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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 11, 12, 16, 17 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kareem (US PG Pub. 20200391656).
Regarding claim 11, Kareem discloses a single-track vehicle, comprising:
a controller (controller 124 of fig. 1B);
a vehicle state display (para. 0016; status indicator 100 is depicted as being positioned on, or otherwise above, a rear deck or package shelf 102 of a vehicle such that a display screen 104 of the status indicator 100 is viewable to those outside) comprising at least one projection surface (display screen 104 of fig. 1B),
a cover (cabinet 112 of fig. 1B) and at least one illuminant (para. 0026; projector), wherein the at least one illuminant is coupled to the controller (illustrated in fig. 1B; the controller 124 is coupled to the projector (indicated in fig. 1B as 120)),
the at least one illuminant (projector; para. 0026) and the cover (112) are arranged such that light emitted by the at least one illuminant is perceptible only indirectly from outside the vehicle (para. 0016; status indicator 100 is depicted as being positioned on, or otherwise above, a rear deck or package shelf 102 of a vehicle such that a display screen 104 of the status indicator 100 is viewable to those outside), and
the illuminant (projector) is designed to generate at least one first light image corresponding to a first vehicle state (para. 0026; the light source 120 can be a projector or other light emitter that can project the indicia 130 upon the display screen 104) and a second light image corresponding to a second vehicle state on the projection surface based on control signals of the controller, the first light image and the second light image being different (para. 0034; activation can include illuminating the light source 120 in a manner that can bring visual attention to at least the indicia 130 so as to communicate to others outside of the vehicle a status of the vehicle, such as, for example, that the vehicle is being parked, and/or is or will be remaining in a parked or non-moving condition.).
Regarding claim 12, Kareem discloses wherein the light emitted by the at least one illuminant is perceptible to a human from surroundings of the single-track vehicle not in an unreflected manner and/or not in an unrefracted manner (the projector of para. 0022, projects an image onto the display screen and the image is reflected/refracted to the audience) and/or not in an undiffracted manner.
Regarding claim 16, Kareem discloses wherein the first light image and the second light image are generated within an at least partly overlapping region of the projection surface (para. 0023; the display screen 104 can include indicia 130 that can provide one or more status indications, such as, for example, status indications relating to whether movement of the vehicle is at least being temporarily ceased, the transmission of the vehicle has been placed in a parked position, and/or the driver intends or is in the process of parking the vehicle. A variety of different types of indicia 130 can be utilized, including one or more alphanumeric characters, including, but not limited to, letters, words, and/or symbols. For example, according to the illustrated embodiment, the indicia 130 can be configured to convey information regarding the vehicle having a parked status, a non-moving status, and/or a status indicative of the vehicle being in the process of being parked. All of the indicia are projected onto the same projection surface and are therefore, withing an at least partly overlapping region of the projection surface).
Regarding claim 17, Kareem discloses wherein the first or second light image comprise at least one of: a deictic sign, an iconic sign, a symbolic sign, or an alphanumeric sign (illustrated in fig. 1A).
Regarding claim 21, Kareem discloses wherein the cover (sidewalls 110a-e of fig. 1B) comprises an at least partly transparent section (para. 0022; the display screen 104 can be constructed from a transparent), through which a generated light image on the projection surface is visible (para. 0022; the cabinet 112, according to other embodiments, at least a portion of one or more sidewalls 110a-d of the cabinet 112 can overlap at least a portion of the first side 126a and/or second side 126b of the display screen 104).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-15 and 18-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The subject matter of claim 13 that was found to be allowable is wherein an interspace is arranged between the at least one projection surface and the cover, and the interspace is delimited at least partly for the single-track vehicle along a vertical direction by the cover and a further component of the single-track vehicle, the further component being situated opposite the interspace.
Claims 14 and 15 are allowable as being dependent on claim 13.
The subject matter of claim 18 that was found to be allowable is wherein the cover at least partly forms a bench seat, and the at least one illuminant is arranged on an underside of the bench seat.
Claims 19 and 20 are allowable as being dependent on claim 18.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANELL L OWENS whose telephone number is (571)270-5365. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00pm M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minh-Toan Ton can be reached at 571-272-2303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANELL L OWENS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2882 3 February 2026
/BAO-LUAN Q LE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882