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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/20/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 12-16 and 19-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Barillot et al.
Barillot et al. (US Pub. No. 2018/0086260 A1) discloses (see annotated Fig. 1B):
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Regarding claim 12, a projection device (i.e. pico projectors; Figure 1B, element 2) on board a vehicle (see motor vehicle illustrated in Figure 1B), comprising: a projection module (i.e. console; Figure 1B, element 6) with which a first visual representation (Figure 1B, element 3A) is generated by projecting onto a surface (Figure 1B, elements 3A and 3B) in a passenger compartment (i.e. car interior), wherein the projection device (Figure 1B, element 2) is configured to produce and/or coordinate a combined overall representation (i.e. static and/or dynamic images) in which: the first visual representation (Figure 1B, element 3A) is projected onto the surface in the passenger compartment (i.e. car interior), and a different, second visual representation (Figure 1B, element 3B) is reproduced elsewhere in the passenger compartment (i.e. car interior), wherein the projection device (i.e. pico projectors; Figure 1B, element 2) and/or the projection module comprises a coordination interface (i.e. control module; Figure 1B, element 4) via which a coordination signal (i.e. ON active mode/OFF inactive mode) relating to the first and/or the second visual representation (Figure 1B, elements 3A and 3B) is transmitted between the projection device (Figure 1B, element 2) and the vehicle (see motor vehicle illustrated in Figure 1B).
Regarding claim 13, the coordination interface (i.e. control module; Figure 1B, element 4) comprises an output interface (i.e. removable multimedia device; page 2, paragraph 0023, lines 1-4) which forwards control commands generated by the projection device for starting, pausing, resuming and/or stopping the different, second visual representation (page 2, paragraph 0023, lines 4-7).
Regarding claim 14, the coordination interface (i.e. control module; Figure 1B, element 4) comprises an input interface (i.e. control button; page 2, paragraph 0023, line 8) which receives control commands intended for the projection device for starting, pausing, resuming and/or stopping the first visual representation (page 2, paragraph 0023, lines 4-7).
Regarding claim 15, the projection device (i.e. pico projectors; Figure 1B, element 2), the projection module (i.e. console; Figure 1B, element 6) and/or the coordination interface (i.e. control module; Figure 1B, element 4) contains an image data interface (i.e. DVD player; page 2, paragraph 0023, line 4), via which video data and/or image data intended for the first visual representation is transmittable to and/or storable in the projection device (page 2, paragraph 0023, lines 1-7) while avoiding and/or bypassing an on-board electrical system configured in the vehicle (see motor vehicle illustrated in Figure 1B).
Regarding claim 16, the projection module (i.e. console; Figure 1B, element 6) coordinates the projection of the first visual representation (Figure 1B, element 3A) carried out on board the vehicle (see motor vehicle illustrated in Figure 1B) as the second visual representation (Figure 1B, element 3B) with: playback of a video on a display, and/or a temporal variation of interior lighting of the vehicle (page 2, paragraph 0023, lines 4-7).
Regarding claim 19, the projection module (i.e. console; Figure 1B, element 6) projects the first visual representation (Figure 1B, element 3A) projected: onto the surface of interior trim (clearly illustrated in Figure 1B).
Regarding claim 20, the projection module (i.e. console; Figure 1B, element 6) projects the first visual representation (Figure 1B, element 3A) onto an interior trim (clearly illustrated in Figure 1B) of the passenger compartment (i.e. car interior), and coordinates it with time-dependently varied interior lighting (page 2, paragraph 0024, lines 1-6).
Regarding claim 21, a vehicle (see motor vehicle illustrated in Figure 1B) comprising a projection device (i.e. pico projectors; Figure 1B, element 2).
Regarding claim 22, a method for generating and/or coordinating an overall visual representation on board a vehicle (page 2, paragraph 0024, lines 1-2), the method comprising the steps of: providing a vehicle (see motor vehicle illustrated in Figure 1B), in a passenger compartment (i.e. car interior) of which at least one visual representation (i.e. static and/or dynamic images) is reproducible; setting up a projection device (i.e. pico projectors; Figure 1B, element 2), containing a projection module (i.e. console; Figure 1B, element 6) with which a first visual representation (Figure 1B, element 3A) is generated by projecting onto a surface (Figure 1B, elements 3A and 3B) in the passenger compartment (i.e. car interior) on board the vehicle (see motor vehicle illustrated in Figure 1B); transmitting a coordination signal (i.e. ON active mode/OFF inactive mode) relating to the first visual representation (Figure 1B, element 3A) and/or a second visual representation (Figure 1B, element 3B) between the projection device (i.e. pico projectors; Figure 1B, element 2) and the vehicle (see motor vehicle illustrated in Figure 1B) via a coordination interface (i.e. control module; Figure 1B, element 4); and generating and/or coordinating a combined overall representation in which the first visual representation (Figure 1B, elements 3A and 3B) is projected by the projection device (i.e. pico projectors; Figure 1B, element 2) onto the surface in the passenger compartment (i.e. car interior) and, elsewhere in the passenger compartment (i.e. car interior), a different, second visual representation (Figure 1B, element 3B) is reproduced via the projection device (i.e. pico projectors; Figure 1B, element 2) using the coordination signal (i.e. ON active mode/OFF inactive mode).
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.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Barillot et al. in view of Stringfellow.
Barillot et al. (US Pub. No. 2018/0086260 A1) discloses a projection module (i.e. console; Figure 1B, element 6) configured to project video data and/or image data for the first visual representation (Figure 1B, element 3A). However, Barillot et al. does not teach a projection module configured to project video data and/or image data for the first visual representation within an image field of the projection module geometrically pre-distorted according to a defined pre-distortion, wherein the defined pre-distortion compensates in advance for a distortion that occurs when projecting onto the surface in the passenger compartment: (i) due to an arrangement of the projection module decentrally, laterally, obliquely, tilted and/or otherwise relative to the surface and/or a normal to the surface, (ii) due to a curvature of the surface, and/or (iii) due to projecting via a projection mirror.
Stringfellow (US Patent No. 2009/0278765 A1) discloses a projection module (Figure 2, element 200) configured to project video data and/or image data for the first visual representation within an image field of the projection module geometrically pre-distorted according to a defined pre-distortion (page 3, paragraph 0029, lines 18-22), wherein the defined pre-distortion compensates in advance for a distortion that occurs when projecting onto the surface in the passenger compartment (page 3, paragraph 0029, lines 3-18): due to projecting via a projection mirror (Figure 2, element 206).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a projection module configured to project video data and/or image data for the first visual representation within an image field of the projection module geometrically pre-distorted according to a defined pre-distortion, wherein the defined pre-distortion compensates in advance for a distortion that occurs when projecting onto the surface in the passenger compartment: due to projecting via a projection mirror, as shown by Stringfellow in combination with Barillot et al.’s invention for the purpose of altering the original image data into the respective adjusted image data (Stringfellow, page 3, paragraph 0031, lines 14-15).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Barillot et al. in view of Stringfellow.
Barillot et al. (US Pub. No. 2018/0086260 A1) discloses a projection module (i.e. console; Figure 1B, element 6) is installed in an instrument panel (see center console [element 6] illustrated in Figure 1B) of the passenger compartment of the vehicle (see motor vehicle illustrated in Figure 1B). However, Barillot et al. does not teach a projection module is installed in an instrument panel of the passenger compartment of the vehicle: (i) on a rear view mirror in the passenger compartment, and/or (ii) on or behind a vehicle display intended for video playback, and from there is directed to the surface directly or via a projection mirror.
Stringfellow (US Patent No. 2009/0278765 A1) discloses a projection module (Figure 3, element 300) is installed in an instrument panel (Figure 3, element 307) of the passenger compartment of the vehicle (clearly illustrated in Figure 3): on or behind a vehicle display (Figure 3, element 308) intended for video playback (i.e. image area), and from there is directed to the surface directly or via a projection mirror (Figure 3, element 306).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a projection module is installed in an instrument panel of the passenger compartment of the vehicle: on or behind a vehicle display intended for video playback, and from there is directed to the surface directly or via a projection mirror as shown by Stringfellow in combination with Barillot et al.’s invention for the purpose of adjusting the mirror that is controlled into a position such that its incident image is reflected toward a specific target image area of the windshield (Stringfellow, page 4, paragraph 0033, lines 10-12).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Corboliou et al. (US Pub. No. 2023/0069899 A1) discloses a method for light projection in the interior of an automotive vehicle. The method includes sensing, by at least one sensor, the presence of an object or person in the interior of the vehicle, wherein the sensor comprises a plurality of image sensing devices. A protection zone is defined by using the data of the at least one sensor, thus obtaining a three-dimensional protection zone. A first light pattern is projected with a first pattern zone by means of a first projector associated to a first image sensing device. A second light pattern is projected with a second pattern zone by means of a second projector associated to a second image sensing device, wherein the first pattern zone and/or the second pattern zone are projected over the protection zone and wherein the light pattern forms a projected image on an interior surface of the automotive vehicle.
Nakanishi et al. (JP 2016-009100 A) teaches an on-vehicle projection system includes a projector that is installed on the arm rest of a vehicle to project an image onto the ceiling of the vehicle and a movable type hand screen arranged between the projector and the ceiling to be an operation switch by the image of the projector being projected thereon.
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/MAGDA CRUZ/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2882
08/06/2026
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