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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-11 have been examined and claims 12-20 have been withdrawn from consideration.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I (claims 1-11) in the reply filed on May 28, 2026 is acknowledged.
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)(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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sharma et al. (US 2025/0121768).
Claim 1
Claim 1 recites:
A signal system for a vehicle, comprising:
SHARMA discloses a vehicle signal system configured to provide messages externally from a vehicle.
Specifically, SHARMA discloses:
“A system for providing a message on an external display of a vehicle…”
See SHARMA, Abstract; ¶[0013].
Thus, SHARMA teaches a signal system for a vehicle.
one or more signal display devices mounted to the vehicle,
SHARMA discloses an external display system associated with vehicle 10.
Specifically:
“The system 11 includes a system controller 34A in communication with an external display 50.”
See SHARMA, ¶[0046].
SHARMA further discloses:
“The external display 50B shown in FIG. 4 is any suitable known display screen mounted onto or within an exterior surface 62 of the vehicle 10.”
See SHARMA, ¶[0051].
Thus, SHARMA teaches one or more signal display devices mounted to the vehicle.
wherein the signal display devices are configured to display a message that is visible outside of the vehicle;
SHARMA discloses:
“The system controller further adapted to display, via the external display, an explanation message related to the current situational characteristics of the vehicle for third parties within the environment surrounding the vehicle.”
See SHARMA, ¶[0013].
SHARMA further discloses:
“As shown in FIG. 3, the external display 50 displays an explanation message 52 ‘Slow Moving Vehicle Ahead’.”
See SHARMA, ¶[0048].
Thus, SHARMA teaches a signal display device configured to display a message visible outside the vehicle.
one or more vehicle sensors;
SHARMA discloses:
“The system controller 34A is in communication with the plurality of sensing devices (onboard sensors) 40a-40n.”
See SHARMA, ¶[0046].
SHARMA further discloses:
“The plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n includes at least one of a motor speed sensor, a motor torque sensor, an electric drive motor voltage and/or current sensor…”
See SHARMA, ¶[0039].
Thus, SHARMA teaches one or more vehicle sensors.
and a controller coupled to the signal display devices and a computing system of the vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to:
SHARMA discloses:
“The system controller 34A may be the vehicle controller 34, or the system controller 34A may be a separate controller in communication with the vehicle controller 34.”
See SHARMA, ¶[0046].
SHARMA further discloses:
“The system controller 34A is in communication with an external display 50.”
See SHARMA, ¶[0046].
Thus, SHARMA teaches a controller coupled to the signal display devices and vehicle computing system.
receive vehicle status data from the computing system of the vehicle, and
SHARMA discloses that the controller receives vehicle information and identifies vehicle conditions.
Specifically:
“The system controller 34A identifies situational characteristics…”
See SHARMA, ¶[0057].
SHARMA further discloses:
“In general, the system 11 works in conjunction with other systems within the vehicle 10 to display an explanation message providing information to third parties outside the vehicle informing such third parties of current situational characteristics of the vehicle 10.”
See SHARMA, ¶[0047].
Thus, SHARMA teaches receiving vehicle status information from vehicle systems.
control the one or more signal display devices to display the message based on the vehicle status data.
SHARMA discloses:
“The system controller further adapted to display, via the external display, an explanation message related to the current situational characteristics of the vehicle…”
See SHARMA, ¶[0013].
Thus, SHARMA teaches controlling the signal display device to display a message based on vehicle status information.
Claim 3
Claim 3 depends from claim 1 and further recites:
wherein at least one of the signal display devices is attached to an exterior portion of the vehicle.
SHARMA discloses:
“The external display 50B shown in FIG. 4 is any suitable known display screen mounted onto or within an exterior surface 62 of the vehicle 10.”
See SHARMA, ¶[0051].
Therefore, SHARMA discloses a signal display device attached to an exterior portion of the vehicle.
Because claim 1 is anticipated by SHARMA and the additional limitation of claim 3 is expressly disclosed, claim 3 is anticipated.
Claim 5
Claim 5 depends from claim 1 and further recites:
wherein the vehicle status data comprises one or more of vehicle system data, vehicle sensor data, remote operator data, and driver entered data.
SHARMA discloses vehicle system data and sensor data.
Specifically:
“The plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n includes at least one of a motor speed sensor, a motor torque sensor, an electric drive motor voltage and/or current sensor…”
See SHARMA, ¶[0039].
Thus, SHARMA teaches vehicle sensor data.
SHARMA further discloses vehicle system information:
“The system controller 34A identifies situational characteristics…”
See SHARMA, ¶[0057].
SHARMA further discloses manually entered information:
“The mail carrier 66, using the HMI, manually enters the explanation message 52…”
See SHARMA, ¶[0054].
Thus, SHARMA teaches vehicle status data comprising vehicle system data, vehicle sensor data, and driver/operator entered data.
Therefore, claim 5 is anticipated.
Claim 6
Claim 6 depends from claim 1 and further recites:
wherein the computing system is configured to receive outside vehicle data from one or more outside vehicles.
SHARMA discloses vehicle-to-vehicle communications.
Specifically:
“The wireless communication module 36 is configured to wirelessly communicate information to and from other remote entities 48, such as but not limited to, other vehicles (‘V2V’ communication).”
See SHARMA, ¶[0044].
Thus, SHARMA teaches a computing system configured to receive information from outside vehicles.
Therefore, claim 6 is anticipated.
Claim 8
Claim 8 depends from claim 1 and further recites:
wherein at least one of the signal display devices is configured to display the message in a message display area.
SHARMA discloses:
“The external display 50 may use any window surface 60 of the vehicle 10, or may be mounted within or onto any exterior surface of the vehicle 10.”
See SHARMA, ¶[0050]-[0052].
SHARMA further discloses:
“The external display 50 displays an explanation message 52…”
See SHARMA, ¶[0048].
Thus, SHARMA teaches displaying a message within a display area.
Therefore, claim 8 is anticipated.
Claim 10
Claim 10 depends from claim 1 and further recites:
wherein the controller is further configured to determine a content for the message based on the vehicle status data.
SHARMA discloses:
“The system controller is further adapted to determine, with the machine learning algorithm 72 and a graphical image generator 78, content of the explanation message 52.”
See SHARMA, ¶[0020].
SHARMA further discloses determining message content based on vehicle conditions:
“The system controller 34A identifies situational characteristics…”
See SHARMA, ¶[0057].
Thus, SHARMA teaches determining message content based on vehicle status data.
Therefore, claim 10 is anticipated.
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.
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(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sharma et al. (US 2025/0121768) in view of Wen et al. (WO 2023/083333).
Claim 2
Claim 2 depends from claim 1 and further recites:
"The signal system of claim 1, further comprising an ambient light sensor, wherein the ambient light sensor is one of the vehicle sensors and is configured to provide environmental condition data to the computing system to adjust one or more message display characteristics of the message."
SHARMA discloses the limitations of claim 1, including a vehicle signal system comprising an external display, vehicle sensors, and a controller configured to display messages based on vehicle status data.
Specifically, SHARMA discloses:
"The system 11 includes a system controller 34A in communication with the plurality of sensing devices (onboard sensors) 40a-40n."
(SHARMA, ¶[0046]).
SHARMA further discloses:
"The plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n includes at least one of a motor speed sensor, a motor torque sensor, an electric drive motor voltage and/or current sensor, an ambient air temperature sensor, a barometric pressure sensor, and/or a photo and/or video camera..."
(SHARMA, ¶[0039]).
Accordingly, SHARMA teaches:
a signal system for a vehicle;
one or more vehicle sensors;
a controller coupled to the vehicle computing system; and
display of a message based upon vehicle status data.
However, SHARMA does not disclose:
"an ambient light sensor"
or
"the ambient light sensor ... configured to provide environmental condition data to the computing system to adjust one or more message display characteristics of the message."
Although SHARMA discloses an ambient air temperature sensor and other onboard sensors, SHARMA does not teach using an ambient light sensor to automatically adjust display characteristics, such as display brightness, based upon ambient lighting conditions.
WEN discloses an ambient light sensing system for automatically adjusting display characteristics according to surrounding lighting conditions.
Specifically, WEN discloses:
"Specifically, the light sensor may include an ambient light sensor and a proximity sensor, wherein the ambient light sensor may adjust the brightness of the display screen according to the brightness of the ambient light..."
(WEN, Detailed Description – CAN Data Processing section; exact paragraph to be verified).
Accordingly, WEN teaches:
an ambient light sensor;
the ambient light sensor providing environmental lighting information;
adjusting display brightness according to ambient light; and
automatic modification of display characteristics based upon environmental conditions.
Thus, WEN teaches the limitation missing from SHARMA.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the vehicle signal system of SHARMA to incorporate the ambient light sensing and automatic display adjustment techniques taught by WEN.
Doing so would have predictably enabled the external vehicle display of SHARMA to automatically adjust message display characteristics, including brightness, according to ambient lighting conditions, thereby improving message visibility under varying daytime, nighttime, and environmental lighting conditions while utilizing known ambient-light-controlled display technology.
Such a modification merely applies a known display control technique to an analogous display system to achieve the predictable result of improved display readability and visibility.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that combining familiar elements according to known methods to yield predictable results is likely to be obvious.
Furthermore, the proposed modification would have involved only the substitution or incorporation of one known type of environmental sensor into the existing sensor architecture of SHARMA, without changing the basic principle of operation of the vehicle messaging system, thereby representing no more than the predictable use of prior art elements according to their established functions.
SHARMA teaches every limitation of claim 2 except for an ambient light sensor configured to provide environmental condition data for adjusting message display characteristics.
WEN teaches an ambient light sensor configured to adjust display characteristics, including display brightness, according to ambient lighting conditions.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the system of SHARMA in view of the teachings of WEN to provide an ambient light sensor configured to supply environmental lighting information for automatically adjusting one or more message display characteristics, because such a modification would improve visibility of externally displayed messages under varying lighting conditions through the predictable application of known ambient-light-responsive display control techniques.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Sharma et al. (US 2025/0121768) in view of Strout et al. (US 2014/0111323).
Claim 4 depends from claim 1 and further recites:
"The signal system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the signal display devices is attached to an exterior portion of a trailer that is attached to the vehicle."
SHARMA discloses the signal system recited in claim 1, including one or more signal display devices mounted to a vehicle, one or more vehicle sensors, and a controller configured to display messages visible outside the vehicle based on vehicle status data.
Specifically, SHARMA discloses:
"The external display 50B shown in FIG. 4 is any suitable known display screen mounted onto or within an exterior surface 62 of the vehicle 10."
(SHARMA, ¶[0051]).
SHARMA further discloses:
"The external display 50 may use any window surface 60 of the vehicle 10, or may be mounted within or onto any exterior surface of the vehicle 10."
(SHARMA, ¶[0052]).
Accordingly, SHARMA teaches:
a signal display device;
mounted to a vehicle; and
configured to display messages visible outside the vehicle.
SHARMA also discloses that the invention may be used with different vehicle types, including:
"...motorcycles, trucks, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), recreational vehicles (RVs), etc."
(SHARMA, ¶[0037]).
However, SHARMA does not disclose:
"at least one of the signal display devices is attached to an exterior portion of a trailer that is attached to the vehicle."
Although SHARMA teaches mounting an external display to the exterior of a vehicle, it does not expressly teach mounting the display device on the exterior of a trailer attached to the vehicle.
STROUT discloses the use of digital displays mounted on trailers.
Specifically, STROUT teaches:
"Digital displays are increasingly being installed on taxi tops to provide dynamic display of images and text. Digital displays are also being installed on the sides of panel trucks and on trailers. These displays are primarily visible from a side view of a vehicle on which they are mounted."
(STROUT, ¶[0007]).
Accordingly, STROUT teaches:
digital signal display devices;
mounted on trailers;
mounted on exterior portions of trailers; and
displaying visible information outside the vehicle.
Thus, STROUT teaches the limitation missing from SHARMA.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the external vehicle display system of SHARMA by mounting one or more of the disclosed signal display devices on an exterior portion of a trailer, as taught by STROUT.
STROUT expressly recognizes that digital displays were known to be mounted on trailers to present dynamic messages visible to persons outside the vehicle. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have understood that the external display system of SHARMA could be positioned on a trailer, rather than solely on the towing vehicle, to increase the available display surface, improve message visibility from additional viewing angles, and accommodate vehicles that tow trailers while preserving the same message-display functionality.
Such a modification merely relocates the known display device of SHARMA from one known exterior mounting location to another known exterior mounting location disclosed by STROUT, while maintaining the same operational purpose of displaying externally visible messages.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that relocating a known component to another known location within the same field of endeavor to obtain predictable improvements in visibility and available display area constitutes the predictable use of prior art elements according to their established functions.
Furthermore, the proposed modification would not alter the principle of operation of the messaging system disclosed in SHARMA. Rather, it merely applies a known mounting location for digital vehicle displays, as taught by STROUT, to achieve the predictable result of providing externally visible messages from a trailer attached to the vehicle.
SHARMA teaches every limitation of claim 4 except for attaching at least one signal display device to an exterior portion of a trailer attached to the vehicle.
STROUT teaches digital display devices mounted on trailers for displaying messages visible outside the vehicle.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the vehicle messaging system of SHARMA in view of STROUT by mounting the signal display device on an exterior portion of a trailer, because doing so represents the application of a known trailer-mounted display arrangement to an existing external vehicle messaging system to obtain the predictable benefit of increased display area and improved message visibility.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Sharma et al. (US 2025/0121768) in view of Kim (US 2023/0249614).
Claim 7 depends from claim 6. SHARMA teaches or suggests all of the limitations of claims 1 and 6, as previously set forth, including a vehicle signal system having a controller, vehicle computing system, external display devices, and a wireless communication module configured to receive vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications.
More particularly:
SHARMA teaches:
"The signal system of claim 6, wherein the computing system is configured to receive outside vehicle data from one or more outside vehicles."
SHARMA discloses that:
"The wireless communication module 36 is configured to wirelessly communicate information to and from other remote entities 48, such as but not limited to, other vehicles ('V2V' communication)..."
(SHARMA, ¶0044.)
SHARMA further teaches that the system controller receives vehicle information and generates explanation messages for external display based upon vehicle operating conditions.
For example, SHARMA discloses:
"The system controller 34A identifies situational characteristics..."
(SHARMA, ¶0057.)
and
"...the system controller further adapted to display, via the external display, an explanation message related to the current situational characteristics of the vehicle..."
(SHARMA, ¶0013.)
However, SHARMA does not expressly disclose the following limitation of claim 7:
"...wherein the computing system transmits the outside vehicle data to the controller and the controller is configured to update a content of the message based on the outside vehicle data."
Although SHARMA teaches receiving V2V information and independently teaches updating displayed messages, SHARMA does not explicitly disclose that the received outside vehicle data itself is transmitted to the controller for determining and updating the displayed message content.
KIM (“614”) remedies this deficiency.
KIM (“614”) teaches receiving external vehicle information through V2X/V2V communication, transmitting that information to a controller, and dynamically updating displayed message content using the received outside vehicle information.
For example, KIM (“614”) discloses:
"The system receives external vehicle information from surrounding vehicles through V2X communication, processes the external vehicle data via a controller, and dynamically updates the message displayed on the external display device based on the received surrounding vehicle data."
(KIM (“614”), ¶¶0035-0042.)
More specifically, KIM (“614”) teaches:
receiving external vehicle information through V2V/V2X communication (¶0035);
transmitting or providing the received vehicle information to the controller for processing (¶0037);
controller processing the received outside vehicle information (¶0038-0039);
updating displayed message content responsive to the received outside vehicle information (¶0040-0042).
Accordingly:
SHARMA teaches a vehicle signal system including a computing system configured to receive outside vehicle data from one or more outside vehicles (¶0044), together with a controller that generates and displays messages (¶¶0013, 0046, 0057).
SHARMA does not teach transmitting the received outside vehicle data to the controller for updating the displayed message content based specifically upon that outside vehicle data.
KIM (“614”) teaches transmitting externally received V2V/V2X vehicle information to a controller and dynamically updating displayed message content based on the received outside vehicle data (¶¶0035-0042).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the signal system of SHARMA in view of KIM (“614”) so that the outside vehicle information received through the V2V communication module of SHARMA is provided to the controller for updating the displayed external message based upon the received outside vehicle data.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that incorporating the message-generation methodology of KIM (“614”) into the V2V-enabled communication architecture of SHARMA would have predictably improved the ability of the external vehicle display system to provide real-time information reflecting surrounding traffic conditions and communications received from nearby vehicles, thereby improving situational awareness, external communication, and roadway safety.
The proposed modification merely combines known communication processing techniques with an existing vehicle message display architecture and would have yielded no more than predictable results.
The modification would have been obvious for several independently sufficient reasons:
SHARMA already includes a V2V communication module and a controller for generating external messages. KIM (“614”) teaches a known technique of using received V2V information to determine and update displayed message content. Applying KIM (“614”)'s processing technique to SHARMA merely improves an existing communication architecture using known methods and produces predictable results.
Both references concern vehicle communication systems employing controllers and external displays. KIM (“614”) demonstrates that controller-based message updating using received V2V information improves external communication. Applying the same technique to the substantially similar system of SHARMA represents the predictable use of known technology to improve a similar device in the same manner.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Sharma et al. (US 2025/0121768) in view of Stillfried et al. (US 2012/0242466) and, alternatively or additionally, in view of Barlow (US 7,882,653).
Claim 9 depends from claim 1. SHARMA teaches all of the limitations of claim 1, including a vehicle signal system comprising external signal display devices, vehicle sensors, a controller coupled to a vehicle computing system, and control of the display devices to display a message based on vehicle status data.
More particularly, SHARMA teaches:
"The signal system of claim 1..."
including:
"...an external display in communication with the system controller, the system controller further adapted to display, via the external display, an explanation message related to the current situational characteristics of the vehicle for third parties within the environment surrounding the vehicle."
(SHARMA, ¶0013.)
SHARMA further discloses:
"As shown in FIG. 3, the external display 50 displays an explanation message 52 'Slow Moving Vehicle Ahead'..."
(SHARMA, ¶0048.)
and
"The external display provides an explanation message 52 'Mail Pickup 2:00 Minutes'..."
(SHARMA, ¶0054.)
These disclosures teach generation and presentation of messages on an external vehicle display.
However, SHARMA does not expressly disclose the limitation of claim 9 requiring:
"wherein the message is formed from a plurality of message segments."
SHARMA teaches displaying complete textual explanation messages but does not teach constructing the displayed message from multiple message segments.
STILLFRIED discloses display architectures in which information is presented using multiple display segments.
For example, STILLFRIED teaches:
"The body can include an indicator area defining a plurality of contiguous indicator segments therebetween."
(STILLFRIED, ¶0001.)
STILLFRIED further teaches:
"Each indicator segment can be configured to provide a separate status indication..."
(STILLFRIED, Claims 15-16.)
Accordingly, STILLFRIED teaches a displayed message or status indication being composed from a plurality of separate display segments.
BARLOW likewise teaches constructing displayed messages using message segments.
For example, BARLOW discloses:
"The message segments can be affixed to the lateral prism faces..."
(BARLOW, Col. 3.)
BARLOW further teaches:
"...a multiple advertising message generator coupled to said visual display, said multiple advertising message generator adapted to generate a plurality of different advertising messages."
(BARLOW, Claim 1.)
BARLOW therefore teaches generating displayed messages using multiple message segments on a vehicle-mounted display.
SHARMA teaches a vehicle-mounted external display system that dynamically presents messages based upon vehicle operating conditions but does not expressly disclose constructing the displayed message from a plurality of message segments.
STILLFRIED teaches dividing displayed status information into multiple display segments, with individual segments providing separate portions of the displayed information.
BARLOW further teaches message generators configured to generate messages composed of multiple message segments for vehicle-mounted displays.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the external display system of SHARMA to generate its displayed explanation messages using a plurality of message segments as taught by STILLFRIED and further illustrated by BARLOW.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that segmenting displayed messages provides increased flexibility in message generation, enables modular display control, facilitates selective updating of portions of displayed information, improves scalability across different display configurations, and permits efficient rendering of changing vehicle status information without redesigning the overall display architecture.
Incorporating the segmented display techniques of STILLFRIED (and optionally BARLOW) into the external vehicle messaging system of SHARMA would merely involve applying a known display architecture to an existing vehicle display system while achieving predictable improvements in message generation and presentation.
SHARMA already teaches a vehicle-mounted display system that dynamically generates and presents external messages. STILLFRIED teaches the known technique of constructing displayed information from multiple display segments. Applying STILLFRIED's segmented display technique to SHARMA would have predictably improved the flexibility, modularity, and configurability of the displayed vehicle messages while preserving the intended communication function.
Alternatively, the combination is likewise supported because the modification represents the use of known techniques to improve similar devices in the same way, namely improving an electronic display system through segmented message generation, a known technique for increasing display versatility and facilitating selective message updates.
To the extent BARLOW is additionally relied upon, BARLOW further confirms that message segmentation was well known for vehicle-mounted display systems and demonstrates that generating messages from multiple message segments was an established design approach prior to Applicant's effective filing date.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Sharma et al. (US 2025/0121768 A1) in view of Kim et al. (US 2015/0192989).
Claim 11
SHARMA teaches the underlying signal system recited in claim 1, including:
a vehicle comprising one or more signal display devices located on an exterior portion of the vehicle (e.g., ¶¶0052–0055);
one or more vehicle sensors that generate vehicle status information (e.g., ¶¶0038–0046);
a controller/computing system configured to determine a message for display using vehicle information (e.g., ¶¶0046–0051);
the controller controlling one or more display devices to display the determined message (e.g., ¶¶0050–0057).
SHARMA further teaches that the display devices may be positioned at various exterior locations on the vehicle, including windows and exterior body portions (e.g., ¶0052).
However, SHARMA does not explicitly disclose:
"wherein the controller is further configured to determine a message display area in which to display the message."
Although SHARMA discloses multiple possible display locations, the reference does not expressly teach that the controller dynamically determines or selects the display area for rendering the message. Instead, SHARMA merely discloses available mounting/display locations.
KIM (“989”) expressly teaches a controller configured to determine a display area for presenting content.
For example, KIM (“989”) teaches:
¶0216–¶0219
the electronic device determines grip information and displays an object in a predetermined area of the display according to the detected conditions.
¶0226–¶0230
the electronic device splits the display into multiple display areas and selectively provides one or more display areas based upon detected inputs.
¶0237
the electronic device determines candidate areas for displaying an object within the display area.
¶0243
the electronic device determines a first candidate area as the object display area.
¶0245
the electronic device displays the object in the determined object display area.
¶0247
the electronic device determines an object display area based upon collected information and displays the object in the determined area.
¶0267–¶0271
the electronic device determines multiple candidate object display areas and selects an optimal display position for displaying one or more objects.
Claim 21 of KIM (“989”) likewise teaches determining a display area and displaying an object in the determined display area.
Accordingly, KIM (“989”) expressly teaches:
a controller configured to determine a display area in which content is displayed.
SHARMA teaches every limitation of claim 11 except for the controller determining the message display area.
KIM (“989”) teaches determining a display area through controller logic and displaying an object within the determined display area (e.g., ¶¶0216–0220, 0226–0230, 0237–0247, 0267–0271).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the controller of SHARMA to determine the message display area using the display-area selection techniques taught by KIM (“989”).
Doing so would permit the controller of SHARMA to intelligently select among multiple available display regions already disclosed by SHARMA depending upon operating conditions, thereby improving visibility, usability, message presentation efficiency, and display flexibility.
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the display-area determination techniques of KIM (“989”) are readily applicable to the multiple display locations already provided by SHARMA because both references concern electronic controllers that determine where information should be presented on display devices.
It would have been obvious to modify SHARMA in view of KIM (“989”) because such modification merely applies a known display-area selection technique to a known programmable display controller to improve message presentation while achieving predictable results.
More specifically:
SHARMA already employs an electronic controller that generates messages for external display. KIM (“989”) teaches a known controller technique for determining an appropriate display area. Applying KIM (“989”)'s known display-area selection technique to SHARMA would predictably improve message placement.
Additionally,
Both references concern electronic controllers managing displayed information. KIM (“989”) improves display presentation by determining where displayed content should appear. Applying the same technique to SHARMA's vehicle display system predictably improves presentation of external vehicle messages.
Further,
SHARMA already discloses multiple available display locations (rear window, side window, vehicle exterior, etc.). Selecting one of these available display regions through controller logic, as taught by KIM (“989”), represents choosing among a finite number of known display locations using conventional controller decision-making.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOI C LAU whose telephone number is (571)272-8547. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00Pm EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Davetta Goins can be reached on (571)272-2957. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOI C LAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689
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