DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This office action is a response to an RCE filed on 9/25/2025 with amendment/arguments filed on 8/28/2025 which was in response to the office action mailed on 5/29/2025 (hereinafter the prior office action).
Claim(s) 1, 3-12 and 14-22 is/are pending.
Claim(s) 1, 4 and 12 is/are amended.
Claim(s) 2 and 13 is/are cancelled.
Claim(s) 1 and 12 is/are independent.
Applicant’s amendments/arguments have overcome prior rejection(s) based on 35 U.S.C. 112.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 9/25/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed on 9/25/2025, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant states in Pg. 6-8 in “Remarks” regarding the prior 112 rejection.
Examiner respectfully notes that Applicant’s amendments have overcome the prior 112 rejections.
Applicant further states in Pg. 9-10 in “Remarks” that Nakazawa does not teach system noise and heat transfer. Applicant further states in Pg. 11 that Wu does not remedy Nakazawa’s deficiency.
Examiner respectfully disagrees because Nakazawa teaches system noise requirements. This is because Nakazawa discloses in Para. 40 that low noise flag is used, i.e. system noise requirement.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 3-12 and 14-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakazawa (U.S. Pub. No. 2017/0059920) (hereinafter “Nakazawa”) in view of Wu (U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0329377) (hereinafter “Wu”).
Regarding claim 1, Nakazawa teaches a display system with fan control, (Para. 22 - - display system with fan control)
comprising: a display module; (Para. 22 - - display module is used)
a fan configured to generate an air flow in the display system; (Para. 22 - - fan is used)
a temperature detector, configured to detect temperature within the display system; (Para. 22 - - temperature sensor is used)
and a fan controller, configured to: determine length of a first time period for which the detected temperature has remained equal to or higher than a first threshold; (Fig. 6, 10 - - detected temperature remains equal to or higher than flat line from time 0 onwards, i.e. first threshold)
in response to the determination, generate a control signal to increase a rotational speed of the fan…as the first time period increases, (Para. 35 - - rotational speed of fan is controlled by fan control circuit; Para. 43, 64-65 - - fan speed increases as temperature increases, where temperature necessarily increases over first time period)
and maintain the rotational speed of the fan unchanged when the detected temperature is lower than the first threshold; (Para. 51 - - fan is controlled for steady temperature while detected temperature is lower than upper limit, i.e. first threshold)
wherein an increasing rate of the rotational speed is determined based on at least one of a system noise requirement and a heat transfer requirement of the display system. (Para. 40 - - low noise flag is used, i.e. system noise requirement)
But Nakazawa does not explicitly teach control in a continuous manner
However, Wu teaches controller in a continuous manner (Fig. 4 - - fan speed control is in the form of a continuous temperature curve)
Nakazawa and Wu are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor and contain overlapping structural and/or functional similarities. They both contain automatic control of fan speed as related to temperature.
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ), it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the above limitation(s) as taught by Nakazawa, by incorporating the above limitation(s) as taught by Wu.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to allow users to configure speed control curves that are modifiable, as suggested by Wu
Regarding claim 3, Nakazawa further teaches wherein the fan controller is configured to increase the rotational speed of the fan continuously as the first time period increases until the rotational speed reaches a first rotational speed. (Para. 43 - - fan speed increases as temperature increases)
Regarding claim 4, Nakazawa further teaches wherein the increasing rate of the rotational speed is proportional to the length of the first time period. (Para. 43 - - fan speed increases as temperature increases)
Regarding claim 5, Nakazawa further teaches wherein the fan controller is configured to control the rotational speed of the fan based on the detected temperature and a second time period since the detected temperature reaches a second threshold, and in which the detected temperature remains equal to or lower than the second threshold. (Para. 43 - - fan speed increases as temperature increases; Para. 51 - - fan is controlled for steady temperature, i.e. fan and temperature do not change)
Regarding claim 6, Nakazawa further teaches wherein the fan controller remains the rotational speed of the fan unchanged when the detected temperature is between the first threshold and the second threshold, and wherein the second threshold is lower than the first threshold. (Para. 51 - - fan is controlled for steady temperature, i.e. fan and temperature do not change)
Regarding claim 7, Nakazawa further teaches wherein the fan controller is configured to decrease the rotational speed of the fan sequentially as the second time period increases until the rotational speed reaches a second rotational speed. (Para. 46 - - as temperature or power consumption decreases, low-noise period increases, i.e. fan speed decreases)
Regarding claim 8, Nakazawa further teaches wherein a decreasing rate of the rotational speed is proportional to the length of the second time period. (Para. 46 - - as temperature or power consumption decreases, low-noise period increases, i.e. fan speed decreases)
Regarding claim 9, Nakazawa further teaches wherein the control signal is a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal, a voltage-controlled signal or a current-controlled signal. (Para. 32 - - control signal is with a driving voltage)
Regarding claim 10, Nakazawa further teaches wherein the temperature detector comprises a thermistor. (Para. 22 - - temperature sensor is used)
Regarding claim 11, Nakazawa further teaches wherein the first threshold and the second threshold are configured based on environmental temperatures of the display system. (Para. 35 - - rotational speed of fan is controlled by fan control circuit based on detected temperature)
Regarding claim 12, Nakazawa teaches a method for fan controlling in display system, (Para. 22 - - display system with fan control)
comprising: detecting temperature within the display system; (Para. 22 - - temperature sensor is used)
determining length of a first time period for which the detected temperature has remained equal to or higher than a first threshold; (Fig. 6, 10 - - detected temperature remains equal to or higher than flat line from time 0 onwards, i.e. first threshold)
in response to the determination, generating a control signal to increase a rotational speed of the fan in a…manner as the first time period increases; (Para. 43, 64-65 - - fan speed increases as temperature increases, where temperature necessarily increases over first time period)
keeping the rotational speed of the fan unchanged when the detected temperature is lower than the first threshold, (Para. 44 - - based on temperature, fan is operated under determined driving condition, where determined driving condition can be speed of rotation, i.e. rotating the fan at a steady speed; Para. 51 - - fan is controlled for steady temperature, i.e. fan and temperature do not change)
wherein an increasing rate of the rotational speed is determined based on at least one of a system noise requirement and a heat transfer requirement of the display system. (Para. 40 - - low noise flag is used, i.e. system noise requirement)
But Nakazawa does not explicitly teach control in a continuous manner
However, Montero teaches control in a continuous manner (Para. 33 - - fan speed control is in the form of a continuous temperature curve)
Nakazawa and Montero are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor and contain overlapping structural and/or functional similarities. They both contain automatic control of fan speed as related to temperature.
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ), it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the above limitation(s) as taught by Nakazawa, by incorporating the above limitation(s) as taught by Montero.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to allow users to configure speed control curves that are modifiable, as suggested by Montero (Para. 9).
Regarding claim 13, Nakazawa further teaches increasing the rotational speed of the fan sequentially as the first time period increases. (Para. 43 - - fan speed increases as temperature increases)
Regarding claim 14, Nakazawa further teaches increasing the rotational speed of the fan continuously as the first time period increases until the rotational speed reaches a first rotational speed. (Para. 43 - - fan speed increases as temperature increases)
Regarding claim 15, Nakazawa further teaches wherein an increasing rate of the rotational speed is proportional to the length of the first time period. (Para. 43 - - fan speed increases as temperature increases)
Regarding claim 16, Nakazawa further teaches controlling the rotational speed of the fan based on the detected temperature and a second time period since the detected temperature reaches a second threshold, and in which the detected temperature remains equal to or lower than the second threshold. (Para. 43 - - fan speed increases as temperature increases; Para. 51 - - fan is controlled for steady temperature, i.e. fan and temperature do not change)
Regarding claim 17, Nakazawa further teaches remaining the rotational speed of the fan unchanged when the detected temperature is between the first threshold and the second threshold, and wherein the second threshold is lower than the first threshold. (Para. 51 - - fan is controlled for steady temperature, i.e. fan and temperature do not change)
Regarding claim 18, Nakazawa further teaches decreasing the rotational speed of the fan sequentially as the second time period increases until the rotational speed reaches a second rotational speed. (Para. 46 - - as temperature or power consumption decreases, low-noise period increases, i.e. fan speed decreases)
Regarding claim 19, Nakazawa further teaches wherein a decreasing rate of the rotational speed is proportional to the length of the second time period. (Para. 46 - - as temperature or power consumption decreases, low-noise period increases, i.e. fan speed decreases)
Regarding claim 20, Nakazawa further teaches wherein the first threshold and the second threshold are configured based on environmental temperature of the display system. (Para. 35 - - rotational speed of fan is controlled by fan control circuit based on detected temperature)
Regarding claim 21, Nakazawa further teaches wherein the rotational speed of the fan remains unchanged when the detected temperature is higher than a second threshold. (Para. 51 - - fan is controlled for steady temperature, i.e. fan and temperature do not change)
Regarding claim 22, Nakazawa further teaches wherein the rotational speed of the fan remains unchanged when the detected temperature is higher than a second threshold. (Para. 51 - - fan is controlled for steady temperature, i.e. fan and temperature do not change)
It is noted that any citations to specific, pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the reference should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2123.
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0061071 by Wang et al., which discloses overheating prevention and projection where a fan’s speed is automatically adjusted (Title/Abstract).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Saad M. Kabir whose telephone number is 571-270-0608 (direct fax number is 571-270-9933). The examiner can normally be reached on Mondays to Fridays 9am to 5pm EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mohammad Ali can be reached on 571-272-4105. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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 you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SAAD M KABIR/
Examiner, Art Unit 2119
/MOHAMMAD ALI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2119