DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 received on 11/26/2024 are considered in this office action. Claims 1-20 are pending for examination.
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 01/14/2025 and 03/24/2025 are being considered by the examiner.
Examiner’s Note - 35 USC § 101
The additional claim limitation of displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in a second form when it is detected that there are the first user and a second user in the vehicle, wherein an information amount of the first information displayed in the second form is less than an information amount of the first information displayed in the first form integrates the abstract idea into a practical application of concealing sensitive information as supported by para. [0004] of the specification, which is reproduced below:
[0004] This application provides a privacy protection method and a related apparatus, so that when it is detected that there are a plurality of occupants in a vehicle, to-be-displayed sensitive information is processed in a preset manner and then processed to-be-displayed sensitive information is displayed, to prevent the sensitive information from being seen by another occupant. This improves concealment of information display in the vehicle
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 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 1-10, 15-16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Feit (US 20160059864 A1).
Feit is cited in the IDS received on 03/24/2025.
Regarding claim 1, Feit teaches a privacy protection method (Abstract: “techniques or systems for privacy management”), wherein the method comprises:
obtaining, by a vehicle, first information (para. [0043]: “the privacy scheme may be indicative of a collection or aggregation of one or more of the options, such as how to handle (e.g., whether to provide audio notification, whether or not to provide notification, location of notification, etc.) notifications for an incoming phone call, text message, email, one or more applications, etc. when one or more passengers or occupants are detected (e.g., by a sensor component 150)”; para. [0045]: “The communication component 140 may receive one or more communications, such as emails, messages, text messages, phone calls, telephone calls, voice communications, audio, media, video chat, etc. In one or more embodiments”); and
displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in a first display area of the vehicle in a first form when it is detected that there is only a first user in the vehicle (para. [0061]: “If no door has been opened (e.g., on the passenger side of the vehicle), it may be inferred that no passengers are present and the system may remain in public mode at 310”; para. [0054]: “If merely a driver is detected within the vehicle (e.g., via the sensor component 150), the privacy component 170 may have the system 100 for privacy management operate in public mode. Accordingly, the notification component 180 may render the text message on a center console display and provide an audio text to speech rendering of the text message to the driver of the vehicle. However, if one or more passengers or other occupants are detected within the vehicle, the privacy component 170 may have the notification component 180 react differently by sending the system 100 into privacy mode.”, wherein in a public mode, no masking of personal information is performed); or
displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in a second form when it is detected that there are the first user and a second user in the vehicle (para. [0061]: “If the door was opened at 304 and a passenger is detected at 306, the system may enter privacy mode at 308. In privacy mode one or more private views may be presented or rendered. Functionality of applications may be masked, information may be hidden, or relocated to different display components in privacy mode”; para. [0054]: “However, if one or more passengers or other occupants are detected within the vehicle, the privacy component 170 may have the notification component 180 react differently by sending the system 100 into privacy mode.”; para. [0061]: “In privacy mode one or more private views may be presented or rendered. Functionality of applications may be masked, information may be hidden”; para. [0006]: “generate a preview which may not include the sensitive information or by removing a private shortcut from view when additional occupants are present or detected within a vehicle, for example”),
wherein an information amount of the first information displayed in the second form is less than an information amount of the first information displayed in the first form (para. [0061]: “In privacy mode one or more private views may be presented or rendered. Functionality of applications may be masked, information may be hidden”; para. [0006]: “generate a preview which may not include the sensitive information or by removing a private shortcut from view when additional occupants are present or detected within a vehicle, for example”; para. [0055]: “in privacy mode, information such as call history or recent calls may be masked, not rendered, or rendered on a display such as the HUD rather than the center console display”; para. [0006]: “generate a preview which may not include the sensitive information or by removing a private shortcut from view when additional occupants are present or detected within a vehicle”, wherein masking and hiding information indicates first information displayed in the second form is less than an information amount of the first information displayed in the first form).
Regarding claim 2, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit further teaches wherein the first information displayed in the first form comprises sensitive information related to the first user, and the first information displayed in the second form does not comprise the sensitive information related to the first user (para. [0054]: “If merely a driver is detected within the vehicle (e.g., via the sensor component 150), the privacy component 170 may have the system 100 for privacy management operate in public mode. Accordingly, the notification component 180 may render the text message on a center console display and provide an audio text to speech rendering of the text message to the driver of the vehicle. However, if one or more passengers or other occupants are detected within the vehicle, the privacy component 170 may have the notification component 180 react differently by sending the system 100 into privacy mode […] In other words, when the sensor component 150 detects one or more passenger or additional occupants in the vehicle, the privacy component 170 may disable notifications associated with personal messages, such as text messages, email, etc. from appearing on the center console display”; para. [0055]: “Similarly, in privacy mode, information such as call history or recent calls may be masked, not rendered, or rendered on a display such as the HUD rather than the center console display”; para. [0006]: “generate a preview which may not include the sensitive information or by removing a private shortcut from view when additional occupants are present or detected within a vehicle”).
Regarding claim 3, Feit teaches the method according to claim 2. Feit further teaches wherein the sensitive information related to the first user comprises one or more of the following: a person name, a phone number, an address, a time, audio, a photo, a video, a call record, a chat record, a search record, schedule information, a document, a message, health data, and exercise data (See para. [0054]-[0055] above; para. [0002]: “Examples of information which may be rendered or displayed may include text messages, caller identification (caller ID) information, applications, call logs or call history, navigation information or history, personal information, home address, bank account information (e.g., when a banking application is in use), etc. In some scenarios, this may not be desirable to the driver of the vehicle. For example, the driver of the vehicle may not want his or her information to be public or displayed in a public manner or in view of a passenger or other occupant of the vehicle, such as when sensitive information may be exposed (e.g., a bank account balance when utilizing a mobile banking application)”, wherein para. [0002] shows examples corresponding to sensitive information not desirable to the driver of the vehicle to display to other passengers).
Regarding claim 4, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit further teaches wherein the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in a second form comprises at least one of: skipping, by the vehicle, displaying the first information in the first display area; or after replacing sensitive information related to the first user in the first information with non-sensitive information, displaying, by the vehicle, in the first display area of the vehicle, the first information that comprises the non-sensitive information (para. [0055]: “Similarly, in privacy mode, information such as call history or recent calls may be masked, not rendered, or rendered on a display such as the HUD rather than the center console display”; para. [0006]: “generate a preview which may not include the sensitive information or by removing a private shortcut from view when additional occupants are present or detected within a vehicle”, wherein masked or not rendered indicates skipping, by the vehicle, displaying the first information in the first display area).
Regarding claim 5, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit further teaches wherein when it is detected that there are the first user and the second user in the vehicle (FIG. 3: “More than one passenger in vehicle”), the method further comprises: displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in a second display area of the vehicle in the first form, wherein the second display area is different from the first display area (para. [0049]: “the privacy component 170 may select a display component or a mode based on a presence of one or more occupants. […] The privacy component 170 may select a heads up display over a center console display to render a notification associated with a phone call when the phone call is received, for example. In other words, the privacy component 170 may implement a privacy scheme or one or more privacy options by selecting a display component”; para. [0062]: “In FIG. 4, a first display 410 is a center console display. Generally, center console displays are viewable by most occupants within a vehicle, such as a driver 402 and a front passenger 404. In this example, seats 412 and 414 are not occupied, although other examples may include occupants at these respective positions. A second display 420 may be a heads up display (HUD) on the vehicle. As an example, if a system 100 for privacy management has a banking application designated as a private application, a privacy component 170 may have the system 100 enter privacy mode based on the presence of the front passenger 404, which may be detected by the sensor component 150. As an example, the management component 130 may render the banking application on the HUD display 420 rather than the center console display 410. As another example, the management component 130 may render partial banking information on the center console display 410, such as merely transaction related information (e.g., no bank account balance, etc.). In this way, privacy management is provided”).
Regarding claim 6, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit further teaches wherein when it is detected that there are the first user and the second user in the vehicle, the method further comprises: outputting, by the vehicle, the first information in a third form through a first electronic device, wherein the first information displayed in the third form comprises sensitive information related to the first user (para. [0055: “In this example, if passengers are detected by the sensor component 150, the privacy component 170 may have the notification component 180 or the system 100 operate in privacy mode or generate private views. Here, notifications, such as a notification for a telephone call, may be generated on the heads up display (HUD) rather than a center console display (e.g., which would be associated with public mode). Similarly, in privacy mode, information such as call history or recent calls may be masked, not rendered, or rendered on a display such as the HUD rather than the center console display.”, wherein displaying in a different display such as HUD indicates third form as the display is different, thus the form must be different).
Regarding claim 7, Feit teaches the method according to claim 5. Feit further teaches wherein: the second display area of the vehicle comprises one or more of the following: a display area of a head-up display device, a display area of a dashboard, or a display area of a sun visor (para. [0062]: “A second display 420 may be a heads up display (HUD) on the vehicle. As an example, if a system 100 for privacy management has a banking application designated as a private application, a privacy component 170 may have the system 100 enter privacy mode based on the presence of the front passenger 404, which may be detected by the sensor component 150. As an example, the management component 130 may render the banking application on the HUD display 420 rather than the center console display 410”); and the first display area of the vehicle is a display area of a central display screen or a display area of a passenger display screen (para. [0062]: “In FIG. 4, a first display 410 is a center console display. Generally, center console displays are viewable by most occupants within a vehicle, such as a driver 402 and a front passenger 404. In this example, seats 412 and 414 are not occupied, although other examples may include occupants at these respective positions. […] management component 130 may render the banking application on the HUD display 420 rather than the center console display 410).
Regarding claim 8, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit further teaches wherein after the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in a second form, the method further comprises: obtaining, by the vehicle, second information (para. [0045]: “The communication component 140 may receive one or more communications, such as emails, messages, text messages, phone calls, telephone calls, voice communications, audio, media, video chat, etc. In one or more embodiments, the communication component 140 may receive one or more of the communications via a wireless channel”), and displaying, by the vehicle, the second information in the first display area of the vehicle in a fourth form when it is detected that there are the first user and the second user in the vehicle (FIG. 3; para. [0061]: “a passenger is detected at 306, the system may enter privacy mode at 308. In privacy mode one or more private views may be presented or rendered. Functionality of applications may be masked, information may be hidden, or relocated to different display components in privacy mode”, wherein “applications” indicate the second information in the first display area of the vehicle in a fourth form), wherein the second information displayed in the fourth form does not comprise sensitive information related to the first user (para. [0061]: “a passenger is detected at 306, the system may enter privacy mode at 308. In privacy mode one or more private views may be presented or rendered. Functionality of applications may be masked, information may be hidden, or relocated to different display components in privacy mode”; para. [0006]: “Rather, a privacy component or management component may have the sensitive information rendered on a side display or generate a preview which may not include the sensitive information or by removing a private shortcut from view when additional occupants are present or detected within a vehicle, for example”).
Regarding claim 9, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit further teaches wherein after the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in a second form (FIG. 3: “More than one passenger in the vehicle?”), the method further comprises: displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in the first form when it is detected that there is only the first user in the vehicle (FIG. 3; para. [0061]: “it may be inferred that no passengers are present and the system may remain in public mode at 310”; para. [0056]: “management component 130 may enable the user to toggle the application to be rendered on the first display, the second display, both displays, neither display (e.g., not rendered at all), etc. The user may utilize a button on a steering wheel of a vehicle to move a current or currently running application between displays or toggle displays accordingly. Similarly, the management component 130 may enable a user to toggle between public mode and privacy mode. As another example, if the user is utilizing a banking application, a button on the steering wheel (e.g., or other interface component 120) may toggle the banking application between a public mode (e.g., which may render additional information, such as bank account balance) and a privacy mode (e.g., which may merely render information regarding a current transaction).”, wherein in response to absence of passenger the public mode is activated thus indicating the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in the first form when it is detected that there is only the first user in the vehicle, which can be toggled on and off).
Regarding claim 10, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit further teaches wherein the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in a first display area of the vehicle in a first form when there is only a first user in the vehicle comprises: displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in the first form when there is only the first user in the vehicle and the first user is a driver (FIG. 3; para. [0054]: “If merely a driver is detected within the vehicle (e.g., via the sensor component 150), the privacy component 170 may have the system 100 for privacy management operate in public mode. Accordingly, the notification component 180 may render the text message on a center console display and provide an audio text to speech rendering of the text message to the driver of the vehicle”).
Regarding claim 15, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit further teaches wherein before the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in a first display area of the vehicle in a first form, the method further comprises: receiving, by the vehicle, a first operation; and in response to the first operation, enabling, by the vehicle, a privacy mode (para. [0056]: “a user may utilize the interface component 120 to quickly move or shift applications from public view to private view or between a public mode to a privacy mode (e.g., on the fly). In other words, the management component 130 may enable a user to toggle between privacy mode and public mode, such as with the push of a button or other user input.”).
Regarding claim 16, Feit teaches the method according to claim 15. Feit further teaches wherein before the receiving, by the vehicle, a first operation, the method further comprises: outputting, by the vehicle, first prompt information, wherein the first prompt information prompts at least the first user to enable the privacy mode (FIG. 3; para. [0061]: “FIG. 3 is an illustration of an example flow diagram of a method 300 for privacy management, according to one or more embodiments. At 302, the method 300 begins. At 304, a determination is made as to whether a door has been opened. If no door has been opened, privacy is disabled such that no privacy scheme is applied or a system is placed in public mode at 310. In other embodiments, a prompt may be presented at 310 to determine whether private mode is desired. If no door has been opened (e.g., on the passenger side of the vehicle),”).
Regarding claim 18, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit further teaches further comprising: determining, by the vehicle, based on one or more of facial recognition, voiceprint recognition, a device identifier of an electronic device, a Bluetooth identifier of the electronic device, and pressure sensor data, whether there is one occupant or a plurality of occupants in the vehicle (para. [0046]: “For example, a door sensor may infer that a passenger has gotten into a vehicle when tripped or activated. Other types of sensors may be utilized as well, such as Bluetooth, for example. Regardless, the sensor component 150 may detect the presence or position (e.g., weight sensor) associated with one or more occupants within a vehicle. As used herein, presence of an occupant, user, passenger, driver, etc. may include detecting a location or positioning of respective occupants”).
Regarding claim 19, Feit further teaches a vehicle (FIG. 1; FIG. 4; para. [0054]: “within the vehicle (e.g., via the sensor component 150), the privacy component 170 may have the system 100 for privacy management operate in public mode.”), wherein the vehicle comprises one or more processors and one or more memories, the one or more memories are coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memories store computer program code, and the computer program code comprises computer instructions for execution by the one or more processors to cause the vehicle to perform (para. [0063]: “another embodiment involves a computer-readable medium including processor-executable instructions configured to implement one or more embodiments of the techniques presented herein”; para. [0067]: “embodiments are described in the general context of “computer readable instructions” being executed by one or more computing devices.”; para. [0083]: “equivalent alterations and modifications will occur based on a reading and understanding of this specification”, wherein as shown in FIG. 4, the vehicle controls the display according to the system 100 of FIG. 1, thus indicating vehicle comprises one or more processors) claim limitations similar to those of the method of claim 1, and therefore is rejected on the same basis.
Regarding claim 20, Feit further teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a vehicle, cause the vehicle to perform (FIG. 1; FIG. 4; para. [0063]: “another embodiment involves a computer-readable medium including processor-executable instructions configured to implement one or more embodiments of the techniques presented herein”; para. [0067]: “embodiments are described in the general context of “computer readable instructions” being executed by one or more computing devices.”; para. [0068]: “memory 618 may be volatile, such as RAM, non-volatile, such as ROM, flash memory, etc., or a combination of the two. This configuration is illustrated in FIG. 6 by dashed line 614.”) claim limitations similar to those of the method of claim 1, and therefore is rejected on the same basis.
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 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feit, in view of Kurian (US 20190294773 A1).
Kurian is cited in the IDS received on 03/24/2025.
Regarding claim 11, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit further teaches wherein the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in a first display area of the vehicle in a first form when there is only a first user in the vehicle comprises: displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in the first form when there is only the first user in the vehicle (para. [0054]: “If merely a driver is detected within the vehicle (e.g., via the sensor component 150), the privacy component 170 may have the system 100 for privacy management operate in public mode. Accordingly, the notification component 180 may render the text message on a center console display and provide an audio text to speech rendering of the text message to the driver of the vehicle.), but fails to specifically teach a user of a logged-in account on the vehicle is the first user.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kurian further teaches displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in the first form when there is only the first user in the vehicle and a user of a logged-in account on the vehicle is the first user (FIG. 2; para. [0072]: “At step 206, vehicle computing platform 110 may receive driver identification information. For example, a driver may login or otherwise identify to vehicle computing platform 110 via an interface of vehicle computing platform 110. In some embodiments, vehicle computing platform 110 may determine a presence of a mobile device associated with the driver”; para. [0090]: “based on a privacy mode, data presented on the screen may be obfuscated or altered (e.g., to display pre-determined values set by a driver, vehicle owner, account owner, or the like). For example, data displayed on a screen may be displayed in a non-obfuscated or non-altered state when a private privacy mode is active (e.g., the driver or user is alone).”; para. [0126]: “A driver profile may include driver preferences (e.g., a default privacy mode, information about what privacy mode to activate in what circumstance, what information to obscure or not obscure when in a particular privacy mode, and the like)”).
Feit and Kurian are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of endeavor of protecting the privacy of the driver in response to presence of other passengers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Feit to incorporate the teachings of Kurian by including a customized privacy mode depending on the identified driver. Doing so would allow driver to select his/her desired privacy mode, thus preventing unauthorized access to secured information using identification techniques (Kurian, para. [0002]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feit, in view of Gerrese (US 20230126561 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit teaches wherein: the first information is navigation information, and the navigation information comprises a navigation route, (para. [0039]: “Here, in this example, the semi-private application may have a lower level of access or limited functionality. If a navigation application is marked as semi-private, the management component 130 may provide a user with access to general navigation functionality, but disable access to navigation history, favorite locations (e.g., home address, work address, etc.), search history, the ability to create bookmarks or favorites, etc. In other words, when an application or shortcut is designated as semi-private, functionality may be managed or controlled based on a presence of one or more occupants or additional occupants in a vehicle. In this way, the management component 130 may enable a user to setup presentation of home screens, shortcuts, etc. in an occupant based manner”);
the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in a first display area of the vehicle in a first form when it is detected that there is only a first user in the vehicle comprises: displaying, by the vehicle, the navigation route, (para. [0053]: “When merely a driver is detected by the sensor component 150, the privacy component 170 may run one or more of these applications in a public mode, which enables notifications associated with the respective applications. In other words, the notification component 180 may provide one or more notifications for the driver in this scenario (e.g., where the driver is the only occupant in the vehicle).”); and
the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in a second form when it is detected that there are the first user and a second user in the vehicle comprises: displaying, by the vehicle, only the navigation route in the navigation information when it is detected that there are the first user and the second user in the vehicle (para. [0039]: “If a navigation application is marked as semi-private, the management component 130 may provide a user with access to general navigation functionality”, wherein general navigation functionality indicates navigation route in the navigation information), but fails to specifically teach the navigation information comprises a navigation route, an origin address, and a destination address and
However, in the same field of endeavor, Gerrese teaches the navigation information comprises a navigation route, an origin address, and a destination address (para. [0004]: “in which in-vehicle displays could present a privacy concern if displaying personal information such as a passenger's name, address, preferences, etc. In general, sensitive user information is intelligently parsed out or generalized based on user preference and the presence of unknown passengers. In some examples, sensitive user information is routed to more secure channels such as a mobile device application or a personalized display. In some implementations, the position of passengers within a vehicle is determined to identify which displays are in each passenger's field of view. Additionally, pick-up and drop-off locations can be scrambled to nearby destinations to obscure a home address, work address, or other identifiable address information”; para. [0006]: “adapting information displayed on a display screen, and the adapting the information includes at least one of changing a name, removing a name, changing an address, hiding address information, and hiding preferences”); and displaying, by the vehicle, the navigation route, the origin address, and the destination address in the navigation information when it is detected that there is only the first user in the vehicle and concealing the origin address, and the destination address when it is detected that there are the first user and the second user in the vehicle (FIG. 2 206: Ride shared with another passenger [Wingdings font/0xE0] NO”; para. [0053]: “If there are no other passengers in the vehicle at step 304, the method proceeds to step 312 and the full passenger experience including autonomous vehicle features is provided. If there are one or more other passengers in the vehicle at step 304, at step 306, autonomous vehicle features available to the passengers are adjusted, as discussed above. This includes both limiting personalization of full-cabin features (e.g., HVAC, surround sound), as well as limiting personal information displayed on in-vehicle display screens.”, wherein the limiting personal information, such as concealing the pick-up and drop-off location is not performed when there is only the first user in the vehicle).
Feit and Gerrese are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of endeavor of protecting the privacy of the user in response to presence of other passengers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Feit to incorporate the teachings of Gerrese by removing personal information such as the origin and destination when other passengers are in the vehicle. Doing so would enhance safety by protecting first and second passenger personally identifiable information, during the portion of the first passenger ride (Gerrese, para. [0005]).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feit, in view of Android Auto (NPL-Android Auto is getting updated looks, and you should be excited).
Regarding claim 13, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit further teaches wherein: the first information is incoming call notification information, and the incoming call notification information comprises a caller name(para. [0002]: “Examples of information which may be rendered or displayed may include […] caller identification (caller ID) information, […]. In some scenarios, this may not be desirable to the driver of the vehicle.”);
the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in a first display area of the vehicle in a first form when it is detected that there is only a first user in the vehicle comprises: displaying, by the vehicle, the caller name, non-obscured in the incoming call notification information when it is detected that there is only the first user in the vehicle (para. [0053]: “When merely a driver is detected by the sensor component 150, the privacy component 170 may run one or more of these applications in a public mode, which enables notifications associated with the respective applications. In other words, the notification component 180 may provide one or more notifications for the driver in this scenario (e.g., where the driver is the only occupant in the vehicle).”; para. [0002]: “Examples of information which may be rendered or displayed may include […] caller identification (caller ID) information, […]. In some scenarios, this may not be desirable to the driver of the vehicle.”, wherein when only the driver is in the vehicle, non-obscured notification is shown thus comprising of caller ID); and
the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in a second form when it is detected that there are the first user and a second user in the vehicle comprises: displaying, by the vehicle, obscured incoming call notification information when it is detected that there are the first user and the second user in the vehicle (para. [0055]: “the presence of passengers may be utilized to determine which display on which to render notifications, such as a notification for a telephone call. In this example, if passengers are detected by the sensor component 150, the privacy component 170 may have the notification component 180 or the system 100 operate in privacy mode or generate private views.”; para. [0002]: “Examples of information which may be rendered or displayed may include […] caller identification (caller ID) information, […]. In some scenarios, this may not be desirable to the driver of the vehicle.”, wherein caller ID information is a private information and is hidden as indicated by para. [0002]), but fails to specifically teach incoming call notification information comprises a caller name, an answer control, and a hang up control.
However, Android Auto teaches incoming call notification information comprises a caller name, an answer control, and a hang up control (FIG. 1, wherein a notification with caller name, an answer control, and a hang up control).
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Feit is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of endeavor of protecting the privacy of the user in response to presence of other passengers. Android Auto is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is relevant to the problem of providing a notification. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Feit to incorporate the teachings of Android Auto by providing a notification comprising of caller name, an answer control, and a hang up control, and thus display or hide the caller name based on whether another passenger is in the vehicle. Doing so would allow the driver to see who is calling, if the driver is alone, and furthermore, allow to answer or hang up, thus enhancing user experience.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feit, in view of Truskovsky (EP2821948A1).
Regarding claim 14, Feit teaches the method according to claim 1. Feit further teaches receiving information from applications (para. [0026]: “The management component 130 may manage one or more views of one or more applications, one or more home screens, one or more pages of one or more home screens, etc. Stated another way, the management component 130 may control user experience associated with consumption of one or more content items, one or more applications (e.g., stored on the storage component 110), media, ‘apps’, communications, telephone calls, text messages, infotainment, etc. The management component 130 may achieve this by generating one or more views of one or more content items, applications, home screens, pages of home screens, an operating system, etc”), but fails to specifically teach wherein: the first information is a travel recommendation card, and the travel recommendation card comprises a flight number, a travel time, a destination, and a departure place; the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in a first display area of the vehicle in a first form when it is detected that there is only a first user in the vehicle comprises: displaying, by the vehicle, the flight number, the travel time, the destination, and the departure place in the travel recommendation card when it is detected that there is only the first user in the vehicle; and the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in a second form when it is detected that there are the first user and a second user in the vehicle comprises: displaying, by the vehicle, only the travel time in the travel recommendation card when it is detected that there are the first user and the second user in the vehicle.
However, Truskovsky teaches the first information is a travel recommendation card, and the travel recommendation card comprises a flight number, a travel time, a destination, and a departure place (FIG. 2; para. [0039]: “shown in FIG. 2, a mobile device 100 displays an e-ticket 200. In this example, the e-ticket is an electronic boarding pass for an airline (e.g. Air Canada). The electronic boarding pass (as an example of an e-ticket 200) includes a name, label or logo 202 ("Air Canada") that identifies the airline (or other service-provider, merchant, or commercial entity that has issued the e-ticket). The electronic boarding pass (e-ticket 200) may also include a gate identifier ("B50") 204, a departure airport identifier 206, a destination airport identifier 208, a passenger name 210, a flight number ("AC870") 212, departure date 214, boarding time 216 and seat number 218. The”);
the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in a first display area of the vehicle in a first form when it is detected that there is only a first user in the vehicle comprises: displaying, by the vehicle, the flight number, the travel time, the destination, and the departure place in the travel recommendation card when it is detected that there is only the first user in the vehicle (FIG. 2; para. [0037]: “The device automatically redacts or edits the ticket information prior to displaying the information in order to conceal private information that the user may consider to be confidential or personal.”; para. [0039]: “FIG. 2, a mobile device 100 displays an e-ticket 200. In this example, the e-ticket is an electronic boarding pass for an airline (e.g. Air Canada). The electronic boarding pass (as an example of an e-ticket 200) includes a name, label or logo 202 ("Air Canada") that identifies the airline (or other service-provider, merchant, or commercial entity that has issued the e-ticket). The electronic boarding pass (e-ticket 200) may also include a gate identifier ("B50") 204, a departure airport identifier 206, a destination airport identifier 208, a passenger name 210, a flight number ("AC870") 212, departure date 214, boarding time 216 and seat number 218.”, wherein when the user is alone, such information does not need to be concealed); and
the displaying, by the vehicle, the first information in the first display area of the vehicle in a second form when it is detected that there are the first user and a second user in the vehicle comprises: displaying, by the vehicle, only the travel time in the travel recommendation card when it is detected that there are the first user and the second user in the vehicle (FIG. 3; para. [0039]: “FIG. 3 shows the same electronic boarding pass (e-ticket 200) after it has been processed by the mobile device to identify and conceal or redact the private information. Only the public information is presented on the e-ticket shown by way of example in FIG. 3. In this example, the destination airport identifier 208, passenger name 210 and seat number 218 are considered by the mobile device (based on its settings) to be private information. These elements of information are thus redacted, removed, concealed or obscured in such a way as to prevent an unauthorized third party from reading them”).
Feit and Truskovsky are considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of endeavor of protecting the privacy of the user in response to presence of other passengers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Feit to incorporate the teachings of Truskovsky by including a privacy mode of the driver for an application managing e-tickets. Doing so would allow driver to hide his/her private information in an e-ticket application, thus redacts or edits the ticket information prior to displaying the information in order to conceal private information that the user may consider to be confidential or personal (Truskovsky, para. [0037]).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feit, in view of Cullinane (US20140156133A1).
Regarding claim 17, Feit teaches the method according to claim 16. Feit further teaches (para. [0056]: “a user may utilize the interface component 120 to quickly move or shift applications from public view to private view or between a public mode to a privacy mode (e.g., on the fly). In other words, the management component 130 may enable a user to toggle between privacy mode and public mode, such as with the push of a button or other user input.”).
However, Cullinane teaches outputting, by the vehicle, first prompt information, the method further comprises: outputting, by the vehicle, first guide information, wherein the first guide information notifies at least the first user of a first shortcut button for enabling/disabling the mode, and the first operation is a trigger operation for the first shortcut button (FIG. 9 940: “Press ON Button”; para. [0036]: “or button inputs 219, for activating or deactivating one or more autonomous driving modes and for enabling a driver or passenger 290”, wherein “Press ON Button” is an example corresponding to first guide information, wherein the first guide information notifies at least the first user of a first shortcut button for enabling/disabling the mode, and the first operation is a trigger operation for the first shortcut button).
Feit is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is in the same field of endeavor of protecting the privacy of the user in response to presence of other passengers. Cullinane is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because it is relevant to the problem of activating a mode. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Feit to incorporate the teachings of Cullinane by providing instructions to activate a mode. Doing so would allow driver view instructions on how to activate a mode, thus enhancing user experience.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
SON (US20230122465) teaches activating an incoming call-incognito mode when other passengers are present in the vehicle, which outputs the caller information only to at least one exclusive display for a driver so that only the driver is able to check
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/ANDREW SANG KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 3668