`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313- 1450
`wwwnsptogov
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`APPLICATION NO.
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`
`
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` F ING DATE
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`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
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`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
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`
`
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`CONF {MATION NO.
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`12/135,330
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`06/09/2008
`
`Kenta Endo
`
`501.48888X00
`
`3549
`
`20457
`
`7590
`
`05/20/2013
`
`ANTONELLLTERRY,STOUT&KRAUS,LLP
`1300 NORTH SEVENTEENTH STREET
`SUITE 1800
`ARLINGTON, VA 22209-3873
`
`DAVIS, TONY o
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`2693
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`MAIL DATE
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`05/20/2013
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`PAPER NUMBER
`
`DELIVERY MODE
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`PAPER
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 12/135,330 ENDO ET AL.
`
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventorto File)
`Office Action Summary
`
`2693TONY DAVIS first“
`
`-- 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 3 MONTH(S) OR THIRTY (30) DAYS,
`WHICHEVER IS LONGER, FROM THE MAILING DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`In no event however may a reply be timely filed
`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).
`
`-
`-
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`Status
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`1)IXI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 11 January 2012.
`[I A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2b)lX| This action is non-final.
`a)I:| 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
`
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`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`4)|:I 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 EX parte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims
`5)|XI Claim(s) L8is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`6)|:l Claim(s) _ is/are allowed.
`7)IZ| Claim(s)_1-8 is/are rejected.
`8)I:I Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
`
`9)|:l Claim((s)
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`* 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
`htt
`://www.usoto. ov/ atents/init events"
`
`
`
`h/index.‘s or send an inquiry to PF"I-Ifeedback{<‘buspto.qov.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)I:I The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)IXI The drawing(s) filed on 09 June 2008 is/are: a)IXI 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)IZI Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`b)I:I Some * c)I:I None of the:
`a)|:l AII
`1.|:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.|:I Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
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`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.
`
`Interim copies:
`
`a)IX| AII
`
`b)I:I Some
`
`c)I:I None of the:
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`Interim copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`Attachment(s)
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`1) E Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`3) I] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`
`Paper NOISI/Ma” Date —
`PTO/SB/08
`t
`St t
`I
`D'
`t'
`f
`2 I:l I
`)
`4) I:I Other:
`a emen (s)(
`Isc osure
`n orma Ion
`)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 03-13)
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20130515
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 12/135,330
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2693
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`1.
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all
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`obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
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`(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.
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`2.
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`Claims 1-3 and 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable
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`over Hong (US 2006/0038837), in view of Kubota et al. (US 2006/0092117),
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`hereinafter referred to as Kubota.
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`Regarding claim 1, Hong teaches A display device (LCD display device
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`exhibited in figure 1), comprising: a display panel (180 of fig 1 having plural subpixels
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`(paragraph 38 and 25, fig 1); a driver (timing controller 110, driving voltage generation
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`unit 140, and/or data driver 160 all of fig 1) outputting video voltages (8207 and/or 8213
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`both of fig 4) corresponding to display data inputted from an external system to
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`respective subpixels (paragraph 33, 26, 56, 53, and 25, fig 1 and 4); and a power supply
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`circuit (timing controller 110 and/or driving voltage generation unit 140 both of fig 1)
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`supplying a first (8207 of fig 4) power supply voltage (gray scale voltage based on first
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`reference gray scale voltage) to the driver (paragraph 53, fig 4 and 1), and wherein each
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`subpixel displays one gray scale required by the external system by displaying two gray
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`scales which are a gray scale corresponding to first display data (gray scale voltage
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`based on first reference gray scale voltage, see 8207 of fig 4) during one frame period
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/135,330
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 2693
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`(first sub frame see 8209 of fig 4) of continuous two frame periods and a gray scale
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`corresponding to second display data (gray scale voltage based on second reference
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`gray scale voltage, see 8213 of fig 4) during the other frame period of the continuous
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`two frame periods (paragraph 51, 53, and 56-58, fig 4 and 5A), wherein the driver
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`outputs a first video voltage corresponding to the first display data to each subpixel
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`during the one frame period (first sub frame 8209 of fig 4) of the continuous two frame
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`periods and outputs a second video voltage corresponding to the second display data to
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`each subpixel during the other frame period (second sub frame 8215 of fig 4) of the
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`continuous two frame periods (paragraph 51, 53, and 56-58, fig 4 and 5A), wherein the
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`luminance according to the second display data (y2=5.2) is lower than the luminance
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`according to the first display data (y1=2.2) when the display data inputted from the
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`external system is in a halftone gray scale (paragraph 31 and 65, fig 6 and 4) and
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`wherein the power supply circuit supplies high-potential first power supply voltage (gray
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`scale voltage based on first reference gray scale voltage, see 8207 of fig 4) to the driver
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`during a first frame period (first sub frame 8209 of fig 4) of the continuous two frame
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`periods and supplies low-potential first power supply voltage (gray scale voltage based
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`on second reference gray scale voltage, see 8213 of fig 4) having a potential lower than
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`the high-potential first power supply voltage during a second frame period (second sub
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`frame 8215 of fig 4) of the continuous two frame periods (paragraph 51 , 53, and 56-58,
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`fig 4 and 5A). However, Hong fails to explicitly teach wherein the power supply
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`circuit supplies the high-potential first power supply voltage to the drain driver during the
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`one frame period of the continuous two frame periods and supplies the low-potential
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/135,330
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2693
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`first power supply voltage to the drain driver during the other frame period of the
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`continuous two frame periods.
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`In a similar field of endeavor, Kubota discloses Liquid crystal display device and
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`method for driving the same.
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`In particular, Kubota teaches wherein the power supply
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`circuit supplies the high-potential first power supply voltage (voltage applied during
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`duration A of fig 2A and/or 8A and/or 17) to the drain driver during the one frame period
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`of the continuous two frame periods and supplies the low-potential first power supply
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`voltage (voltage applied during duration B and/or duration C of fig 2A and/or 8A and/or
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`17) to the drain driver during the other frame period of the continuous two frame periods
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`(paragraph 53, fig 2A and/or 8A and/or 17).
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`Hong teaches all of the claimed limitations except wherein the power supply
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`circuit supplies the high-potential first power supply voltage to the drain driver during the
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`one frame period of the continuous two frame periods and supplies the low-potential
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`first power supply voltage to the drain driver during the other frame period of the
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`continuous two frame periods. Kubota teaches it is well known to one of ordinary skill in
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`the art at the time of the invention wherein the power supply circuit supplies the high-
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`potential first power supply voltage to the drain driver during the one frame period of the
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`continuous two frame periods and supplies the low-potential first power supply voltage
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`to the drain driver during the other frame period of the continuous two frame periods.
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`Therefore, it would‘ve been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the
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`time of the invention to modify the teachings of Hong by incorporating the teachings of
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/135,330
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2693
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`Kubota for the purpose of decreasing manufacturing cost and increasing image display
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`quality, as taught by Kubota, see paragraph 7-8.
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`Regarding claim 2, Hong teaches The display device according to claim 1,
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`wherein the power supply circuit includes a first terminal outputting the high- potential
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`first power supply voltage and a second terminal outputting the low- potential first power
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`supply voltage (paragraph 53 and 56, fig 1 and 4), further comprising: a selector
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`(gamma storing unit 130 of fig 1) selecting the high potential first power supply voltage
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`outputted from the first terminal or the low-potential first power supply voltage outputted
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`from the second terminal and supplies the voltage to the driver (paragraph 31, fig 1);
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`and a control circuit (timing controller 110 of fig 1
`
`) controlling the selector (paragraph
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`28, fig 1).
`
`Regarding claim 3, Hong teaches The display device according to claim 1,
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`further comprising: a first conversion circuit (timing controller 110 of fig 1) and a second
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`conversion circuit (timing controller 110 of fig 1), and wherein the first conversion circuit
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`converts display data A inputted from the external system into the first display data
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`(paragraph 26, 53 and 56, fig 1 and 4), and wherein the second conversion circuit
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`converts display data B inputted from the external system into the second display data
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`(paragraph 26, 53 and 56, fig 1 and 4).
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`Regarding claim 5, Hong teaches The display device according to claim 4,
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`wherein the display data A and the display data B are the same data (paragraph 26, 53
`
`and 56, fig 1 and 4).
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/135,330
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 2693
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`Regarding claim 6, Hong teaches The display device according to claim 1,
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`wherein, when a gray scale required by the external system is included in a low gray
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`scale side in halftone gray scales between the maximum gray scale and the minimum
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`gray scale, the gray scale of the one frame period varies according to the gray scale
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`required by the external system and the gray scale of the other frame period is the
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`minimum gray scale (paragraph 26, 31,53, and 56, fig 1,4, and 6), and wherein, when a
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`gray scale required by the external system is included in a high gray scale side in
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`halftone gray scales, the gray scale of the one frame period is the maximum gray scale
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`and the gray scale in the other frame period varies according to the gray scale required
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`by the external system (paragraph 26, 31,53, and 56, fig 1,4, and 6).
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`Regarding claim 7, Hong teaches The display device according to claim 6,
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`wherein, when a gray scale required by the external system is the maximum gray scale,
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`both gray scales in the one frame period and the other frame period are the maximum
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`gray scale (paragraph 26, 31, 53, and 56, fig 1, 4, and 6).
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`Regarding claim 8, Hong teaches The display device according to claim 6,
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`wherein a boundary between the low gray scale side and the high gray scale side of the
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`gray scale required by the external system is the gray scale obtained by taking one of
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`two gray scales in continuous two frame periods as the minimum gray scale and taking
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`the other thereof as the maximum gray scale (paragraph 31 and 60, fig 4).
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`3.
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`Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Hong
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`and Kubota, in view of Taoka et al. (US 2004/0155847), hereinafter referred to as
`
`Taoka
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/135,330
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`Page 7
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`Art Unit: 2693
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`Regarding claim 4, Hong and Kubota fails to teach The display device
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`according to claim 2, wherein the control circuit switches the selector during a vertical
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`blanking period, changing first power supply voltage supplied to the driver to the high-
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`potential first power supply voltage or the low-potential first power supply voltage.
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`In a similar field of endeavor, Taoka discloses Display method, display apparatus
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`and data write circuit utilized therefor.
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`In particular, Taoka teaches The display device
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`according to claim 2, wherein the control circuit switches the selector during a vertical
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`blanking period, changing first power supply voltage supplied to the driver to the high-
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`potential first power supply voltage or the low-potential first power supply voltage
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`(paragraph 86-87, fig 14D-14E).
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`Therefore, it would‘ve been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the
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`time of the invention to modify the teachings of Hong and Kubota by incorporating the
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`teachings of Taoka for the purpose of enhancing the displayed image by providing a
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`hold-type display with improved moving picture quality, as taught by Taoka, see
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`paragraph 12.
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`Response to Arguments
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`4.
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`Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-8 have been considered but are
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`moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the
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`current rejection.
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`Conclusion
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/135,330
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`Page 8
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`Art Unit: 2693
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to TONY DAVIS whose telephone number is (571 )270-
`
`5586. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Th 7:30 a.m.-6 pm.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
`
`supervisor, Quan-Zhen Wang can be reached on 571-272—3114. The fax phone
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`number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571 -
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`273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
`
`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
`
`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
`
`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
`
`For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should
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`you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
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`Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a
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`
`/T. D./
`
`Examiner, Art Unit 2693
`
`/Quan-Zhen Wang/
`Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2693
`
`