DETAILED ACTION
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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/08/2025 has been entered.
Claims 2, 7, 12 and 15 are cancelled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 5 includes limitation “a notification window” and claim 5 is dependent on claim 1 which also includes a limitation “a notification window”; it is not clear if claim 5 is referring to same notification window or a different one.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, for being dependent on claim 5.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1, 5-6, 8, 10-11, 14, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CHO (US Pub 2018/0027175) in view of Jiang (US Pub 2013/0229579) and CHUNG et al (US Pub 2020/0359083).
With respect to claim 1, CHO discloses a display device mirroring a source device, (par 0045; discloses an example where four display devices 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4 display divided images of an image of apples at the same time. A source of each image displayed in the four display devices 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4 is any one of four external devices 200-1, 200-2, 200-3, 200-4 respectively connected to the four display devices 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4) the display device comprising: a communication unit (fig. 1; display 100 includes communicator 110); a display (fig. 4; display 120); and a controller (fig. 4; processor 150) configured to: receive second image data from the source device; output on the display a second screen based on the second image data while a first screen based on first image data is displayed at the source device, wherein the first image data and the second image data are respectively from two different external input sources both directly connected to the source device (par 0046; discloses the first display device 100-1 may receive the image of apples from the connected first external device 200-1 and transmit the received image to the second, third, and fourth display devices 100-2, 100-3, 100-4 so that the received image is displayed in the four display devices 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4. Fig. 1; discloses display 100-2 displays a different image (i.e. second image) where display 100-1 displays a different image (i.e. first image); see annotated fig. 1 below for reference; par 0103; discloses the image received from the external device connected to the display device 100 may be called ‘first image,’ and the image received from other display device may be called ‘second image; fig. 10 and paragraph 0149; discloses Referring to FIG. 10, according to another embodiment disclosed herein, the first display device 100-1 of the display system 2000 may display the image 10-2 of the second external device provided from the external device connected to the second display device 100-2 through the HDMI port, the second display device 100-2 may display the image 10-3 of the third external device provided from the external device connected to the third display device 100-3 through the DVI port; i.e. the display device and source device outputs different images from different external devices; par 0044; discloses FIG. 1 illustrates that a plurality of display devices 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, and 100-4 are respectively connected to one external device each, but two or more external devices may be connected to one display device, and a display device not connected to an external device may be included);
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simultaneously output on the display a first external input source list and a second external input source list, based on receiving a user input to change an external input source at the display device, (fig. 6; discloses simultaneously outputting plurality of external input sources that may be connected to different display device 100-1, 100-2, 100-3 and 100-4; par 0122; discloses the list of the plurality of selectable image sources displayed in the display 130-1 may include a type of the external devices connected to the respective display devices (a laptop PC, a smart phone, a set-top box, or the like), information including a model name of the external devices, a list of images that may be provided by the external devices, and so on; par 0098; discloses The input unit 130 is a configuration to receive selection of a user, and receives a control command to select an image source to provide an image from among a plurality of image source list displayed in the display 120. For example, the input unit 130 may receive a user's selection through a remote-control device, such as, a remote controller that communicates with the display device 100. In response to the display 120 being realized as a touch screen, the display 120 may receive a selection by a user's direct touch as a component of the display 120);
CHO doesn’t expressly disclose simultaneously output at different locations on the display a first external input source list and a second external input source list; wherein the first external input source list includes external input source information of external input sources directly connected to the source device including the two different external input sources and the second external input source list includes external input source information of external input sources directly connected to the display device;
In the same field of endeavor, Jiang discloses display device and control method (see abstract); Jiang discloses simultaneously output at different locations on the display a first external input source list and a second external input source list; wherein the first external input source list includes external input source information of external input sources directly connected to the source device including the two different external input sources and the second external input source list includes external input source information of external input sources directly connected to the display device (fig. 2; discloses displaying an interface 30 that includes simultaneously output at different locations on the display a first external input source list and a second external input source list, the first source list include devices 44a, 52a and 58a connected to device Audi/video 16a (i.e. interpreted source device) and second external input source list connected directly to display device 12a, the second external input source list include game console 64a, audio/video 16a);
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by CHO to simultaneously display all the external input sources that is directly or indirectly connected to display device as disclosed by Jiang in order to allow user to conveniently pick an external input source from a plurality of sources from a single user interface instead of navigating plurality of interfaces;
CHO discloses changing the external input source from any of the display device while the first screen and the second screen being display may be different (par 0058; discloses a user may select an external device to perform a function of an image source for providing an image from among the plurality of external devices by using any one of the plurality of display devices; par 0062; discloses the first to nth display devices 100-1, 100-2, . . . , 100-n display the same image, but this is an example. The respective display devices may display different images or display the image received from the external device connected to other display device.);
CHO as modified by Jiang don’t expressly disclose output on the display a notification window indicating that input source settings of the source device may be changed in response to the user input to change an external input source at the display device;
In the same field of endeavor, CHUNG discloses display apparatus and control method (see abstract); CHUNG discloses output on the display a notification window indicating that input source settings of the source device may be changed in response to the user input to change an external input source at the display device (fig. 4; a notification window 421; par 0108; discloses the controller 170 may control the display 130 to display a message 421 for receiving a user's selection about whether to connect the apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413, and control the external apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413 to be connected to the display apparatus 100 through the communicator 150 in response to a user's selection on the displayed message 421);
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by CHO as modified by Jiang to display a notification window informing user of the change of external input sources as disclosed by CHUNG in order to allow user an opportunity to confirm the changes in order to avoid any unwanted changes that may occur because of accidental button presses.
With respect to claim 5, CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: output on the display of the display device outputs a notification window indicating that a channel of the source device is changed together, (CHUNG; par 0108; discloses the controller 170 may control the display 130 to display a message 421 for receiving a user's selection about whether to connect the apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413, and control the external apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413 to be connected to the display apparatus 100 through the communicator 150 in response to a user's selection on the displayed message 421; par 0110; discloses When the connection between the display apparatus 100 and the external apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413 are completely set, the controller 170 controls the display 130 to display the corresponding item 413 to be shown as connected to the first item 401 by reflecting the connection.) when the source device and the display device mirror a same screen such that the first screen and the second screen are a same screen and when the user input to change the external input source is received (CHO; par 0062; discloses the first to nth display devices 100-1, 100-2, . . . , 100-n display the same image; par 0077; discloses when a plurality of display devices mutually share the information of the external devices connected to each other, a user can use any one of the plurality of display devices and select an external device which will function as an image source providing an image);
With respect to claim 6, CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG discloses wherein the controller requests a user's consent to change the external input source, when the user input to change the external input source is received (CHUNG; par 0108; discloses the controller 170 may control the display 130 to display a message 421 for receiving a user's selection about whether to connect the apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413, and control the external apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413 to be connected to the display apparatus 100 through the communicator 150 in response to a user's selection on the displayed message 421; par 0092; discloses the display apparatus 100 detects a predetermined event related to an external apparatus (301). The event may occur based on a user input, or may automatically occur under a preset condition. For example, the event may include a user input of selecting a menu, i.e. an external input menu related to the external apparatus of the display apparatus 100, change in a network status of the display apparatus 100, detection of a new connectable external apparatus, a case where a predetermined condition set by a user, a manufacturer, a broadcasting service provider, etc. is satisfied, and so on.).
With respect to claim 8, CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG discloses wherein the controller requests a user's consent to change the external input source, when the user input to change the external input source is received (CHUNG; par 0108; discloses the controller 170 may control the display 130 to display a message 421 for receiving a user's selection about whether to connect the apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413, and control the external apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413 to be connected to the display apparatus 100 through the communicator 150 in response to a user's selection on the displayed message 421; par 0092; discloses the display apparatus 100 detects a predetermined event related to an external apparatus (301). The event may occur based on a user input, or may automatically occur under a preset condition. For example, the event may include a user input of selecting a menu, i.e. an external input menu related to the external apparatus of the display apparatus 100, change in a network status of the display apparatus 100, detection of a new connectable external apparatus, a case where a predetermined condition set by a user, a manufacturer, a broadcasting service provider, etc. is satisfied, and so on).
With respect to claim 10, CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG discloses wherein, in a case where a currently output external input source is provided from the display device, the controller is configured to: perform an operation corresponding to a specific command when the specific command is received from a user and output on the display a screen on which the operation corresponding to the specific command is performed (CHO; fig. 6; discloses screen for receiving user input to change the external input source; par 0090; discloses In response to the external device being connected to the display device 100, the communicator 110 may receive information on the connected external device from the external device. In response to the external device connected to the display device 100 being determined as an external device to perform a function of an image source for providing an image, the communicator 110 may receive an image from the external device; par 0098; discloses The input unit 130 is a configuration to receive selection of a user, and receives a control command to select an image source to provide an image from among a plurality of image source list displayed in the display 120. For example, the input unit 130 may receive a user's selection through a remote control device, such as, a remote controller that communicates with the display device 100; par 0102; discloses The processor 150 may determine at least one external device for proving an image from among the plurality of external devices. In this case, the processor 150 may determine an external device selected by the user through the input unit 130 or an external device used by the user as the image source for providing an image; par 0103; discloses the processor 150 may receive an image provided from the external device determined as the image source. To be specific, in response to the external device connected to the display device 100 being determined as the image source, the processor 150 may receive an image from the connected the external device through the communicator 110. In response to an external device connected to other display device being determined as the image source, the processor 150 may receive the data provided from the external device connected to other display device from the other display device through the communicator 110).
With respect to claim 11, CHO discloses a method of operating a display device having a display and mirroring a source device, (par 0045; discloses an example where four display devices 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4 display divided images of an image of apples at the same time. A source of each image displayed in the four display devices 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4 is any one of four external devices 200-1, 200-2, 200-3, 200-4 respectively connected to the four display devices 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4) the method comprising: receiving second image data from the source device; outputting on the display a second screen based on the second image data while a first screen based on first image data is displayed at the source device, (par 0046; discloses the first display device 100-1 may receive the image of apples from the connected first external device 200-1 and transmit the received image to the second, third, and fourth display devices 100-2, 100-3, 100-4 so that the received image is displayed in the four display devices 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, 100-4. Fig. 1; discloses display 100-2 displays a different image (i.e. second image) where display 100-1 displays a different image (i.e. first image); see annotated fig. 1 below for reference; par 0103; discloses the image received from the external device connected to the display device 100 may be called ‘first image,’ and the image received from other display device may be called ‘second image’;) wherein the first image data and the second image data are respectively from two different external input sources both directly connected to the source device (fig. 10 and paragraph 0149; discloses Referring to FIG. 10, according to another embodiment disclosed herein, the first display device 100-1 of the display system 2000 may display the image 10-2 of the second external device provided from the external device connected to the second display device 100-2 through the HDMI port, the second display device 100-2 may display the image 10-3 of the third external device provided from the external device connected to the third display device 100-3 through the DVI port; i.e. the display device and source device outputs different images from different external devices; par 0044; discloses FIG. 1 illustrates that a plurality of display devices 100-1, 100-2, 100-3, and 100-4 are respectively connected to one external device each, but two or more external devices may be connected to one display device, and a display device not connected to an external device may be included);
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simultaneously outputting on the display a first external input source list and a second external input source list, based on receiving a user input to change an external input source at the display device, (fig. 6; discloses simultaneously outputting plurality of external input sources that may be connected to different display device 100-1, 100-2, 100-3 and 100-4; par 0122; discloses the list of the plurality of selectable image sources displayed in the display 130-1 may include a type of the external devices connected to the respective display devices (a laptop PC, a smart phone, a set-top box, or the like), information including a model name of the external devices, a list of images that may be provided by the external devices, and so on; par 0098; discloses The input unit 130 is a configuration to receive selection of a user, and receives a control command to select an image source to provide an image from among a plurality of image source list displayed in the display 120. For example, the input unit 130 may receive a user's selection through a remote-control device, such as, a remote controller that communicates with the display device 100. In response to the display 120 being realized as a touch screen, the display 120 may receive a selection by a user's direct touch as a component of the display 120);
CHO doesn’t expressly disclose simultaneously outputting at different locations on the display a first external input source list and a second external input source list; wherein the first external input source list includes external input source information of external input sources directly connected to the source device including the two different external input sources and the second external input source list includes external input source information of external input sources directly connected to the display device;
In the same field of endeavor, Jiang discloses display device and control method (see abstract); Jiang discloses simultaneously outputting at different locations on the display a first external input source list and a second external input source list; wherein the first external input source list includes external input source information of external input sources directly connected to the source device including the two different external input sources and the second external input source list includes external input source information of external input sources directly connected to the display device (fig. 2; discloses displaying an interface 30 that includes simultaneously output at different locations on the display a first external input source list and a second external input source list, the first source list include devices 44a, 52a and 58a connected to device Audi/video 16a (i.e. interpreted source device) and second external input source list connected directly to display device 12a, the second external input source list include game console 64a, audio/video 16a);
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by CHO to simultaneously display all the external input sources that is directly or indirectly connected to display device as disclosed by Jiang in order to allow user to conveniently pick an external input source from a plurality of sources from a single user interface instead of navigating plurality of interfaces;
CHO discloses changing the external input source from any of the display device while the first screen and the second screen being display may be different (par 0058; discloses a user may select an external device to perform a function of an image source for providing an image from among the plurality of external devices by using any one of the plurality of display devices; par 0062; discloses the first to nth display devices 100-1, 100-2, . . . , 100-n display the same image, but this is an example. The respective display devices may display different images or display the image received from the external device connected to other display device.);
CHO as modified by Jiang don’t expressly disclose outputting on the display a notification window indicating that input source settings of the source device may be changed in response to the user input to change an external input source at the display device;
In the same field of endeavor, CHUNG discloses display apparatus and control method (see abstract); CHUNG discloses output on the display a notification window indicating that input source settings of the source device may be changed in response to the user input to change an external input source at the display device (fig. 4; a notification window 421; par 0108; discloses the controller 170 may control the display 130 to display a message 421 for receiving a user's selection about whether to connect the apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413, and control the external apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413 to be connected to the display apparatus 100 through the communicator 150 in response to a user's selection on the displayed message 421);
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by CHO as modified by Jiang to display a notification window informing user of the change of external input sources as disclosed by CHUNG in order to allow user an opportunity to confirm the changes in order to avoid any unwanted changes that may occur because of accidental button presses.
With respect to claim 14, CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG discloses further comprising, in a case where the source device and the display device mirror a same screen, (CHO; par 0062; discloses the first to nth display devices 100-1, 100-2, . . . , 100-n display the same image; par 0077; discloses when a plurality of display devices mutually share the information of the external devices connected to each other, a user can use any one of the plurality of display devices and select an external device which will function as an image source providing an image) outputting on the display of the display device at least one of a notification window indicating that a channel of the source device or a notification window requesting a user's consent to change the external input source (CHUNG; par 0108; discloses the controller 170 may control the display 130 to display a message 421 for receiving a user's selection about whether to connect the apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413, and control the external apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413 to be connected to the display apparatus 100 through the communicator 150 in response to a user's selection on the displayed message 421; par 0110; discloses When the connection between the display apparatus 100 and the external apparatus corresponding to the selected item 413 are completely set, the controller 170 controls the display 130 to display the corresponding item 413 to be shown as connected to the first item 401 by reflecting the connection).
With respect to claim 17, CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG discloses further comprising, in a case where a currently output external input source is provided from the display device, performing an operation corresponding to a specific command when the specific command is received from a user and outputting on the display a screen, on which the operation corresponding to the specific command is performed (CHO; fig. 6; discloses screen for receiving user input to change the external input source; par 0090; discloses In response to the external device being connected to the display device 100, the communicator 110 may receive information on the connected external device from the external device. In response to the external device connected to the display device 100 being determined as an external device to perform a function of an image source for providing an image, the communicator 110 may receive an image from the external device; par 0098; discloses The input unit 130 is a configuration to receive selection of a user, and receives a control command to select an image source to provide an image from among a plurality of image source list displayed in the display 120. For example, the input unit 130 may receive a user's selection through a remote control device, such as, a remote controller that communicates with the display device 100; par 0102; discloses The processor 150 may determine at least one external device for proving an image from among the plurality of external devices. In this case, the processor 150 may determine an external device selected by the user through the input unit 130 or an external device used by the user as the image source for providing an image; par 0103; discloses the processor 150 may receive an image provided from the external device determined as the image source. To be specific, in response to the external device connected to the display device 100 being determined as the image source, the processor 150 may receive an image from the connected the external device through the communicator 110. In response to an external device connected to other display device being determined as the image source, the processor 150 may receive the data provided from the external device connected to other display device from the other display device through the communicator 110).
Claim(s) 3, 9, 13, 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CHO (US Pub 2018/0027175) in view of Jiang (US Pub 2013/0229579), CHUNG et al (US Pub 2020/0359083) and KIM et al (US Pub 2019/0187873).
With respect to claim 3, CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: output on the display a device selection window indicating that a device selected based on user input is the source device or the display device in response to the user input to select one of the source device or the display device, (CHO; par 0078; discloses the display system 1000-2 may display a plurality of image source lists which are generated based on information of the mutually-shared first to nth external devices 200-2, . . . 200-n on at least one of the first to nth display devices (100-1, 100-2, . . . , 100-n), and receive selection of an external device for providing an image from a user) wherein the device selection window includes icons representing the source device and the display device, respectively, (CHO; fig. 6; par 0119; discloses Referring to FIG. 6, the first display device 100-1 may display a list of a plurality of selectable image sources connected to a plurality of display devices of the display system in a display 130-1);
CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG don’t expressly disclose displaying a guide icon indicating that a currently selected external input source among the source device and the display device has changed;
In the same field of endeavor, KIM discloses display device and method for changing the external source (see abstract); KIM discloses displaying a guide icon indicating that a currently selected external input source among the source device and the display device has changed (fig. 12; channel information 820; par 0158; discloses the electronic apparatus may generate a cursor movement command to select a channel corresponding to an input user operation command in the channel menu 810. The electronic apparatus may generate a control command to select the channel corresponding to the input user operation command, based on the channel information 820 of the channel that the user is currently viewing. i.e. channel information allows user to identify the change in the viewing content);
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG to incorporate the teachings of KIM to display a guide icon providing information of the current source in order to allow viewer to easily recognize the external source currently being used to watch content on the display.
With respect to claim 9, CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG don’t expressly disclose wherein, in a case where a currently output external input source is provided from the source device, the controller is configured to: transmit a specific command to the source device when the specific command to control the source device is received from a user, receive a screen, on which an operation corresponding to the specific command is performed, from the source device, and output on the display the screen, on which the operation corresponding to the specific command is performed;
KIM discloses wherein, in a case where a currently output external input source is provided from the source device, the controller is configured to: transmit a specific command to the source device when the specific command to control the source device is received from a user, receive a screen, on which an operation corresponding to the specific command is performed, from the source device, and output on the display the screen, on which the operation corresponding to the specific command is performed (KIM; par 0142; discloses the control box 100-2 may analyze a screen corresponding to an image signal received from the external apparatus 200, may generate a control command corresponding to the operation command received from the remote control device 300, and may transmit the generated control command to the external apparatus 200. In addition, the control box 100-2 may receive an image signal obtained after the control command is executed from the external apparatus 200 and may control the electronic apparatus 100-1 to display the received image signal);
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG to incorporate the teachings of KIM to control the source device using the display device by transmitting command from the display device to the source device in order to allow user to directly control source device via the display device without requiring to control the source device separately.
With respect to claim 13, CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG discloses further comprising: outputting a device selection window indicating that a device selected based on user input is the source device or the display device in response to the user input to select one of the source device or the display device, (CHO; par 0078; discloses the display system 1000-2 may display a plurality of image source lists which are generated based on information of the mutually-shared first to nth external devices 200-2, . . . 200-n on at least one of the first to nth display devices (100-1, 100-2, . . . , 100-n), and receive selection of an external device for providing an image from a user) wherein the device selection window includes icons representing the source device and the display device, respectively, (CHO; fig. 6; par 0119; discloses Referring to FIG. 6, the first display device 100-1 may display a list of a plurality of selectable image sources connected to a plurality of display devices of the display system in a display 130-1);
CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG don’t expressly disclose displaying a guide icon indicating that a currently selected external input source among the source device and the display device has changed;
In the same field of endeavor, KIM discloses display device and method for changing the external source (see abstract); KIM discloses displaying a guide icon indicating that a currently selected external input source among the source device and the display device has changed (fig. 12; channel information 820; par 0158; discloses the electronic apparatus may generate a cursor movement command to select a channel corresponding to an input user operation command in the channel menu 810. The electronic apparatus may generate a control command to select the channel corresponding to the input user operation command, based on the channel information 820 of the channel that the user is currently viewing. i.e. channel information allows user to identify the change in the viewing content);
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG to incorporate the teachings of KIM to display a guide icon providing information of the current source in order to allow viewer to easily recognize the external source currently being used to watch content on the display.
With respect to claim 16, CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG don’t expressly disclose further comprising: in a case where a currently output external input source is provided from the source device, transmitting a specific command to the source device when the specific command to control the source device is received from a user; receiving a screen, on which an operation corresponding to the specific command is performed, from the source device; and outputting on the display of the display device the screen, on which the operation corresponding to the specific command is performed;
KIM discloses wherein, in a case where a currently output external input source is provided from the source device, transmitting a specific command to the source device when the specific command to control the source device is received from a user; receiving a screen, on which an operation corresponding to the specific command is performed, from the source device; and outputting on the display of the display device the screen, on which the operation corresponding to the specific command is performed; (KIM; par 0142; discloses the control box 100-2 may analyze a screen corresponding to an image signal received from the external apparatus 200, may generate a control command corresponding to the operation command received from the remote control device 300, and may transmit the generated control command to the external apparatus 200. In addition, the control box 100-2 may receive an image signal obtained after the control command is executed from the external apparatus 200 and may control the electronic apparatus 100-1 to display the received image signal);
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG to incorporate the teachings of KIM to control the source device using the display device by transmitting command from the display device to the source device in order to allow user to directly control source device via the display device without requiring to control the source device separately.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CHO (US Pub 2018/0027175) in view of Jiang (US Pub 2013/0229579), CHUNG et al (US Pub 2020/0359083) and LEE et al (US Pub 2018/0284967).
With respect to claim 4, CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG discloses wherein, in a case a screen of the source device may be black or white (par 0127; discloses the first display device 100-1 is not connected to an external device or does not receive an image although being connected. Accordingly, a first image provided to the first display device 100-1 may be displayed as a black screen);
the controller is configured to output the external input source information of at least one of the source device or the display device when the user input to change the external input source is received and outputs an external input source screen corresponding to the user input (CHO; par 0077; discloses when a plurality of display devices mutually share the information of the external devices connected to each other, a user can use any one of the plurality of display devices and select an external device which will function as an image source providing an image; par 0078; discloses the display system 1000-2 may display a plurality of image source lists which are generated based on information of the mutually-shared first to nth external devices 200-2, . . . 200-n on at least one of the first to nth display devices (100-1, 100-2, . . . , 100-n), and receive selection of an external device for providing an image from a user);
CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG don’t expressly disclose a case where a screen of the source device is turned off;
LEE discloses screen output method using external device (see abstract); LEE discloses a screen of the source device is turned off while outputting content to external display (fig. 3B; step 352, step 354; par 0098 discloses In operation 352, when the electronic device 110 is connected with the external display device 130, the processor 220 may transmit data for rendering an extended user interface on a display 131 of the external display device 130 to the external display device 130 via the communication circuit 225.; par 0103; discloses In operation 354, when the external pointing device 140 is connected to the electronic device 110, the processor 220 may operate a touch sensor 250 (or a display panel 270) of FIG. 2 in a screen-off state or as a touchscreen);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by CHO as modified by Jiang and CHUNG to switch off the display of the source device during content sharing as disclosed LEE in order to reduce the power consumption of the source device.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed with respect to claims 1, 3-5, 11, 13-14 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive and do not put the application in condition for allowance.
With respect to claims 1 and 11, applicant’s representative argued that the cited reference CHO fails to disclose simultaneously output at different locations on the display a first external input source list and a second external input source list; wherein the first external input source list includes external input source information of external input sources directly connected to the source device including the two different external input sources and the second external input source list includes external input source information of external input sources directly connected to the display device; However applicant’s arguments are moot as they do not apply to new reference being used in the current rejection.
Applicant’s representative further argued that Cho fails to disclose receive second image data from the source device; output on the display a second screen based on the second image data while a first screen based on first image data is displayed at the source device, wherein the first image data and the second image data are respectively from two different external input sources both directly connected to the source device;
However examiner respectfully disagrees, CHO discloses in fig. 10, the display device 100-3 (i.e. interpreted display device) displays an image from an external device 10-4 where device 100-2 (i.e. interpreted source device) displays a different image that is from different external device 10-2 (see par 0149-0150 as well); further CHO discloses each device 100-1 through 100-4 may be connected to plurality of external devices (par 0044); Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to display different images on display devices 100-1 through 100-4 received from different external devices that is directly connected to each display devices in order to achieve the predictable result of displaying different images or same images on different display devices received from different external devices.
Applicant’s representative further argued that Cho fails to disclose output on the display a notification window indicating that input source settings of the source device may be changed in response to the user input to change an external input source at the display device and the second screen being display may be different;
However, the current rejection relies on CHUNG for the disclosure of the claimed feature. Therefore claim 1 and 11 are not allowable in view of CHO, Jiang and CHUNG.
With respect to claims 3 and 13, applicant’s representative argued that the cited reference CHO fails to disclose icons representing the source device and the display device; However, examiner respectfully disagrees; CHO discloses in fig. 6, an example interface allowing user to identify different input source including external input devices and other display devices which can be interpreted as icons distinguishing between different external sources and display devices; further par 0010; discloses he communicator may receive device information on the external device from the external device and receive device information on a second external device corresponding to the second image from the first nearby device, and the processor may generate an image source list using the received device information of the external device and the device information of the second external device, and control the display to display the generated image source list. Par 0054; further discloses in response to the first display device 100-1 being connected to the external device 200-1, the first display device 100-1 may transmit information on the connected first external device 200-1 to the second display device 100-2. In this case, the information on the external device may be device information include a type of the external device, a model name of the external device, or a type of the connection port. Hence Cho discloses the claimed feature and the rejection is maintained.
With respect to claim 4, applicant’s representative argued that CHO and Lee fails to disclose wherein, in a case where a screen of the source device is off, the controller is configured to output the external input source information of at least one of the source device or the display device when the user input to change the external input source is received and outputs an external input source screen corresponding to the user input.
CHO discloses a display device may display black when no image is received (par 0127; discloses he first display device 100-1 is not connected to an external device or does not receive an image although being connected. Accordingly, a first image provided to the first display device 100-1 may be displayed as a black screen); further CHO discloses any one of the display devices may be used to select the one of the different external devices using the interface shown in fig. 6; (CHO; par 0077; discloses when a plurality of display devices mutually share the information of the external devices connected to each other, a user can use any one of the plurality of display devices and select an external device which will function as an image source providing an image); i.e. when one display device is displayed black, other display devices may be used to change the external input sources.
CHO doesn’t expressly disclose display being off; However Lee discloses sharing content to external device while the screen of the device sharing the content may be turned off (par 0103; discloses In operation 354, when the external pointing device 140 is connected to the electronic device 110, the processor 220 may operate a touch sensor 250 (or a display panel 270) of FIG. 2 in a screen-off state or as a touchscreen);
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention disclosed by CHO to turn off the display when no image is received instead of displaying black while still transmitting content to other connected display devices. The modification would help reduce consumption of energy by turning the screen off. Hence the rejection is maintained.
Applicant’s representative arguments with respect to claims 5 and 14 are moot as the current rejection is relied on CHO’s disclosure.
Conclusion
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/SUJIT SHAH/ Examiner, Art Unit 2624