TDETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 5-8, 11-14, are 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lemmens et al. (US Patent Publication No. 2022/0391158; hereinafter Lemmens).
With reference to claims 1, 7, and 13 Lemmens discloses an electronic device (200) which is connected with an external control device (202), comprising a processor (122) and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (102) on which computer program instructions are stored that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform a screen projection method (see paragraphs 32-36; Fig. 2), comprising:
in response to receiving a screen projection instruction (5011-A/5012-A) triggered by a user (see paragraphs 222-223; Figs. 5), determining a virtual screen (5016) to be projected according to a target interface (5010) displayed by a target screen (201) of the electronic device itself (200) (see paragraphs 222-223, 225; Figs. 5G-J), wherein the external control device (202) is configured to control the target screen of the electronic device by default (see paragraph 29; Fig. 1B);
projecting the virtual screen (5016) to a target screen (101) projecting device (100) (see paragraph 223; Figs. 5);
in response to receiving a first control switching instruction (5014-A) triggered by the user (see paragraph 223), switching the external control device (202) from controlling the target screen (201) to controlling the virtual screen (101) and setting a control component (203) of the electronic device to control the target screen (201), wherein the control component is an input device of the electronic device itself (see paragraph 29; Fig. 1B); and
in response to receiving a first control event (in teaching drag and drop) triggered by the user via the external control device, dispatching the first control event to the virtual screen (101) (see paragraph 223; Figs. 5A-F);
wherein determining the virtual screen (5016) to be projected according to the target interface (5010) displayed by the target screen (201) of the electronic device (200) (see paragraphs 222-223; Figs. 5) comprises:
determining a screen projection object (5004) selected by the user from the target interface (5010) (see paragraphs 222-223; Figs. 5);
generating a screen projection interface according to the screen projection object (in teaching moving object on the interface; see paragraph 223; Fig. 5B); and
determining the virtual screen (5016) according to the screen projection interface, the virtual screen (5016) displaying the screen projection interface (see paragraph 223, 225; Fig. 5C-J).
With reference to claims 2, 8, and 14, Lemmens discloses the screen projection method according to claim 1, 7, or 13, and further discloses wherein in response to receiving the first control switching instruction (5014-A) triggered by the user (see paragraph 223), switching the external control device (202) from controlling the target screen (201) to controlling the virtual screen (101) comprises: acquiring, from the first control switching instruction (5014-A), a screen identifier of the virtual screen (101) (see paragraphs 254; Fig. 7B); and switching the external control device (202) from controlling the target screen (201) to controlling the virtual screen (101) according to the screen identifier (see paragraphs 51, 234; Figs. 6E-F).
With reference to claims 5, 11, and 17, Lemmens discloses the screen projection method according to claim 1, 7, or 13, and further discloses in response to receiving a second control event triggered (open) by the user through the control component (203) of the electronic device (200), dispatching the second control event to the target screen (see paragraph 217).
With reference to claim 6, 12, and 18, Lemmens discloses the screen projection method according to claim 1, 7, or 13, and further discloses further comprising: in response to receiving a second control switching instruction (5014-B) triggered by the user, switching the external control device from controlling the virtual screen to controlling the target screen (see paragraph 223; Figs. 5-6).
With reference to claims 19 and 20, Lemmens further discloses a chip, comprising a processor and an interface, wherein the processor is configured to read instructions to perform the screen projection method according to claim 1 or 2 (see paragraph 11, 35-36, 51).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/18/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant argued that Lemmens fails to disclose the screen projection operation as recited in the claim based on the examiner relying on icon (5004) as the virtual screen and the screen projection object. The examiner amended the rejection, and now relies on the window (5016) as the virtual screen and the icon (5004) as the screen projection object (see paragraphs 222-226; Figs. 5). This remapping of the features discloses the invention as recited.
The applicant also argues that Lemmens does not disclose that the mouse switches between controlling the first display and the second display. The applicant also adds that the claim recites “switching the external control device from controlling the target screen to controlling the virtual screen” in the claimed subject matter, the target screen and the virtual screen are controlled by two distinct input devices (the electronic device’s own control component and the external control device), and the target screen and the virtual screen can be operated by two different users. The examiner disagrees and finds that Lemmens discloses that the cursor (5002) of the device (100) is controlled by the mouse (202) and or the keyboard (203) in communication with the device (200) (see paragraphs 223-226; Figs. 5G-J). Therefore Lemmens discloses switching the external control device from controlling the target screen to controlling the virtual screen as recited. Further, the examiner finds that the claims fail to recite that applicant’s argument of the usage of two distinct input devices such that the target screen and the virtual screen can be operated by two different users.
For these reasons the examiner does not find the arguments to be persuasive.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
PASSERI et al. (US2017/0351396) discloses automatic switching of an input device between a first and second host computer, wherein the first host computer sends a control signal to the input device to switch communicative pairing from the first host computer to the second host computer (see abstract; paragraphs 47-55; Figs. 1-5).
WANG et al. (US2024/0053879) discloses projecting a window between a first and second devices wherein the second devices are equipped with individual input devices (see paragraphs 534; Figs. 14-16).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALECIA DIANE ENGLISH whose telephone number is (571)270-1595. The examiner can normally be reached Mon.-Fri. 7:00am-3:00am.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William Boddie can be reached at 571-272-0666. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ADE/Examiner, Art Unit 2625
/WILLIAM BODDIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2625