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
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 02/24/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant argues that none of the cited references teaches the limitations as presented in claims 1, 7, and 13. The examiner respectfully disagrees. Hsiao et al. (figures 1-4B) discloses a portrait mode optimization system as claimed including the portrait mode optimized positioning device comprises a reversible guide panel structure (3, 31, vertical and horizontal portions of 4); and the reversible guide panel structure comprises a first portion and a second portion (3, 31, vertical and horizontal portions of 4), the first portion and the second portion being positioned substantially perpendicularly with each other, the first portion being positioned in a horizontal orientation and the second portion being positioned in a vertical orientation when the display device is configured in a landscape mode of operation (the backlight module will be placed vertically in a landscape mode after assembled; see at least paragraph 0029), the first portion being pivoted to a vertical orientation and the second portion being pivoted to a horizontal orientation when the display device is rotated to the portrait mode of operation, the first portion being positioned along a bottom edge of the display device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation such that the display device optical component rests against the first portion when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation. The claim language therefore does not patentably distinguish over the applied reference[s], and the previous rejections are maintained.
Claim Interpretations
In claims 1, 7, and 13, the limitations “the portrait mode optimized positioning device being positioned along a bottom edge of the display device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation such that the display device optical component rests against the portrait mode optimized positioning device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation; and the first portion being positioned in a horizontal orientation and the second portion being positioned in a vertical orientation when the display device is configured in a landscape mode of operation, the first portion being pivoted to a vertical orientation and the second portion being pivoted to a horizontal orientation when the display device is rotated to the portrait mode of operation, the first portion being positioned along a bottom edge of the display device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation such that the display device optical component rests against the first portion when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation” appear to be conditional claims. For examining purposes, the examiner assumes the first / second part of the claims are no longer valid if the display device is not in the portrait mode of operation / the display device is not configured in a landscape mode of operation. Appropriate correction is required.
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 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.
Claims 1, 3, 7, 9, 13-15, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsiao et al. (US 2014/0313457) in view of Lee (US 2020/0301518).
Regarding claim 1, Hsiao et al. (figures 1-4B) discloses a portrait mode optimization system for a display device comprising: a portrait mode optimized positioning device positioned contiguous to a display device optical component, the portrait mode optimized positioning device being configured to perform a display device portrait mode optimization operation (see at least paragraph 0031), the portrait mode optimized positioning device being configured to rotate substantially 90 degrees from a landscape mode of operation to a portrait mode of operation, the portrait mode optimized positioning device being positioned along a bottom edge of the display device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation (the liquid backlight module can also be placed standing vertically in a portrait mode besides the landscape mode; see at least paragraph 0031) such that the display device optical component rests against the portrait mode optimized positioning device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation (see at least paragraphs 0031-0037); and wherein
the portrait mode optimized positioning device comprises a reversible guide panel structure (3, 31, vertical and horizontal portions of 4); and
the reversible guide panel structure comprises a first portion and a second portion (3, 31, vertical and horizontal portions of 4), the first portion and the second portion being positioned substantially perpendicularly with each other, the first portion being positioned in a horizontal orientation and the second portion being positioned in a vertical orientation when the display device is configured in a landscape mode of operation (the backlight module will be placed vertically in a landscape mode after assembled; see at least paragraph 0029), the first portion being pivoted to a vertical orientation and the second portion being pivoted to a horizontal orientation when the display device is rotated to the portrait mode of operation, the first portion being positioned along a bottom edge of the display device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation such that the display device optical component rests against the first portion when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation.
Hsiao et al. discloses the limitations as shown in the rejection of claim 1 above. However, Hsiao et al. is silent regarding a positioning device attachment device, the positioning device attachment device being configured to physically couple the portrait mode optimized positioning device to a bottom cover of the display device. Lee (figures 1A-1C) teaches a positioning device attachment device, the positioning device attachment device being configured to physically couple the portrait mode optimized positioning device to a bottom cover of the display device (10, 190; see at least paragraphs 0075-0080). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the positioning device attachment device as taught by Lee in order to rotate the display device without consideration of the surrounding environment, collision with a person or an object that exists within the rotation radius may occur.
Regarding claim 2, Hsiao et al. (figures 1-4B) discloses the portrait mode optimized positioning device comprises a reversible guide panel structure (31).
Regarding claim 3, Lee (figures 1A-1C) teaches the second portion is physically coupled to the bottom cover of the display device via the positioning device attachment device (10, 190; see at least paragraphs 0075-0080). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the positioning device attachment device as taught by Lee in order to rotate the display device without consideration of the surrounding environment, collision with a person or an object that exists within the rotation radius may occur.
Regarding claim 7, Hsiao et al. (figures 1-4B) discloses a display device comprising: a display device optical component (see at least paragraph 0028); and a portrait mode optimization system for a display device comprising: a portrait mode optimized positioning device positioned contiguous to a display device optical component, the portrait mode optimized positioning device being configured to perform a display device portrait mode optimization operation (see at least paragraph 0031), the portrait mode optimized positioning device being configured to rotate substantially 90 degrees when the display device is rotated from a landscape mode of operation to a portrait mode of operation, the portrait mode optimized positioning device being positioned along a bottom edge of the display device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation (the liquid backlight module can also be placed standing vertically in a portrait mode besides the landscape mode; see at least paragraph 0031) such that the display device optical component rests against the portrait mode optimized positioning device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation (see at least paragraphs 0031-0037); ; and wherein
the portrait mode optimized positioning device comprises a reversible guide panel structure (3, 31, vertical and horizontal portions of 4); and
the reversible guide panel structure comprises a first portion and a second portion (3, 31, vertical and horizontal portions of 4), the first portion and the second portion being positioned substantially perpendicularly with each other, the first portion being positioned in a horizontal orientation and the second portion being positioned in a vertical orientation when the display device is configured in a landscape mode of operation (the backlight module will be placed vertically in a landscape mode after assembled; see at least paragraph 0029), the first portion being pivoted to a vertical orientation and the second portion being pivoted to a horizontal orientation when the display device is rotated to the portrait mode of operation, the first portion being positioned along a bottom edge of the display device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation such that the display device optical component rests against the first portion when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation.
Hsiao et al. discloses the limitations as shown in the rejection of claim 7 above. However, Hsiao et al. is silent regarding a positioning device attachment device, the positioning device attachment device being configured to physically couple the portrait mode optimized positioning device to a bottom cover of the display device. Lee (figures 1A-1C) teaches a positioning device attachment device, the positioning device attachment device being configured to physically couple the portrait mode optimized positioning device to a bottom cover of the display device (10, 190; see at least paragraphs 0075-0080). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the positioning device attachment device as taught by Lee in order to rotate the display device without consideration of the surrounding environment, collision with a person or an object that exists within the rotation radius may occur.
Regarding claim 8, Hsiao et al. (figures 1-4B) discloses the portrait mode optimized positioning device comprises a reversible guide panel structure (31).
Regarding claim 9, Lee (figures 1A-1C) teaches the second portion is physically coupled to the bottom cover of the display device via the positioning device attachment device (10, 190; see at least paragraphs 0075-0080). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the positioning device attachment device as taught by Lee in order to rotate the display device without consideration of the surrounding environment, collision with a person or an object that exists within the rotation radius may occur.
Regarding claim 13, Hsiao et al. implicitly (figures 1-4B) discloses system comprising: a processor; a data bus coupled to the processor; and a display device (see at least abstract). In addition, Hsiao et al. (figures 1-4B) discloses the display device comprising: a display device optical component (see at least paragraph 0028); and a portrait mode optimization system for a display device comprising: a portrait mode optimized positioning device positioned contiguous to a display device optical component, the portrait mode optimized positioning device being configured to perform a display device portrait mode optimization operation (see at least paragraph 0031), the portrait mode optimized positioning device being configured to rotate substantially 90 degrees when the display device is rotated from a landscape mode of operation to a portrait mode of operation, the portrait mode optimized positioning device being positioned along a bottom edge of the display device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation (the liquid backlight module can also be placed standing vertically in a portrait mode besides the landscape mode; see at least paragraph 0031) such that the display device optical component rests against the portrait mode optimized positioning device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation (see at least paragraphs 0031-0037); and wherein
the portrait mode optimized positioning device comprises a reversible guide panel structure (3, 31, vertical and horizontal portions of 4); and
the reversible guide panel structure comprises a first portion and a second portion 3, 31, vertical and horizontal portions of 4), the first portion and the second portion being positioned substantially perpendicularly with each other, the first portion being positioned in a horizontal orientation and the second portion being positioned in a vertical orientation when the display device is configured in a landscape mode of operation (the backlight module will be placed vertically in a landscape mode after assembled; see at least paragraph 0029), the first portion being pivoted to a vertical orientation and the second portion being pivoted to a horizontal orientation when the display device is rotated to the portrait mode of operation, the first portion being positioned along a bottom edge of the display device when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation such that the display device optical component rests against the first portion when the display device is in the portrait mode of operation.
Hsiao et al. discloses the limitations as shown in the rejection of claim 13 above. However, Hsiao et al. is silent regarding a positioning device attachment device, the positioning device attachment device being configured to physically couple the portrait mode optimized positioning device to a bottom cover of the display device. Lee (figures 1A-1C) teaches a positioning device attachment device, the positioning device attachment device being configured to physically couple the portrait mode optimized positioning device to a bottom cover of the display device (10, 190; see at least paragraphs 0075-0080). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the positioning device attachment device as taught by Lee in order to rotate the display device without consideration of the surrounding environment, collision with a person or an object that exists within the rotation radius may occur.
Regarding claim 14, Hsiao et al. (figures 1-4B) discloses the portrait mode optimized positioning device comprises a reversible guide panel structure (31).
Regarding claim 15, Lee (figures 1A-1C) teaches the second portion is physically coupled to the bottom cover of the display device via the positioning device attachment device (10, 190; see at least paragraphs 0075-0080). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the positioning device attachment device as taught by Lee in order to rotate the display device without consideration of the surrounding environment, collision with a person or an object that exists within the rotation radius may occur.
Regarding claim 19, Hsiao et al. (figures 1-4B) discloses the second portion is longer than the first portion is tall (3, 31, vertical and horizontal portions of 4).
Regarding claim 20, Hsiao et al. (figures 1-4B) discloses the second portion is longer than the first portion is tall (3, 31, vertical and horizontal portions of 4).
Regarding claim 21, Hsiao et al. (figures 1-4B) discloses the second portion is longer than the first portion is tall (3, 31, vertical and horizontal portions of 4).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAUREN NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1428. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday, 8:00 AM -6:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Carruth, can be reached at 571-272-9791. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAUREN NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871