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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 1, filed September 21, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claims 16, 28, 29, 31-35, and 37 under Weisser et al (DE Patent Publication DE 19936356 A1) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weisser et al (DE Patent Publication DE 19936356 A1) in view of Kim et al (US Patent Publication US 20210188090 A1)..
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, 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.
Claims 16, 28-29, 31, and 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weisser et al (DE Patent Publication DE 19936356 A1) in view of Kim et al (US Patent Publication US 20210188090 A1).
With regards to Claim 16: Weisser teaches a display device included in a work vehicle, the display device comprising: a display that has a display screen (11a-11f, 12, 13, 60) configured to display information about an autonomous travel of the work vehicle; and a manipulator (12 and/or 13 and 54) connected to the display, the manipulator having manipulation members configured to enable operation associated with the autonomous travel, wherein the manipulation members include: a first manipulation member (12 and/or 13) configured to enable the autonomous travel to be switched on and off; and a second manipulation member (54) including a seesaw switch and configured to enable operation different from operation of the first manipulation member, wherein the first manipulation member is positioned closer to a steering manipulator of the work vehicle than the second manipulation member.
Weisser does not teach the separate housings and manipulator and display layout as claimed.
Kim et al teaches a display device included in a work vehicle, the display device comprising: a display defined by a first housing (301) that has a display screen (310) configured to display information about an autonomous travel of the work vehicle (via paras [0125] and [0127]); and a manipulator (320 via para [0073] and/or 330 via para [0074]) defined by a second housing (304), different from and connected to the first housing of the display and located below the first housing of the display (seen in Fig 3C), the second housing of the manipulator defining a surface (304a) at which manipulation members are mounted, the having manipulation members are configured to enable operation associated with the autonomous travel (via paras [0125] and [0127]), and the surface of the second housing with the manipulation members is inclined with respect to the display screen (seen in Fig 4B).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the display device disclosed in Weisser with the separate housings and manipulator and display layout taught in Kim et al with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have benefited the drivers safety and visual comfort as taught by Kim et al (para[0091]). Furthermore, it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art
With regards to Claim 28: Weisser teaches a display device included in a work vehicle, the display device comprising: a display (11a-11f, 12, 13, 60) that has a display screen (60) configured to display information about an autonomous travel of the work vehicle; and a manipulator (20) connected to the display and having a manipulation member configured to enable operation associated with the autonomous travel.
Weisser does not teach the separate housings and manipulator and display layout as claimed.
Kim et al teaches a display device included in a work vehicle, the display device comprising: a display defined by a first housing (301) that has a display screen (310) configured to display information about an autonomous travel of the work vehicle (via paras [0125] and [0127]); and a manipulator (320 via para [0073] and/or 330 via para [0074]) defined by a second housing (304), different from and connected to the first housing of the display and located below the first housing of the display (seen in Fig 3C), the second housing of the manipulator defining a surface (304a) at which manipulation members are mounted, the having manipulation members are configured to enable operation associated with the autonomous travel (via paras [0125] and [0127]), and the surface of the second housing with the manipulation members is inclined with respect to the display screen (seen in Fig 4B).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the display device disclosed in Weisser with the separate housings and manipulator and display layout taught in Kim et al with a reasonable expectation of success because it would have benefited the drivers safety and visual comfort as taught by Kim et al (para[0091]). Furthermore, it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art
With regards to Claim 29: The combination of Weisser and Kim et al teaches the display device according to claim 28, but does not teach the manipulator (Weisser 20) has a shape that becomes narrower toward a lower side.
It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to make the different portions of the manipulator of whatever form or shape was desired or expedient to allow ergonomic ease for the occupant to operate the controls. Furthermore, a change in form or shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art, absent any showing of unexpected results.
With regards to Claim 31: The combination of Weisser and Kim et al teaches the display device according to claim 30, wherein the display device includes a monitor operation unit (Weisser 61a-61d); and the display screen (Weisser 60) shows operations that can be performed using the monitor operation unit.
With regards to Claim 33: The combination of Weisser and Kim et al teaches a work vehicle comprising the display device according to claim 16.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 32, 34-35, and 37 are allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Jeon et al (US Patent Publication US 20190369643 A1) and Kim (DE Patent Publication DE 102019120121 A1) teach separate display and manipulation members below the display for autonomous driving of a vehicle.
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/MATTHEW JOSEPH GANCI/Examiner, Art Unit 3614
/JASON D SHANSKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614
