Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/451,312

CONTROL METHOD, CONTROL DEVICE, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM STORING PROGRAM

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Aug 17, 2023
Examiner
PHAM, LINH K
Art Unit
2174
Tech Center
2100 — Computer Architecture & Software
Assignee
Seiko Epson Corporation
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
81%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
3y 6m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 81% — above average
81%
Career Allow Rate
521 granted / 644 resolved
+25.9% vs TC avg
Strong +28% interview lift
Without
With
+28.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 6m
Avg Prosecution
14 currently pending
Career history
658
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
9.7%
-30.3% vs TC avg
§103
47.7%
+7.7% vs TC avg
§102
28.3%
-11.7% vs TC avg
§112
7.3%
-32.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 644 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 This Office Action is in response to the Request for Continued Examination filed on 12/29/2025. In the Instant Amendment, Claims 1, 9, and 7 are amended; Claims 1, 6, and 7 are independent claims; Claims 1-18 have been examined and are pending. This Action is made NON-FINAL. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/29/2025 has been entered. Response to Arguments Applicants’ arguments in the instant Amendment, filed on 12/29/2025, have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. The Examiner respectfully suggests that the claim be further amended; details in the specification be incorporated, to distinguish the claimed invention over prior art of record. Should the Applicant desire an interview to further clarify the claim interpretation/rejections, please contact the Examiner at (571) 270 3230 to schedule an interview. 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 1-2, 4-9, 11-14, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshimura (US 2013/0083058), in view of Yoshimura et al., (“Yoshimura’124,” US 2014/00898124). Regarding claim 1, Yoshimura discloses a control method comprising: shifting, when a selection operation for an image of a grid point or a grid line displayed on a display screen is received in a first detection region including at least a [[portion]] of the image (Yoshimura: pars. 0051-0058, 0060, 0062, 0065-0066;Fig. 2-6; a projector 1 displays a point selection image for causing the user to select a control point for correcting a distortion. When the user selects a desired control point in the point selection image, the projector 1 displays a point adjustment image in which the control point can be moved (adjusted in position). When the user operates the direction keys in the point adjustment image. [the user can select point and grid line and desired item/ region of image by operating the upward and downward direction keys]), the image from an unselected state to a selected state (Yoshimura: pars. 0013-0014, 0054, 0062, 0065-0066; Figs. 2-6; an operation receiving unit 22 receives selection an image and changes current state of image to selected state. And also pars. 0094-0099; Fig. 10 shows the steps to perform shifting/moving selected point and grid line of image by operating the upward, downward, left or right direction keys); and executing, when an image operation for the image in the selected state is received in a second detection region, processing corresponding to the image operation on the image in the selected state (Yoshimura: pars. 0067-0075 and 0077-0080; Figs. 6A-6B and 7), the second detection region including [[at least a portion of]] the image and being a different area from the first detection region (Yoshimura: pars. 0015; the projector displays a second OSD (on-screen display) image for moving a selected image; par. 0124; the directions of the moving direction guide OA11 may be set different for the direction in which the selected control point). Yoshimura discloses all limitations above, but does not explicitly disclose displayed on a display screen including at least a portion of the image. However, Yoshimura’123 discloses a method performing a shape correction of an image displayed on an image display surface, wherein displayed on a display screen including at least a portion of the image (Yoshimura’124: pars. 0057-0058, Figs. 6A-6D, Fig. 6A shows that the upper left corner portion of the image forming region 23b (input image) is movable in the up, down, left, and right directions. And also see pars. 0060-0063, 0072-0077; Figs. 8A-10H). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yoshimura’124 with the method/system of Yoshimura to allow a user easily recognizes which portion the user moves to correct the shape of the image. Regarding claim 2, Yoshimura and Yoshimura’124 disclose the control method according to claim 1. Yoshimura further discloses the control method, wherein when a display image adjacent to the image is displayed on the display screen (Yoshimura: pars. 0015-0016; the projector displays a moving from a default position on a second OSD image; pars. 0068; Figs. 6A-6B show the point selection image (OS1(OS) or OS2(OS)) is display upper part or lower right part), the first detection region and the second detection region are set based on a distance between the image and the display image (Yoshimura: pars. 0080, 0089; Fig. 7). Regarding claim 4, Yoshimura and Yoshimura’124 disclose the control method according to claim 1. Yoshimura and Yoshimura’124 further disclose the control method according to claim 1, wherein the image operation is a movement operation, and the processing is movement processing of moving the image from the a display position of the image to a movement position designated based on the movement operation (Yoshimura: pars. 0070-0074, 0079-0080, Fig. 6A-8C. Yoshimura’124: pars. 0008-0009, 0054-0057, 0061-0064; Figs. 5A-6B7, 7A-7H). Regarding claim 5, Yoshimura and Yoshimura’124 disclose the control method according to claim 4. Yoshimura further discloses the control method, wherein when the movement processing is executed on the image, generating correction data including position information related to the movement position, and outputting the correction data (Yoshimura: pars. 0103-0107; Figs. 11-12 shows the image subjected to the point correction. And also see pars. 0083-0084; Fig. 8A-8C). Regarding claim 6, claim 6 is directed to control device associated with the method claimed in claim 1; Claim 6 is similar in scope to claim 1, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale. Regarding claim 7, claim 7 is directed to non-transitory computer-readable storage medium associated with the method claimed in claim 1; Claim 7 is similar in scope to claim 1, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale. Regarding claim 8, Yoshimura and Yoshimura’124 disclose the control method according to claim 1. Yoshimura further discloses the control method further comprising: shifting a detection region for receiving an operation to the image from the first detection region to the second detection region in response to the shifting the image from the unselected state to the selected state (Yoshimura: pars. 0013-0014, 0054, 0062, 0065-0066; Figs. 2-6; an operation receiving unit 22 receives selection an image and changes current state of image to selected state. And also pars. 0094-0099; Fig. 10 shows the steps to perform shifting/moving selected point and grid line of image by operating the upward, downward, left or right direction keys. [the user can change a first direction to a second direction; for example, first direction is up/down and second direction is left/right]). Regarding claim 9, claim 9 is directed to control device associated with the method claimed in claims 2; Claim 9 is similar in scope to claims 2, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale. Regarding claim 14, claim 14 is directed to non-transitory computer-readable storage medium associated with the method claimed in claim 2; Claim 14 is similar in scope to claim 2, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale. Regarding claims 11-12, claims 11-12 are directed to control device associated with the method claimed in claims 4-5 respectively; Claims 11-12 are similar in scope to claim 4-5 respectively, and are therefore rejected under similar rationale. Regarding claim 13, claim 13 is directed to control device associated with the method claimed in claim 8; Claim 13 is similar in scope to claim 8 , and is therefore rejected under similar rationale. Regarding claims 16-17 , claims 16-17 are directed to non-transitory computer-readable storage medium associated with the method claimed in claims 4-5 respectively; Claims 16-17 are similar in scope to claims 4-5 respectively, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale. Regarding claim 18, claim 18 is directed to non-transitory computer-readable storage medium associated with the method claimed in claim 8; Claim 18 is similar in scope to claim 8, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale. Claims 3, 10, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshimura (US 2013/0083058), in view of in view of Yoshimura et al., (“Yoshimura’124,” US 2014/00898124), and further in view of Ota et al., (“Ota,” US 2020/0077061). Regarding claim 3, Yoshimura and Yoshimura’124 disclose the control method according to claim 1. Yoshimura further discloses the control method, further comprising: receiving a switching operation of switching between a first mode and a second mode (Yoshimura: pars. 0043, 0072-0073; Figs. 6A-6B shows a user can switch between upward, downward, left and right direction). Yoshimura discloses the a switching operation of switching between a first mode and a second mode, but does not explicitly disclose wherein in the first mode, the first detection region is wider than the second detection region, and in the second mode, the first detection region is narrower than the second detection region. However, Ota discloses a method for controlling display, wherein in the first mode, the first detection region is wider than the second detection region, and in the second mode, the first detection region is narrower than the second detection region (Ota: pars. 0054-0055, 0067-0074; Figs. 6-8, 10-12; an operation for moving the slider 2212a in the positive direction is known as the second mode and image PG is enlarge, if an operation for moving the slider 2212a in the negative direction is known as the first mode and image PG is small/smaller). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ota with the method/system of Yoshimura and Yoshimura’124 to provide users with a means for changing/switch operation to change size of image on screen display. Regarding claim 10, claim 10 is directed to control device associated with the method claimed in claim 3; Claim 10 is similar in scope to claim 3, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale. Regarding claim 15, claim 15 is directed to non-transitory computer-readable storage medium associated with the method claimed in claim 3; Claim 15 is similar in scope to claim 3, and is therefore rejected under similar rationale. Conclusion The prior art made of record on form PTO-892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Applicant is required under 37 C.F.R. § 1.111(c) to consider these references fully when responding to this action. It is noted that any citation to specific, pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the references 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. In re Heck, 699 F.2d 1331, 1332-33,216 USPQ 1038, 1039 (Fed. Cir. 1983) (quoting In re Lemelson, 397 F.2d 1006, 1009, 158 USPQ 275,277 (CCPA 1968)). Inquiries Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LINH K PHAM whose telephone number is (571)270-3230. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM (EST). Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William L Bashore can be reached on (571) 272-4088. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /LINH K PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2174
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 17, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 07, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §103
Jun 11, 2025
Response Filed
Sep 29, 2025
Final Rejection — §103
Dec 29, 2025
Request for Continued Examination
Jan 17, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Jan 24, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
81%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+28.5%)
3y 6m
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 644 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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