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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: 40A and 40B. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 (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 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.
Claims 1-5, 7, 8, 11-16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Larry et al. (US Patent 11,524,580).
Re claim 1, Larry et al. discloses a display system for a passenger cabin of a vehicle having a seating area (11, figure 1) and a liftgate opening (13, figure 1), the display system comprising a flexible display screen (15, figure 2) having a front side for displaying images and an opposite back side (there are two sides of the screen, both are capable of displaying an image see column 1, line 65 to column 2, line 2); and a transport assembly (44, 45, 46, and 47, figure 6) configured to be mounted proximate a headliner of the passenger cabin (see the Abstract) over the seating area, wherein the transport assembly includes a motorized carrier (45, 44, figure 6) coupled to the flexible display screen, wherein the motorized carrier is configured to move the flexible display screen to a first viewing position hanging from a forward end of the transport assembly (31A, figure 5), and wherein the flexible display screen is moveable to a second viewing position hanging vertically from a rearward end of the transport assembly (31B) and is further moveable to a third viewing position (the stowed position, the display screen is capable of being viewed in this position) on the transport assembly and viewable above the seating area.
Re claim 2, the first viewing position is generally forward of a seat, the second position is generally rearward of the seat, and the third position is generally above the seat (this relationship can be seen in figure 5 according to where the rear seat is mounted).
Re claim 3, the flexible display screen has an opaque film on the back side (see column 1, line 65 to column 2, line 2, both sides of the screen are capable of being made transparent or opaque).
Re claim 4, the flexible display screen is generally viewable in the second position from a rear end of the vehicle when a liftgate is opened (this configuration is shown in figure 2).
Re claim 5, the transport assembly comprises a winder (drive motor 46) for winding and unwinding the flexible display screen (the screen is wound up down by the motor between the various positions).
Re claim 7, the transport assembly further comprises a moveable carrier track (44, 45, figure 6) for moving the flexible display screen between the first, second and third viewing positions.
Re claim 8, the transport assembly comprises a moveable carrier track (44, 45, figure 6) for transporting the flexible display screen amongst the first, second and third viewing positions.
Re claim 11, the flexible display screen comprises a plurality of interconnected bars (see column 5, lines 49-55 which disclose the use of bars including pivotable linking segments).
Re claim 12, Larry et al. discloses a vehicle comprising a body configured to include a passenger cabin having a seating area (11, figure 1), a headliner (see the Abstract) and a liftgate opening (13, figure 1); and a display system proximate the headliner, the display system comprising a flexible display screen (15, figure 2) having a front side for displaying images and an opposite back side (there are two sides of the screen, both are capable of displaying an image see column 1, line 65 to column 2, line 2); and a transport assembly (44, 45, 46, and 47, figure 6) mounted proximate the headliner, wherein the transport assembly includes a motorized carrier (45, 44, figure 6) coupled to the flexible display screen, wherein the motorized carrier is configured to move the flexible display screen to a first viewing position (31A) hanging from a forward end of the transport assembly, wherein the flexible display screen is moveable to a second viewing position (31B) hanging vertically from a rearward end of the transport assembly, and is further moveable to a third viewing position (the stowed position, the display screen is capable of being viewed in this position) on the transport assembly and viewable above the seating area.
Re claim 13, the first viewing position is generally forward of a seat (the position of 31A in figure 5), the second viewing position is generally rearward of the seat (31B, figure 5), and the third viewing position is generally above the seat (the stowed position).
Re claim 14, the flexible display screen has an opaque film on the back side (see column 1, line 65 to column 2, line 2, both sides of the screen are capable of being made transparent or opaque).
Re claim 15, the flexible display screen is generally viewable in the second viewing position from a rear end of the vehicle when a liftgate is opened (as shown in figure 2).
Re claim 16, the transport assembly comprises a winder (drive motor 46) for winding and unwinding the flexible display screen.
Re claim 18, the transport assembly further comprises a moveable track (44, 45, figure 6) for moving the flexible display screen between the first, second and third viewing positions.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 9, 10, 17, 19, and 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 primary reason for the indication of allowable subject matter in claims 6 and 17 is the inclusion in the claims of the limitations directed to a toggle structure moveable between a first arrangement that guides the flexible display screen to the first viewing position and a second arrangement that guides the flexible display screen to the second viewing position. Such limitations, in combination with the rest of the limitations of the claims, are not disclosed or suggested by the prior art of record.
Larry et al. (US Patent 11,524,580), the closest prior art of record, does not disclose not teach or suggest the use of a toggle and there is no teaching or suggestion in the prior art of record to modify the device to use a toggle.
The primary reason for the indication of allowable subject matter in claims 9, 10, 19, and 20 is the inclusion in the claim of the limitations directed to a magnet, wherein a polarity of the magnet is controlled to attract a ferromagnetic metal on the flexible display screen or to repel the ferromagnetic metal on the display screen. Such limitations, in combination with the rest of the limitations of the claims, are not disclosed or suggested by the prior art of record.
Larry et al. (US Patent 11,524,580), the closest prior art of record, does not disclose not teach or suggest a polarity controlled magnet and there is no teaching or suggestion in the prior art of record to modify the device to use a polarity controlled magnet.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited references all disclose vehicle display devices.
US2026/0061945 discloses a hanging vehicle screen.
US 2026/0063981 discloses a screen visible from the back of a vehicle.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jason S Morrow whose telephone number is (571)272-6663. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Vivek Koppikar can be reached at (571) 272-5109. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON S MORROW/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3612
July 15, 2026
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