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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1, 8, and 16 have been amended.
Claims 2, 10, and 18 have been cancelled.
Claims 21 and 22 have been added.
Claims 1, 3-9, 11-17, and 19-22 are pending.
Claims 1, 3-9, 11-17, and 19-22 are rejected.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/19/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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 1, 3, 4, 6-9, 11, 12, 14-17, and 19-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al (US 20210072892 A1, hereinafter "Lee"), in view of Cengil et al. (US 10,449,829 B2, hereinafter “Cengil”).
As to claim 1, Lee discloses a system for a vehicle, comprising:
an air conditioning system that conveys conditioned air into a cabin of the vehicle; [Vehicle 1 has an air conditioner 120 [See ¶-56]] a motorized directional air flow control feature that controls a direction of conditioned air flowing into the cabin of the vehicle from the air conditioning system; [A plurality of vents are each provided with a blowing direction adjustment system of a first, second, and vent open/close third adjuster (collectively motorized directional air flow control feature) [See ¶-74-77]] a touchscreen that includes an operation zone and a deactivation zone, the touchscreen being configured to display an operation zone boundary delineating the operation zone, an air flow graphic having a directional quality, and an air flow control icon associated with the air flow graphic, wherein the touchscreen is configured to receive a user input via a touch event on the touchscreen originating at a first position within the operation zone that corresponds with the position of the air flow control icon displayed on the touchscreen and terminates at a second position on the touchscreen that is in a spaced- relationship with the first position; [Fig 8A shows that a first display area (operation zone) and a vent off icon CI (deactivation zone) may be displayed [See ¶-118]. The user may provide a first gesture dragging a displayed Pointer (air flow control icon) within the first display area to adjust the blowing direction, as shown in Figs 6A-B [See ¶-107-112]. The broadest reasonable interpretation of the "air flow graphic" does not preclude it from being performed by the same air flow control icon. Examiner interprets the Pointer to serve as both the air flow control icon and the air flow graphic as it serves to indicate the direction of air flow; Figs. 5 and 8A show that the boundaries are displayed; (“The display 112 may display each display area in a box shape so that the user can easily input the blowing control command by touching a display area.”) [See ¶ 98]] and a controller configured to: if the second position is within the operation zone of the touchscreen, prompt adjustment of the motorized directional air flow control feature in response to the touchscreen receiving the user input from a first flow orientation to a second flow orientation, such that a direction that conditioned air flowing from the air conditioning system into the cabin controlled by the motorized directional air flow control feature changes from a first direction to a second direction; [Based on the first gesture, the vent direction is adjusted left/right and/or up/down [See ¶-127-129]] and prompt the touchscreen to adjust the displayed orientation of the directional quality of the air flow graphic from a first orientation that corresponds with the first flow orientation of the motorized directional air flow control feature and provides a visual representation imitating conditioned air flowing within the cabin in the first direction to a second orientation that corresponds with the second flow orientation of the motorized directional air flow control feature and provides a visual representation imitating conditioned air flowing within the cabin in the second direction; [As shown in Fig 6A-6B, the Pointer is dragged to a new location [See ¶-111-112]. The position indicates the vent blowing direction ("visual representation imitating conditioned air flowing") [See ¶-103-104, 129]] and if the second position is within the deactivation zone of the touchscreen, prompt adjustment of the motorized directional air flow control feature to a closed orientation in response to the touchscreen receiving the user input, such that conditioned air is restricted by the motorized directional air flow control feature from flowing into the cabin from the air conditioning system. [As shown in Fig 8A, if the displayed Pointer is dragged to a vent open/close icon CI, then the vent is closed ("air is restricted by the motorized directional air flow control feature") [See ¶-118]]
Lee does not explicitly teach the touchscreen being configured to display a vehicle interior graphic depicting a vehicle-forward end of a cabin of a vehicle that includes a plurality of outlets, an instrument panel, an area above the instrument panel, and a portion of a seating assembly and wherein the position of at least a portion of the deactivation zone on the touchscreen corresponds with the position of a portion of the seating assembly displayed on the touchscreen, and wherein the position of a portion of the operation zone displayed on the touchscreen corresponds with the position of at least a portion of the area above the instrument panel displayed on the touchscreen.
Cengil teaches a touchscreen being configured to display a vehicle interior graphic depicting a vehicle-forward end of a cabin of a vehicle that includes a plurality of outlets, an instrument panel, an area above the instrument panel, and a portion of a seating assembly (Cengil; Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the applicant’s invention to implement the system of Lee by incorporating the vehicle interior graphic as taught by Cengil in order to allow a user to rapidly visualize the operation of the vehicle’s air conditioning system (Cengil; col.2, lines 40-43). While Lee in view of Cengil does not explicitly teach that the position of at least a portion of the deactivation zone on the touchscreen corresponds with the position of a portion of the seating assembly displayed on the touchscreen and wherein the position of a portion of the operation zone displayed on the touchscreen corresponds with the position of at least a portion of the area above the instrument panel displayed on the touchscreen, it would have been obvious when Lee is modified to display the interior vehicle graphic taught by Cengil that a portion of the deactivation zone of Lee would overlay a portion of the seating assembly on the touchscreen and a portion of the operation zone of Lee would overlay a portion of the area above the instrument panel on the touchscreen. This would have been a predictable result of the combination set forth.
As to claim 3, Lee in view of Cengil teaches the system of claim 1, wherein a deactivation zone boundary delineating the deactivation zone is displayed on the touchscreen. [Lee, Fig. 8A shows that the boundary of the vent open/close icon CI is shown]
As to claim 4, Lee in view of Cengil teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the deactivation zone is positioned touchscreen- downward of the operation zone. [Lee, Fig 8A shows that the vent open/close icon CI is in a downward direction of the display area D2]
As to claim 6, Lee in view of Cengil teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the touch event includes a finger of a user dragging along the touchscreen from the first position to the second position. [Lee, The first gesture may be a drag gesture, as shown in Figs 6A-B [See ¶-111-112]]
As to claim 7, Lee in view of Cengil teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to prompt adjustment of the position of the air flow control icon on the touchscreen from corresponding with the first position to corresponding with the second position in response to the user input, if the second position is within the operation zone of the touchscreen. [Lee, As shown in Fig 6A-6B, the Pointer is dragged to a new location [See ¶-111-112]. The position indicates the vent blowing direction ("visual representation imitating conditioned air flowing") [See ¶-103-104, 129]]
As to claims 8-9, the claims are directed to a system analogous to the system of claim 1 and are thus rejected under similar rationale.
As to claims 11-12, 14-15, the claims are directed to a system analogous to the system of claims 3-4, 6-7 respectively, and are thus rejected under similar rationale.
As to claim 16, Lee discloses a system for a vehicle, comprising:
an air conditioning system that conveys conditioned air into a cabin of the vehicle; [Vehicle 1 has an air conditioner 120 [See ¶-56]] a first motorized directional air flow control feature that controls a direction of conditioned air flowing into the cabin of the vehicle from the air conditioning system; [A plurality of vents are each provided with a blowing direction adjustment system of a first, second, and vent open/close third adjuster (collectively first motorized directional air flow control feature) [See ¶-74-77]] a second motorized directional air flow control feature that controls a direction of conditioned air flowing into the cabin of the vehicle from the air conditioning system; [Accordingly, a second vent would include corresponding first, second, and vent open/close third adjuster (collectively second motorized directional air flow control feature) [See ¶-74-77]] a touchscreen that includes first and second operation zones and first and second deactivation zones, the touchscreen being configured to display first and second operation zone boundaries delineating the first and second operation zones, respectively, and first and second air flow graphics having respective directional qualities and first and second air flow control icons associated with the first and second air flow graphics, respectively, wherein the touchscreen is configured to receive a first user input via a first touch event on the touchscreen originating at a first position within the first operation zone that corresponds with the position of the first air flow control icon displayed on the touchscreen and terminates at a second position on the touchscreen that is in a spaced-relationship with the first position and positioned within the first deactivation zone; [Figs. 5, 8A shows that a first/second display area (first/second operation zone) and a vent off icon CI (first/second deactivation zone) may be displayed [See ¶-118]. Pointers P1-P4 are displayed to indicate their blowing direction [See ¶-104]. The user may drag a displayed pointer within the first display area to adjust the blowing direction, as shown in Figs 6A-B [See ¶-107-112]; Figs. 5 and 8A show that the boundaries are displayed; (“The display 112 may display each display area in a box shape so that the user can easily input the blowing control command by touching a display area.”) [See ¶ 98]] and a controller configured to prompt adjustment of the first motorized directional air flow control feature, independently of the second motorized directional air flow control feature, to a closed orientation in response to the touchscreen receiving the first user input, such that conditioned air is restricted by the first motorized directional air flow control feature from flowing into the cabin from the air conditioning system. [A plurality of vents are each provided with a blowing direction adjustment system of a first, second, and vent open/close third adjuster and may be individually adjusted with the displayed Pointers P1-P4 [See ¶-74-77]. As shown in Fig 8A, if the displayed Pointer P1 is dragged to a vent open/close icon CI, then the vent is closed ("air is restricted by the motorized directional air flow control feature") [See ¶-118]]
Lee does not explicitly teach the touchscreen being configured to display a vehicle interior graphic depicting a vehicle-forward end of a cabin of a vehicle that includes a plurality of outlets, an instrument panel, an area above the instrument panel, and a portion of a seating assembly and wherein the position of at least a portion of the first deactivation zone on the touchscreen corresponds with the position of a portion of the seating assembly displayed on the touchscreen, and wherein the position of a portion of the first operation zone displayed on the touchscreen corresponds with the position of at least a portion of the area above the instrument panel displayed on the touchscreen.
Cengil teaches a touchscreen being configured to display a vehicle interior graphic depicting a vehicle-forward end of a cabin of a vehicle that includes a plurality of outlets, an instrument panel, an area above the instrument panel, and a portion of a seating assembly (Cengil; Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the applicant’s invention to implement the system of Lee by incorporating the vehicle interior graphic as taught by Cengil in order to allow a user to rapidly visualize the operation of the vehicle’s air conditioning system (Cengil; col.2, lines 40-43). While Lee in view of Cengil does not explicitly teach that the position of at least a portion of the first deactivation zone on the touchscreen corresponds with the position of a portion of the seating assembly displayed on the touchscreen and wherein the position of a portion of the first operation zone displayed on the touchscreen corresponds with the position of at least a portion of the area above the instrument panel displayed on the touchscreen, it would have been obvious when Lee is modified to display the interior vehicle graphic taught by Cengil that a portion of the deactivation zone of Lee would overlay a portion of the seating assembly on the touchscreen and a portion of the operation zone of Lee would overlay a portion of the area above the instrument panel on the touchscreen. This would have been a predictable result of the combination set forth.
As to claim 17, Lee in view of Cengil teaches the system of claim 16, wherein the touchscreen is further configured to receive a second user input via a second touch event on the touchscreen originating at a third position within the second operation zone that corresponds with the position of the second air flow control icon displayed on the touchscreen and terminates at a fourth position on the touchscreen that is in a spaced-relationship with the third position and positioned within the second deactivation zone, and wherein the controller is further configured to prompt adjustment of the second motorized directional air flow control feature, independently of the first motorized directional air flow control feature, to a closed orientation in response to the touchscreen receiving the second user input, such that conditioned air is restricted by the second motorized directional air flow control feature from flowing into the cabin from the air conditioning system. [Lee, Each vent is controlled by a corresponding touch area, as shown in Fig 5 [See ¶-96, 104-106]. As shown in Fig 8A, if the displayed Pointer P2 is dragged to a vent open/close icon CI, then the vent is closed ("air is restricted by the motorized directional air flow control feature") [See ¶-118]]
As to claim 19, Lee in view of Cengil teaches the system of claim 17, wherein first and second deactivation zone boundaries delineating the first and second deactivation zones, respectively, are displayed on the touchscreen. [Lee, Fig. 8A shows that the boundary of the vent open/close icon CI is shown. The broadest reasonable interpretation of the first/second deactivation zone does not require them the be shown concurrently, accordingly, the icon CI is interpreted as the first/second deactivation zone]
As to claim 20, the claim is directed to a system analogous to the system of claim 6 and is thus rejected under similar rationale.
As to claim 21, Lee in view of Cengil teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen comprises a plurality of operation zones, wherein the deactivation zone corresponds to anywhere on the touchscreen outside of the operation zones [Fig 8A shows that the vent off icon CI (deactivation zone) is outside the display area (operation zone) – “dragging to a closed icon CI displayed outside the display area” [See ¶-118]].
As to claim 22, the claim is directed to a system analogous to the system of claim 21 and is thus rejected under similar rationale.
Claims 5 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Cengil, further in view of Aaron (US 20250060866 A1).
As to claim 5, Lee in view of Cengil do(es) not disclose "wherein the deactivation zone borders the operation zone on the touchscreen. " On the other hand, Aaron discloses "wherein the deactivation zone borders the operation zone on the touchscreen." Aaron discloses a system wherein an interface is displayed to control a device, as shown in Fig 3A [See ¶-87]. The interface shows an upper region where an icon 216 may be dragged to turn on the device, and a lower region to turn off the device [See ¶-70, 86-87]. Fig 3A shows that the upper and lower region share a border. Additionally, the device may be an HVAC fan device [See ¶-27]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lee’s air visualization system to incorporate the teachings of Aaron's adjacent regions. Motivation to do so would be because it would be applying a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results. The known technique of Aaron's adjacent regions would have predictably resulted in increasing the area for disabling a fan, thus enabling faster, and easier control.
As to claim 13, the claim is directed to a system analogous to the system of claim 5 and is thus rejected under similar rationale.
Response to Arguments
The previous objection to the title has been withdrawn in view of applicant’s amendment.
Applicant's arguments filed 12/19/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Lee and Cengil, taken alone or in combination, do not teach the claims, as amended, without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references. The examiner respectfully disagrees, as set forth in the rejections above.
Conclusion
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/KAVITA STANLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2153
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