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 § 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.
Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin, US Patent Publication 2009/0231303 in view of Choi et al., US Patent Publication 2021/0125411.
Regarding independent claim 1, Lin teaches an in-vehicle projection system (as described in paragraph 0023), comprising:
a control apparatus (control unit described in paragraph 0030) configured to receive a command from a user (operation of the touch panel or hard switch as given in paragraphs 0027-0029), acquire a display interface related to an operation regarding the command (paragraph 0039 explains how different interfaces or images are used for the different operations as given in paragraphs 0047-0049 as well), and determine a position of the user in a vehicle according to the command (based on the unique signals of each position as described in paragraphs 0028-0029); and
a projection apparatus configured to project the display interface to a predetermined region in the vehicle (paragraph 0024 explains the display used by all members in the vehicle and paragraph 0039 explains how the image of the projection and display correspond to the position of the user), wherein
the control apparatus starts to execute the operation regarding the command from the user (paragraphs 0047-0049 explain the executing of the operation), and the display interface displays a process of the control apparatus executing the operation regarding the command from the user (paragraphs 0047-0049 explain how the display interface is specified to the operator to display the process of executing the operation).
Lin does not specify that the display interface is projected to a region in the vehicle corresponding to the position of the user. Choi et al. teaches that the display interface is projected to a region in the vehicle corresponding to the position of the user (paragraphs 0020 and 0678 and 0686 explain how the display is projected based on the user location in the vehicle and the gaze).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to project specifically in a different region based on the position of the user as taught by Choi et al. into the system of Lin. The rationale to combine would be to ensure that each user has an optimal view matching their specific use (paragraphs 0006-0009 of Choi et al.).
Regarding claim 2, Lin teaches the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, wherein the display interface includes a first interface before executing the operation of the command, and/or a second interface in which operation of the command is executed, and/or a third interface in which a process from before executing the operation of the command until executing and completing the operation of the command (paragraphs 0039 and 0048-0049 explain the different images or interfaces displayed that change based on the command and status of the command).
Regarding claim 3, Choi et al. teaches further the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined region includes at least one projection region, and a position of the projection region is determined based on the position of the user in the vehicle, or the position of the user in the vehicle and the number of users (paragraphs 0020 and 0678 and 0686 explain how the display is projected based on the user location in the vehicle and the gaze).
Regarding claim 4, Lin teaches the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, wherein the position of the user includes a region where the user is located in the vehicle and/or a seat where the user is seated in the vehicle (paragraph 0024 explains how the seats are distinguished from each other).
Regarding claim 5, Lin teaches the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined region includes a region in front of the region where the user is located in the vehicle and/or a region in front of the seat where the user is seated in the vehicle (figure 1 depicts the region to be in front of the user in the vehicle).
Regarding claim 6, Choi et al. teaches further the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined region includes a plurality of projection regions, each of which corresponds to respective one of seats in the vehicle, and when the command is received from the user, the control apparatus determines a corresponding projection region based on a seat where the user is seated, and the projection apparatus projects the display interface to the corresponding projection region (paragraphs 0020 and 0678 and 0686 explain how the display is projected based on the user location in the vehicle and the gaze such that any region in which the item can be displayed is one of the projection regions).
Regarding claim 7, Choi et al. teaches further the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined region includes a plurality of projection regions, an interior space of the vehicle is virtually divided into a plurality of divided regions, each of the divided regions corresponds to respective one of the projection regions, and when the command is received from the user, the control apparatus determines a corresponding projection region based on a divided region where the user is located, and the projection apparatus projects the display interface to the corresponding projection region (paragraphs 0020 and 0678 and 0686 explain how the display is projected based on the user location in the vehicle and the gaze such that the interior space of the vehicle is divided into infinite regions that can receive a projection based on where the user is located).
Regarding claim 8, Choi et al. teaches further the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 7, wherein
the control apparatus further acquires a seat where the user is seated and/or the number of users in the divided region (paragraph 0686 explains how the seats are distinguished from each other and the location of the user seat can be determined), and
the projection apparatus adjusts a position of a projection region corresponding to the divided region according to the seat where the user is seated and/or the number of users in the divided region (paragraphs 0020 and 0678 and 0686 explain how the display is projected based on the user location in the vehicle and the gaze).
It is noted that Lin also teaches the control apparatus further acquires a seat where the user is seated and/or the number of users in the divided region (paragraph 0024 explains how the seats are distinguished from each other).
Regarding claim 9, Choi et al. teaches further the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 7, wherein the interior space of the vehicle is divided into the plurality of divided regions based on a position of the user and/or the number of users (paragraphs 0020 and 0678 and 0686 explain how the display is projected based on the user location in the vehicle and the gaze such that the interior space of the vehicle is divided into infinite regions that can receive a projection based on where the user is located).
Regarding claim 10, Lin teaches the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined region includes at least one projection region to which the projection apparatus simultaneously projects two or more display interfaces (paragraph 0039 explains how different images or interfaces are presented to different users on the same screen or region).
Regarding claim 11, Lin teaches the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, wherein the command includes a voice command and/or a gesture command (paragraph 0042 explains that the command is a gesture of pressing the button or switch described in paragraph 0041).
Regarding claim 12, Lin teaches the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, wherein the display interface includes an interface related to an in-vehicle entertainment apparatus, and the control apparatus acquires the interface related to the in-vehicle entertainment apparatus according to the command (paragraph 0039 explains that one of the images or interfaces is a television screen, which is an entertainment apparatus that is used based on the input command).
Regarding claim 13, Choi et al. teaches further the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, further comprising a mounting apparatus configured to movably and/or rotatably mount the projection apparatus (paragraphs 0015 and 0020 and 0678 explain how the display is positioned according to the gaze of the user such that the display can be moved and/or rotated to match the gaze), wherein
the projection apparatus controls the mounting apparatus to move and/or rotate according to the position of the user so as to project the display interface to the predetermined region (paragraphs 0015 and 0020 and 0678 explain how the display is positioned according to the gaze of the user such that the display can be moved and/or rotated to match the gaze).
Regarding claim 14, Choi et al. teaches further the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, wherein
a specific projection position of the display interface in the predetermined region changes correspondingly based on a change in a line of sight of the user and/or a face orientation of the user (paragraphs 0015 and 0020 and 0678 explain how the gaze of the user is used to appropriately determine the display location), and/or
the specific projection position of the display interface in the predetermined region is moved to another position based on an operation of the user (paragraphs 0015 and 0020 and 0678 explain how the gaze of the user is used to appropriately determine the display location).
Regarding claim 15, Lin teaches the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, wherein the display interface is projected to the predetermined region for a predetermined time, and when it is detected that the user inputs a second command to the display interface projected to the predetermined region within the predetermined time, a display interface for executing a process of an operation regarding the second command is displayed in the predetermined region (paragraphs 0049-0052 explain the situation of figure 3 where the commands are detected constantly so that a second command follows the same procedure as the first).
Regarding claim 16, Choi et al. teaches further the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, wherein the display interface provides a virtual character, and a process of the virtual character executing the operation regarding the command from the user is displayed in the display interface (paragraphs 0487-0494 explain the interface where the characters of the components 2602 are displayed executing operations like information about approach, etc.).
Regarding claim 17, Lin teaches the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of commands is received from a plurality of users, the control apparatus projects, based on positions of the users, display interfaces corresponding to the commands from the users to predetermined regions corresponding to the positions of the users, or
when a plurality of commands is received from a plurality of users, the control apparatus projects a plurality of display interfaces corresponding to the commands from the plurality of users to at least one of predetermined regions corresponding to positions of the plurality of users (paragraph 0039 explains how different images or interfaces are presented on the same region to the different users manipulating the device as given in paragraphs 0046-0049).
Regarding independent claim 18, Lin teaches a method for controlling an in-vehicle projection system (as described in paragraph 0023), comprising:
receiving a command from a user (operation of the touch panel or hard switch as given in paragraphs 0027-0029) and acquiring a display interface related to an operation regarding the command (paragraph 0039 explains how different interfaces or images are used for the different operations as given in paragraphs 0047-0049 as well);
determining a position of the user according to the command (based on the unique signals of each position as described in paragraphs 0028-0029);
projecting the display interface to a predetermined region in a vehicle (paragraph 0024 explains the display used by all members in the vehicle and paragraph 0039 explains how the image of the projection and display correspond to the position of the user); and
executing the operation regarding the command from the user (paragraphs 0047-0049 explain the executing of the operation), wherein
the display interface displays a process of executing the operation regarding the command from the user (paragraphs 0047-0049 explain how the display interface is specified to the operator to display the process of executing the operation).
Lin does not specify projecting the display interface to a region in the vehicle corresponding to the position of the user. Choi et al. teaches projecting the display interface to a region in the vehicle corresponding to the position of the user (paragraphs 0020 and 0678 and 0686 explain how the display is projected based on the user location in the vehicle and the gaze).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to project specifically in a different region based on the position of the user as taught by Choi et al. into the system of Lin. The rationale to combine would be to ensure that each user has an optimal view matching their specific use (paragraphs 0006-0009 of Choi et al.).
Regarding claim 19, Lin teaches a vehicle, comprising the in-vehicle projection system according to claim 1 (paragraph 0024 explains that the system is incorporated in a vehicle body as an in-vehicle system).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The closest prior art is made of record in the attached notice of references cited.
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/PARUL H GUPTA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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