).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`
`Status
`
`1)IZI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 9/9/16.
`El A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
`
`2b)|:l This action is non-final.
`2a)|Z| This action is FINAL.
`3)I:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`4)|:| Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`
`5)IZI Claim(s) 1-3 6-11 13-16 and 18-26is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`6)I:I Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`
`7)|Z| Claim(s) 1 -3 6- 11 13- 16 and 18-26is/are rejected.
`8)|:I Claim(s)_ is/are objected to.
`
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`9)I:I Claim((s)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`hit
`I/'/\WIIW.USOI.O. ovI’ atentS/init events/
`
`
`
`h/index.‘s or send an inquiry to PPI-iieedback{®usgtc.00v.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)I:l The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)I:l The drawing(s) filed on
`is/are: a)I:I accepted or b)I:I objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`
`12)IXI Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`a)IZl All
`
`b)|:l Some” c)I:l None of the:
`
`1.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.|:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`SIXI Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`
`
`3) D Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`1) E Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`4) I:I Other'
`2) I] InformatIon DIsclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL—326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20161130
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 2
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
`
`The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent
`
`provisions.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`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.
`
`The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis
`
`for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described
`as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to
`be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been
`obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which
`said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the
`invention was made.
`
`Claims 1-3, 6, 9-11, 13, 16, 18, and 21-26 are rejected under pre-AIA 35
`
`U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Sakashita, US Patent Publication
`
`2006/0055830 in view of Kanai, US Patent Publication 2005/0012821 in view of
`
`Thaler, US Patent 6,313,883.
`
`Regarding independent claim 1, Sakashita teaches a display device (abstract)
`
`comprising:
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 3
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`a display portion (figure 1) which includes an emitting portion having one or plural
`
`light sources emitting light (element 1 of figure 2), and uses light emitted from the one or
`
`plural light sources of the emitting portion to display an image (paragraph 0026)
`
`corresponding to a video signal (paragraph 0032) including display brightness data that
`
`is set for each of plural pixels (paragraphs 0013-0014);
`
`a brightness distribution storage that stores brightness distribution information
`
`(memory 102 of figure 3 as given in paragraph 0033);
`
`a first feature amount calculator that calculates a first feature amount of the
`
`image for judging an allowable corrective increase amount from the video signal for the
`
`plural pixels (paragraphs 0051 -0052);
`
`a brightness increase processor (element 32 of figure 3 as given in paragraph
`
`0033) that makes corrective increase for the display brightness data of the pixels, based
`
`on the brightness distribution information stored in the brightness distribution storage
`
`and the first feature amount calculated by the first feature amount calculator
`
`(paragraphs 0051 and 0054), wherein:
`
`the brightness increase processor judges the allowable corrective increase
`
`amount of the display brightness of each of the pixels based on the first feature amount
`
`calculated by the first feature amount calculator (paragraph 0053), and makes
`
`corrective increase for the display brightness data of the pixels corresponding to a low
`
`brightness area where the emission brightness distribution of the display portion is lower
`
`than the target brightness distribution, based on the allowable corrective increase
`
`amount (paragraphs 0052-0053).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 4
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`Sakashita does not provide details on the calculator that uses the target
`
`brightness to make corrections in the image display, particularly
`
`a brightness distribution storage that stores brightness distribution information
`
`indicating emission brightness distribution of the display portion and predetermined
`
`target brightness distribution of the display portion and an allowable corrective increase
`
`amount being an amount within which the display brightness data is subjected to
`
`corrective increase without deteriorating the image;
`
`a second feature amount calculator that calculates a second feature amount of
`
`the image for judging a required correction amount from the video signal for the plural
`
`pixels, the required correction amount indicating a degree how much the display
`
`brightness of the pixels is required to be corrected;
`
`the brightness increase processor judges the required correction amount of the
`
`display brightness of each of the pixels, based on the second feature amount calculated
`
`by the second feature amount calculator, and makes corrective increase for the display
`
`brightness data based on the allowable corrective increase amount and the required
`
`correction amount, of the pixels corresponding to the low brightness area,
`
`the second feature amount calculator includes a frequency calculator that
`
`calculates an accumulated value as the second feature amount, the accumulated value
`
`being obtained by accumulating brightness components within a spatial frequency
`
`range of the display brightness data of the video signal, and
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 5
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`the brightness increase processor judges that the required correction amount
`
`decreases as the accumulated value calculated by the frequency calculator increases.
`
`Kanai teaches a brightness distribution storage (shown in figure 3 and described
`
`in paragraph 0077) that stores brightness distribution information indicating emission
`
`brightness distribution of the display portion (paragraphs 0063-0065 explain how the
`
`brightness, or luminance as given in paragraph 0061, is determined and forwarded) and
`
`predetermined target brightness distribution (shown in figure 5 and described in
`
`paragraph 0083) of the display portion (paragraph 0063 explains that the correction is
`
`done on the display) and an allowable corrective increase amount being an amount
`
`within which the display brightness data is subjected to corrective increase without
`
`deteriorating the image (paragraph 0076 explains that the correction amount is chosen
`
`to be the ideal correction free of correction error);
`
`a second feature amount calculator (correction value generating part described in
`
`paragraph 0078 that makes the calculation by converting the signal) that calculates a
`
`second feature amount of the image for judging a required correction amount from the
`
`video signal for the plural pixels (paragraph 0078 describes the second feature as the
`
`spatial frequency data used in the correction as given in paragraph 0022), the required
`
`correction amount indicating a degree how much the display brightness of the pixels is
`
`required to be corrected (paragraphs 0084-0085 explains that the correction amount is
`
`the amount to fix the brightness to bring it to target);
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 6
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`the brightness increase processor judges the required correction amount of the
`
`display brightness of each of the pixels (paragraphs 0067-0068 explains the
`
`determination of the correction amount and how it is applied), based on the second
`
`feature amount calculated by the second feature amount calculator (paragraph 0078
`
`explains how the spatial data of the second feature is used in the correction), and
`
`makes corrective increase for the display brightness data based on the allowable
`
`corrective increase amount and the required correction amount (paragraphs 0068-0069
`
`continues to explain how correction is performed according to the methods of
`
`paragraphs 0076 and 0090), of the pixels corresponding to the low brightness area
`
`(paragraph 0108 explains how the methods are carried out in the darker, or low
`
`brightness, areas of the pixels),
`
`the second feature amount calculator includes a frequency calculator that
`
`calculates an accumulated value as the second feature amount (paragraph 0099
`
`explains how the total of the frequency components, or the accumulated value, is used),
`
`the accumulated value being obtained by accumulating brightness components in a
`
`spatial frequency range of the display brightness data of the video signal (paragraph
`
`0093 explains how certain frequency ranges are impacted by the correction), and
`
`the brightness increase processor judges that the required correction amount
`
`decreases as the accumulated value calculated by the frequency calculator increases
`
`(figure 5 shows that the spatial frequency iimits arid amounts arr-2 lower when the
`
`unevenness discrimination thrsshoid is higher or sharper, which is the higher correction
`
`amount).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 7
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the
`
`invention to include the concept of analyzing the target brightness to make corrections
`
`in the image display taught by Kanai into the system of Sakashita. The rationale to
`
`combine would be to realize a construction which does not easily allow luminance
`
`unevenness to be visible in spite of a reduced correction amount, by adopting a
`
`construction which reduces or deletes some frequency components from among
`
`frequency components of luminance unevenness, and by selecting, as the frequency
`
`components to be reduced or deleted, frequency components of higher frequency than
`
`at least one of frequency components to be maintained without being reduced or to be
`
`maintained while being reduced (paragraph 0021 of Kanai).
`
`Sakashita and Kanai do not teach that the spatial frequency processing is done
`
`on the video signal instead of the displayed image.
`
`Thaler teaches that the spatial frequency processing is done on the video signal
`
`instead of the displayed image (shown in figure 3 and described in column 3, lines 40-
`
`65).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the
`
`invention to include the concept of the video signal being the signal in the system before
`
`display as taught by Thaler in the system of Sakashita and Kanai. The rationale to
`
`combine would be to generate a display of the observed image with all or part of the
`
`displayed image being enhanced (column 2, lines 25-30 of Thaler).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 8
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`Regarding claim 2, Sakashita teaches the display device according to claim 1,
`
`wherein the first feature amount calculator includes a brightness data calculator that
`
`calculates the display brightness data (correction amount) as the first feature amount for
`
`each of the pixels included in the low brightness area (paragraph 0049) where the
`
`emission brightness distribution of the display portion is lower than the target brightness
`
`distribution (shown in figure 7 and explained in paragraph 0047), and the brightness
`
`increase processor judges that the allowable corrective increase amount of the display
`
`brightness of each of the pixels decreases as a level of the display brightness data
`
`calculated by the brightness data calculator increases (paragraphs 0046-0047 explain
`
`that the corrective amount is less in high luminance areas and more in low luminance
`
`areas. Thus, the corrective amount decreases as luminance increases).
`
`Regarding claim 3, Sakashita teaches the display device according to claim 1,
`
`wherein the first feature amount calculator includes a color data calculator that
`
`calculates a saturation degree of a color (“color saturation” of paragraph 0078) indicated
`
`by the video signal as the first feature amount for each of the pixels included in the low
`
`brightness area where the emission brightness distribution of the display portion is lower
`
`than the target brightness distribution (paragraph 0083 explains that the human eye is
`
`more sensitive at low luminance and provides corrections based on that fact), and the
`
`brightness increase processor judges that the allowable corrective increase amount of
`
`the display brightness of each of the pixels decreases as the saturation degree of the
`
`color calculated by the color data calculator increases (paragraphs 0079-0084,
`
`especially 0079 explains that the human eye is more sensitive to color non-uniformity
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 9
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`than luminance so as the color non-uniformity is better, the luminance can be worse and
`
`thus have the inverse relationship described).
`
`Regarding claim 6, Kanai teaches the display device according to claim 1,
`
`wherein the frequency calculator:
`
`sets a lower limit value and an upper limit value based on a change degree of a
`
`difference between the emission brightness distribution of the display portion and the
`
`target brightness distribution (figure 6 shows how the frequency amounts are different
`
`based on the difference in the actual and target luminance shown as the unevenness),
`
`filters the display brightness data of the video signal from the lower limit value to
`
`the upper limit value of the spatial frequency range (paragraph 0106 explains how
`
`certain frequency components are reduced, which filters the signal better than using a
`
`single filter), and
`
`calculates an accumulated value as the second feature amount (paragraphs
`
`0094 and 0099 explain how the total value is used), the accumulated value being
`
`obtained by accumulating brightness components included after the filtering (paragraph
`
`0100 explains that the values are determined after the processing, or filtering based on
`
`processing described in paragraphs 0093-0096 to ensure only certain frequency ranges
`
`are passed through as given in paragraph 0093).
`
`Regarding claim 9, Sakashita teaches the display device according to claim 6,
`
`wherein the brightness increase processor includes: a function data storage (correction
`
`coefficient storage of paragraph 0056 to hold values described in paragraphs 0084-
`
`0085) that stores data indicating a weakly increasing function (paragraph 0085) used for
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 10
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`increasing and decreasing a brightness corrective increase amount in response to an
`
`increase and decrease of a parameter (color non-uniformity of paragraph 0076); and a
`
`parameter determiner that determines a set value of the parameter based on the first
`
`feature amount calculated by the first feature amount calculator and the second feature
`
`amount (paragraph 0079 explains that the color non-uniformity is connected to the
`
`luminance correction, thus using the features for the luminance correction) calculated by
`
`the second feature amount calculator (paragraphs 0078-0080), and the brightness
`
`increase processor makes corrective increase for the display brightness data of the
`
`pixels corresponding to the low brightness area, based on the set value of the
`
`parameter determined by the parameter determiner and the data indicating the weakly
`
`increasing function stored in the function data storage (paragraphs 0079-0080 and
`
`0085).
`
`Regarding claim 10, Kanai teaches further the display device according to claim
`
`9, further comprising a brightness suppressing processor (correcting portion to correct
`
`as given in paragraphs 0077-0078) that sets second target brightness distribution
`
`having brightness values not exceeding the target brightness distribution (paragraph
`
`0078 explains how the correction amount is made to normalize the values to correct the
`
`luminance) and having a shape similar to that of the target brightness distribution (as it
`
`is the same target distribution to yield the ideal value free of error given in 0076), and
`
`makes corrective suppression for the display brightness data of the pixels, based on the
`
`second target brightness distribution, the first feature amount calculated by the first
`
`feature amount calculator, and the second feature amount calculated by the second
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 11
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`feature amount calculator (paragraphs 0068 and 0073 describe the generating of the
`
`corrective amount, while accounting for the different features as given in paragraphs
`
`0077-0078 to correct using the methods of paragraph 0076 and 0090).
`
`Regarding independent claim 11, Sakashita teaches a display device
`
`(abstract) comprising:
`
`a display portion (figure 1) that includes an emitting portion having one or plural
`
`light sources emitting light (element 1 of figure 2), and uses light emitted from the one or
`
`plural light sources of the emitting portion to display an image (paragraph 0026)
`
`corresponding to a video signal (paragraph 0032) including display brightness data
`
`which is set for each of plural pixels (paragraphs 0013-0014);
`
`a brightness distribution storage that stores brightness distribution information
`
`(memory 102 of figure 3 as given in paragraph 0033);
`
`a feature amount calculator that calculates a feature amount of the image for
`
`judging a required corrective amount from the video signal for the plural pixels
`
`(paragraphs 0051 -0052), the required corrective amount indicating a degree how much
`
`the display brightness of the pixels is required for corrective suppression (paragraph
`
`0042 explains how the corrective amount is used); and
`
`a brightness suppressing processor (element 32 of figure 3 as given in paragraph
`
`0033) that makes corrective suppression for the display brightness data of the pixels
`
`(paragraphs 0052-0053), based on the brightness distribution information stored in the
`
`brightness distribution storage and the feature amount calculated by the feature amount
`
`calculator (paragraphs 0051 and 0054), wherein:
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 12
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`the target brightness distribution is set so as to include an area having lower
`
`brightness values than the emission brightness distribution of the display portion (low
`
`luminance areas),
`
`the brightness suppressing processor judges the required corrective suppression
`
`amount of the display brightness of each of the pixels (paragraph 0052), based on the
`
`feature amount calculated by the feature amount calculator, and makes corrective
`
`suppression for the display brightness data of the pixels corresponding to a high
`
`brightness area where the emission brightness distribution of the display portion is
`
`higher than the target brightness distribution, based on the required corrective amount
`
`(paragraphs 0052-0054).
`
`Sakashita does not provide details on the calculator that uses the target
`
`brightness to make corrections in the image display, particularly
`
`a brightness distribution storage that stores brightness distribution information
`
`indicating emission brightness distribution of the display portion and predetermined
`
`target brightness distribution of the display portion;
`
`the feature amount calculator includes a frequency calculator that calculates an
`
`accumulated value as the second feature amount, the accumulated value being
`
`obtained by accumulating brightness components in a spatial frequency range of the
`
`display brightness data of the video signal, and
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 13
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`the brightness suppressing processor judges that the required corrective
`
`suppression amount decreases as the accumulated value calculated by the frequency
`
`calculator increases.
`
`Kanai teaches a brightness distribution storage (shown in figure 3 and described
`
`in paragraph 0077) that stores brightness distribution information indicating emission
`
`brightness distribution of the display portion (paragraphs 0063-0065 explain how the
`
`brightness, or luminance as given in paragraph 0061, is determined and forwarded) and
`
`predetermined target brightness distribution (shown in figure 5 and described in
`
`paragraph 0083) of the display portion (paragraph 0063 explains that the correction is
`
`done on the display);
`
`the feature amount calculator includes a frequency calculator that calculates an
`
`accumulated value as the second feature amount (paragraph 0099 explains how the
`
`total of the frequency components, or the accumulated value, is used), the accumulated
`
`value being obtained by accumulating brightness components in a spatial frequency
`
`range of the display brightness data of the video signal (paragraph 0093 explains how
`
`certain frequency ranges are impacted by the correction), and
`
`the brightness suppressing processor judges that the required corrective
`
`suppression amount decreases as the accumulated value calculated by the frequency
`
`calculator increases (figure 6 shews that the spatial frequency limits and amounts are
`
`lewer when the unevenness discrimination thresheld is higher or sharper, which is the
`
`higher cerrectien ameunt).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 14
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the
`
`invention to include the concept of analyzing the target brightness to make corrections
`
`in the image display taught by Kanai into the system of Sakashita. The rationale to
`
`combine would be to realize a construction which does not easily allow luminance
`
`unevenness to be visible in spite of a reduced correction amount, by adopting a
`
`construction which reduces or deletes some frequency components from among
`
`frequency components of luminance unevenness, and by selecting, as the frequency
`
`components to be reduced or deleted, frequency components of higher frequency than
`
`at least one of frequency components to be maintained without being reduced or to be
`
`maintained while being reduced (paragraph 0021 of Kanai).
`
`Sakashita and Kanai do not teach that the spatial frequency processing is done
`
`on the video signal instead of the displayed image.
`
`Thaler teaches that the spatial frequency processing is done on the video signal
`
`instead of the displayed image (shown in figure 3 and described in column 3, lines 40-
`
`65).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the
`
`invention to include the concept of the video signal being the signal in the system before
`
`display as taught by Thaler in the system of Sakashita and Kanai. The rationale to
`
`combine would be to generate a display of the observed image with all or part of the
`
`displayed image being enhanced (column 2, lines 25-30 of Thaler).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 15
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`Regarding claim 13, Kanai teaches the display device according to claim 11,
`
`wherein the frequency calculator sets a lower limit value and an upper limit value based
`
`on a change degree of a difference between the emission brightness distribution of the
`
`display portion and the target brightness distribution (figure 6 shows how the frequency
`
`amounts are different based on the difference in the actual and target luminance shown
`
`as the unevenness), filters the display brightness data of the video signal in a frequency
`
`range from the lower limit value to the upper limit value (paragraph 0106 explains how
`
`certain frequency components are reduced, which filters the signal better than using a
`
`single filter), and calculates an accumulated value as the feature amount (paragraphs
`
`0094 and 0099 explain how the total value is used), the accumulated value being
`
`obtained by accumulating brightness components included after the filtering (paragraph
`
`0100 explains that the values are determined after the processing, or filtering based on
`
`processing described in paragraphs 0093-0096 to ensure only certain frequency ranges
`
`are passed through as given in paragraph 0093).
`
`Sakashita and Kanai do not teach that the processing is done on the video signal
`
`instead of the displayed image in a spatial frequency range.
`
`Thaler teaches that the processing is done on the video signal instead of the
`
`displayed image in a spatial frequency range (shown in figure 3 and described in
`
`column 3, lines 40-65).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the
`
`invention to include the concept of the video signal being the signal in the system before
`
`display as taught by Thaler in the system of Sakashita and Kanai. The rationale to
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 16
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`combine would be to generate a display of the observed image with all or part of the
`
`displayed image being enhanced (column 2, lines 25-30 of Thaler).
`
`Regarding independent claim 16, Sakashita teaches a display device
`
`comprising:
`
`a display portion that includes an emitting portion having one or plural light
`
`sources emitting light (element 1 of figure 2), and uses light emitted from the one or
`
`plural light sources of the emitting portion to display an image (paragraph 0026)
`
`corresponding to a video signal (paragraph 0032) including display brightness data
`
`which is set for each of plural pixels (paragraphs 0013-0014);
`
`a brightness distribution storage that stores brightness distribution information
`
`(memory 102 of figure 3 as given in paragraph 0033);
`
`a feature amount calculator that calculates a feature amount of the image for
`
`judging a required corrective increase amount from the video signal for the plural pixels
`
`(paragraphs 0051 -0052), the required corrective increase amount indicating a degree
`
`how much the display brightness of the pixels is required for corrective increase
`
`(paragraphs 0052-0053); and
`
`a brightness increase processor (element 32 of figure 3 as given in paragraph
`
`0033) that makes corrective increase for the display brightness data of the pixels, based
`
`on the brightness distribution information stored in the brightness distribution storage
`
`and the feature amount calculated by the feature amount calculator (paragraphs 0051
`
`and 0054), wherein:
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 17
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`the target brightness distribution is set so as to include an area having higher
`
`brightness values than the emission brightness distribution of the display portion (high
`
`luminance areas),
`
`the brightness increase processor judges the required corrective increase
`
`amount of the display brightness of each of the pixels (paragraph 0052), based on the
`
`feature amount calculated by the feature amount calculator, and makes corrective
`
`increase for the display brightness data of the pixels corresponding to a low brightness
`
`area where the emission brightness distribution of the display portion is lower than the
`
`target brightness distribution, based on the required corrective increase amount
`
`(paragraphs 0052-0054).
`
`Sakashita does not provide details on the calculator that uses the target
`
`brightness to make corrections in the image display, particularly
`
`a brightness distribution storage that stores brightness distribution information
`
`indicating emission brightness distribution of the display portion and desired target
`
`brightness distribution of the display portion and an allowable corrective increase
`
`amount being an amount within which the display brightness data is subjected to
`
`corrective increase without deteriorating the image;
`
`the feature amount calculator includes a frequency calculator that calculates an
`
`accumulated value as the feature amount, the accumulated value being obtained by
`
`accumulating brightness components in a spatial frequency range of the display
`
`brightness data of the video signal, and
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/122,205
`
`Page 18
`
`Art Unit: 2627
`
`the brightness increase processor judges that the required corrective increase
`
`amount decreases as the accumulated value calculated by the frequency calculator
`
`increases.
`
`Kanai teaches a brightness distribution storage (shown in figure 3 and described
`
`in paragraph 0077) that stores brightness distribution information indicating emission
`
`brightness distribution of the display portion (paragraphs 0063-0065 explain how the
`
`brightness, or luminance as given in paragraph 0061, is determined and forwarded) and
`
`desired target brightness distribution (shown in figure 5 and described in paragraph
`
`0083) of the display portion (paragraph 0063 explains that the correction is done on the
`
`display) and an allowable corrective increase amount being an amount within which the
`
`display brightness data is subjected to corrective increase without deteriorating the
`
`image (paragraph 0076 explains that the correction amount is chosen to be the ideal
`
`correction free of co