DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This action is responsive to the Amendment filed on 6/9/2025. Claims 1-10 are pending in the case.
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 (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 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 1-2, 4-7, and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Klein et al. (US 20210096675, hereinafter Klein) in view of Chung et al. (US 20200125144 A1, hereinafter Chung).
As to independent claim 1, Klein teaches an image presenting method, configured for a display device, wherein the display device comprises a foldable display (foldable display 102 shown in Fig. 1A-B), and the image presenting method comprises:
defining one vision region in a display interface of the foldable display via a first application programming interface (“For instance, a single display region 106C is provided when the bendable device 202 is in an unbent posture as shown in FIG. 2A.” paragraph 0047);
detecting a physical status of the foldable display (“When the bendable device 202 is bent, a crease or “fold” 204 is formed in the bendable screen 104C. The term “fold” as used herein might refer to the area where a foldable device is folded (i.e. the area of a hinge 104 on a hinged device 102 or the area where the display of a bendable device 202 bends).” Paragraph 0046);
dividing the vision region into a first sub-vision region located at a first side of a virtual boundary line and a second sub-vision region located at a second side of the virtual boundary line in response to the physical status of the foldable display being a folded status (“Two display regions 106D and 106E can be provided on the bendable screen 104C when the bendable device 202 is in a bent posture, such as that shown in FIG. 2B.” paragraph 0047); and
presenting a first desktop image and a second desktop image respectively in the first sub- vision region and the second sub-vision region via a second application programming interface (Fig. 3B, display region 106D and 106E),
wherein one of the first desktop image and the second desktop image comprises a toolbar image (taskbar 302, paragraph 0058), and a presenting position of the toolbar image in the first sub-vision region or the second sub-vision region is variable (“In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A, the bendable device 202 displays the taskbar 302 across the entirety of the bottom edge of the display region 106C while in the single display region mode. When the device 202 transitions from single display region mode to multiple display region mode, the device 202 modifies the display of the taskbar 302 such that it encompasses only the bottom edge of one of the regions 106D and 106E. In the example shown in FIG. 3B, the taskbar 302 spans the bottom edge of the display region 106D, however, the taskbar 302 might be presented in the display region 106E in a similar manner in other embodiments. In the multiple display region mode, the taskbar 302 can be presented in either display region 106D or 106E, but not both at the same time.” Paragraph 0059).
Klein does not appear to expressly teach when the first desktop image and the second desktop image are both presented, the toolbar image is presented at a first position in the first sub-vision region at a first point in time, and the toolbar image is presented at a second position in the second sub-vision region at a second point in time.
Chung teaches when the first desktop image and the second desktop image are both presented, the toolbar image is presented at a first position in the first sub-vision region at a first point in time, and the toolbar image is presented at a second position in the second sub-vision region at a second point in time (“According to an embodiment, the processor 220 may move and display at least one main object in the determined second area. For example, if a left portion of the electronic device 101 or 201 is gripped and the electronic device 101 or 201 is folded, the processor 220 may display objects 801, 811, and 821 displayed at the bottom including at least part of the first area in the folded out state, in second areas 803, 813, and 823 which are part of the left surface as shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C. For example, if a right portion of the electronic device 101 or 201 is gripped and the electronic device 101 or 201 is folded, the processor 220 may display the objects 801, 811, and 821 displayed at the bottom including at least part of the first area in the folded out state, in second areas 805, 815, and 825 which are part of the right surface as shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C.” paragraph 0125).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Klein to comprise when the first desktop image and the second desktop image are both presented, the toolbar image is presented at a first position in the first sub-vision region at a first point in time, and the toolbar image is presented at a second position in the second sub-vision region at a second point in time. One would have been motivated to make such a combination to improve accessibility for the user, especially beneficial for users with specific needs or preferences.
As to dependent claim 2, Klein teaches the image presenting image of claim 1, Klein does not appear to expressly teach wherein the step of presenting the first desktop image and the second desktop image respectively in the first sub-vision region and the second sub-vision region via the second application programming interface comprises: obtaining toolbar configuration information; and presenting the toolbar image in the first sub-vision region or the second sub-vision region according to the toolbar configuration information.
Chung teaches wherein the step of presenting the first desktop image and the second desktop image respectively in the first sub-vision region and the second sub-vision region via the second application programming interface comprises: obtaining toolbar configuration information; and presenting the toolbar image in the first sub-vision region or the second sub-vision region according to the toolbar configuration information (“According to an embodiment, the processor 220 may move and display at least one main object in the determined second area. For example, if a left portion of the electronic device 101 or 201 is gripped and the electronic device 101 or 201 is folded, the processor 220 may display objects 801, 811, and 821 displayed at the bottom including at least part of the first area in the folded out state, in second areas 803, 813, and 823 which are part of the left surface as shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C. For example, if a right portion of the electronic device 101 or 201 is gripped and the electronic device 101 or 201 is folded, the processor 220 may display the objects 801, 811, and 821 displayed at the bottom including at least part of the first area in the folded out state, in second areas 805, 815, and 825 which are part of the right surface as shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C.” paragraph 0125).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Klein to comprise wherein the step of presenting the first desktop image and the second desktop image respectively in the first sub-vision region and the second sub-vision region via the second application programming interface comprises: obtaining toolbar configuration information; and presenting the toolbar image in the first sub-vision region or the second sub-vision region according to the toolbar configuration information. One would have been motivated to make such a combination to improve accessibility for the user, especially beneficial for users with specific needs or preferences.
As to dependent claim 4, Klein teaches the image presenting method of claim 1, Klein further teaches the method further comprising: presenting at least one virtual button in the toolbar image, wherein each virtual button is configured to launch a target application (“The taskbar 302 can provide various types of functionality including, but not limited to, launching applications,” Paragraph 0058).
As to dependent claim 5, Klein teaches the image presenting method of claim 1, Klein further teaches the method further comprising: presenting a target image in the vision region via the second application programming interface when the physical status of the foldable display is an unfolded status (“In the example shown in FIG. 5A, the device 202 is configured in an unbent posture and an application has presented an application window 502A (which might alternately be maximized) in the display region 106D that spans across both sides of the display.” Paragraph 0067).
Claims 6-7 and 9-10 are substantially the same as claims 1-2 and 4-5 and therefore is rejected under similar rationale as above.
Claims 3 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Klein et al. in view of Chung et al., and Kong et al. (US 20240019977 A1, hereinafter Kong).
As to dependent claim 3, Klein teaches the image presenting method of claim 2, Klein does not appear to expressly teach the method further comprising: receiving a user operation; and updating the toolbar configuration information according to the user operation to adjust the presenting position of the toolbar image in the first sub-vision region or the second sub-vision region.
Kong teaches receiving a user operation; and updating the toolbar configuration information according to the user operation to adjust the presenting position of the toolbar image in the interface (“In some embodiments, in order to facilitate user operation, the terminal may further move a display position of the menu bar based on the user's triggering operation. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the terminal by default displays the menu bar 501 at the bottom of the application interface, and the user may drag the menu bar 501 to other edge positions, such as dragging it to the top of the application interface, or to the left or right of the application interface, etc.” paragraph 0119).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Klein to comprise receiving a user operation; and updating the toolbar configuration information according to the user operation to adjust the presenting position of the toolbar image in the first sub-vision region or the second sub-vision region. One would have been motivated to make such a combination to improve user experience of display position switching.
Claim 8 is substantially the same as claim 3 and therefore is rejected under similar rationale as above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Zhang US 20220374123 A1
Sang US 20160259514 A1
Cheong US 20180039408 A1
Iyer US 20200372875 A1
Li US 2022/0300154
Huh US 20160357221 A1
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 MAHELET SHIBEROU whose telephone number is (571)270-7493. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 AM-5:00 PM Eastern Time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Ell can be reached on 571-270-3264. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MAHELET SHIBEROU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2171