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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/23/2025 has been entered.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. (US 2023/0236637) in view of Scott, II (US 2007/0247798).
As to Claim 1, Yoon et al. discloses A display system comprising:
a first display device configured to display a first content image (fig.1A, 8; display area 111 of flexible display 110, para.0116- video application may be executed in area 111),
a second display device configured to display a second content image related to the first content image (fig.1A,8; display area 113 of flexible display 110 may display video executed in display area 111, para.0116),
a mounting support provided at a surface of the first display device (fig.1A-2,8; sliding housing 251, first plate 240, second plate 241; para.0061,0073-0076)
a sliding part provided at the lower end of the mounting support, when the first display device slides in a direction along the sliding part (fig.1A-2,8; sliding rail 252; para.0073-0076), a portion of the mounting support is exposed, (fig.2B- when extended by second length D2, portion of sliding housing 251 and second plate 241 is exposed),
wherein the second display device is mounted on the exposed mounting support such that the first display device and the second display device are attached to each other (fig.1A-2B, 6,8; second display area 112/113 is mounted on the exposed area of the sliding housing 251 and second plate 241, first display 111 and second display areas 112/113 are attached to each other) and
wherein the first display device determines whether the second display device is attached (para.0215- extension event of the flexible display is detected (display area 112/113 exposed)), and
based on a determination that the second display device is attached, the second display device displays the second content image related to the first content image based on the first content image being displayed by the second display device (para.0215, based on the extension event (second display area 111/113 exposed), display area 111/113 may execute video application based on video application executed in first display area 111).
Yoon et al. does not expressly disclose where the second display area 112/113 as a second display device and determination whether the second display is attached.
Scott discloses a first display device (1130) and second display device (132) that is slidably extended from the display housing (para.0017), and where it is determined indicating that at least one auxiliary display (132) has been extended {read as attached} and how much of the auxiliary display has been extended (fig.1-2, 4, para.0027).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yoon et al. with the teachings of Scott, such that the second area and/or third area of the flexible display may be implemented as a second auxiliary display (as disclosed by Scott), the motivation being to allocate content for display to the main display and the auxiliary display based on the detected extension signal, and further allow a user to extend the display device to a desired level of extension.
Claim(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. (US 2023/0236637) in view of Scott, II (US 2007/0247798), further in view of Kim et al. (US 2015/0317120).
As to Claim 2, Yoon et al. in view of Scott disclose wherein a screen of the first display device is larger than a screen of the second display device (Yoon-fig.1,6,8- display area 111 is larger than 112/113; Scott- fig.1-2,4- main display 130 may be larger than, auxiliary display 132 where the amount extended as desired).
Yoon et al. in view of Scott do not expressly disclose, but Kim discloses: wherein the second content image is an enlarged image of the first content image. (Kim-fig.12A, image 1221A; para.0119,0201; fig.15A, 15D)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yoon et al. in view of Scott, with the teachings of Kim et al., the motivation being to output content on one or more displays and outputting menus or information associated with any other display.
As to Claim 3, Yoon et al. in view of Scott do not expressly disclose, but Kim discloses: wherein the second content image is a partial image of the first content image (fig.12A, image 1420A partial image of original image 1410A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yoon et al. in view of Scott, with the teachings of Kim et al., the motivation being to output content on one or more displays and outputting menus or information associated with any other display.
Claim(s) 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. (US 2023/0236637) in view of Scott, II (US 2007/0247798), further in view of Stewart et al. (US 2022/0147098).
As to Claim 4, Yoon et al. in view of Scott, do not expressly disclose, but Stewart et al. discloses: wherein the first display device determines whether the second display device is attached by detecting magnetic force between a first magnet provided on one surface of the first display device and a second magnet provided on one surface of the second display device (para.0034-0035,0078).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yoon et al. in view of Scott, with the teachings of Stewart et al., the motivation being to retain the display device in definable positions.
As to Claim 5, Yoon et al. in view of Scott, as modified by Stewart et al. disclose wherein the first display device is wirelessly connected to the second display device through a wireless communication interface as the first display device is attached to the second display device (Stewart-para.0046-0049)
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. (US 2023/0236637) in view of Scott, II (US 2007/0247798), further in view of Jones et al. (US 2011/0143769).
As to Claim 6, Yoon et al. in view of Scott et al. do not expressly disclose, Jones et al discloses: wherein when the second display device is detached from the first display device, the second display device displays the second content image (fig.2, 5c, para.0058-0059,0061,0066).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Yoon et al. in view of Scott, with the teachings of Jones et al., the motivation being to provide multiple display configurations, display content that is supplemental or associated to that of the first display.
Claim(s) 7-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. (US 2023/0236637) in view of Scott, II (US 2007/0247798), further in view of Yoon et al. (US 2013/0198766, hereinafter Yoon766).
As to Claim 7, Yoon et al. in view of Scott do not expressly disclose wherein the first display device identifies a plurality of objects from the second content image using an image recognition technology and transmits object information including information for each identified object to the second display device, and wherein the second display device displays an object list based on the object information.
Yoon et al. discloses where a plurality of objects (fig.3, persons) are identified and information related to each identified object is displayed in a list in a second region (fig.3, list 310; para.0047-0048).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device disclosed by Yoon et al. in view of Scott, with the teachings of Yoon766, such that the first display (of Yoon, Scott) may identify a plurality of persons from a video launched on the second display device, and provide a list corresponding to each identified person (as disclosed by Yoon) to the second display. The motivation being to provide information related to plurality of persons (objects) appearing in a video.
As to Claim 8, Yoon et al. in view of Scott, as modified by Yoon766 disclose wherein the second display device receives a command and selects an object item from the object list based on the command, and displays a content list related to the object item according to the received command (Yoon766-fig.3,7- when user selects one of the identified persons, it displays a content list (710,720,730) related to the selected object).
As to Claim 9, Yoon et al. in view of Scott, as modified by Yoon766 disclose wherein the content list includes a plurality of contents representing a search result for the object item (Yoon766-fig.3, list 310; para.0048).
As to Claim 10, Yoon et al. in view of Scott, as modified by Yoon766 disclose wherein the second display device receives a command to select one of a plurality of contents and plays the one of the plurality of contents based on the command (Yoon766-para.0046,0073-0074).
As to Claim 11, Yoon et al. in view of Scott, as modified by Yoon766 disclose wherein each object is either a person or an object (Yoon766-fig.3).
As to Claim 12, Yoon et al. in view of Scott, as modified by Yoon766 disclose wherein the first display device receives a command for object extraction from a remote control device (Yoon766-para.0040,0044), captures an image at a time of receiving the command, and identifies the plurality of objects from the captured image (Yoon766-fig.3; para.0046-0048).
As to Claim 13, Yoon et al. in view of Scott, as modified by Yoon766 disclose the second display device searches for a plurality of contents related to the object according to the selection of the object item (Yoon766-fig.3, para.0048-0049)
Conclusion
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/DISMERY MERCEDES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627