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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/6/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1, 8, 10, 13 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Avakian et al. (US 2021/0240853).
Regarding claim 1, Avakian teaches a display device (Figs. 2-4), comprising:
an information collecting assembly configured to collect environment information (Fig. 4, Customer detector 418 meets the claimed information collection assembly that collects environment information);
a communication module configured to perform wireless-communication linking to an Internet-of-Things device, to transmit the environment information to the Internet-of-Things device (paragraphs 48-52 and 137-141 teaches wherein the customer detected information is generated via sensors/cameras. Fig. 11 and paragraphs 137-141 teaches wherein the data is sent to the cloud), and receive multimedia information sent by the Internet-of-Things device (paragraphs 137-141 teaches advertisement being received on the local system from the cloud device 1110. Paragraphs 39-40 refers to the many devices as an IOT); and
a display module configured to display the multimedia information, and/or display the environment information (paragraphs 137-141 teaches advertisement being displayed on display 1109); and
the multimedia information comprises at least audio-video advertisement information (paragraphs 85 and 137-141 teaches advertisement information is multimedia advertisement information).
Regarding claim 8, Avakian teaches wherein the environment information comprises image information of an environment located at one side of a light-exiting face of the display module, and the information collecting assembly further comprises a frontally placed image collecting module configured to, in an on-state, collect the image information of the environment at the one side of the light-exiting face of the display module (Avakian: Figs 5A-5B wherein the image collecting module is located and placed in a manner to collect images at one side of the display module).
Regarding claim 10, Avakian teaches the claimed wherein the environment information comprises article information in an environment at one side away from a light-exiting face of the display module (Avakian: Figs 5A-5B wherein the image collecting module is located and placed in a manner to collect images at one side of the display module); the information collecting assembly comprises a rear placed image collecting module, and the rear placed image collecting module comprises a built-in camera (Figs 5A-5B wherein the image collecting module is located at a “rear placed” behind the front glass area and placed in a manner to collect images at one side of the display module. Additionally, additional cameras may also be located on the container 102 trigged by a door opening by certain amount), an angle sensor (paragraph 73-74 teaches detecting door opening angle by the system) and a controlling unit (system in Fig. 12, controller/processor 1201);
the angle sensor is configured to detect an opening angle of the display module; and the controlling unit is configured to, when the opening angle is greater than or equal to a preset angle, trigger the built-in camera to perform image collection to the environment at the one side away from the light-exiting face of the display module, to obtain the article information in the environment (paragraphs 62-64 and 74 teaches wherein when the door opening angle is past a certain distance, the cameras are triggered).
Regarding claim 13, Avakian teaches the claimed wherein the communication module comprises a wireless-communication device and a housing covering the wireless-communication device, and the housing is provided with a plurality of heat dissipating holes (Figs. 2-3, teaches the housing, and paragraphs 79 teaches wireless device within the container 102. See panel 234 in Fig. 3 which includes holes typically used for heat dissipation).
Regarding claim 15, Avakian teaches a door body, wherein the door body comprises the display device according to claim 1 (Figs. 2-4 and 5A-7 of Avakian teaches a door with a display device 216).
Regarding claim 16, Avakian teaches wherein the door body further comprises a door frame, and the door frame is configured to install the display device (Figs. 2-3 and 5A-7 and paragraph 71 teaches a door frame is part of the door body and the container 102).
Regarding claim 17, Avakian teaches wherein the door frame and the display device are rotatably connected to each other, in a retracting state, the display device is located in a plane where the door body is located, and in an opening state, the display device rotates out of the plane where the door body is located (Figs. 2-3 and 5A-7 wherein the display device on the door rotates when the door is opened leaving the door frame on it position).
Regarding claim 18, Avakian teaches wherein the door body further comprises a rotating member, one side of the display device is rotatably connected to one side of the door frame by the rotating member, and the other side of the display device is embedded into the other side of the door frame (Figs. 2-3 and 5A-7 wherein the display device on the door rotates when the door is opened leaving the door frame on its position. The rotating member specifically is the door hinge (paragraphs 70-72)).
Regarding claim 19, Avakian teaches wherein the door body further comprises a positioning member, one end of the positioning member is detachably mounted to the other side of the door frame, and the other side of the display device is connected to the positioning member (Figs. 2-3 and 5A-7 wherein the display device on the door rotates around the door hinge and when the door is opened part of the display device remains as part of the door frame. The hinges meets the claimed positioning member).
Regarding claim 20, Avakian teaches a cabinet body (Figs. 2-3 and 5A-7), wherein the cabinet body (retail product container 102) has an object storing space (Fig. 2-3, 5A-7, interior storage space for retail product container 102), and comprises the door body according to claim 15 (see above) and a light-exiting face of the display device is opposite to the object storing space (display device in Fig. 2 has a light exiting face of the display device being opposite the storing space).
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 of this title, 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 2, 6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Avakian et al. (US 2021/0240853) in view of Huang et al. (US2008/0004950).
Regarding claim 2. Avakian teaches the claimed wherein a quantity of the information collecting assembly is more than one, different information collecting assemblies are configured to collect category information corresponding to different objects in an environment, the objects comprise human bodies and articles in the environment (paragraphs 48-51 teaches ability to detect human bodies and other environmental objects/articles), and the category information comprises image category information (paragraphs 48-49 teaches image/video being captured by the system)
While Avakian suggests other sensors (in paragraph 51) fails to teach the voice category information, but Huang teaches the use of a microphone when a person walks by (photodetector) to enable the capture of the speech of the person walking by a display device (paragraphs 48, 51 and 70).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to incorporate the teachings of Huang into the system of Avakian because said incorporation allows for the benefit of improving the overall system by generating more targeted content (paragraph 51).
Regarding claim 6, while Avakian suggests other sensors (in paragraph 51) fails to teach the voice category information, but Huang teaches the claimed: wherein the environment information comprises voice information, and the information collecting assembly further comprises a voice- information collecting module; the voice-information collecting module is configured to, when an external-target signal is sensed by the voice-information collecting module, collect the voice information (Huang teaches the use of a microphone when a person walks by (photodetector) to enable the capture of the speech of the person walking by a display device (paragraphs 48, 51 and 70));
the communication module is configured to transmit the voice information to an Internet of Things, and acquire target multimedia information corresponding to the voice information from the Internet of Things; and the display module is configured to display the target multimedia information, and display the environment information corresponding to the voice information (Huang teaches the use of a microphone when a person walks by (photodetector) to enable the capture of the speech of the person walking by a display device (paragraphs 48, 51 and 70). Furthermore, related information/commercial/advertisement is determined based on the detected and analyzed speech from the customer nearby and displayed to them).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to incorporate the teachings of Huang into the system of Avakian because said incorporation allows for the benefit of improving the overall system by generating more targeted content (paragraph 51).
Regarding claim 9, Avakian and Huang teaches the claimed wherein when the environment information comprises image information and voice information of an environment of one side of a light-exiting face of the display module, the device further comprises a support (Avakian: Figs 5A-5B wherein the image collecting module is located and placed in a manner to collect images at one side of the display module. Huang’s voice information collection module is also incorporated into the structure of Avakian as discussed above in claim 2); wherein both of a voice-information collecting module for collecting the voice information and a frontally placed image collecting module for collecting the image information are integrated on the support (Avakian: Figs 5A-5B wherein the image collecting module is located and placed in a manner to collect images at one side of the display module. Huang’s voice information collection module is also incorporated into the structure of Avakian as discussed above in claim 2). The prior motivation as discussed above is incorporated herein.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Avakian et al. (US 2021/0240853) in view of Yano et al. (US 2021/0082127).
Regarding claim 3, Avakian teaches the claimed as discussed in claim 1 above and it is noted that the “one side of a light-exiting face of a display screen” is taught by Avakian in Figs. 5A-5B, wherein the camera is located on the inside facing the customer/people in front of the display screen.
However, Avakian fails to teach, but Yano teaches wherein the environment information comprises flow-rate information, the information collecting assembly comprises a flow-rate- information collecting module, and the flow-rate-information collecting module is disposed at one side of a light-exiting face of the display module (Figs. 1, 5-6 and corresponding disclosure teaches a system with sensors capable of collecting information from the sensors to generate flow quantity); and
the flow-rate-information collecting module is configured to collect human-body image information in an environment located at one side of a light-exiting face of a display screen, and based on the human-body image information collected within a target time duration, determine the flow-rate information (Figs. 1, 5-6 and corresponding disclosure in paragraph 39 teaches a system with sensors capable of collecting information from the sensors to generate flow quantity using a time window of time t and time t+1 and counting the number of people within that time window).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to incorporate the teachings of Yano into the system of Avakian because said incorporation allows for the benefit of improving the system by being able to discern the behavior of people in front of a screen (paragraphs 3-5 and 45).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Avakian et al. (US 2021/0240853) in view of Yano et al. (US 2021/0082127) and further in view Wang et al. (US 2019/317192).
Regarding claim 4, Avakian and Yano teaches the sensors as discussed in claim 3 above, however fails to teach, but Wang teaches the claimed wherein the human-body image information comprises depth information, and the flow-rate-information collecting module comprises a time- of-flight camera (TOF) module; the TOF module comprises an infrared-laser emitting module, a time sensor, a calculating component and a sensing camera lens; the infrared-laser emitting module is configured to emit an infrared laser, and the sensing camera lens is configured to gather the infrared laser that is reflected back; the time sensor is configured to, based on the infrared laser gathered by the sensing camera lens, generate the depth information; and the calculating component is configured to, based on the depth information generated by the time sensor, determine the flow-rate information in a refrigerator exterior environment (paragraphs 24 and Fig. 3 teaches a TOF device to include the above components used to function in the manner as claimed).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to incorporate the teachings of Wang into the system of Avakian because said incorporation allows for the benefit of calculating accurately the distance to an object (paragraph 24).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Avakian et al. (US 2021/0240853) in view of Huang et al. (US2008/0004950) and further in view of Official Notice.
Regarding claim 7, Avakian and Huang teaches the claimed wherein the voice-information collecting module comprises a photoelectric switch (Huang: paragraphs 7, 41 and 53 teaches light sensors to detect customers), the photoelectric switch (Huang: paragraphs 7, 41 and 53 teaches light sensors to detect customers), comprises an outer shell embedded into one side of a light-exiting face of the display module, and a target pattern is concavely or convexly engraved at the outer shell (Avakian: as discussed above, the location of the sensors is placed to face the light exiting side of the display module. The light sensor/unit of Huang is also to be incorporated into the same housing to be pointed in the direction of the customer); and
the photoelectric switch is configured to, when the external-target signal is sensed by the photoelectric switch, control the voice-information collecting module to collect the voice information, and lighten the target pattern (Huang: paragraphs 7, 41 and 53 teaches light sensors to detect customers and to allow the system to further detect additional information about the customer. Additionally, paragraph 51 and 70 teaches using speech detection which is taught to be usable together in paragraph 82).
However, Avakian and Huang fails to teach “a target pattern is concavely or convexly engraved at the outer shell” and to “lighten the target pattern”.
It is the position of the examiner that the teaching is well known and old in the art to place a target pattern, such as “wave hand to speak” on a photosensor and have it be concavely or convexly shaped and illuminated once triggered and therefore Official Notice is taken.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to incorporate the teachings of that which is well known and old int her art because said incorporation allows for the benefit of improving the user experience by indicating to a user that a device has been activated by the user’s gesture.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Avakian et al. (US 2021/0240853) in view of Sanchez et al. (WO2021/058436) and further in view of Wang et al. (US 11,480,828).
Regarding claim 11, Avakian teaches a display device module in Figs. 2-3 and 5A, however, fails to explicitly teach, but Sanchez teaches wherein the display module sequentially comprises, starting from the light-exiting face, a glass cover plate (element 56), a liquid-crystal display panel (element 18), a light equalizing device (diffuser layer 87), a light guiding plate (light guide layer 84), a reflector plate (reflector 88), a light bar and a metal back plate.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to incorporate the teachings of Sanchez into the system of Avakian because said incorporation allows for the benefit of simplifying production of display devices (abstract).
However, while Sanchez teaches a display device with the corresponding layers/plates, fails to teach, but Wang teaches in Fig. 2 of an alternate configuration for backlight illumination including the reflector plate, light bar and metal back plate.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to incorporate the teachings of Wang into the proposed combination of Avakian and Sanchez because said incorporation allows for the benefit of reducing damage during the assembly process (col. 3, lines 7-26).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Avakian et al. (US 2021/0240853) in view of Sanchez et al. (WO2021/058436) and further in view of Wang et al. (US 11,480,828) and further in view of Yu (US 2013/0093981).
Regarding claim 12, Avakian, Sanchez and Wang teaches the claimed as discussed above, however fails to teach, but Yu teaches wherein a plurality of heat dissipating fins are disposed at the light bar, and a groove is disposed at a surface of each of the heat dissipating fins (paragraph 15 teaches fins and grooves).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to incorporate the teachings of Yu into the proposed combination of Avakian, Sanchez and Wang because said incorporation allows for the benefit of improving heat dissipation (paragraph 15).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Avakian et al. (US 2021/0240853) in view of Kim et al. (US 9,863,722).
Regarding claim 14, Avakian fails to teach, however, Kim teaches wherein the heat dissipating holes are strip-shaped heat dissipating holes, and gap lengths of the strip-shaped heat dissipating holes are between 31 millimeters and 50 millimeters. (while Kim teaches strip shaped holes, it is known in the art that the size of strip shaped holes can vary, but also includes the range as required).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current application to incorporate the teachings of Kim into the proposed combination of would extend the life of devices.
Furthermore, while the prior art discloses a device housing having strip-shaped ventilation openings for dissipating heat generated by internal electronics.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 is 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.
Regarding claim 5, while Wang et al. teaches in paragraph 19, 24 and Fig. 3 of a first part 501 and a separate timing module 30, which is located on the device as well, but not on front/first part 501, fails to explicitly teach the structure and configuration of the claimed “structure support, and a first bearing plate and a second bearing plate fixed to two sides of the structure support, respectively; the infrared-laser emitting module and the calculating component are fixed to the first bearing plate, and the time sensor is fixed to the second bearing plate; and the first bearing plate is provided with a camera-lens through hole, the structure support is provided with a support through hole corresponding to the camera-lens through hole, and the sensing camera lens passes through the support through hole and is fixed inside the camera-lens through hole.” So as indicated by the above statements, the closest prior art as discussed above, either singularly or in combination, fail to anticipate or render the above combination of the discussed features/limitations obvious and additionally, applicant’s arguments have been considered persuasive, in light of the claim limitations as well as the enabling portions of the specification.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hill (US 2007/0016478) teaches a see through advertisement system using a retail display cabinet.
Cremaschi (US 2021/0254888) teaches an apparatus equipped with an intelligent display unit for the display and distribution of products in general.
Kang et al. (US 2017/0089632) teaches a display device including a door on a refrigerator for displaying advertisements.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GELEK W TOPGYAL whose telephone number is (571)272-8891. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (9:30-6 PST).
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/GELEK W TOPGYAL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2481