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 § 102
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 21, 24, 26-27, 29, 32, 34-35, 37, 40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated WATANABE (US 2016/0021348 A1).
As of claim 21, WATANABE teaches a projector system 100 [fig 2], comprising: a projection lens 23 (image output unit) [fig 2] [0063] controlled by a controller 10A [fig 2] [0063]; and wherein the controller 10A [fig 2] is34 configured to: receive instructions to generate content (the image editing unit 14 outputs, to each of the projectors 20A through 20D) [0082] to be projected onto a surface of a room P0 [fig 1]; and synchronize, with another projection system (the I/F unit 15 outputs each segment image edited by the image editing unit 14, to the corresponding one of the projectors 20 in synchronization) [0110], projection of the content ((each of the projectors 20 (projectors 20A through 20D) is an apparatus that projects an image on, for example, a white wall or screen according to control by the projector control apparatus 10A)) [0057] using spatial information for the room (the vertical distribution detecting unit 16 and the horizontal distribution detecting unit 11 are examples of the spatial distribution information obtaining unit that obtains the viewer distribution information indicating a distribution of viewers in the space where the projectors 20A through 20D are mounted) [0131], wherein combined projections of the projection system 100 [fig 2] and the other projection system display the content (the image editing unit 14 outputs, to each of the projectors 20A through 20D) [0082].
As of claim 24, WATANABE teaches the spatial information for the room [fig 1] comprises: information identifying one or more projection surfaces P0 [fig 1] in the room including the surface P0 [fig 1]; and information identifying locations for the projector system 20 [fig 1] and the other projector system [0131].
As of claim 26, WATANABE teaches the spatial information for the room [0074] is received from an external computing device (server or a personal computer) [0072] equipped with one or more sensors 30 (TOF sensor) [0074].
As of claim 27, WATANABE teaches the controller 10A [fig 2] is further configured to establish a wireless connection with the other projector system 20 [fig 2] [0084].
As of claim 29, WATANABE teaches a method [fig 2], comprising: receiving, using a controller 10A [fig 2] for projector system 100 [fig 2], instructions for a projection lens controlled by the controller 10A [fig 2] [0063 to generate content (the image editing unit 14 outputs, to each of the projectors 20A through 20D) [0082] to be projected onto a surface of a room P0 [fig 1]; and synchronizing, with another projection system (the I/F unit 15 outputs each segment image edited by the image editing unit 14, to the corresponding one of the projectors 20 in synchronization) [0110], projection of the content ((each of the projectors 20 (projectors 20A through 20D) is an apparatus that projects an image on, for example, a white wall or screen according to control by the projector control apparatus 10A)) [0057] using spatial information for the room(the vertical distribution detecting unit 16 and the horizontal distribution detecting unit 11 are examples of the spatial distribution information obtaining unit that obtains the viewer distribution information indicating a distribution of viewers in the space where the projectors 20A through 20D are mounted) [0131], wherein combined projections of the projection system 100 [fig 2] and the other projection system display the content (the image editing unit 14 outputs, to each of the projectors 20A through 20D) [0082].
As of claim 32, WATANABE teaches the spatial information for the room [fig 1] comprises: information identifying one or more projection surfaces P0 [fig 1] in the room including the surface P0 [fig 1]; and information identifying locations for the projector system 20 [fig 1] and the other projector system [0131].
As of claim 34, WATANABE teaches the spatial information for the room [0074] is received from an external computing device (server or a personal computer) [0072] equipped with one or more sensors 30 (TOF sensor) [0074].
As of claim 35, WATANABE teaches the controller 10A [fig 2] is further configured to establish a wireless connection with the other projector system 20 [fig 2] [0084].
As of claim 37, WATANABE teaches one or more non-transitory, computer-readable storage media 31c [fig 3], storing program instructions [0067] that when executed on or across one or more computing devices 31 [fig 3] cause the one or more computing devices to implement: receiving, using a controller 10A [fig 2] for projector system 100 [fig 2], instructions for a projection lens controlled by the controller 10A [fig 2] [0063 to generate content (the image editing unit 14 outputs, to each of the projectors 20A through 20D) [0082] to be projected onto a surface of a room P0 [fig 1]; and synchronizing, with another projection system (the I/F unit 15 outputs each segment image edited by the image editing unit 14, to the corresponding one of the projectors 20 in synchronization) [0110], projection of the content ((each of the projectors 20 (projectors 20A through 20D) is an apparatus that projects an image on, for example, a white wall or screen according to control by the projector control apparatus 10A)) [0057] using spatial information for the room(the vertical distribution detecting unit 16 and the horizontal distribution detecting unit 11 are examples of the spatial distribution information obtaining unit that obtains the viewer distribution information indicating a distribution of viewers in the space where the projectors 20A through 20D are mounted) [0131], wherein combined projections of the projection system 100 [fig 2] and the other projection system display the content (the image editing unit 14 outputs, to each of the projectors 20A through 20D) [0082].
As of claim 40, WATANABE teaches the spatial information for the room [fig 1] comprises: information identifying one or more projection surfaces P0 [fig 1] in the room including the surface P0 [fig 1]; and information identifying locations for the projector system 20 [fig 1] and the other projector system [0131].
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.
Claims 22, 30, 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WATANABE (US 2016/0021348 A1) in view of Kinebuchi et al. (US 2014/0168618; Kinebuchi).
WATANABE teaches the invention as cited above except for a light bulb enclosure; a power interface configured to receive power from a light bulb socket; and wherein the projection lens and the controller are located inside the light bulb enclosure.
Kinebuchi teaches a light bulb enclosure 200 [fig 1A]; a power interface 100 [fig 1A] configured to receive power from a light bulb socket [0055]; and wherein the projection lens 330 [fig 1A] and the controller 400 [fig 1A] are located inside the light bulb enclosure 200 [fig 1A].
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 light bulb enclosure; a power interface configured to receive power from a light bulb socket; and wherein the projection lens and the controller are located inside the light bulb enclosure as taught by Kinebuchi to the projector system as disclosed by WATANABE to provide a projector that allows easy, reliable adjustment of the projecting attitude of the projector in such a way that an image projected by the projector is displayed on a display surface (Kinebuchi; [0011]).
Claims 23, 31, 39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WATANABE (US 2016/0021348 A1) in view of LAVIE (US 2022/0131914 A1).
WATANABE teaches the invention as cited above except for the instructions to generate the content comprise a voice command for the content received via an external voice interface for the projector system.
LAVIE teaches a projector 150 [fig 1] having the instructions (from the user) to generate the content comprise a voice command for the content received via an external voice interface (from the user) for the projector system [0021].
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 the instructions to generate the content comprise a voice command for the content received via an external voice interface for the projector system as taught by LAVIE to the projector system as disclosed by WATANABE to evaluate both the technical and the behavioral aspects a human evaluates during a conversation and act upon their identification (LAVIE; [0016]).
Claims 25, 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WATANABE (US 2016/0021348 A1) in view of MIMA (US 20160337626 A1).
WATANABE teaches the invention as cited above except for the controller is further configured to: identify location of a movable object in the room; and continuously track the location of the movable object over time, wherein the content to be projected changes based on movement of the object.
MIMA teaches a projector apparatus [fig 1] having the controller i210 [fig 3] further configured to: identify location of a movable object in the room (controller 210 detects specific person 6 based on the detected distance information, and further detects the position and the direction of movement of person 6) [0063]; and continuously track the location of the movable object over time, wherein the content to be projected changes based on movement of the object (controller 210 detects the position and the direction of movement of person 6 every predetermined period (for example, 1/60 second) to set projection position P1, and controls the drive of drive unit 110 to cause projection image 10 to track person 6) [0063].
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 the controller is further configured to: identify location of a movable object in the room; and continuously track the location of the movable object over time, wherein the content to be projected changes based on movement of the object as taught by MIMA to the projector system as disclosed by WATANABE to enable an object, which is a person or the like, to easily see the projection image without being affected by the obstruction, when the projection image is projected for presentation to the object (MIMA; [0007]).
Claims 28, 36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WATANABE (US 2016/0021348 A1) in view of Plut (US 2010/0309390 A1).
WATANABE teaches the invention as cited above except for the instructions to generate the content comprise instructions to augment a primary content, wherein the primary content comprises a visual content or an audio content.
Plut teaches instructions to generate the content (by controller 105) comprise instructions to augment a primary content (virtual reality space) [0035], wherein the primary content comprises a visual content (video data) [0046].
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 the instructions to generate the content comprise instructions to augment a primary content, wherein the primary content comprises a visual content or an audio content as taught by Plut to the projector system as disclosed by WATANABE to enable the multiple projection chambers to display multiple images upon a single or multiple surfaces simultaneously together with audio (Plut; [0032]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
- Prior Art McMillan (US 20190212642 A1) teaches a light assembly configured to be installed in a movie theatre projector includes an emitter housing with an LED emitter plate that emits a beam of light. The light assembly also includes a cooling assembly configured to dissipate heat from the LED emitter plate. The light assembly also includes a lens assembly configured to adjust the size or pitch of the beam with a concave adjustor having a concave lens configured to spread the beam emitted from the LED emitter plate and a convex adjustor having a convex lens configured to collimate light received from the concave lens. The concave adjustor is movably attached to the emitter housing and the convex adjustor, and the lens assembly is configured to be manipulated to adjust a distance between the concave lens and the convex lens, thereby adjusting the size or pitch of the beam;
- Prior Art Wilson et al. (US 10297082 B2) teaches shared spatial augmented reality (SSAR) where sensor units in a room output sensor signal that are indicative of positions of two or more users in the room and gaze directions of the two or more users. Views of at least one virtual object are computed separately for each of the two or more users, and projectors project such views in the room. The projected views cause the two or more users to simultaneously perceive the virtual object in space.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SULTAN U. CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-3336. The examiner can normally be reached on 5:30 AM-5:30 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minh-Toan Ton can be reached on 571-272-2303. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SULTAN CHOWDHURY/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
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