`
`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
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`www.uspto.gov
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`APPLICATION NO.
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`
`
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` FILING DATE
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`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
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`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
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`
`
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`CONFIRMATIONNO.
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`12/420,991
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`04/09/2009
`
`Katsumi MATSUMOTO
`
`1508.49867X00
`
`3551
`
`20457
`7590
`08/22/2012
`ANTONELLL, TERRY, STOUT & KRAUS, LLP
`1300 NORTH SEVENTEENTH STREET
`SUITE 1800
`ARLINGTON,VA 22209-3873
`
`
`EXAMINER
`
`KUMAR, SRILAKSHMIK
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`2629
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`MAIL DATE
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`08/22/2012
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`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.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`

`

`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`12/420,991
`Examiner
`SRILAKSHMI K. KUMAR
`
`MATSUMOTOETAL.
`Art Unit
`2629
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address--
`Period for Reply
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`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS 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 underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`after SIX (6) 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).
`Anyreply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
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`1) Responsive to communication(s)filed on 09 April 2009.
`2a)L] This action is FINAL.
`2b)X] This action is non-final.
`3)L] An election was made bythe 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)_] Sincethis application is in condition for allowance exceptfor formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Ex parte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims
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`5) Claim(s) 1-8 is/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`6)L] Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`7) Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected.
`8)L] Claim(s) ___is/are objectedto.
`9)L] Claim(s)___ are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement.
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`Application Papers
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`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11)[] The drawing(s) filed on
`is/are: a)[_] accepted or b)[_] 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).
`12) The oath or declaration is objected to by the Examiner. Note the attached Office Action or form PTO-152.
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`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
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`13)] Acknowledgmentis made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`a)XJ All
`b)LJ Some * c)L] None of:
`1.x] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.L] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.L] Copiesof the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin 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)
`1) Xx Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`2) [_] Notice of Draftsperson’s Patent Drawing Review (PTO-948)
`3) X] Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date_
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`4) CT] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date. __
`5) L] Notice of Informal Patent Application
`6) Cc Other:
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 03-11)
`
`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20120815
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`
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/420,991
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`Art Unit: 2629
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`The following office action is in response to the application filed on April 9, 2009. Claims 1-8
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`are pending.
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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 formsthe basisfor all
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`obviousnessrejections set forth in this Office action:
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`(a) A patent may not be obtained thoughthe inventionis not identically disclosed or described as set forth in
`section 102 ofthistitle, if the differences between the subject matter soughtto be patented andtheprior art are
`such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obviousat 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 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Applicant’s
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`Admitted Prior Art (AAPA)in view of JO (US PG-Pub 2008/0224755).
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`Asto independent claim 1, AAPAteachesin paragraphsa display device provided with a
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`level shift circuit (prior art, Fig. 4, paragraph 0004 of spec), characterized in that said level shift
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`circuit comprises: a first thin film transistor (111, paragraph 0004) having a semiconductorlayer
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`formedof a polysilicon layer (paragraph 0004); a waveform rectifying circuit (115) connected to
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`a second electrode ofsaid first thin film transistor (Fig. 5); and a constant current source (116)
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`and said first thin film transistor is an n type thin film transistor (Fig. 5, 111, shown as an n-
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`type),
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`AAPAdoesnot teach a switching element connected between the second electrode of
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`said first thin film transistor and a reference power source, wherein a bias voltage is inputted into
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`a control electrode of said first thin film transistor and an input signal is inputted intoafirst
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`electrode ofsaid first thin film transistor, said input signal is a signal of which the voltage level
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`changes between a second voltage and a third voltage of which the potential is higher than that of
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/420,991
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`Art Unit: 2629
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`Page 3
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`said second voltage, the voltage level of said reference power sourceis a first voltage of which
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`the potential is higher than that of said third voltage, and said level shift circuit converts said
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`input signal of which the voltage level changes betweensaid third voltage and said second
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`voltage to a signal of which the voltage level changes between said first voltage and said second
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`voltage.
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`JO teaches in Fig. 6A, a switching element connected between the second electrode of
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`said first thin film transistor and a reference power source (where the switching elementis the
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`TFT between VDD2 and Tpdin Fig. 6), and further, Jo teaches where said input signal is a
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`signal of which the voltage level changes between a secondvoltage and a third voltage of which
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`the potential is higher than that of said second voltage (paragraphs 0052-0058, 0060-0061, where
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`the operation is the sameas in Fig. 5 for Fig. 6, with the switching elementis in place instead of
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`the resistor as shownin fig. 5), the voltage level of said reference power sourceisafirst voltage
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`of which the potential is higher than that of said third voltage, and said level shift circuit converts
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`said input signal of which the voltage level changes betweensaid third voltage and said second
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`voltage to a signal of which the voltage level changes betweensaidfirst voltage and said second
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`voltage (paragraphs 0052-0061). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at
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`the time the invention was madeto include the features of the switching element and bias
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`voltages as taught by JO into AAPAin orderto provide a simple structure level shift circuit with
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`proper operation (paragraph 0007).
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`Asto dependent claim 3, limitations of claim 1, AAPA teaches wherein that said constant
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`current sourceis a resistor (116).
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`Application/Control Number: 12/420,991
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`Art Unit: 2629
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`Page 4
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`Asto dependent claim 4, limitations of claim 1, the combination of AAPA and JO teach
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`wherein said switching element is formed of a secondthin film transistor having a semiconductor
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`layer formed of a polysilicon layer (where JO teaches the TFT switching element, and AAPA
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`teaches where the TFTs have a semiconductor layer formed of polysilicon).
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`Asto dependent claim 5, limitations of claim 1, AAPA in combination with JO teach
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`wherein said switching element is formed of a secondthin film transistor having a semiconductor
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`layer formed of a polysilicon layer (JO teaches the TFT switching element, and AAPAteaches
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`the TFTs having a semiconductor layer formedof polysilicon), and JO teaches said second thin
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`film transistor also functions as said constant current source when in an onstate (paragraphs
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`0052-0061 of JO).
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`Asto claims 2, 6-8, see claims 1, 3-5 above, and further in claim 2, the transistor is of a
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`p-type which is taught by JO in paragraphs 0052-0061.
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`Conclusion
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to SRILAKSHMI K. KUMARwhosetelephone numberis
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`(571)272-7769. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:00 am to 4:30 pm.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Sue Lefkowitz can be reached on 571 272 3638. The fax phone numberfor the
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`organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/420,991
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`Art Unit: 2629
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`Page 5
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`
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`maybe 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
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`
`/SRILAKSHMI K KUMAR/
`Primary Examiner
`Art Unit 2629
`
`SKK
`8/20/2012
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`