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 7/16/2025 was filed before the first office action. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejection Notes
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.
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) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karunamuni et al. (US 20160071241 A1, published: 3/10/2016), in view of Ogren (US 20070130200 A1, published: 6/7/2007).
Claim 1: Karunamuni teaches a live wallpaper display method for an electronic device using a live wallpaper theme, the method comprising: displaying a screen-off wallpaper (device 100 includes touch screen 112, menu button 204, push button 206 for powering the device on/off and locking the device, volume adjustment button(s) 208 [Karunamuni, 0173]. Unlock screen, e.g. a region close to a text “slide to unlock” as shown in FIG. 16A [Karunamuni, 0269]; Examiner's Note: when the device is locked/off the display is blank, representing screen-off wallpaper); and when a screen-on operation is detected, displaying, to a screen-on wallpaper (the home button serves as a multi-function user interface navigation button which when activated while a folder or application is displayed, causes a home screen or application launch screen to be displayed [Karunamuni, 0209]. To unlock the device the contact is placed in a pre-defined location on the unlock screen, e.g. a region close to a text “slide to unlock” as shown in FIG. 16A. The wallpaper 1606 in FIG. 16A is displayed in the background and in portrait view on the unlock screen of the landscape-oriented display, similar to the wall paper shown in FIG. 6 (FIG. 16A) [Karunamuni, 0269]), from an animation effect of switching from the screen-off wallpaper to the screen-on wallpaper, wherein display directions of the animation effect and the screen-on wallpaper are able to change with rotation of a body of the electronic device (by changing the device orientation from portrait to landscape orientation, or vice versa, the transition of the user interface 400 between the two orientations is delayed until the device is fully oriented in the latter orientation (or until the device rotates by more than a threshold amount such as 10, 15, 20, 30, or 45 degrees) [Karunamuni, 0231]. The transition of user interface from portrait to landscape view, or vice versa, is displayed on the display 112 while the device 100 changes its orientation [Karunamuni, 0232]), and the live wallpaper theme comprises the screen-off wallpaper and the screen-on wallpaper (to unlock the device the contact is placed in a pre-defined location on the unlock screen, e.g. a region close to a text “slide to unlock” as shown in FIG. 16A. The wallpaper 1606 in FIG. 16A is displayed in the background and in portrait view on the unlock screen of the landscape-oriented display, similar to the wall paper shown in FIG. 6 (FIG. 16A) [Karunamuni, 0269]).
Karunamuni does not explicitly teach displaying a screen-off wallpaper; and the live wallpaper theme comprises the screen-off wallpaper.
However, Ogren teaches displaying a screen-off wallpaper; and the live wallpaper theme comprises the screen-off wallpaper (the phone will be in a stand-by mode when not in use. In this mode the display 2 may be switched off, or it may show a wallpaper or a screen saver. Here, however, FIG. 2 shows a toolbar at the lower edge of the display in order to explain the function of the two softkeys 5, 6 [Ogren, 0037]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the invention was filed, to modify the screen-on/off wallpaper switcher invention of Karunamuni to include the screen off feature of Ogren.
One would have been motivated to make this modification in view of the fact the electronic devices work by virtue of being powered, and that when no power is present, said device display cannot display anything. Further, the ability to power on/off a device has been well-known in the electronic arts since the beginning of electric devices. It is known that when a screen is turned off, it displays nothing, or a screen-off wallpaper.
Claim 14, sharing similar elements to claim 1, are likewise rejected.
Claim 2: The combination of Karunamuni and Ogren, teaches the method according to claim 1. Karunamuni further teaches wherein the screen-on wallpaper comprises a lock screen wallpaper and/or an unlocking wallpaper (FIG. 16A illustrates unlocking a user interface in landscape orientation [Karunamuni, 0048, FIG. 16A]).
Claim 15, sharing similar elements to claim 2, are likewise rejected.
Claim 3: The combination of Karunamuni and Ogren, teaches the method according to claim 2. Karunamuni further teaches wherein the method further comprises: when the screen-on operation is detected, in response to unsuccessful unlocking of the electronic device, displaying, to the lock screen wallpaper, from the animation effect of switching from the screen-off wallpaper to the lock screen wallpaper (in a graphical user interface are achieved by providing user interfaces that allow unlocking of a predefined navigation direction using simple user contacts on a touch-sensitive surface [Karunamuni, 0067]. While displaying the unlock screen 1600 in landscape orientation as shown in FIG. 17A, the device receives a unlock gesture or input for displaying a user interface in landscape view similar to the unlock gesture and screen shown in FIG. 16A. The unlock gesture optionally includes a swipe or flick in a direction substantially horizontally to left or right relative to the user interface through a contact of the user's finger with the touch-sensitive display 112 [Karunamuni, 0271]; Examiner's Note: wherein if the user does not successfully unlock the device, no change can be made to the screen).
Claim 16, sharing similar elements to claim 3, are likewise rejected.
Claim 4: The combination of Karunamuni and Ogren, teaches the method according to claim 2. Karunamuni further teaches wherein the method further comprises: when the screen-on operation is detected, in response to successful unlocking of the electronic device, displaying, to the unlocking wallpaper, from the animation effect of switching from the screen-off wallpaper to the unlocking wallpaper, or displaying, to the unlocking wallpaper, from the animation effect of switching from the lock screen wallpaper to the unlocking wallpaper (while displaying the unlock screen 1600 in landscape orientation as shown in FIG. 17A, the device receives a unlock gesture or input for displaying a user interface in landscape view similar to the unlock gesture and screen shown in FIG. 16A. The unlock gesture optionally includes a swipe or flick in a direction substantially horizontally to left or right relative to the user interface through a contact of the user's finger with the touch-sensitive display 112. After unlocking the device 100, the user interface is displayed in the landscape orientation without first displaying the portrait orientation of the UI (FIG. 17B). This enables a user to “live” in landscape mode, so that if their preference is to interact with the device in landscape mode, they can transition from the lock screen to the unlocked user interface without interacting with a portrait user interface [Karunamuni, 0271]).
Claim 5: The combination of Karunamuni and Ogren, teaches the method according to claim 1. Karunamuni further teaches wherein the screen-off wallpaper and the screen-on wallpaper have a same visual theme ([Karunamuni, FIGS. 16A-16C, 17A-17B]; Examiner's Note: as illustrated).
Claim 17, sharing similar elements to claim 5, are likewise rejected.
Claim 6: The combination of Karunamuni and Ogren, teaches the method according to claim 1. Karunamuni further teaches wherein a display direction of the screen-off wallpaper is able to change with the rotation of the body of the electronic device ([Karunamuni, FIGS. 7A-7C, 8A-8B, 9A-9D]; Examiner's Note: as illustrated).
Claim 18, sharing similar elements to claim 6, are likewise rejected.
Claim 7: The combination of Karunamuni and Ogren, teaches the method according to claim 1. Karunamuni further teaches wherein the method further comprises: receiving a user setting operation; and enabling a first function in response to the user setting operation, wherein the first function comprises a function of changing a display direction of a live wallpaper with the rotation of the body of the electronic device (FIGS. 7A-E illustrate the transition of the user interface 400 from portrait orientation to landscape orientation by clockwise rotating the device 100, according to some embodiments. Initially, the device displays the user interface in the portrait orientation. By rotating 702 as shown in FIG. 7A the device 100 detects a UI-orientation change condition while displaying the user interface in the portrait orientation [Karunamuni, FIGS. 7A-E, 0230]).
Claim 19, sharing similar elements to claim 7, are likewise rejected.
Claim 8: The combination of Karunamuni and Ogren, teaches the method according to claim 1. Karunamuni further teaches wherein the display directions of the animation effect and the screen-on wallpaper are able to change with rotation of a body of the electronic device comprises: if a body direction of the electronic device rotates from a vertical direction or a partially vertical direction to a horizontal direction or a partially horizontal direction, changing the display directions of the animation effect and the screen-on wallpaper from a portrait orientation to a landscape orientation (FIGS. 7A-E illustrate the transition of the user interface 400 from portrait orientation to landscape orientation by clockwise rotating the device 100, according to some embodiments. Initially, the device displays the user interface in the portrait orientation. By rotating 702 as shown in FIG. 7A the device 100 detects a UI-orientation change condition while displaying the user interface in the portrait orientation [Karunamuni, FIGS. 7A-E, 0230]).
Claim 20, sharing similar elements to claim 8, are likewise rejected.
Claim 9: The combination of Karunamuni and Ogren, teaches the method according to claim 1. Karunamuni further teaches wherein the live wallpaper theme is a super wallpaper theme; and in a display process of the super wallpaper theme, themes of the screen-off wallpaper and the screen-on wallpaper of the electronic device are the same, and pictures of the screen-off wallpaper and the screen-on wallpaper are in continuity with each other (the orientation of the wallpaper background is identical between landscape and portrait view of the user interface 400. For example in FIGS. 5 and 6, the wallpaper pattern (circles with line patterns) maintains the identical orientation relative to the display 112, including the menu button 204 on the side of the display, regardless of the UI-orientation. Changing the UI-orientation from portrait (FIG. 5) to landscape view (FIG. 6) does not change the orientation of the wallpaper back. As shown in FIG. 6, in some embodiments, the page indicator 504 is displayed in a horizontal orientation with respect to the user interface close to the bottom edge of user interface 400 [Karunamuni, 0229, FIGs. 5 and 6]; Examiner's Note: as illustrated between the two figures).
Claim 10: The combination of Karunamuni and Ogren, teaches the method according to claim 1. Karunamuni further teaches wherein the displaying the screen-off wallpaper comprises: when an always-on display style is used, storing display resources in a first direction and a second direction; and obtaining display resources in a third direction and a fourth direction based on the display resources in the first direction and the second direction; and displaying the screen-off wallpaper based on the body direction of the electronic device and the display resources, wherein the first direction and the third direction have an included angle of 180° in the horizontal direction, and the second direction and the fourth direction have an included angle of 180° in the vertical direction (FIGS. 8A-E illustrates another transition of the user interface 400 from portrait orientation to landscape orientation by clockwise rotating the device 100, according to some embodiments. Initially, the device displays the user interface in the portrait orientation. By rotating 702 as shown in FIG. 8A the device 100 detects a UI-orientation change condition while displaying the user interface in the portrait orientation [Karunamuni, 0242, FIGs. 8A-E]; Examiner's Note: as illustrated).
Claim 11: The combination of Karunamuni and Ogren, teaches the method according to claim 1. Karunamuni further teaches wherein the displaying the screen-off wallpaper comprises: calculating shift information in a current always-on display direction of the electronic device relative to a screen of the electronic device based on a ratio of a screen height in the current always-on display direction of the electronic device to a screen height in an always-on display direction of the electronic device that does not change yet; and displaying the screen-off wallpaper based on the shift information (FIGS. 8A-E illustrates another transition of the user interface 400 from portrait orientation to landscape orientation by clockwise rotating the device 100, according to some embodiments. Initially, the device displays the user interface in the portrait orientation. By rotating 702 as shown in FIG. 8A the device 100 detects a UI-orientation change condition while displaying the user interface in the portrait orientation [Karunamuni, 0242, FIGs. 8A-E]. An orientation-sensing unit 2110 configured to determine the orientation of the device 100, and a processing unit 2115 coupled to the display unit 2100, the orientation-sensing unit 2110 [Karunamuni, 0284]; Examiner's Note: the described function implies this calculation).
Claim 12: The combination of Karunamuni and Ogren, teaches the method according to claim 11. Karunamuni further teaches wherein the shift information comprises one or more of a top margin, a shift range, and a shift distance (In this frame of reference, the UI-objects 704 outside the dock region maintain their position and do not move as the device 100 is rotated slightly to the right. Without moving any displayed UI objects 704 outside the dock region relative to the frame of reference, their positions, and thus their distances, relative to each other remain the same during a slight rotation of the device 100. Relative to the display 112, the UI objects 704 are slightly rotated counterclockwise while maintaining their relative positions to each other. Similarly, the page indicator 504 remains fixed in the frame of reference, while slightly rotated counterclockwise relative to the display 112, and maintaining its relative position to the UI objects 704 and its horizontal orientation relative to the frame of reference [Karunamuni, 0233, FIGS. 7]).
Claim 13: The combination of Karunamuni and Ogren, teaches the method according to claim 1. Ogren further teaches wherein the method further comprises: displaying the unlocking wallpaper; and when a screen-off operation is detected, displaying, to the screen-off wallpaper, from the animation effect of switching from the unlocking wallpaper to the screen-off wallpaper; or wherein the method further comprises: displaying the lock screen wallpaper; and when a screen-off operation is detected, displaying, to the screen-off wallpaper, from the animation effect of switching from the lock screen wallpaper to the screen-off wallpaper (the phone will be in a stand-by mode when not in use. In this mode the display 2 may be switched off, or it may show a wallpaper or a screen saver. Here, however, FIG. 2 shows a toolbar at the lower edge of the display in order to explain the function of the two softkeys 5, 6 [Ogren, 0037]).
Additional References
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following art all contains means for displaying lockscreen and regular wallpaper:
Bandyopadhyay et al. (US 20120009896 A1, published: 1/12/2012)
Yang et al. (US 20140132637 A1, published: 5/15/2014)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SETH A SILVERMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-9783. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur, 8AM-4PM MST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Adam Queler can be reached at (571)272-4140. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Seth A Silverman/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2172
Prosecution Insights