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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 07/22/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment and Argument
Applicant’s amendment and argument with respect to pending claims 4-20 filed on 07/22/2026 have been fully considered but applicant’s argument has been rendered moot in view of a new ground(s) of rejection.
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.
Claims 4-20 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 4 recites the limitation “the control interface stops driving the display unit for a stop time, and the display unit stays and does not move.” It is unclear whether the “for a stop time” refers to e.g., a predetermined time, a particular point in time, or it has a different meaning. A person of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably certain of the scope of the limitation, thereby renders the claim indefinite.
Dependent claims 5-20 are rejected based on their dependency from the rejected claim 1.
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.
Claim(s) 4-7, 10-11 and 13-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Portman (US 5811791 A) in view of Yu (US 20230347738 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Portman teaches the claim as follows:
A transportation device, comprising: a first seating area; a display unit (See Figs. 1 and 2: illustrating rows of seats; a display unit 10); a top, corresponding to the first seating area (a cabin overhead 18); an accommodation space, configured to accommodate the display unit and located adjacent to the top (col. 2, line 66 to col. 3, line 5: a frame 14 is mounted into a ceiling cavity 16 of a cabin overhead 18 above the passenger seating area for stowing a display unit); and a control interface, electrically connected to the display unit, wherein when the control interface provides an expanding signal to the display unit, the display unit moves away from an accommodation position in the accommodation space (col. 4, lines 9-23: Referring to FIG. 4, the control circuit 42 includes a controller 44 having an input signal line 46…and an output signal line 50…the output signal line 50 moves the display unit 10 from an exposed position to a stowed position or from a stowed position to an exposed position).
Portman does not teach wherein during movement of the display unit, when the display unit is subjected to an external resistance, the control interface stops driving the display unit for a stop time, and the display unit stays and does not move.
However, Yu teaches wherein during movement of the display unit, when the display unit is subjected to an external resistance, the control interface stops driving the display unit for a stop time, and the display unit stays and does not move (¶0009: a driving control method of a display of a vehicle includes receiving an input signal selected for an open mode or a closed mode of the display of the vehicle…detecting external resistance…and the stopping of the drive motor. ¶0013: The urgently stopping of the drive motor may include urgently stopping the drive motor for a preset time…). Despite the indefiniteness issue raised in this office action regarding this limitation, the phrase “for a stop time” is interpreted as “a preset time”.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Portman’s display device by incorporating the teaching of Yu as noted above, in order obtain a control mechanism to the display for preventing breakage, malfunction or a user injury (Yu: ¶0002-0006).
Regarding claim 5, Portman teaches the transportation device as claimed in claim 4, wherein when the control interface provides an accommodating signal to the display unit, the display unit moves towards the accommodation position (col. 4, lines 9-23: Referring to FIG. 4, the control circuit 42 includes a controller 44 having an input signal line 46…and an output signal line 50…the output signal line 50 moves the display unit 10 from an exposed position to a stowed position or from a stowed position to an exposed position).
Regarding claim 6, Portman teaches the transportation device as claimed in claim 4, wherein when the control interface provides a folding signal to the display unit, the display unit moves towards a folded position (col. 4, lines 9-23: Referring to FIG. 4, the control circuit 42 includes a controller 44 having an input signal line 46…and an output signal line 50…the output signal line 50 moves the display unit 10 from an exposed position to a stowed position or from a stowed position to an exposed position).
Regarding claim 7, Portman teaches the transportation device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a display panel of the display unit in the folded position faces the top of the transportation device (col. 3, lines 3-6: the display units 10 are placed in a stowed position, parallel with the frame 14).
Regarding claim 10, Portman teaches the transportation device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: a second seating area, located behind the first seating area (See Fig. 1, illustrating multiple seats in a row), wherein when the control interface provides an expanding signal to the display unit, the display unit moves toward an expansion position (col. 4, lines 9-23: Referring to FIG. 4, the control circuit 42 includes a controller 44 having an input signal line 46…and an output signal line 50…the output signal line 50 moves the display unit 10 from an exposed position to a stowed position or from a stowed position to an exposed position).
Regarding claim 11, Portman teaches the transportation device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the expansion position is between the first seating area and the second seating area (See Fig. 1, illustrating the display unit 10 which is configured to move from a stowed position to an exposed position located between two seats).
Regarding claim 13, Portman teaches the transportation device as claimed in claim 12, wherein when the display unit is in the expansion position, a display panel of the display unit faces toward or faces away from the second seating area (See Fig. 1, illustrating the display 10 facing the second seat).
Regarding claim 14, Portman teaches the transportation device as claim in claim 4, further comprising: a driving source, configured to drive the display device (col. 4, lines 9-23: Referring to FIG. 4, the control circuit 42 includes a controller 44 having an input signal line 46…and an output signal line 50…the output signal line 50 moves the display unit 10 from an exposed position to a stowed position or from a stowed position to an exposed position).
Portman does not explicitly disclose a position sensor, configured to sense the position of the display unit.
However, Yu teaches a position sensor, configured to sense the position of the display unit (¶0066-0069: The actuator 1210 may detect a current position of the screen unit 1100…). The motivation statement set forth above with respect to claim 4 applies here.
Regarding claim 15, Portman teaches the transportation device as claim in claim 14, wherein when the control interface provides the expanding signal to the display unit (col. 4, lines 9-23: Referring to FIG. 4, the control circuit 42 includes a controller 44 having an input signal line 46…and an output signal line 50…the output signal line 50 moves the display unit 10 from an exposed position to a stowed position or from a stowed position to an exposed position).
Moreover, Yu teaches when the position sensor senses that the display unit is not in the expansion position, the driving source drives the display unit to move toward the expansion position (¶0092-0093, 0109: a current value of the drive motor is measured again to determine whether the current value is abnormal …the drive motor is moved to a target position and arrival of the display is detected at a target position through an open or close switch (S141). When in operation S141, a position of the display is not detected through the open or close switch, the drive motor is operated until the position of the display is detected. As a result, when the display reaches the target position, the drive motor is stopped (S142).). The motivation statement set forth above with respect to claim 4 applies here.
Regarding claim 16, Portman teaches the transportation device as claim in claim 14, wherein when the control interface provides the folding signal to the display unit (col. 4, lines 9-23: Referring to FIG. 4, the control circuit 42 includes a controller 44 having an input signal line 46…and an output signal line 50…the output signal line 50 moves the display unit 10 from an exposed position to a stowed position or from a stowed position to an exposed position).
Moreover, Maeda teaches when the position sensor senses that the display unit is not in the folded position, the driving source drives the display unit to move toward the folded position (¶0092-0093, 0109: a current value of the drive motor is measured again to determine whether the current value is abnormal …the drive motor is moved to a target position and arrival of the display is detected at a target position through an open or close switch (S141). When in operation S141, a position of the display is not detected through the open or close switch, the drive motor is operated until the position of the display is detected. As a result, when the display reaches the target position, the drive motor is stopped (S142).). The motivation statement set forth above with respect to claim 4 applies here.
Regarding claim 17, Portman teaches the transportation device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: a driving source, configured to drive the display unit, wherein when the control interface provides the expanding signal to the display unit, the driving source drives the display unit to move toward the expansion position for an expansion time (col. 4, lines 9-23: Referring to FIG. 4, the control circuit 42 includes a controller 44 having an input signal line 46…and an output signal line 50…the output signal line 50 moves the display unit 10 from an exposed position to a stowed position or from a stowed position to an exposed position).
Regarding claim 18, Portman teaches the transportation device as claimed in claim 17, wherein after the driving source drives the display unit to move toward the expansion position for the expansion time, the display unit is located at the expansion position (col. 4, lines 9-23: Referring to FIG. 4, the control circuit 42 includes a controller 44 having an input signal line 46…and an output signal line 50…the output signal line 50 moves the display unit 10 from an exposed position to a stowed position or from a stowed position to an exposed position).
Regarding claim 19, Portman teaches the transportation device as claim in claim 5, further comprising: a driving source, configured to drive the display unit, wherein when the control interface provides the accommodation signal to the display unit, the driving source drives the display unit to move toward the accommodation position for an accommodation time (col. 4, lines 9-23: Referring to FIG. 4, the control circuit 42 includes a controller 44 having an input signal line 46…and an output signal line 50…the output signal line 50 moves the display unit 10 from an exposed position to a stowed position or from a stowed position to an exposed position).
Regarding claim 20, Portman teaches the transportation device as claimed in claim 19, wherein after the driving source drives the display unit to move toward the accommodation position for the accommodation time, the display unit is located at the accommodation position (col. 4, lines 9-23: Referring to FIG. 4, the control circuit 42 includes a controller 44 having an input signal line 46…and an output signal line 50…the output signal line 50 moves the display unit 10 from an exposed position to a stowed position or from a stowed position to an exposed position).
Claim(s) 8 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Portman (US 5811791 A) in view of Yu (US 20230347738 A1) as applied to claim 4, and further in view of Ten-Jet-Foei (US 20240292552 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Portman in view of Yu does not explicitly disclose the transportation device as claim in claim 6, wherein the folded position is separated from the accommodation position by a distance.
However, Ten-Jet-Foei teaches the transportation device as claim in claim 6, wherein the folded position is separated from the accommodation position by a distance (¶0050: the folded display parts 2, 3 slide over a support 29 such as shown in FIG. 12. The sliding distance is illustrated by the interrupted and uninterrupted lines).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Portman’s display device by incorporating the teaching of Ten-Jet-Foei as noted above, to provide a display device which is stored in a folded condition to save space, as taught by Ten-Jet-Foei (¶0006).
Regarding claim 9, Portman in view of Yu does not explicitly disclose the transportation device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the display unit moves along a horizontal direction between the accommodation position and the folded position.
However, Ten-Jet-Foei teaches the transportation device as claim in claim 6, wherein the display unit moves along a horizontal direction between the accommodation position and the folded position (¶0050: the folded display parts 2, 3 slide over a support 29 such as shown in FIG. 12. The sliding distance is illustrated by the interrupted and uninterrupted lines).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Portman’s display device by incorporating the teaching of Ten-Jet-Foei as noted above, to provide a display device which is stored in a folded condition to save space, as taught by Ten-Jet-Foei (¶0006).
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Portman (US 5811791 A) in view of Yu (US 20230347738 A1) as applied to claim 4, and further in view of Jaworski et al. (US 20100053480 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Portman teaches the transportation device as claim in claim 4, further comprising: a second seating area, located behind the first seating area (See Fig. 1, illustrating rows of seats), wherein when the control interface provides an expanding signal to the display unit, the display unit moves toward an expansion position (col. 4, lines 9-23: Referring to FIG. 4, the control circuit 42 includes a controller 44 having an input signal line 46…and an output signal line 50…the output signal line 50 moves the display unit 10 from an exposed position to a stowed position or from a stowed position to an exposed position).
Portman in view of Yu does not explicitly disclose wherein the expansion position is closer to a rear of the transportation devices than the second seating area.
However, Jaworski teaches wherein the expansion position is closer to a rear of the transportation devices than the second seating area (See Figs. 3-5: the position of screen 40 in its open position in relation to third row seat 36).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Portman’s display device by incorporating the teaching of Jaworski in order to obtain an overhead display system which is selectively viewable by passengers seating on the rear side of the vehicle (¶0031-0032).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATHNAEL AYNALEM whose telephone number is (571)270-1482. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM-5:30 PM ET.
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/NATHNAEL AYNALEM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2488
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