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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 8/8/2024 & 12/26/2024 were filed before the first office action. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejection Notes
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.
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) 1, 5, 6, 10-16, 18, and 19, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Matas (US 20080165146 A1, published: 7/10/2008).
Claim 1. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches a switch control display method, applied to an electronic device, wherein a switch control comprises a track and a first icon, the first icon slides in the track, and a second icon is displayed on the first icon (a portable multifunction device (e.g., device 100) displays (602) an airplane mode switch icon (e.g., icon 6202, FIG. 5A) on a touch screen display (e.g., display 112). The airplane mode switch icon has an "on" position (e.g., 6206, FIG. 5B) and an "off" position (e.g., 6204, FIG. 5A) [Matas, 0143, FIG. 5A-5C, 5F-5G]), the method comprising:
in a process that the first icon slides in the track, enabling a shape of the second icon to change linearly with a sliding offset of the first icon (detecting the movement of the finger contact comprises detecting a sequence of events that includes a finger-down event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "off" position, one or more finger-dragging events, and a finger-up event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "on" position (616) [Matas, 0145]; Examiner's Note: the words 'On' and 'Off' have two different shapes);
wherein when the first icon is located at a first position in the track, the switch control is in an ON state or an OFF state, and the shape of the second icon is a first shape; and wherein when the first icon is located at a second position in the track, the switch control is in the OFF state or the ON state, and the shape of the second icon is a second shape (upon detecting (606) a movement of a finger contact on or near the airplane mode switch icon from the "off" position to the "on" position, the communications signal strength icon is replaced (608) with an airplane icon (e.g., 6208, FIG. 5B). In some embodiments, detecting the movement of the finger contact comprises detecting a sequence of events that includes a finger-down event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "off" position, one or more finger-dragging events, and a finger-up event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "on" position (616) [Matas, 0145]).
Claims 18 and 19, having similar deficiencies to claim 1, are likewise rejected.
Claim 5: Matas teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein a center point of the first icon coincides with a center point of the second icon ([Matas, FIG. 5A-5C, 5F-5G]; Examiner's Note: as illustrated, both the On and Off icons are positioned along a straight line, so that the center point of both is identical).
Claim 6. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches the method according to claim 1. Matas further teaches wherein the method further comprises: in response to a tap operation on the switch control, enabling the first icon to slide from the first position to the second position, or enabling the first icon to slide from the second position to the first position (upon detecting (606) a movement of a finger contact on or near the airplane mode switch icon from the "off" position to the "on" position, the communications signal strength icon is replaced (608) with an airplane icon (e.g., 6208, FIG. 5B). In some embodiments, detecting the movement of the finger contact comprises detecting a sequence of events that includes a finger-down event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "off" position, one or more finger-dragging events, and a finger-up event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "on" position (616) [Matas, 0145]).
Claim 10. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches the method according to claim 6. Matas further teaches wherein enabling the first icon to slide from the first position to the second position, or enabling the first icon to slide from the second position to the first position comprises: in response to a tap operation on a hot zone of the switch control, enabling the first icon to slide from the first position to the second position, or enabling the first icon to slide from the second position to the first position; wherein a size of the hot zone of the switch control is larger than a size of the switch control, and a hot zone area of the switch control comprises a text description area corresponding to the switch control (upon detecting (606) a movement of a finger contact on or near the airplane mode switch icon from the "off" position to the "on" position, the communications signal strength icon is replaced (608) with an airplane icon (e.g., 6208, FIG. 5B). In some embodiments, detecting the movement of the finger contact comprises detecting a sequence of events that includes a finger-down event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "off" position, one or more finger-dragging events, and a finger-up event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "on" position (616) [Matas, 0145]).
Claim 11. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches the method according to claim 1. Matas further teaches wherein the method further comprises: in response to a slide operation on the switch control, enabling the first icon to slide in the track based on an operation offset; in response to stopping of the slide operation, enabling the first icon to stop sliding; and in response to cancellation of the slide operation, enabling the first icon to move to the first position or the second position (upon detecting (606) a movement of a finger contact on or near the airplane mode switch icon from the "off" position to the "on" position, the communications signal strength icon is replaced (608) with an airplane icon (e.g., 6208, FIG. 5B). In some embodiments, detecting the movement of the finger contact comprises detecting a sequence of events that includes a finger-down event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "off" position, one or more finger-dragging events, and a finger-up event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "on" position (616) [Matas, 0145]).
Claim 12. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches the method according to claim 11. Matas further teaches wherein in response to the slide operation on the switch control, enabling the first icon to slide in the track based on the operation offset comprises: in response to a touch operation on the switch control, reducing sizes of the first icon and the second icon; and in response to the slide operation on the switch control, enabling the first icon to slide in the track based on the operation offset (I. AESTHETIC DESIGN CHANGES: Matters relating to ornamentation only which have no mechanical function cannot be relied upon to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art [MPEP 2144.04]); and wherein in response to the cancellation of the slide operation, enabling the first icon to move to the first position or the second position comprises: in response to the cancellation of the slide operation, enabling the first icon to move to the first position or the second position, and enlarging and restoring the sizes of the first icon and the second icon (upon detecting (606) a movement of a finger contact on or near the airplane mode switch icon from the "off" position to the "on" position, the communications signal strength icon is replaced (608) with an airplane icon (e.g., 6208, FIG. 5B). In some embodiments, detecting the movement of the finger contact comprises detecting a sequence of events that includes a finger-down event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "off" position, one or more finger-dragging events, and a finger-up event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "on" position (616) [Matas, 0145]).
Claim 13. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches the method according to claim 11. Matas further teaches wherein in response to the cancellation of the slide operation, enabling the first icon to move to the first position or the second position comprises: in response to the cancellation of the slide operation, obtaining a current position of the first icon in the track; when the current position is the first position or the second position, enabling the first icon to stop sliding; when the current position is between the first position and the third position, enabling the first icon to move from the current position to the first position; and when the current position is between the second position and the third position, enabling the first icon to move from the current position to the second position, wherein the third position is the midpoint position between the first position and the second position (upon detecting (606) a movement of a finger contact on or near the airplane mode switch icon from the "off" position to the "on" position, the communications signal strength icon is replaced (608) with an airplane icon (e.g., 6208, FIG. 5B). In some embodiments, detecting the movement of the finger contact comprises detecting a sequence of events that includes a finger-down event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "off" position, one or more finger-dragging events, and a finger-up event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "on" position (616) [Matas, 0145]).
Claim 14. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches the method according to claim 13. Matas further teaches wherein the enabling the first icon to move from the current position to the first position comprises: after the first icon slides from the current position to a boundary of the track along a second direction, enabling the first icon to slide to the first position along a first direction; and wherein the enabling the first icon to move from the current position to the second position comprises: after the first icon slides from the current position to the boundary of the track along the first direction, enabling the first icon to slide to the second position along the second direction, wherein the first direction is a direction from the first position to the second position, and the second direction is a direction from the second position to the first position (upon detecting (606) a movement of a finger contact on or near the airplane mode switch icon from the "off" position to the "on" position, the communications signal strength icon is replaced (608) with an airplane icon (e.g., 6208, FIG. 5B). In some embodiments, detecting the movement of the finger contact comprises detecting a sequence of events that includes a finger-down event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "off" position, one or more finger-dragging events, and a finger-up event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "on" position (616) [Matas, 0145]).
Claim 15. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches the method according to claim 14. Matas further teaches wherein a key frame curve of a sliding animation of the first icon is a displacement curve of overdamped oscillation, and the sliding animation of the first icon is an animation in which the first icon moves from the current position to the first position or the second position (animating a process of an airplane icon moving on the touch screen display towards the communications signal strength icon and moving over the communications signal strength icon until the communications signal strength icon is replaced by the airplane icon [Matas, Claim 1]).
Claim 16. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches the method according to claim 11. Matas further teaches wherein in response to the slide operation on the switch control, enabling the first icon to slide in the track based on an operation offset comprises: in response to a slide operation on a hot zone of the switch control, enabling the first icon to slide in the track based on the operation offset, wherein a size of the hot zone of the switch control is larger than a size of the switch control, and a hot zone area of the switch control comprises or partially comprises a text description area corresponding to the switch control (upon detecting (606) a movement of a finger contact on or near the airplane mode switch icon from the "off" position to the "on" position, the communications signal strength icon is replaced (608) with an airplane icon (e.g., 6208, FIG. 5B). In some embodiments, detecting the movement of the finger contact comprises detecting a sequence of events that includes a finger-down event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "off" position, one or more finger-dragging events, and a finger-up event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "on" position (616) [Matas, 0145]; Examiner's Note: On and Off are text descriptions).
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) 2, 17, and 20, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matas (US 20080165146 A1, published: 7/10/2008), in view of Walkin et al. (US 20200326839 A1, published: 10/15/2020).
Claim 2. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches the method according to claim 1. Matas does not teach wherein when the first icon is located at the first position, colors of the track and the second icon are a first color; wherein when the first icon is located at the second position, the colors of the track and the second icon are a second color; wherein the method further comprises: wherein when the first icon slides from a third position to the first position, enabling the colors of the track and the second icon to gradually change from the second color to the first color; and wherein when the first icon slides from the third position to the second position, enabling the colors of the track and the second icon to gradually change from the first color to the second color; and wherein the third position is a midpoint position between the first position and the second position.
However, Walkin teaches wherein when the first icon is located at the first position, colors of the track and the second icon are a first color; wherein when the first icon is located at the second position, the colors of the track and the second icon are a second color; wherein the method further comprises: wherein when the first icon slides from a third position to the first position, enabling the colors of the track and the second icon to gradually change from the second color to the first color; and wherein when the first icon slides from the third position to the second position, enabling the colors of the track and the second icon to gradually change from the first color to the second color; and wherein the third position is a midpoint position between the first position and the second position (the drag handle of the standalone full-screen window is invisible or in an inactive state (e.g., translucent, muted color) even when it has input focus, and the drag handle switches to the activate state (e.g., solid, bold color) when an input is detected on the drag handle [Walkin, 0348, FIG. 4E7]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the invention was filed, to modify the virtual On/Off icon switch invention of Matas, to include the emphasis feature of Walkin.
One would have been motivated to make this modification to clearly notify users of which function a switch is pointing to, based on the presented color. Such emphasis will more clearly distinguish each state to the user.
Claim 20, having similar deficiencies to claim 2, is likewise rejected.
Claim 17: Matas teaches the method according to claim 1. Matas does not teach wherein a display color and/or a transparency of the switch control matches a display mode of the electronic device.
However, Walkin teaches wherein a display color and/or a transparency of the switch control matches a display mode of the electronic device (the tray 203 may include a set of default icons. The user may customize the tray 203 to include other icons than the default icons [Walkin, 0199]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the invention was filed, to modify the virtual On/Off icon switch invention of Matas, to include the emphasis feature of Walkin.
One would have been motivated to make this modification to clearly notify users of which function a switch is pointing to, based on the presented color. Such emphasis will more clearly distinguish each state to the user.
Claim(s) 3, 4, 8, and 9, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matas (US 20080165146 A1, published: 7/10/2008), in view of Kagaya (US 20140192083 A1, published: 7/10/2014).
Claim 3. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches the method according to claim 1. Matas further teaches wherein a height of the first shape is equal to a height of the second shape ([Matas, FIG. 5A-5C, 5F-5G]; Examiner's Note: as illustrated). Matas does not teach wherein enabling the shape of the second icon to change linearly with a sliding offset of the first icon comprises: in the process that the first icon slides in the track, enabling a width of the second icon to change linearly with the sliding offset of the first icon
However, Kagaya teaches wherein enabling the shape of the second icon to change linearly with a sliding offset of the first icon comprises: in the process that the first icon slides in the track, enabling a width of the second icon to change linearly with the sliding offset of the first icon (In FIG. 15, a plurality of content pieces is displayed on the screen, and the data icon 1524 is the icon of interest. The icon of interest is displayed with a large size in order to indicate that the corresponding data icon is the icon of interest [Kagaya, 0018, FIG. 15]. I. AESTHETIC DESIGN CHANGES: Matters relating to ornamentation only which have no mechanical function cannot be relied upon to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art [MPEP 2144.04]; Examiner's Note: as illustrated a linear slide from left to right or right to left).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the invention was filed, to modify the virtual On/Off icon switch invention of Matas, to include the emphasis feature of Kagaya.
One would have been motivated to make this modification to clearly notify users of which function a switch is pointing to, based on position of an enlarged element or icon.
Claim 4. (Currently Amended): The combination of Matas and Kagaya, teaches the method according to claim 3, wherein when the switch control is in the OFF state, the second icon is circular, and when the switch control is in the ON state, the second icon is rounded rectangular (I. AESTHETIC DESIGN CHANGES: Matters relating to ornamentation only which have no mechanical function cannot be relied upon to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art [MPEP 2144.04]).
Claim 8. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches the method according to claim 6. Matas does not teach wherein the enabling the first icon to slide from the first position to the second position comprises: after the first icon slides from the first position to a boundary of the track along a first direction, enabling the first icon to slide to the second position along a second direction; and wherein the enabling the first icon to slide from the second position to the first position comprises: after the first icon slides from the second position to the boundary of the track along the second direction, enabling the first icon to slide to the first position along the first direction, wherein the first direction is a direction from the first position to the second position, and the second direction is a direction from the second position to the first position.
However, Kagaya teaches wherein the enabling the first icon to slide from the first position to the second position comprises: after the first icon slides from the first position to a boundary of the track along a first direction, enabling the first icon to slide to the second position along a second direction; and wherein the enabling the first icon to slide from the second position to the first position comprises: after the first icon slides from the second position to the boundary of the track along the second direction, enabling the first icon to slide to the first position along the first direction, wherein the first direction is a direction from the first position to the second position, and the second direction is a direction from the second position to the first position ([Kagaya, FIGs. 7-8]; Examiner's Note: as illustrated).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the invention was filed, to modify the virtual On/Off icon switch invention of Matas, to include the emphasis feature of Kagaya.
One would have been motivated to make this modification to clearly notify users of which function a switch is pointing to, based on position of an enlarged element or icon.
Claim 9: The combination of Matas and Kagaya, teaches the method according to claim 8, wherein a key frame curve of a sliding animation of the first icon is a displacement curve of overdamped oscillation (I. AESTHETIC DESIGN CHANGES: Matters relating to ornamentation only which have no mechanical function cannot be relied upon to patentably distinguish the claimed invention from the prior art [MPEP 2144.04]).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matas (US 20080165146 A1, published: 7/10/2008), in view of Song et al. (US 20180150208 A1, published: 5/31/2018).
Claim 7. (Currently Amended): Matas teaches the method according to claim 6. Matas further teaches wherein enabling the first icon to slide from the first position to the second position, or enabling the first icon to slide from the second position to the first position comprises: and in response to cancellation of the touch operation, enabling the first icon to slide from the first position to the second position, or enabling the first icon to slide from the second position to the first position, and enlarging and restoring the sizes of the first icon and the second icon (upon detecting (606) a movement of a finger contact on or near the airplane mode switch icon from the "off" position to the "on" position, the communications signal strength icon is replaced (608) with an airplane icon (e.g., 6208, FIG. 5B). In some embodiments, detecting the movement of the finger contact comprises detecting a sequence of events that includes a finger-down event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "off" position, one or more finger-dragging events, and a finger-up event at or near the airplane mode switch icon at the "on" position (616) [Matas, 0145]). Matas does not teach in response to a touch operation on the switch control, reducing sizes of the first icon and the second icon.
However, Song teaches in response to a touch operation on the switch control, reducing sizes of the first icon and the second icon (referring to FIG. 6, after the floating window 310A has been touched [FIG. 6 (a)], if the floating window 310A is shifted by being dragged to the right side region 300R [FIG. 6 (b)], the controller 180 reduces and transforms the floating window 310A into an icon 310B indicating ‘Calendar’ and then controls the icon 310B to be displayed in a manner of being attached to a right side of the right side region 300R [FIG. 6 (c)] [Song, 0128]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the invention was filed, to modify the virtual On/Off icon switch invention of Matas, to include the emphasis feature of Song.
One would have been motivated to make this modification to clearly notify users of which function a switch is pointing to, based on position of an reduced size element or icon.
Additional References
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following references disclose On/Off virtual switched:
Hetherington (US 20080168399 A1, published: 7/10/2008)
Shung et al. (US 20170347234 A1, published: 11/30/2017)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SETH A SILVERMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-9783. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur, 8AM-4PM MST.
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/Seth A Silverman/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2172