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 § 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 (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 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 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kosaka et al. (US Pub. 2018/0240258), hereinafter Kosaka, in view of Kimura (US Pub. 2017/0240109).
Regarding claim 1, Kosaka discloses a vehicle display control device comprising memory and a processor coupled to the memory (Fig. 2; Paragraph [0036]: FIG. 2 is a functional block configuration diagram of the vehicular display device 100. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the vehicular display device 100 includes a preceding vehicle detector 110, a determiner 120, a display processor 130, and a HUD image display 140. Note that the functional blocks are configured by information processors such as a CPU and storage devices such as a memory and a hard disk drive), the vehicle display control device controlling a display device such that, an acquisition image in accordance with a position of a preceding vehicle, is displayed in a display region superimposed on a portion of a forward view from a vehicle (Fig. 1; Abstract: vehicular display device which displays a marker image in a manner superimposed on a preceding vehicle in front of a vehicle when the vehicle is following the preceding vehicle while traveling, includes a display configured to display an image in a display area provided to overlap a position of a windshield included in the vehicle, a preceding vehicle detector configured to detect a position of the preceding vehicle, a display processor configured to cause the display to display the marker image corresponding to the position of the preceding vehicle detected by the preceding vehicle detector, and a determiner configured to determine whether the preceding vehicle is located on an inner side of vehicle widthwise side edges of the display area or on outer sides of the vehicle width direction side edges, based on the position of the preceding vehicle detected by the preceding vehicle detector; Paragraphs [0045]-[0047]: the area inside-outside determiner 123 can determine how much of the preceding vehicle Vp is located on the outer side (outer side DOL or outer side DOR, not illustrated in FIG. 2, see FIG. 4A) of the side edge DL or the side edge DR. For example, the width (ratio) of a portion of the preceding vehicle Vp outside the display area DA is determined based on the entire width of the rear view of the preceding vehicle Vp…display processor 130 displays the marker image 200 corresponding to the position of the preceding vehicle Vp detected by the preceding vehicle detector 110 on the HUD image display 140. Specifically, the display processor 130 displays the marker image 200 in the display area DA…when the determiner 120 determines that the preceding vehicle Vp is located on the outer side of one of the vehicle widthwise side edges (side edge DL or side edge DR, same applies hereafter) of the display area DA, the display processor 130 continues to display the marker image 200 in a peripheral portion of the vehicle widthwise side edge on the outer side of which the preceding vehicle Vp is located. The “peripheral portion” refers to a position on the vehicle widthwise side edge on the outer side of which the preceding vehicle Vp is located or a portion near or around this position), and the processor being configured to perform control to: display the acquisition image as a flashing display in a case in which an entirety of the preceding vehicle had departed from the display region (Paragraphs [0052]-[0054]: When the entire preceding vehicle Vp is located on the outer side of the vehicle widthwise side edge of the display area DA, the display processor 130 can display an icon 300 (not illustrated in FIG. 2, see FIG. 5C) indicating the preceding vehicle Vp adjacent to the marker image 200…display processor 130 can display the marker image 200 below the preceding vehicle Vp when the preceding vehicle Vp is located in the display area DA, and move the marker image 200 toward the side of the preceding vehicle Vp as the portion of the preceding vehicle Vp located on the outer side of the vehicle widthwise side edge of the display area DA increases…the display processor 130 can reduce the size of the marker image 200 while moving the marker image 200 toward the side of the preceding vehicle Vp as the portion of the preceding vehicle Vp located on the outer side of the vehicle widthwise side edge of the display area DA increases; Paragraph [0067]: display processor 130 can change the temporal frequency of the marker image 200 as the portion of the preceding vehicle Vp located on the outer side of the vehicle widthwise side edge of the display area DA increases. The temporal frequency of the marker image 200 means the frequency of displaying the image. When the temporal frequency is low, the image blinks slowly and when the temporal frequency is high, the image blinks rapidly or is constantly displayed).
Kosaka does not explicitly disclose to not display the acquisition image as a flashing display in a case in which at least a portion of the preceding vehicle is inside the display region.
However, Kimura teaches vehicular display of surroundings (Abstract), further comprising to not display the acquisition image as a flashing display in a case in which at least a portion of the preceding vehicle is inside the display region (Paragraph [0106]: display control unit 18 projects the second blinking display Pb in the circular display outer frame C1, shown in FIG. 3, so that the line of sight of the driver is directed to the preceding vehicle Nb. The display control unit 18 projects the second blinking display Pb at the position below the image of the preceding vehicle Nb. The display inner frame C2, shown in FIG. 3, is a circular frame that is set to prevent the second blinking display Pb from being overlapped with the image of the preceding vehicle Nb. The display inner frame C2 is set in such a way that the frame surrounds the lower part of the image of the preceding vehicle Nb. The display control unit 18 displays the display inner frame C2 in such a way that the inner frame C2 becomes larger as the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle M and the preceding vehicle Nb is shorter. The display control unit 18 projects the second blinking display Pb at a position that is in the area below the reference horizontal line D within the display outer frame C1 and is outside the display inner frame C2. Note that the display inner frame C2 is not projected on the windshield W and that the display inner frame C2 need not necessarily be set). Kimura teaches that this will allow for a driver to easily notice a change in the surrounding traveling environment according to a change in the traveling environment (Paragraph [0152]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Kosaka with the features of above as taught by Kimura so as to allow the driver to easily notice a change as presented by Kimura.
Regarding claim 2, Kosaka, in view of Kimura teaches the vehicle display control device according to claim 1, Kimura discloses wherein the processor is configured to display the acquisition image as a flashing display after a certain duration has passed after the entirety of the preceding vehicle had departed from the display region, in a case in which the entirety of the preceding vehicle had departed from the display region (Paragraph [0171]: ECU 20 uses the display control unit 23 to project the third blinking display Pc. The display control unit 23 projects the third blinking display Pc in the display outer frame C1 so that a part of the white line that the host vehicle M has approached is included in the attention attraction range Cpd. The display control unit 18 projects the third blinking display Pc on windshield W until the number of blinks reaches the number of blinks that is set. After that, the ECU 20 terminates the current processing and repeats the processing again from S60 after the predetermined time elapses).
Regarding claim 3, Kosaka, in view of Kimura teaches the vehicle display control device according to claim 1, Kosaka discloses wherein the processor is configured to display the acquisition image as a non-flashing display after a certain duration has passed after at least a portion of the preceding vehicle had returned from outside to inside the display region, in a case in which at least a portion of the preceding vehicle had returned from outside to inside the display region (Paragraph [0003]: there is proposed a vehicular display device which displays a marker image along with the position of a preceding vehicle for a certain time; Paragraphs [0062]-[0067]: display processor 130 can change the color of the marker image 200 as the portion of the preceding vehicle Vp located on the outer side of the vehicle widthwise side edge of the display area DA increases… the display processor 130 displays the marker image 200 in a first color (for example, green) when the preceding vehicle Vp is located in the display area DA… display processor 130 can change the spatial frequency of the marker image 200 as the portion of the preceding vehicle Vp located on the outer side of the vehicle widthwise side edge of the display area DA increases. The spatial frequency of the marker image 200 means the number of lines included in a unit length. When the spatial frequency is low, the image is dull and when the spatial frequency is high, the image is sharp…display processor 130 can change the temporal frequency of the marker image 200 as the portion of the preceding vehicle Vp located on the outer side of the vehicle widthwise side edge of the display area DA increases. The temporal frequency of the marker image 200 means the frequency of displaying the image. When the temporal frequency is low, the image blinks slowly and when the temporal frequency is high, the image blinks rapidly or is constantly displayed).
Regarding claim 4, Kosaka, in view of Kimura teaches the vehicle display control device according to claim 1, Kimura discloses wherein the processor is configured to raise a flashing rate of the flashing display in association with the preceding vehicle moving further from the display region in a case in which the entirety of the preceding vehicle had departed from the display region (Paragraph [0171]: S70, the ECU 20 uses the display control unit 23 to project the third blinking display Pc. The display control unit 23 projects the third blinking display Pc in the display outer frame C1 so that a part of the white line that the host vehicle M has approached is included in the attention attraction range Cpd. The display control unit 18 projects the third blinking display Pc on windshield W until the number of blinks reaches the number of blinks that is set. After that, the ECU 20 terminates the current processing and repeats the processing again from S60 after the predetermined time elapses; Paragraph [0184]: squeezing candidate vehicle determination unit 14 calculates the squeezing probability as a value that is higher as the lateral distance between the other vehicle and the traveling lane is smaller. The squeezing candidate vehicle determination unit 14 calculates the squeezing probability as a value that is higher as the relative speed between the other vehicle and the host vehicle M is closer to zero. When the blinker on the traveling lane R1 side of the other vehicle is turned on, the squeezing candidate vehicle determination unit 14 calculates the squeezing probability as a value that is higher as compared with the case when the blinker is turned off. The squeezing candidate vehicle determination unit 14 calculates the squeezing probability as a value that is lower as the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle M and the preceding vehicle Nb is smaller. The other vehicles for which the squeezing probability is calculated may be limited to the other vehicles traveling ahead of the host vehicle M).
Regarding claim 5, Kosaka, in view of Kimura teaches the vehicle display control device according to claim 4, Kimura discloses wherein the processor is configured to raise the flashing rate in steps in association with the preceding vehicle moving further from the display region (Paragraph [0171]: S70, the ECU 20 uses the display control unit 23 to project the third blinking display Pc. The display control unit 23 projects the third blinking display Pc in the display outer frame C1 so that a part of the white line that the host vehicle M has approached is included in the attention attraction range Cpd. The display control unit 18 projects the third blinking display Pc on windshield W until the number of blinks reaches the number of blinks that is set. After that, the ECU 20 terminates the current processing and repeats the processing again from S60 after the predetermined time elapses; Paragraph [0184]: squeezing candidate vehicle determination unit 14 calculates the squeezing probability as a value that is higher as the lateral distance between the other vehicle and the traveling lane is smaller. The squeezing candidate vehicle determination unit 14 calculates the squeezing probability as a value that is higher as the relative speed between the other vehicle and the host vehicle M is closer to zero. When the blinker on the traveling lane R1 side of the other vehicle is turned on, the squeezing candidate vehicle determination unit 14 calculates the squeezing probability as a value that is higher as compared with the case when the blinker is turned off. The squeezing candidate vehicle determination unit 14 calculates the squeezing probability as a value that is lower as the inter-vehicle distance between the host vehicle M and the preceding vehicle Nb is smaller. The other vehicles for which the squeezing probability is calculated may be limited to the other vehicles traveling ahead of the host vehicle M).
Regarding claim 6, Kosaka, in view of Kimura teaches the vehicle display control device according to claim 1, Kosaka discloses wherein the display region is a projection screen projected onto by a head-up display at a vehicle front of a driver seat (Fig. 1; Paragraphs [0028]-[0029]: the vehicular display device 100 includes a head-up display (HUD). Particularly, the vehicular display device 100 functions as an augmented reality head-up display (AR-HUD) which can display a virtual symbol (image) along with the object viewed by the driver through the windshield FW…display area DA is provided to overlap a partial area of the windshield FW as viewed from the viewpoint of the driver seating on the driver seat. Although the specific position of the display area DA is not particularly limited, the display area DA is generally provided in a partial area of the windshield FW which includes the driver seat side).
Regarding claim 7, Kosaka, in view of Kimura teaches a vehicle display device comprising: Kosaka discloses a display unit that is provided in a cabin of a vehicle and includes a display region (Fig., 1); and the vehicle display control device according to claim 1 (see Claim 1).
Regarding claim 8, the limitations of this claim substantially correspond to the limitations of claim 1; thus they are rejected on similar grounds.
Regarding claim 9, the limitations of this claim substantially correspond to the limitations of claim 2; thus they are rejected on similar grounds.
Regarding claim 10, the limitations of this claim substantially correspond to the limitations of claim 3; thus they are rejected on similar grounds.
Regarding claim 11, the limitations of this claim substantially correspond to the limitations of claim 4; thus they are rejected on similar grounds.
Regarding claim 12, the limitations of this claim substantially correspond to the limitations of claim 5; thus they are rejected on similar grounds.
Regarding claim 13, the limitations of this claim substantially correspond to the limitations of claim 1; thus they are rejected on similar grounds.
Regarding claim 14, the limitations of this claim substantially correspond to the limitations of claim 2; thus they are rejected on similar grounds.
Regarding claim 15, the limitations of this claim substantially correspond to the limitations of claim 3; thus they are rejected on similar grounds.
Regarding claim 16, the limitations of this claim substantially correspond to the limitations of claim 4; thus they are rejected on similar grounds.
Regarding claim 17, the limitations of this claim substantially correspond to the limitations of claim 5; thus they are rejected on similar grounds.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW D SALVUCCI whose telephone number is (571)270-5748. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7:30-4:00PT.
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/MATTHEW SALVUCCI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2613