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 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`15/882,026
`
`01/29/2018
`
`Tomoharu NOTOSHI
`
`2018-0106A
`
`8063
`
`52349
`
`759°
`
`03/29/20”
`
`WENDEROTH, LIND & PONACK L.L.P.
`1030 15th Street, N.W.
`Suite 400 East
`
`Washington, DC 20005-1503
`
`KHAN” IBRAHIMA
`
`ART UNIT
`2692
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`03/29/2019
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`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.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`
`following e—mail address(es):
`eoa @ wenderoth. com
`kmiller @ wenderotheom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`0,7709 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/882,026
`Examiner
`IBRAHIM A KHAN
`
`Applicant(s)
`NOTOSHI et al.
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`2692
`Yes
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS 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 (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f 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).
`
`Status
`
`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 01/29/2018.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a)D This action is FINAL.
`
`2b)
`
`This action is non-final.
`
`3)[:] 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 Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5)
`Claim(s)
`
`1—5,7 and 13 is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`E] Claim(s)
`
`is/are allowed.
`
`Claim(s) 1—5,7 and 13 is/are rejected.
`
`Claim(s) 6 and 8—12 is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`6 7
`
`8
`
`
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[:1 Claim(s)
`9
`* 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
`
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.'sp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
`
`Application Papers
`10):] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`11):] The drawing(s) filed on
`
`is/are: a)C] accepted or b)Ej 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). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`a). All
`
`b)C] Some**
`
`c)C] None of the:
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`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2C] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`3.[:] 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)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date_
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20190325
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,026
`Art Unit: 2692
`
`Page 2
`
`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first
`
`inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`In the response to this office action, the Examiner respectfully requests that support be shown
`
`for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support
`
`for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line numbers in the specification
`
`and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist the Examiner in prosecuting this application.
`
`I. ALLOWABLE SUBJECT MATTER
`
`Claim 6, 8-12 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be
`
`allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any
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`intervening claims.
`
`II. INFORMATION DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
`
`The information disclosure statement filed 01/18/2019, has been acknowledged and considered
`
`by the examiner. An initialed copy of the PTO-1449 is included in this correspondence.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,026
`Art Unit: 2692
`
`Page 3
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`III. CLAIM REJECTIONS - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of 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.
`
`1.
`
`Claims 1-3, 7, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Masood
`
`US 20080238337 in view of Wang et al. US 20090309855 in view of Tien US 20150279267 and further
`
`in view of Uchikawa et al. US 20100120471.
`
`Consider claim 1. Masood discloses a backlight module that illuminates a liquid crystal display
`
`panel from a rear surface (Para 0019 matrix of LED drivers suitable for LCD), the backlight module
`
`comprising:
`
`a plurality of LEDs (figs 1 3 and 5 LED(s) 12 para 0020 LEDs are arranged in an array or matrix
`
`fashion);
`
`a plurality of LED drivers (seefig 3 andfig 5 LED drivers) including an input circuit that receives
`
`externally-input data (seefig 3 andfig 5 PWM-D),
`
`a plurality of data lines through which the data output from the controller is transmitted to
`
`the plurality of LED drivers (fig 3fig 5 lines that deliver PWM_D signal to the LED drivers); and
`
`a plurality of latch signal lines through which the latch signal is transmitted to the plurality of
`
`LED drivers (para 0022fig 3 andfig 5 signal line that transmits strom the clock), wherein
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,026
`Art Unit: 2692
`
`Page 4
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`the plurality of latch signal lines are provided so as to correspond a plurality of first groups
`
`obtained by dividing the plurality of LED drivers respectively (seefig 5 where each fs signal corresponds
`
`to a row ofled drivers), each of the plurality of latch signal lines is commonly connected to at least one
`
`LED driver belonging to a corresponding one of the plurality of first group (seefig 5 where each fs
`
`signal corresponds to a row of led drivers),
`
`the plurality of data lines (seefig 5 PWM_Dl-PWM-DN) are provided so as to correspond a
`
`plurality of second groups respectively, and each of the plurality of data lines is commonly connected
`
`to at least one LED driver belonging to a corresponding one of the plurality of second group (see fig 5
`
`PWM_Dl-PWM-DN).
`
`Masood however does not discloses the plurality of second groups are constructed by
`
`collecting at least one LED driver selected from each of the plurality of first groups without
`
`duplication.
`
`Wang however a discloses a LED driver for an LCD display or an LED display (abstract) in which
`
`plurality of second groups are constructed by collecting at least one LED driver selected from each of
`
`the plurality of first groups without duplication (see fig 3b where data line d1-d3 is connected to data
`
`drivers in a column para 0023-0025).
`
`Masood discloses contains a "base" device/method of matrix LED driver for a liquid crystal
`
`display. Wang contains a "comparable" device/method of matrix LED driver for a liquid crystal display
`
`that has been improved in the same way as the claimed invention. The known "improvement" of Wang
`
`could have been applied in the same way to the "base" device/method of Masood and the results would
`
`have been predictable and resulted in which plurality of second groups are constructed by collecting at
`
`least one LED driver selected from each of the plurality of first groups without duplication.
`
`Furthermore, both Masood and Wang use and disclose similar functionality (i.e., driving LEDs in a display
`
`device) so that the combination is more easily implemented.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,026
`Art Unit: 2692
`
`Page 5
`
`The rationale to support a conclusion that the claim would have been obvious is that a method
`
`of enhancing a particular class of devices (methods, or products) has been made part of the ordinary
`
`capabilities of one skilled in the art based upon the teaching of such improvement in other situations.
`
`One of ordinary skill in the art would have been capable of applying this known method of enhancement
`
`to a ”base” device (method, or product) in the prior art and the results would have been predictable to
`
`one of ordinary skill in the art.
`
`Therefore, the claimed subject matter would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill
`
`in the art at the time the invention was made.
`
`Masood as modified by Wang however do not disclose a register that holds the data input to
`
`the input circuit in synchronization with an externally-input latch signal, and a driving circuit that
`
`drives at least one corresponding LED in the plurality of LEDs according to the data held by the
`
`register. Also, Masood discloses a clock signal Fs and latch 46 para 0022 and the PWM-D signal but does
`
`not disclose a controller that is a control circuit that outputs the data and the latch signal to the
`
`plurality of LED drivers; Latch signal lines output from the controller.
`
`Tien however discloses a register that holds the data input to the input circuit in
`
`synchronization with an externally-input latch signal (seefigs 3,5, and 7, Shift register 130 that accepts
`
`the Driving data signal DIN and Latch 140 which receives latch signal LA Tfrom controller 500 para 0025
`
`0026)), and a driving circuit that drives at least one corresponding LED in the plurality of LEDs
`
`according to the data held by the register (seefig 3 Sand 7,
`
`the driver 100 drives LEDs in accordance
`
`with data drive signal DIN para 0026); a controller that is a control circuit that outputs the data and the
`
`latch signal to the plurality of LED drivers (controller 500fig 3 5 and 7); Latch signal lines output from
`
`the controller (Latch 140 accepts latch signal LATfrom controller para 0027)
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,026
`Art Unit: 2692
`
`Page 6
`
`Masood as modified by Wang discloses contains a "base" device/method of matrix LED driver
`
`for a liquid crystal display. Tien contains a "comparable" device/method of LED driver a display that has
`
`been improved in the same way as the claimed invention. The known "improvement" of Tien could
`
`have been applied in the same way to the "base" device/method of Masood and the results would have
`
`been predictable and resulted in a register that holds the data input to the input circuit in
`
`synchronization with an externally-input latch signal, and a driving circuit that drives at least one
`
`corresponding LED in the plurality of LEDs according to the data held by the register; a controller that
`
`is a control circuit that outputs the data and the latch signal to the plurality of LED drivers; Latch signal
`
`lines output from the controller. Furthermore, both Masood as modified by Wang and Tien use and
`
`disclose similar functionality (i.e., driving LEDs in a display device) so that the combination is more easily
`
`implemented.
`
`The rationale to support a conclusion that the claim would have been obvious is that a method
`
`of enhancing a particular class of devices (methods, or products) has been made part of the ordinary
`
`capabilities of one skilled in the art based upon the teaching of such improvement in other situations.
`
`One of ordinary skill in the art would have been capable of applying this known method of enhancement
`
`to a ”base” device (method, or product) in the prior art and the results would have been predictable to
`
`one of ordinary skill in the art.
`
`Therefore, the claimed subject matter would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill
`
`in the art at the time the invention was made.
`
`Masood as modified by Wang and Tien do not explicitly recite that the backlight illuminates the
`
`display from a rear surface.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,026
`Art Unit: 2692
`
`Page 7
`
`Uchikawa however disclose an LCD backlight which illuminates the display from a rear surface
`
`(see para 0020 the backlight 3 is a light emitting device which is placed on a rear surface of the Q 1
`
`and which includes an LED to emit backlight and the LED driver 4 drives the LED of the backlight 3) .
`
`Masood as modified by Wang and Tien discloses contains a "base" device/method of matrix LED
`
`driver for a liquid crystal display. Uchikawa contains a "comparable" device/method of LED driver a
`
`display that has been improved in the same way as the claimed invention. The known "improvement"
`
`of Uchikawa could have been applied in the same way to the "base" device/method of Masood as
`
`modified by Wang and Tien and the results would have been predictable and resulted in LCD backlight
`
`which illuminates the display from a rear surface. Furthermore, both Masood as modified by Wang and
`
`Tien and Uchikawa use and disclose similar functionality (i.e., driving LEDs in a display device) so that the
`
`combination is more easily implemented.
`
`The rationale to support a conclusion that the claim would have been obvious is that a method
`
`of enhancing a particular class of devices (methods, or products) has been made part of the ordinary
`
`capabilities of one skilled in the art based upon the teaching of such improvement in other situations.
`
`One of ordinary skill in the art would have been capable of applying this known method of enhancement
`
`to a ”base” device (method, or product) in the prior art and the results would have been predictable to
`
`one of ordinary skill in the art.
`
`Therefore, the claimed subject matter would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill
`
`in the art at the time the invention was made.
`
`Consider claim 2. Masood as modified by Wang, Tien, and Uchikawa discloses the backlight
`
`module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first groups is a collection of at least one
`
`LED driver disposed in an identical row among the plurality of LED drivers (see Masoodfig 3 and 5 LED
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,026
`Art Unit: 2692
`
`Page 8
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`drivers in a row), and each of the plurality of second groups is a collection of at least one LED driver
`
`disposed in an identical column among the plurality of LED drivers (See LED drivers in a column Wang
`
`fig 3b).
`
`Consider claim 3. Masood as modified by Wang, Tien, and Uchikawa discloses the backlight
`
`module according to claim 1, wherein the input circuit is a shift register (see Tien fig 3 5 and 7shift
`
`register 130).
`
`Consider claim 7. Masood as modified by Wang, Tien, and Uchikawa discloses the backlight
`
`module according to claim 1, wherein the controller outputs the data signal and the latch signal to the
`
`plurality of LED drivers in a backlight scan system (See Tien.
`
`Consider claim 13. Masood as modified by Wang, Tien, and Uchikawa discloses the display
`
`device comprising: a liquid crystal display panel; and the backlight module according to claim 1
`
`(Masood para 0019 LCD Wang para 0028 0035 LCD)
`
`2.
`
`Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Masood US
`
`20080238337 in view of Wang et al. US 20090309855 in view of Tien US 20150279267 and further in
`
`view of Uchikawa et al. US 20100120471 and further in view of Lee et al. US 20060175986.
`
`Consider claim 4. Masood as modified by Wang, Tien, and Uchikawa discloses the backlight
`
`module according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of LED drivers drives a plurality of the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,026
`Art Unit: 2692
`
`Page 9
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`corresponding LEDs (see Masoodfig 3 orfig 5 each driver is connected to LEDs, also see Tien fig 3 5 and
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`7 where each led driver is connected multiple leds)
`
`Masood as modified by Wang, Tien, and Uchikawa discloses however do not disclose
`
`simultaneously drives a plurality of the corresponding LEDs.
`
`Lee however discloses simultaneously drives a plurality of the corresponding LEDs (LED array
`
`driving apparatus simultaneous and individual regulation of a plurality of LEDs arrays)
`
`Masood as modified by Wang, Tien, Uchikawa discloses contains a "base" device/method of
`
`matrix LED driver for a liquid crystal display. Lee contains a "comparable" device/method of LED driver a
`
`display that has been improved in the same way as the claimed invention. The known "improvement"
`
`of Lee could have been applied in the same way to the "base" device/method of Masood as modified by
`
`Wang Tien and Uchikawa and the results would have been predictable and resulted simultaneously
`
`drives a plurality of the corresponding LEDs. Furthermore, both Masood as modified by Wang Tien and
`
`Uchikawa and Lee use and disclose similar functionality (i.e., driving LEDs in a display device) so that the
`
`combination is more easily implemented.
`
`The rationale to support a conclusion that the claim would have been obvious is that a method
`
`of enhancing a particular class of devices (methods, or products) has been made part of the ordinary
`
`capabilities of one skilled in the art based upon the teaching of such improvement in other situations.
`
`One of ordinary skill in the art would have been capable of applying this known method of enhancement
`
`to a ”base” device (method, or product) in the prior art and the results would have been predictable to
`
`one of ordinary skill in the art.
`
`Therefore, the claimed subject matter would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill
`
`in the art at the time the invention was made.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,026
`Art Unit: 2692
`
`Page 10
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`3.
`
`Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Masood US
`
`20080238337 in view of Wang et al. US 20090309855 in view of Tien US 20150279267 and further in
`
`view of Uchikawa et al. US 20100120471 and further in view of Williams et al. US 20130099681.
`
`Consider claim 4. Masood as modified by Wang, Tien, and Uchikawa discloses the backlight
`
`module according to claim 1, wherein the controller sequentially outputs the latch signal to the
`
`plurality of latch signal lines.
`
`Masood as modified by Wang, Tien, and Uchikawa discloses however do not disclose wherein
`
`the controller sequentially outputs the latch signal to the plurality of latch signal lines.
`
`Williams however discloses wherein the controller sequentially outputs the latch signal to the
`
`plurality of latch signal lines (fig 16b para 0225 the serial clock SCK signal 771 is run in continuous
`
`fashion while data is loaded into LED driver ICs 701A-701 H. Because the data is serial, the first data
`
`shifted into the SLI bus corresponds to the driver IC farthest away from the interface IC, i.e. driver IC
`
`701H, while the last data shifted into the SLI bus corresponds to the driver IC nearest to the interface IC).
`
`Masood as modified by Wang, Tien, Uchikawa discloses contains a "base" device/method of
`
`matrix LED driver for a liquid crystal display. Williams contains a "comparable" device/method of LED
`
`driver that has been improved in the same way as the claimed invention. The known "improvement" of
`
`Williams could have been applied in the same way to the "base" device/method of Masood as modified
`
`by Wang Tien and Uchikawa and the results would have been predictable and resulted wherein the
`
`controller sequentially outputs the latch signal to the plurality of latch signal lines. Furthermore, both
`
`Masood as modified by Wang Tien and Uchikawa and Williams use and disclose similar functionality (i.e.,
`
`driving LEDs in a display device) so that the combination is more easily implemented.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,026
`Art Unit: 2692
`
`Page 11
`
`The rationale to support a conclusion that the claim would have been obvious is that a method
`
`of enhancing a particular class of devices (methods, or products) has been made part of the ordinary
`
`capabilities of one skilled in the art based upon the teaching of such improvement in other situations.
`
`One of ordinary skill in the art would have been capable of applying this known method of enhancement
`
`to a ”base” device (method, or product) in the prior art and the results would have been predictable to
`
`one of ordinary skill in the art.
`
`Therefore, the claimed subject matter would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill
`
`in the art at the time the invention was made.
`
`IV. CONCLUSION
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
`
`should be directed to IBRAHIM A KHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7998. The examiner can
`
`normally be reached on 10am-6pm.
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor,
`
`LunYi Lao can be reached on 5712727671. The fax phone number for the organization where this
`
`application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/882,026
`Art Unit: 2692
`
`Page 12
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`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
`
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`
`/IBRAHIM A KHAN/ 03/25/2019
`
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2692
`
`IBRAHIM A. KHAN
`
`Primary Examiner
`Art Unit 2692
`
`