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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 6-9, and 15 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 2, Koller at el. (US Pub. 20190344664, Koller) teaches (in figures 1-2) a display device including a see-through area for a vehicle, the display device comprising: a front display (display device 5) having a plurality of display areas (first area 17 and second area 19) and located in front of a driver seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle (see figure 1 and paragraph 19); and a see-through module (cover 15) adjacent to a front lower part of the front display when the front display is located at a lowest point, wherein the see-through module comprises a see-through panel (cover 15) configured to provide information to a driver and a passenger by transmitting light from a lower area of the front display (paragraph 35).
Ha et al. (US Pub. 20230302906, Ha) teaches (in figures 6-7) providing a drive module (driving module 1400 configured to adjust a position of a front display (display 130/CID 131) in order to reduce driver distraction when concentration is required (paragraph 84).
Wen (CN211965079U) teaches (in figures 1-5) providing a rubber member (rubber mesh cylinder 22) for cleaning a retractable display wherein the rubber member is in contact with the front lower part of a front display (display screen 5).
However, the prior art taken alone or in combination fails to teach or fairly suggest to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing a display in which a rubber member coupled to a first end of the see-through panel wherein the rubber member is in contact with the front lower part of the front display and configured to block light from leaking through a gap between the see-through panel and the front lower part of the front display in combination with the other required elements of claim 2 and claim 1 from which claim 2 depends.
Regarding claim 6, Koller at el. (US Pub. 20190344664, Koller) teaches (in figures 1-2) a display device including a see-through area for a vehicle, the display device comprising: a front display (display device 5) having a plurality of display areas (first area 17 and second area 19) and located in front of a driver seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle (see figure 1 and paragraph 19); and a see-through module (cover 15) adjacent to a front lower part of the front display when the front display is located at a lowest point, wherein the see-through module comprises a see-through panel (cover 15) configured to provide information to a driver and a passenger by transmitting light from a lower area of the front display (paragraph 35).
Ha et al. (US Pub. 20230302906, Ha) teaches (in figures 6-7) providing a drive module (driving module 1400 configured to adjust a position of a front display (display 130/CID 131) wherein the drive module is configured to: adjust the position of the front display and provide driving force to the front display to enable the front display to rotate and move in a curved path (see figure 7 and paragraphs 95-98 which shows that the display moves around a hinge 705) in order to reduce driver distraction when concentration is required (paragraph 84).
Vinogradov (US Pub. 20180370363) teaches (in figures 1-10) mounting a camera (console camera 116) on a vehicle linked to a drive module (pivot motor 120 and extender motor 122), wherein the drive module is configured to: adjust the position of a front display (center console display device 124) based on a position of a specific facial portion of an occupant in the driver seat or the passenger seat; and provide driving force to the front display to align the display with the driver in order to provide the optimal viewing angle for the driver (see paragraph 43).
However, the prior art taken alone or in combination fails to teach or fairly suggest to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing a display wherein the drive module comprises: a link member rotatably coupled to the support bracket; and a ball screw member connected to the link member and configured to move in a straight line and rotate the link member in combination with the other required elements of claim 6 and claims 1 and 5 from which claim 6 depends.
Regarding claim 15, Yamada et al. (US Pub. 20240019697, Yamada) teaches (in figures 1-3) a display system for a vehicle, the system comprising: a front display (image display device 3) having a plurality of display areas (upper display area 30u and a lower display area 30d) and located in front of a driver seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle a see-through module (accommodating part 6) comprising a reflector (reflective member 4) and a see-through panel (transparent cover 62), the see-through panel positioned adjacent to a front lower part of the front display when the front display is located at a lowest point, such that light from the lower area of the front display is reflected by the reflector and transmitted through the see-through panel to provide information to the occupant.
Ha et al. (US Pub. 20230302906, Ha) teaches (in figures 6-7) providing a drive module (driving module 1400 configured to adjust a position of a front display (display 130/CID 131) wherein the drive module is configured to: adjust the position of the front display and provide driving force to the front display to enable the front display to rotate and move in a curved path (see figure 7 and paragraphs 95-98 which shows that the display moves around a hinge 705) in order to reduce driver distraction when concentration is required (paragraph 84).
Vinogradov (US Pub. 20180370363) teaches (in figures 1-10) mounting a camera (console camera 116) on a vehicle linked to a drive module (pivot motor 120 and extender motor 122), wherein the drive module is configured to: adjust the position of a front display (center console display device 124) based on a position of a specific facial portion of an occupant in the driver seat or the passenger seat; and provide driving force to the front display to align the display with the driver and providing a processor (processor 104) configured to control the drive module to adjust the position of the front display based on the detection of the position of the specific facial portion of the occupant by the camera in order to provide the optimal viewing angle for the driver (see paragraph 43).
However, the prior art taken alone or in combination fails to teach or fairly suggest to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing a display in which the see-through module is movable between: a first position in which the see-through module is adjacent to the front lower part of the front display to reflect light from the lower part of the front display through the see-through panel, and a second position in which the see-through module is positioned away from the front lower part of the front display such that light from the lower part of the front display is not reflected through the see-through panel in combination with the other required elements of claim 15 and claim 13 from which claim 15 depends.
Claims 3-4 and 7-9 are allowable by virtue of their dependency.
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) 1, 10, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koller at el. (US Pub. 20190344664, Koller) in view of Ha et al. (US Pub. 20230302906, Ha).
As per claim 1, Koller teaches (in figures 1-2) a display device including a see-through area for a vehicle, the display device comprising: a front display (display device 5) having a plurality of display areas (first area 17 and second area 19) and located in front of a driver seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle (see figure 1 and paragraph 19); and a see-through module (cover 15) adjacent to a front lower part of the front display when the front display is located at a lowest point, wherein the see-through module comprises a see-through panel (cover 15) configured to provide information to a driver and a passenger by transmitting light from a lower area of the front display (paragraph 35).
Koller does not teach a drive module configured to adjust a position of the front display.
However, Ha teaches (in figures 6-7) providing a drive module (driving module 1400 configured to adjust a position of a front display (display 130/CID 131) in order to reduce driver distraction when concentration is required (paragraph 84).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Koller to include the drive module taught by Ha.
The motivation would have been to provide a mean of reducing driving distraction when concentration is required as taught by Ha.
As per claim 10, Koller in view of Ha teaches that the position of the front display comprises a height of the display (see figure 6 and paragraphs 84-92 in Ha).
As per claim 12, Koller teaches (in figures 1-2) a vehicle comprising: a vehicle body (dashboard 1); a mounting portion (portion of dashboard 1 comprising display device 5) located on the vehicle body; and a display device (display device 5) mounted on the mounting portion and configured to provide a see-through area (area of cover 15), wherein the display device comprises: a front display (display device 5) having a plurality of display areas (first area 17 and second area 19) and located in front of a driver seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle (see figure 1 and paragraph 19); and a see-through module (cover 15) adjacent to a front lower part of the front display when the front display is located at a lowest point, and wherein the see-through module comprises a see-through panel (cover 15) configured to provide information to a driver and a passenger by transmitting light from a lower area of the front display (paragraph 35).
Koller does not teach a drive module configured to adjust a height of the front display.
However, Ha teaches (in figures 6-7) providing a drive module (driving module 1400 configured to adjust a height of a front display (display 130/CID 131) in order to reduce driver distraction when concentration is required (paragraph 84).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Koller to include the drive module taught by Ha.
The motivation would have been to provide a mean of reducing driving distraction when concentration is required as taught by Ha.
Claim(s) 5 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koller at el. (US Pub. 20190344664, Koller) and Ha et al. (US Pub. 20230302906, Ha) as applied to claim 1 above and in further view of Vinogradov (US Pub. 20180370363).
As per claim 5, Koller in view of Ha teaches wherein the drive module is configured to: adjust the position of the front display and provide driving force to the front display to enable the front display to rotate and move in a curved path (see figure 7 and paragraphs 95-98 in Ha which shows that the display moves around a hinge 705).
Koller in view of Ha does not teach that the drive module is linked to a camera mounted on the vehicle, and wherein the drive module is configured to: adjust the position of the front display based on a position of a specific facial portion of an occupant in the driver seat or the passenger seat.
However, Vinogradov teaches (in figures 1-10) mounting a camera (console camera 116) on a vehicle linked to a drive module (pivot motor 120 and extender motor 122), wherein the drive module is configured to: adjust the position of a front display (center console display device 124) based on a position of a specific facial portion of an occupant in the driver seat or the passenger seat; and provide driving force to the front display to align the display with the driver in order to provide the optimal viewing angle for the driver (see paragraph 43).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the camera and teaching of Vinogradov in order to provide optimal viewing for the driver.
As per claim 11, Koller in view of Ha and Vinogradov teaches that the position of the specific facial portion of the occupant in the driver seat or the passenger seat is detected by the camera (see paragraph 43 in Vinogradov).
Claim(s) 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada et al. (US Pub. 20240019697, Yamada) in view of Ha et al. (US Pub. 20230302906, Ha) and Vinogradov (US Pub. 20180370363).
As per claim 13, Yamada teaches (in figures 1-3) a display system for a vehicle, the system comprising: a front display (image display device 3) having a plurality of display areas (upper display area 30u and a lower display area 30d) and located in front of a driver seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle (paragraph 28); a see-through module (accommodating part 6) comprising a reflector (reflective member 4) and a see-through panel (transparent cover 62), the see-through panel positioned adjacent to a front lower part of the front display when the front display is located at a lowest point, such that light from the lower area of the front display is reflected by the reflector and transmitted through the see-through panel to provide information to the occupant;
Yamada does not teach a camera configured to detect a position of a specific facial portion of an occupant in the driver seat or the passenger seat; a drive module in communication with the camera configured to adjust a position of the front display; and a processor configured to control the drive module to adjust the position of the front display based on the detection of the position of the specific facial portion of the occupant by the camera.
However, Ha teaches (in figures 6-7) providing a drive module (driving module 1400 configured to adjust a position of a front display (display 130/CID 131) wherein the drive module is configured to: adjust the position of the front display and provide driving force to the front display to enable the front display to rotate and move in a curved path (see figure 7 and paragraphs 95-98 which shows that the display moves around a hinge 705) in order to reduce driver distraction when concentration is required (paragraph 84).
Vinogradov teaches (in figures 1-10) mounting a camera (console camera 116) on a vehicle linked to a drive module (pivot motor 120 and extender motor 122), wherein the drive module is configured to: adjust the position of a front display (center console display device 124) based on a position of a specific facial portion of an occupant in the driver seat or the passenger seat; and provide driving force to the front display to align the display with the driver and providing a processor (processor 104) configured to control the drive module to adjust the position of the front display based on the detection of the position of the specific facial portion of the occupant by the camera in order to provide the optimal viewing angle for the driver (see paragraph 43).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Koller to include the drive module taught by Ha and the camera and processor of Vinogradov.
The motivation to include the drive module of Ha would have been to provide a means of reducing driving distraction when concentration is required and the motivation to include the camera and processor of Vinogradov would have been to provide the optimal viewing angle for the driver.
As per claim 14, Yamada in view of Ha and Vinogradov teaches that the processor is further configured to control the drive module to adjust the position of the front display to provide optimal viewing by the occupant (see paragraph 43 in Vinogradov).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER P GROSS whose telephone number is (571)272-5660. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-6pm EST.
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/ALEXANDER P GROSS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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