DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the correspondence filed by the applicant on 1/9/2026.
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
Regarding claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103, Applicant’s arguments with respect to rejections have been fully considered, but they are moot upon a further consideration and a new ground(s) of rejection made under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SEO (US 2014/0379341 A1), and in further view of CHO (US 2023/0321557 A1).
Applicant asserts SEO cannot teach the limitations, “the photoelectric sensing unit is directly connected to the voice interaction unit” and “the photoelectric sensing unit directly transmits instructions to the voice interaction unit.” However, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. SEO describes various modules including sensor module, touch screen, CPU, ROM, RAM, Microphone, Storage Unit, voice recognition module, etc. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognizes instructions (e.g., computer programs) are stored in a memory (RAM, ROM, Storage, etc.) and performed by a processor (e.g., CPU.). One of ordinary skill in the art would know the RAM, ROM, Processor(s) are shared among other modules to perform actions. When the photoelectric sensing module of SEO senses data, the data is analyzed (e.g., data from sensor module, touch screen, camera, etc. analyzed by a first portion of the RAM, ROM, and processor(s)), and instructions are sent to the voice interaction module (e.g., microphone, speaker, a second portion of RAM, ROM and processor). Thus, the photoelectric sensing module of SEO (e.g., sensor module, touchscreen, camera, a first portion of the RAM, ROM, and processor(s)) directly transmits instructions to the voice interaction unit (e.g., microphone, speaker, a second portion of RAM, ROM, and processor(s)). Although SEO implicitly teaches the limitations, for the clarity of the rejections, the Examiner provides CHO. Please see the rejections below for more details.
Applicant further assert “the predetermined time of SEO is detected before voice recognition module is activated.” However, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. SEO teaches multiple “predetermined times”. The predetermined time that the Applicant is concerning about is a predetermined time to detect no movement after a gesture (i.e., there is no movement for predetermined time S612). Once the no movement is detected, then voice recognition module is activated (change touch screen to be in active state AND ACTIVATE voice recognition module 614). SEO further teaches AFTER the voice recognition module activated (i.e., in active state), receiving the voice within a “predetermined time” (Pars 120-121 – “The portable terminal according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may activate the touch screen in response to a movement thereof, and activate the voice recognition module capable of recognizing a voice. When any command or input is not input during a predetermined time, the touch screen provided on the portable terminal of the present disclosure is maintained in the inactive state, that is, the sleep mode (S605). The inactive state means a state in which the touch screen is turned off.”) The predetermined time described in Pars 120-121 is different from the predetermined time in S612, because the predetermined time in S612 has to be expired to move to S614. A new predetermined time starts to receive a voice input within the new predetermined time period. Thus, SEO teaches the limitations at issue.
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.
Claims 1-4, 15-16, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SEO (US 2014/0379341 A1), and in further view of CHO (US 2023/0321557 A1).
REGARDING CLAIM 1, SEO discloses a voice interaction system, comprising:
a voice interaction unit (SEO Fig. 1 Microphone 162, Controller, Storage Unit 175), configured to collect and identify a target voice instruction of a user (SEO Par 58 – “Further, when a gesture is detected by the sensor module 170, the controller 110 activates a voice recognition module in accordance with the detected gesture, and analyzes a voice input into the activated voice recognition module.”);
a photoelectric sensing unit (SEO Fig. 1 Sensor Module 170), wherein the photoelectric sensing unit is directly connected to the voice interaction unit (SEO Fig. 1), and configured to receive and identify a target limb instruction of the user, and control the voice interaction unit to be turned on or off in accordance with the target limb instruction (SEO Par 58 – “The portable terminal 100 may be attached to an arm, a leg, and the like of a user, and the controller 110 may detect a gesture of the portable terminal through the sensor module 170. Further, in order to activate the voice recognition module, the controller 110 may determine whether the gesture is a movement for activating the voice recognition module or a generally generated movement based on various information on a predetermined speed, angle, time, altitude, and the like.”), and [the photoelectric sensing unit (Fig. 1 sensor module, touchscreen, camera, a first portion of the RAM, ROM, and CPU) directly transmits instructions to the voice interaction unit] (Fig. 1 microphone, speaker, a second portion of RAM, ROM, and CPU); and
an instruction control unit, wherein the instruction control unit is connected to the voice interaction unit, and configured to determine whether the voice interaction unit is in an on state (SEO Par 59 – “Further, in the state where the gesture is generated, the state where there is no movement for the predetermined time after the gesture is generated, or in the state where the eyeballs of the user are recognized or scanned by at least one camera in the state where there is no movement for the predetermined time after the gesture is generated, the controller 110 controls at least one of the voice recognition module and the touch screen 190 to be in an active state.”),
determine, in a case that the voice interaction unit is in the on state, whether the voice interaction unit receives a target voice instruction within a predetermined time (SEO Fig. 6; Par 121 – “When any command or input is not input during a predetermined time, the touch screen provided on the portable terminal of the present disclosure is maintained in the inactive state, that is, the sleep mode (S605). The inactive state means a state in which the touch screen is turned off.”; Par 134 – “The voice recognition module may be continuously maintained in the active state until the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, and when the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, the voice recognition module may be switched to be in the inactive state.”),
control, in a case that the target voice instruction is received within the predetermined time, a smart device (SEO Pars 4-5 – “a smart phone … smart watches …”) to perform an action corresponding to the target voice instruction in accordance with the target voice instruction of the user received and identified by the voice interaction unit (SEO Fig. 6 – “Execute Function Corresponding to Input Voice S616”; Par 122 – “The controller 110 analyzes the voice input through the activated voice recognition module, and determines whether to execute a function corresponding to a result of the analyzed voice based on whether personal information exists or whether the function corresponds to the personal information.”; Par 127 – “FIG. 7D is a view illustrating an example of a case where a function corresponding to a voice input into the portable terminal according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is executed.”), and
send, in a case that the voice instruction is not received within the predetermined time, a standby instruction to the voice interaction unit (SEO Fig. 6; Par 121 – “When any command or input is not input during a predetermined time, the touch screen provided on the portable terminal of the present disclosure is maintained in the inactive state, that is, the sleep mode (S605). The inactive state means a state in which the touch screen is turned off.”; Par 134 – “The voice recognition module may be continuously maintained in the active state until the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, and when the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, the voice recognition module may be switched to be in the inactive state.”).
SEO does not explicitly teach the [square-bracketed] limitations. In other words, SEO teaches different modules sharing a memory and processor. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognizes the memory and the processor have different portions (e.g., different programs / instructions stored in different portions of the memory and executed by different portions of processor(s)). Although SEO implicitly teaches the [square-bracketed] limitations, for the clarity of the rejections, the Examiner provides CHO.
CHO discloses a method/system for electric device comprising [a photoelectric sensing unit, wherein the sensing unit comprises its own memory and the processor (Par 81 – “The sensor block 210 may include a PLC module 211, a control module 213, and a sensor module 215. The sensor module 215 may be composed of various sensors that detect and operate at an inner side of the housing 10.”; Par 51 – “The first circuit board 30 and the second circuit board 60 may be mounted with a control module, a memory, a programmable controller, an analog converter, an input/output module, and other electronic components.”) directly transmits instructions to the (Note that SEO already teaches the interaction unit is a voice interaction unit. CHO teaches a stand-alone sensing unit that interacts with other units. Par 84 – “For example, the electronic assembly block robot in which the sensor module 215 including the color sensor is assembled may perform an operation to move backward when encountering a red wall and an operation to turn right when encountering a blue wall.”). Since CHO teaches a stand-alone sensor unit, the combination of SEO and CHO teaches direct interactions between different modules/units.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the method of SEO to include a stand-alone modular sensor unit, as taught by CHO.
One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to include a stand-alone modular sensor unit, in order to efficiently combine different modular units to build a more desirable device/apparatus.
REGARDING CLAIM 2, SEO in view of CHO discloses the voice interaction system according to claim 1, wherein the instruction control unit is further configured to identify whether the voice interaction unit receives the voice instruction within a predetermined standby time (SEO Fig. 6; Par 121 – “When any command or input is not input during a predetermined time, the touch screen provided on the portable terminal of the present disclosure is maintained in the inactive state, that is, the sleep mode (S605). The inactive state means a state in which the touch screen is turned off.”; Par 134 – “The voice recognition module may be continuously maintained in the active state until the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, and when the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, the voice recognition module may be switched to be in the inactive state.”), and send, in a case that the voice instruction is not received within the predetermined standby time, a first turn-off instruction to the voice interaction unit (SEO Fig. 6; Par 121 – “When any command or input is not input during a predetermined time, the touch screen provided on the portable terminal of the present disclosure is maintained in the inactive state, that is, the sleep mode (S605). The inactive state means a state in which the touch screen is turned off.”; Par 134 – “The voice recognition module may be continuously maintained in the active state until the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, and when the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, the voice recognition module may be switched to be in the inactive state.”).
REGARDING CLAIM 3, SEO in view of CHO discloses the voice interaction system according to claim 1.
SEO teaches the sensor is a distance sensor (SEO Par 79 – “For example, the sensor module 170 may include a proximity sensor that detects a user's proximity to the portable terminal 100, an illumination sensor (not shown) that detects a quantity of light around the portable terminal 100, a motion sensor (not shown) that detects a motion (e.g., rotation of the portable terminal 100 and acceleration or a vibration applied to the portable terminal 100) of the portable terminal 100, a geo-magnetic sensor (not shown) that detects a compass point by using Earth's magnetic field, a gravity sensor that detects an action direction of gravity, and an altimeter that detects an altitude through measuring an atmospheric pressure.”), but SEO does not explicitly teach the photoelectric sensor is a laser distance sensor.
CHO discloses a method/system for electric device comprising a photoelectric sensing unit, wherein the photoelectric sensing unit comprises a photoelectric sensor, and the photoelectric sensor is a laser distance sensor (CHO Par 87 – " The sensor module 215 including the laser sensor may accurately measure a long distance (2 cm to 40 cm) regardless of surrounding disturbances (sun, fluorescent light, darkness). The sensor module 215 including the laser sensor may be used when a tape measure robot that measures a distance is made.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the method of SEO to include a laser distance sensor, as taught by CHO.
One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to include a laser distance sensor, in order to accurately measure the distance regardless of surrounding disturbances.
REGARDING CLAIM 4, SEO in view of CHO discloses the voice interaction system according to claim 3, wherein the laser distance sensor has a sensing distance of 80mm to 150mm (CHO Par 87 – " The sensor module 215 including the laser sensor may accurately measure a long distance (2 cm to 40 cm) regardless of surrounding disturbances (sun, fluorescent light, darkness). The sensor module 215 including the laser sensor may be used when a tape measure robot that measures a distance is made.”).
REGARDING CLAIM 15, SEO in view of CHO discloses a voice interaction method for the voice interaction system according to claim 1, comprising:
determining whether the voice interaction unit is in the on state (SEO Par 59 – “Further, in the state where the gesture is generated, the state where there is no movement for the predetermined time after the gesture is generated, or in the state where the eyeballs of the user are recognized or scanned by at least one camera in the state where there is no movement for the predetermined time after the gesture is generated, the controller 110 controls at least one of the voice recognition module and the touch screen 190 to be in an active state.”);
determining, in a case that the voice interaction unit is in the on state, whether the voice interaction unit receives the target voice instruction within the predetermined time (SEO Fig. 6; Par 121 – “When any command or input is not input during a predetermined time, the touch screen provided on the portable terminal of the present disclosure is maintained in the inactive state, that is, the sleep mode (S605). The inactive state means a state in which the touch screen is turned off.”; Par 134 – “The voice recognition module may be continuously maintained in the active state until the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, and when the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, the voice recognition module may be switched to be in the inactive state.”),
controlling, in a case that the target voice instruction is received within the predetermined time, the smart device (SEO Pars 4-5 – “a smart phone … smart watches …”) to perform the action corresponding to the target voice instruction in accordance with the target voice instruction of the user received and identified by the voice interaction unit (SEO Fig. 6 – “Execute Function Corresponding to Input Voice S616”; Par 122 – “The controller 110 analyzes the voice input through the activated voice recognition module, and determines whether to execute a function corresponding to a result of the analyzed voice based on whether personal information exists or whether the function corresponds to the personal information.”; Par 127 – “FIG. 7D is a view illustrating an example of a case where a function corresponding to a voice input into the portable terminal according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is executed.”), and
sending, in a case that the voice instruction is not received within the predetermined time, the standby instruction to the voice interaction unit (SEO Fig. 6; Par 121 – “When any command or input is not input during a predetermined time, the touch screen provided on the portable terminal of the present disclosure is maintained in the inactive state, that is, the sleep mode (S605). The inactive state means a state in which the touch screen is turned off.”; Par 134 – “The voice recognition module may be continuously maintained in the active state until the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, and when the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, the voice recognition module may be switched to be in the inactive state.”); and
controlling, in a case that the voice interaction unit is not in the on state (SEO Fig. 6 Maintain touch screen in inactive state S605; Par 59 – “the controller 110 controls at least one of the voice recognition module and the touch screen 190 to be in an inactive state.”), in accordance with the target limb instruction of the user received and identified by the photoelectric sensing unit, the voice interaction unit to be turned on (SEO Par 58 – “The portable terminal 100 may be attached to an arm, a leg, and the like of a user, and the controller 110 may detect a gesture of the portable terminal through the sensor module 170. Further, in order to activate the voice recognition module, the controller 110 may determine whether the gesture is a movement for activating the voice recognition module or a generally generated movement based on various information on a predetermined speed, angle, time, altitude, and the like.”), and
controlling, in accordance with the target voice instruction of the user received and identified by the voice interaction unit, the smart device (SEO Pars 4-5 – “a smart phone … smart watches …”) to perform the action corresponding to the target voice instruction (SEO Fig. 6 – “Execute Function Corresponding to Input Voice S616”; Par 122 – “The controller 110 analyzes the voice input through the activated voice recognition module, and determines whether to execute a function corresponding to a result of the analyzed voice based on whether personal information exists or whether the function corresponds to the personal information.”; Par 127 – “FIG. 7D is a view illustrating an example of a case where a function corresponding to a voice input into the portable terminal according to the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is executed.”).
REGARDING CLAIM 16, SEO in view of CHO discloses the voice interaction method according to claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:
determining, in a case that the voice interaction unit is in the on state, whether the voice interaction unit receives the voice instruction within a predetermined standby time (SEO Fig. 6; Par 121 – “When any command or input is not input during a predetermined time, the touch screen provided on the portable terminal of the present disclosure is maintained in the inactive state, that is, the sleep mode (S605). The inactive state means a state in which the touch screen is turned off.”; Par 134 – “The voice recognition module may be continuously maintained in the active state until the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, and when the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, the voice recognition module may be switched to be in the inactive state.”);
controlling, in a case that the voice interaction unit is not received within the predetermined standby time, the voice interaction unit to be turned off (SEO Fig. 6; Par 121 – “When any command or input is not input during a predetermined time, the touch screen provided on the portable terminal of the present disclosure is maintained in the inactive state, that is, the sleep mode (S605). The inactive state means a state in which the touch screen is turned off.”; Par 134 – “The voice recognition module may be continuously maintained in the active state until the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, and when the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, the voice recognition module may be switched to be in the inactive state.”).
REGARDING CLAIM 19, SEO in view of CHO discloses the voice interaction method according to claim15, wherein the method further comprises:
receiving and identifying image data collected by an image acquisition unit (SEO Par 26 – “The controller may control one or more cameras in order to recognize eyeballs of a user moving the portable terminal when the gesture is a movement making the touch screen of the portable terminal be laid to be lowered making an altitude of the portable terminal lower.”; Par 59 – “Further, in cases where the gesture is a movement making the touch screen of the portable terminal head in a down direction while an altitude of the portable terminal 100 becomes low, the controller 110 controls at least one camera capable of recognizing or scanning the eyeballs of the user which make the portable terminal move. The controller 110 may determine whether the touch screen 190 of the portable terminal 100 heads up or down, or is erect through the sensor module 170. Further, in the state where the gesture is generated, the state where there is no movement for the predetermined time after the gesture is generated, or in the state where the eyeballs of the user are recognized or scanned by at least one camera in the state where there is no movement for the predetermined time after the gesture is generated, the controller 110 controls at least one of the voice recognition module and the touch screen 190 to be in an active state.”); and
controlling, in a case that the image data comprises a target gesture, the photoelectric sensing unit and the voice interaction unit to be turned on (SEO Par 59 – “Further, in the state where the gesture is generated, the state where there is no movement for the predetermined time after the gesture is generated, or in the state where the eyeballs of the user are recognized or scanned by at least one camera in the state where there is no movement for the predetermined time after the gesture is generated, the controller 110 controls at least one of the voice recognition module and the touch screen 190 to be in an active state.”).
REGARDING CLAIM 20, SEO in view of CHO discloses a smart device, comprising the voice interaction system according to claim 1.
Claims 5 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SEO in view of CHO, and in further view of MIN (US 2010/0187023 A1).
REGARDING CLAIM 5, SEO in view of CHO discloses the voice interaction system according to claim 1.
SEO does not explicitly teach energizing different colors based on the state of a sensor.
MIN discloses a methods/system for controlling an electronic device with multiple sensors, wherein one or more indicators are provided on the photoelectric sensing unit, and the indicators comprise a first color indicator and a second color indicator (MIN Fig. 5 Units 530; Par 55 – “The LED driving unit 570 transmits a driving signal to each of the LEDs 530 via an LED control bus 531, and the LEDs 530 that receive the driving signal emits a light. In an embodiment of the present invention, the LED driving unit 570 supplies constant current to LEDs 530 located beneath touch sensors 520 that are activated, while not supplying current to LEDs 530 located beneath touch sensors 520 that are deactivated, displaying activated or deactivated state of the each of the touch sensors 520 accordingly.”);
the voice interaction unit is further configured to send, in a case that a first turn-off instruction is received, a second turn-off instruction to the photoelectric sensing unit (MIN Fig. 5 State Control Unit 580; Par 53 – “A state control unit 580 determines an activated/deactivated state for each of the touch sensors 520 according to an operation mode of the digital device. That is, the state control unit 580 selects which touch sensors 520 to activate and which touch sensors 520 to deactivate according to the operation modes of the digital device.”; Par 54 – “A selection result of the state control unit 580 is transmitted to a touch sensor driving unit 550, a touch sensing signal receiving unit 560, and an LED driving unit 570.”); and
the photoelectric sensing unit is further configured to
energize the first color indicator in a case that the second turn-off instruction or a turn-off operation from the user is received (MIN Par 56 – “According to another embodiment of the present invention, the LED driving unit 570 supplies LEDs 530 located beneath touch sensors 520 in an activated state with a specific level of current, and supplies LEDs 530 located beneath touch sensors 520 in a deactivated state with another level of current which is different from said specific level. In this manner, each of the LEDs 530 can emit a light in different colors and/or at different brightness depending on the activated/deactivated state.”; Par 18 – “a state control unit determining an activated or deactivated state for each of the touch sensors according to an operation mode of the digital device”), and
energize the second color indicator in a case that a first turn-on instruction or a turn-on operation from the user is received (MIN Par 56 – “According to another embodiment of the present invention, the LED driving unit 570 supplies LEDs 530 located beneath touch sensors 520 in an activated state with a specific level of current, and supplies LEDs 530 located beneath touch sensors 520 in a deactivated state with another level of current which is different from said specific level. In this manner, each of the LEDs 530 can emit a light in different colors and/or at different brightness depending on the activated/deactivated state.”; ; Par 18 – “a state control unit determining an activated or deactivated state for each of the touch sensors according to an operation mode of the digital device”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the method of SEO to include emitting a light in different color based on the state of the sensor, as taught by MIN.
One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to include emitting a light in different color based on the state of the sensor, in order to inform the user about the current state of the device such that the user-machine interaction would improve.
REGARDING CLAIM 18, SEO in view of CHO discloses the method according to claim 1.
SEO does not explicitly teach energizing different colors based on the state of a sensor.
MIN discloses a methods/system for controlling an electronic device with multiple sensors, wherein the method further comprises:
energizing a first color indicator in a case that the photoelectric sensing unit receives a second turn-off instruction or a turn-off operation from the user (MIN Par 56 – “According to another embodiment of the present invention, the LED driving unit 570 supplies LEDs 530 located beneath touch sensors 520 in an activated state with a specific level of current, and supplies LEDs 530 located beneath touch sensors 520 in a deactivated state with another level of current which is different from said specific level. In this manner, each of the LEDs 530 can emit a light in different colors and/or at different brightness depending on the activated/deactivated state.”; Par 18 – “a state control unit determining an activated or deactivated state for each of the touch sensors according to an operation mode of the digital device”); and
energizing a second color indicator in a case that a first turn-on instruction or a turn-on operation from the user is received (MIN Par 56 – “According to another embodiment of the present invention, the LED driving unit 570 supplies LEDs 530 located beneath touch sensors 520 in an activated state with a specific level of current, and supplies LEDs 530 located beneath touch sensors 520 in a deactivated state with another level of current which is different from said specific level. In this manner, each of the LEDs 530 can emit a light in different colors and/or at different brightness depending on the activated/deactivated state.”; ; Par 18 – “a state control unit determining an activated or deactivated state for each of the touch sensors according to an operation mode of the digital device”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the method of SEO to include emitting a light in different color based on the state of the sensor, as taught by MIN.
One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to include emitting a light in different color based on the state of the sensor, in order to inform the user about the current state of the device such that the user-machine interaction would improve.
Claims 12 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SEO in view of CHO, and in further view of LEE (US 2016/0248899 A1).
REGARDING CLAIM 12, SEO in view of CHO discloses the voice interaction system according to claim 1, wherein the voice interaction system further comprises an image acquisition unit (SEO Par 26 – “The controller may control one or more cameras in order to recognize eyeballs of a user moving the portable terminal when the gesture is a movement making the touch screen of the portable terminal be laid to be lowered making an altitude of the portable terminal lower.”), the instruction control unit is connected to the image acquisition unit, and configured to receive and identify image data collected by the image acquisition unit (SEO Par 59 – “Further, in cases where the gesture is a movement making the touch screen of the portable terminal head in a down direction while an altitude of the portable terminal 100 becomes low, the controller 110 controls at least one camera capable of recognizing or scanning the eyeballs of the user which make the portable terminal move. The controller 110 may determine whether the touch screen 190 of the portable terminal 100 heads up or down, or is erect through the sensor module 170. Further, in the state where the gesture is generated, the state where there is no movement for the predetermined time after the gesture is generated, or in the state where the eyeballs of the user are recognized or scanned by at least one camera in the state where there is no movement for the predetermined time after the gesture is generated, the controller 110 controls at least one of the voice recognition module and the touch screen 190 to be in an active state.”), and
send, in a case that the image data comprises a target gesture, a first turn-on instruction to the voice interaction unit (SEO Par 59 – “Further, in the state where the gesture is generated, the state where there is no movement for the predetermined time after the gesture is generated, or in the state where the eyeballs of the user are recognized or scanned by at least one camera in the state where there is no movement for the predetermined time after the gesture is generated, the controller 110 controls at least one of the voice recognition module and the touch screen 190 to be in an active state.”), and
the voice interaction unit is further configured to send, in a case that the first turn-on instruction is received, a second turn-on instruction to the [photoelectric] touch-screen sensing unit (SEO par 122 – “In the inactive state, when the movement of the portable terminal is detected, and there is no movement for the predetermined time, the controller 110 changes the state of the touch screen into the active state and activates the voice recognition module (S610, S612, and S614). The controller 110 activates the touch screen and the voice recognition module through a gesture or a movement of the portable terminal detected by the sensor module 170.”).
SEO does not explicitly teach the [square-bracketed] limitations.
LEE discloses the [square-bracketed] limitations. LEE discloses a method/system for controlling a smart device using voice commands, wherein the voice interaction system further comprises an image acquisition unit (LEE Par 48 – “The input unit 120 includes a camera 121 for obtaining images or video,”), the instruction control unit is connected to the image acquisition unit, and configured to receive and identify image data collected by the image acquisition unit (LEE Par 152 – “In a step S402, the controller 180 determines whether a prescribed gesture (e.g., a gesture as if looking at a watch, hereinafter named a time check gesture 500 a) is received from the user.”), and
send, in a case that the image data comprises a target gesture, a first turn-on instruction to the voice interaction unit (LEE Par 158 – “In the step S405, referring to FIG. 5 (c), the controller 180 can enter a voice command recognition mode. In case that the voice command recognition mode is entered, a voice command guide screen 503 can output a guide mention 504 by audio”), and
[the voice interaction unit is further configured to send, in a case that the first turn-on instruction is received, a second turn-on instruction to the photoelectric sensing unit] (LEE Fig. 4 – “Switch to activated state from idle state (i.e., activate touch screen) 403”; Par 71 – “In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may also be categorized as a proximity sensor.”; Figs. 5b and 5c; Par 161 – “Referring to FIG. 7A (a), the mobile terminal 300 outputs a voice input screen 503, which indicates a state that a voice command can be received from a user, through the touchscreen 351.”; Par 152 –“In a step S402, the controller 180 determines whether a prescribed gesture (e.g., a gesture as if looking at a watch, hereinafter named a time check gesture 500 a) is received from the user. If the prescribed gesture is not received, the controller 180 goes back to the step S401. If the prescribed gesture is received, the controller 180 can go to a step S403.”; Par 153 – “Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, if the time check gesture 500 a is received using a user's hand having the mobile terminal 300 worn thereon, it is able to output the numeric plate 303 for checking a time after activation 502 of the touchscreen 351 like the step S403 [cf. FIG. 5 (b)].”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the method of SEO to include turning on a photoelectric sensing unit, as taught by LEE.
One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to include turning on a photoelectric sensing unit, in order to enhance the user-machine interaction by enabling more modes of interaction.
REGARDING CLAIM 17, SEO in view of CHO discloses the voice interaction method according to claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:
determining, in a case that the voice interaction unit is in the on state, whether the voice interaction unit receives the voice instruction within the predetermined time (SEO Fig. 6; Par 121 – “When any command or input is not input during a predetermined time, the touch screen provided on the portable terminal of the present disclosure is maintained in the inactive state, that is, the sleep mode (S605). The inactive state means a state in which the touch screen is turned off.”; Par 134 – “The voice recognition module may be continuously maintained in the active state until the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, and when the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, the voice recognition module may be switched to be in the inactive state.”);
controlling, in a case that the voice interaction unit is not received within the predetermined time, the [photoelectric] touch screen sensing unit to be turned off (SEO Fig. 6; Par 121 – “When any command or input is not input during a predetermined time, the touch screen provided on the portable terminal of the present disclosure is maintained in the inactive state, that is, the sleep mode (S605). The inactive state means a state in which the touch screen is turned off.”; Par 134 – “The voice recognition module may be continuously maintained in the active state until the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, and when the input of the voice or the sound is stopped, the voice recognition module may be switched to be in the inactive state.”).
SEO does not explicitly teach the [square-bracketed] limitation and teaches the underlined feature instead.
LEE discloses the [square-bracketed] limitations. LEE discloses a method/system for controlling a smart device using voice commands,
determining, in a case that the voice interaction unit is in the on state, whether the voice interaction unit receives the voice instruction within the predetermined time; controlling, in a case that the voice interaction unit is not received within the predetermined time, the [photoelectric] sensing unit to be turned off (LEE Par 151 – “Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, in a step S401, the controller 180 enters an idle state. In this case, the idle state means a state that power consumption of the mobile terminal 300 is set to a minimum. In the idle state, the touchscreen 351 or other unnecessary sensors are deactivated. In case of failing to receive any command from a user for a prescribed time or receiving an idle state enter command from a user, the mobile terminal 300 can switch to the idle state from an activated state. Referring to FIG. 5 (a), a state diagram of the mobile terminal 300 in the idle state is illustrated. And, the touchscreen 351 is deactivated.”; Par 71 – “In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may also be categorized as a proximity sensor.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the method of SEO to include turning off a photoelectric sensing unit, as taught by LEE.
One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to include turning off a photoelectric sensing unit, in order to reduce unnecessary power consumption of a device.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SEO in view of CHO, and in further view of ARIA (US 20110215952 A1).
REGARDING CLAIM 13, SEO discloses the voice interaction system according to claim 1.
SEO does not explicitly teach communicating through serial port instructions.
ARIA discloses a method/system for an electronic device with multiple sensors, wherein the voice interaction unit is communicated with the instruction control unit through serial port instructions, and the voice interaction unit is communicated with the photoelectric sensing unit through serial port instructions (ARIA Par 60 – “System 500 also includes one or more sensors that provide data to the host processor 502 and/or other processor(s). The sensors can include one or more motion sensors, such as accelerometer 508 or gyroscopes, or other types of sensors, such as pressure sensor 510, compass 512, a camera module 514 (e.g., picture and/or video camera), and a GPS module 516. Herein, the sensors 508-516 may be referred to as "external sensors" or "companion sensors" because they are external to the sensor bridge 520. These sensors provide data and other signals to be used in the functions of the system 500. For example, some of the sensors may include one or more of an analog output for data, a digital output for data, a communication port module for communicating data and including a master and a slave, and timing control for timing data, as shown for sensors 508, 510, and 512. For example, the accelerometer 508, pressure sensor 510, and compass 512 are shown including an analog line for analog voltage output and a voltage reference input, a communication interface line for sending and receiving digital sensor data, and a clock synchronization line for timing signals. In some embodiments, the communication port of the sensors implements a serial communication standard, such as I2C, SPI, USB, or UART, for the communication interface line. Camera module 514 can receive inputs specialized for its function, such as data and/or commands on a serial bus input from another source, and a pixel bus with picture data. GPS module 516 can receive inputs such as data on a serial bus, and data on a precise positioning service (PPS) bus.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to modify the method of SEO to include serial port instructions, as taught by ARIA.
One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to include serial port instructions, in order to utilize a communication standard such that a more efficient communication is enabled.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/JONATHAN C KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2655