`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`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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` 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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`12/792,886
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`06/03/2010
`
`Yoshihisa OOISHI
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`1497.50812X00
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`5575
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`20457
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`7590
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`08/15/2013
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`ANTONELLLTERRY,STOUT&KRAUS,LLP
`1300 NORTH SEVENTEENTH STREET
`SUITE 1800
`ARLINGTON, VA 22209-3873
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`stm, RAM A
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`2691
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`MAIL DATE
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`08/15/2013
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`PAPER NUMBER
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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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`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 12/792,886 OOISHI ET AL.
`
`
`AIA (First Inventorto File)
`Art Unit
`Examiner
`Office Action Summary
`
`
`RAM MISTRY first“ 2691
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
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`
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`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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`-
`-
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`Status
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`1)IXI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 26 June 2013.
`[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.
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`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.
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`Disposition of Claims
`5)|XI Claim(s) fl is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s) fl is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`6)|:l Claim(s) _ is/are allowed.
`7)IZ| CIaim(s)_1is/are rejected.
`8)I:I Claim(s) _ is/are objected to.
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`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
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`htt
`://www.usoto. ov/ atents/init events"
`
`
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`h/index.‘s or send an inquiry to PRI-Ifeedback{<‘buspto.qov.
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`Application Papers
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`10)I:I The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)|Z| The drawing(s) filed on 03 June 2010 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).
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`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
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`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:
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`b)I:I Some * c)I:I None of the:
`a)le All
`1.|ZI Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.|:| 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.
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`Attachment(s)
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`1) E Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`3) I] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
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`Paper NOISIIMa” Date —
`PTO/SB/08
`t
`St t
`I
`D'
`t'
`f
`2 IXI 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. 05-13)
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20130806
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`Office Action Summary
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/792,886
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2691
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`1.
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`Claims M are pending in this application, of which claims 2-4 are withdrawn
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`from consideration.
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`Response to Restriction/Election
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`2.
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`Applicant’s election of Species A (Figs. 1-4) in the reply filed on 6/26/2013 is
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`acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the
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`supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an
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`election without traverse (MPEP § 818.03(a)).
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`However, in the response to restriction/election, Applicant noted that Claims 1-4
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`are readable on Species A. Examiner disagrees and contends that only claim 1 reads
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`on elected Species A.
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`That is, claim 2 states in line 6 that “the drive circuit supplies the signal potential
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`to the data signal line...based on the data signal which is supplied at the time of
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`selecting at least one of the scanning lines...within the predetermined period”
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`(emphasis added). Essentially, the claim states that the supplying of data during the
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`predetermined period (blanking period) is performed at the time of selecting at least one
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`of the scanning lines. Looking at elected Fig. 4 of the Instant Application, this feature is
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`not shown. Specifically, Fig. 4 shows that data m supplied during TP is not “at the time
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`of selecting at least one of the scanning lines”. The figure shows that, in fact, no
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`scanning lines are selected during the blanking periods. This feature is instead found in
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`Application/Control Number: 12/792,886
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 2691
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`non-elected Fig. 6 (Species B) where during TP, scanning line GLm is selected.
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`Therefore, claim 2 is withdrawn from consideration.
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`Claim 3 requires a similar analysis. In claim 3, the signal potential is “supplied at
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`the time of selecting the last scanning line” (emphasis added). This feature is also found
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`in non-elected Fig. 6 of the Instant Application. Therefore, claim 3 is also withdrawn
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`from consideration.
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`Lastly, claim 4 states that the signal potential is “supplied at the time of selecting
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`the first scanning line” (emphasis added). Similar to the analysis provided for claim 2
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`above, this feature is not found in the elected Fig. 4, because during the supplying of
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`data m during TP, no scanning lines are selected because data m is provided during a
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`blanking period. Therefore, claim 4 is also withdrawn from consideration.
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`Summarily, claims 2, 3 and 4 stand withdrawn from consideration.
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`Foreign Priority
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`3.
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`Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which
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`papers have been placed of record in the file.
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`Title
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`4.
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`The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly
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`indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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`Claim Rejections — 35 USC § 1 12
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`Application/Control Number: 12/792,886
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2691
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`5.
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AlA), second paragraph:
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`The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly
`claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
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`6.
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`Claim 1 recites the limitation "...in each divided display section from the first
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`scanning line..." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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`Specifically, there is no previous mention of the term “first scanning line”.
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`Although there is mention of “a plurality of scanning lines”, there is no clear connection
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`between the recited “first scanning line” and the “plurality of scanning lines”. For the
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`sake of compact prosecution, the limitation is assumed to read “a first scanning line of
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`the plurality of scanning lines”. Appropriate correction is required.
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`7.
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`Claim 1 also recites the limitation "...a predetermined period after selecting th_e
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`last scanning line". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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`The same rationale provided above applies here. For the sake of compact
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`prosecution, the limitation is assumed to read “a last scanning line of the plurality of
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`scanning lines”. Appropriate correction is required.
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`8.
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`Claim 1 also recites the limitation "...and is arranged adjacent to the scanning line
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`included in another divided display..." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this
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`limitation in the claim.
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`Application/Control Number: 12/792,886
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2691
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`Specifically, it is unclear which scanning line is being referred to by this limitation.
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`For the sake of compact prosecution, the limitation is assumed to read “a scanning line”.
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`Appropriate correction is required.
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`Claim Rejections — 35 USC § 102
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`11.
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that
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`form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
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`(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public
`use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United
`States.
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`12.
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`Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by
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`Hayashiguchi (US 5,742,269).
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`As to claim 1, Hayashiguchi (Figs. 2-4) teaches a liquid crystal display device
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`(Fig. 3) comprising:
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`a drive circuit (15); and
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`a plurality of divided display sections (10A, 108) which are arranged parallel to
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`each other in a predetermined direction (10A and 108 are arranged horizontally parallel
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`to each other), wherein
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`each divided display section comprises:
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`a plurality of scanning lines (X1-Xm for each of 10A and 108) which are
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`connected to the drive circuit (15);
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`Application/Control Number: 12/792,886
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 2691
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`a plurality of data signal lines (Y1-Yn provided for each of 10A and 10B) which
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`intersect with the plurality of scanning lines (X1-Xm), and are connected to the drive
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`circuit (15); and
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`a plurality of pixel circuits (Pixel circuits are located at the intersections of the X
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`and Y lines) which are provided correspondingly to intersections of the scanning lines
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`and the data signal lines, the pixel circuit displaying gray level based on a data signal
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`which is supplied when the corresponding scanning line is selected and is supplied to
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`the corresponding data signal line (This is the manner in which active matrix pixel
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`circuits display images) [Col. 1, Lines 13-27; Col. 3, Lines 20-44],
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`the drive circuit sequentially selects the plurality of scanning lines included in
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`each divided display section from a first scanning line of the plurality of scanning lines
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`(X1) [Col. 4, Lines 5-18], supplies the data signal to the data signal line included in the
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`divided display section [Col. 4, Lines 18-25], and repeats the operations from the first
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`scanning line with a lapse of a predetermined period (Vertical Blanking Period) after
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`selecting a last scanning line of the plurality of scanning lines (Xm) (No scanning
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`electrodes are turned on until the following frame pulse FP is provided. The period of
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`time between these two pulses is the Vertical Blanking Period and is present after the
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`last scanning line is scanned) [Col. 4, Lines 36-47], and
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`the drive circuit supplies a signal potential (Data signal provided during the
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`Horizontal Duration immediately before Frame Pulse FP, shown at the end of the
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`Vertical Blanking Period in Fig. 4(b)) to the data signal line based on the data signal
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`(Supplied to the data signal line through latch pulse LP) [Col. 4, Lines 54-62] before
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`Application/Control Number: 12/792,886
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`Page 7
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`Art Unit: 2691
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`selecting the first scanning line (This function is performed before the first display line is
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`displayed) which is included in at least one of the divided display sections (The first
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`scanning line X1 is included in both of the divided display sections) and is arranged
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`adjacent to a scanning line included in another divided display section (Scanning line X1
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`of 1GB is adjacent to scanning line Xm in 10A) and within the predetermined period (The
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`data signal provided during the Horizontal Duration immediately before Frame Pulse FP
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`is provided during the Vertical Blanking Period, which corresponds to the predetermined
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`penod)
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`Inquiry
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to RAM A. MISTRY whose telephone number is (571) 270-
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`3913. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday (7 am - 3:30 pm
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`EST).
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Chanh D. Nguyen can be reached on (571) 272-7772. 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.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 12/792,886
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`Page 8
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`Art Unit: 2691
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`Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
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`Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for
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`published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
`
`Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
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`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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`USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information
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`system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571 -272-1 000.
`
`/Ram A Mistry/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2691
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`