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 Objections
Claims 216 and 218 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 216 and 218 recite: “in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a second power state, ,”. The claims should be amended to remove the extra comma in the limitation.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 196, 197, 198, 200, 201, 203, 204, 205, 206, 210, 212, and 217, 227, 228 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Connor (US 20220198984 A1) in view of Wilson (US 20200356224 A1).
Regarding claim 196:
Connor teaches:
A computer system configured to communicate with a display generation component (Connor: Embodiments of electronic devices, user interfaces for such devices, and associated processes for using such devices are described […] in some embodiments, the device is not a portable communications device, but is a desktop computer with a touch-sensitive surface (e.g., a touch screen display and/or a touchpad) [0040]), comprising:
one or more processors (Connor: one or more processors of an electronic device [0008]); and
memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions (Connor: a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device [0008]) for:
displaying, via the display generation component, a time user interface (Connor: The present disclosure generally relates to providing electronic devices with […] context-specific user interfaces for indicating time, Abstract), the time user interface including:
an indication of time that includes one or more numerals representing at least one of an hour and a minute (Connor: Digital indication of time 610 includes a representation of a digital clock with a numerical indication of an hour value (e.g., 3 as depicted in FIG. 6A) and a numerical indication of a minute value (e.g., 00 as depicted in FIG. 6A). [0197]); and
Connor fails to explicitly teach:
a color boundary that represents a number of seconds that have elapsed in a current minute, wherein the color boundary moves over time from a first edge of the time user interface toward a second edge of the time user interface as additional seconds elapse in the current minute.
Wilson teaches:
a color boundary that represents a number of seconds that have elapsed in a current minute (Wilson: In some embodiments, the current time of day is depicted as an ongoing animation, with each animation frame corresponding to a minute value of the respective hour of day. For example, device 600 updates watch user interface 1108 at every minute, displaying a frame depicting the progress of character user interface object 1102 mowing the lawn (i.e., mowing un-mowed grass 1102a). [0272]; Wilson: Figs 11A-11D), wherein the color boundary moves over time from a first edge of the time user interface toward a second edge of the time user interface (see Note 196B) as additional seconds elapse in the current minute (Wilson: In some embodiments, the location of character user interface object 1102 indicates a unit of time other than minutes (e.g., hours, seconds, days, etc.). [0267]; see Note 196C).
Note 196A: The Examiner interprets the boundary created between the mowed grass and the unmowed grass as a boundary that moves over time as seconds pass.
Note 196B: Wilson in Figures 11A-11D showcases that the mowed / unmowed grass boundary progresses from the top edge towards the bottom edge of the user interface.
Note 196C: Although Wilson teaches that the animation plays based on minutes (so that the animation completes in one hour), Wilson teaches in [0267] that the animation may pass based on seconds instead (so that the animation completes in one minute) as claimed.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Wilson with Connor. Utilizing a color boundary that represents a number of seconds that have elapsed in a current minute, wherein the color boundary moves over time from a first edge of the time user interface toward a second edge of the time user interface would benefit the Connor teachings because it is “desirable to allow the user to customize the user interface and the types of information provided through the user interface in a manner that provides improved visual feedback regarding the state of portable multifunctional device relative to time-keeping and application driven operations. Existing techniques may be prone to error or require more time than necessary, wasting user time and device energy” (Wilson, [0004]).
Regarding claim 197:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 196 (as shown above), wherein:
the time user interface includes a first portion having a first color on a first side of the color boundary (Connor: one or more first geometric regions that intersect the indication of time, where on a first side of a boundary of the one or more first geometric regions, the indication of time includes a first color [0006]) and a second portion having a second color on a second side of the color boundary opposite of the first side of the color boundary (Connor: and where on a second side of the boundary of the one or more first geometric regions, the indication of time includes a second color different from the first color; [0006]), and
the movement of the color boundary causes a change in color of the first portion from the first color to the second color (Connor: In particular, first geometric region 608 and/or second geometric region 610 change size, location (e.g., on and/or with reference to display generation component 602), and/or color over time [0006]), and wherein the movement of the color boundary represents seconds elapsing in the current minute (Connor: a user can perceive the changes to first geometric region 608 and/or second geometric region 610 over a period of time (e.g., after continuously viewing user interface 604 for more than 5 seconds, more than 10 seconds, more than 20 seconds, more than 30 seconds, and/or more than 1 minute and/or after viewing user interface 604 upon a transition from the first mode to the second mode and/or a transition from the second mode to the first mode). [0197]).
Regarding claim 198:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 197 (as shown above), wherein:
the first portion having the first color includes a first portion of the one or more numerals, the second portion having the second color includes a second portion of the one or more numerals (Connor: At FIG. 6A, first geometric region 608 includes first boundary 608a that intersects first portion 606a of time indicator 606 at a first position (e.g., through at least a portion of numeral “0”) and second boundary 608b that is positioned between first portion 606a and second portion 606b of time indicator 606 [0188]), and
the movement of the color boundary causes a change in color of the first portion of the one or more numerals from the first color to the second color (see Note 198A).
Note 198A: In Fig. 6A, Connor showcases that the color boundary intersects the numerals. Furthermore, in the rejection of claim 197, it was shown that the boundary may move and cause the first color to shift to the second color. Therefore, the Examiner submits that when the boundary intersects the numerals and causes changes of color of elements that it intersects, the movement of said boundary inherently “causes a change in color of the first portion of the one or more numerals from the first color to the second color”.
Regarding claim 200:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 197 (as shown above), wherein:
the first portion having the first color includes a first portion of a background of the time user interface (Connor: First geometric region 608 includes a first color (e.g., represented by a first hatching style at FIG. 6A) [0189]),
the second portion having the second color includes a second portion of the background of the time user interface (Connor: at FIG. 6A, background 619 of user interface 604 includes the third color (e.g., represented as black at FIG. 6A), which is the same color as second segment 614 of first portion 606a and second segment 618 of second portion 606b) [0190]), and
the movement of the color boundary (Connor: first geometric region 608 and/or second geometric region 610 move, transition, and/or change over time [0197]) causes a change in color of the first portion of the background of the time user interface from the first color to the second color (see Note 200A).
Note 200A: Fig. 6A-6D of Connor showcase that regions may shift: “first boundary 628a of third geometric region 628 is different from first boundary 608a of first geometric region 608. In particular, first boundary 628a includes a different angle (e.g., with respect to display generation component 602), a different contour, and/or different edges” [0200]. When the contour differs, the background color fills the space that was previously occupied by the region. Therefore, the Examiner submits that Connor teaches that movement of the boundary of the regions “causes a change in color of the first portion of the background of the time user interface from the first color to the second color”.
Regarding claim 201:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 197 (as shown above), wherein:
the first portion having the first color includes a first portion of a background of the time user interface and a first portion of the one or more numerals (Connor: First geometric region 608 includes a first color (e.g., represented by a first hatching style at FIG. 6A) [0189]; see Note 201A),
the second portion having the second color includes a second portion of a background of the time user interface and a second portion of the one or more numerals (Connor: at FIG. 6A, background 619 of user interface 604 includes the third color (e.g., represented as black at FIG. 6A), which is the same color as second segment 614 of first portion 606a and second segment 618 of second portion 606b) [0190]; see Note 201A), and
the movement of the color boundary causes a change in color of the first portion of the background of the time user interface from the first color to the second color (Connor: first geometric region 608 and/or second geometric region 610 move, transition, and/or change over time [0197]) concurrently with a change in color of the first portion of the one or more numerals (see Note 201A) from the first color to the second color (see Note 200A).
Note 201A: In Fig. 6A of Connor, it is shown that region 608 and the background 619 may include a portion of the numerals, separated by a boundary. It follows that if the boundary between 608 and 619 moves, that the colors will change as well.
Regarding claim 203:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 196 (as shown above), wherein:
after a first minute has ended and a second minute has started, a second color boundary represents a number of seconds that have elapsed in the second minute (Wilson: FIG. 11C illustrates watch user interface 1108 at a current time of 4:00 (e.g., after one minute has elapsed since device 600 displayed watch user interface 1108 as depicted in FIG. 11B). Device 600 displays an updated digital indication of time 610 reflecting a current time of 4:00. [0270]), and
the second color boundary moves over time from the first edge of the time user interface toward the second edge of the time user interface as additional seconds elapse in the second minute (Wilson: device 600 updates watch user interface 1108 at every minute, displaying a frame depicting the progress of character user interface object 1102 mowing the lawn (i.e., mowing un-mowed grass 1102a). [0272]; Wilson: Figs 11A-11D) [0272]; see Note 203A).
Note 203A: In [0270]; Wilson teaches that the animation of the boundary may reset when a new hour starts and continue playing. When the length of the animation is a minute (as discussed in Note 196C above), it would be obvious to cause a second color boundary to move over time between edges of the user interface in a second minute as claimed.
Regarding claim 204:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 196 (as shown above), wherein:
the one or more numerals have a first configuration during a first minute (Connor: Fig. 6A), and
the one or more programs include instructions for:
detecting that the first minute has ended and a second minute has started (Connor: a user can perceive the changes to first geometric region 608 and/or second geometric region 610 over a period of time (e.g., after continuously viewing user interface 604 for more than […] 1 minute [0197]; see Note 204A); and
in response to detecting that the first minute has ended and the second minute has started, displaying, via the display generation component, the time user interface including the one or more numerals having a second configuration different from the first configuration (Connor: see Note 204B).
Note 204A: Determining that the region 608 and region 610 should change after a minute passes as in [0197] of Connor requires detecting that a first minute has ended and a second minute has started.
Note 204B: Specifically, in Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B, even though some numerals are the same (for instance, the 1 in 10 and 11 and 0 in 09 and 02), there are still slight visual differences in shape. For example, the 1 in 10 is wider than the 1 in the 11). Therefore, the Examiner submits that Connor teaches that the numerals may change in shape based on the time.
In Note 199A above, the Examiner stated that Connor that the colors of numerals may change after a time interval, for example a minute. Therefore, it would be obvious to change other characteristics of the numerals, such as their shape, based on the current minute.
Furthermore, under broadest reasonable interpretation, an alternative reading may be that it is obvious that the numerals of a digital clock will change configuration after a minute.
Regarding claim 205:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 204 (as shown above), wherein when the first minute has elapsed and the second minute begins, a color of the one or more numerals is maintained between an end of the first minute and a beginning of the second minute (see Note 205A).
Note 205A: Figures 6C and 6D of Connor depict different minutes (namely, 11:02 and 03:16). The Examiner notes that the numerals include the same background color 619 for each numeral despite the difference in time. Therefore, the Examiner submits that it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to maintain the color an end of the first minute and a beginning of the second minute.
Regarding claim 206:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 196 (as shown above), wherein:
the one or more numerals have a first configuration during the current minute (Wilson: FIG. 11B illustrates watch user interface 1108 at a current time of 3:59 [0269]), and
the one or more programs include instructions for, when the color boundary reaches the second edge of the time user interface (see Note 206A), displaying, via the display generation component, the time user interface including the one or more numerals having a second configuration different from the first configuration (Wilson: FIG. 11C illustrates watch user interface 1108 at a current time of 4:00 (e.g., after one minute has elapsed since device 600 displayed watch user interface 1108 as depicted in FIG. 11B) [0270]).
Note 206A: At the time corresponding to 3:59, Wilson showcases that the boundary of the unmowed grass vs. the mowed grass is about to intersect the edge of the user interface. At 4:00, Wilson then showcases that the configuration of the numeral has changed (3 to 4) and that the boundary has been reset to the top of the user interface.
Regarding claim 210:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 204 (as shown above), the one or more programs including instructions for:
while a background of the time user interface includes a solid color background (see Note 210A), displaying, via the display generation component, the time user interface including the one or more numerals having the second configuration different from the first configuration (see Note 210B).
Note 210A: In Fig. 6A-6D of Connor, the background 619 is depicted as solid black.
Note 210B: In Note 204B, the Examiner noted that Connor teaches “numerals may change in shape based on the time”, and that in the alternative, merely changing the numerical value reads on a change in configuration.
Regarding claim 212:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 196 (as shown above), the one or more programs including instructions for:
displaying, via the display generation component, the time user interface with one or more user interface elements associated with one or more respective applications (Connor: At FIG. 6G, editing user interface 660 is configured to enable computer system 600 to add, edit, and/or customize complications (e.g., graphical user interface objects associated with a respective application of computer system 600) included on user interface 604. [0218]), wherein the one or more user interface elements are shaped based on a corresponding shape of an adjacent numeral of the one or more numerals (Connor: computer system […] displays (716), […] a user interface object (e.g., 672 and/or 674) (e.g., a complication that includes and/or displays information from the application and/or activates a user interface of the application in response to selection of the user interface object) such that the user interface object (e.g., 672 and/or 674) does not visually overlap the […] the indication of time (e.g., 606) [0265]).
Regarding claim 217:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 196, wherein at least one color of the time user interface is based on a user selection (Connor: updating the indicator of the editing user interface to indicate the selected color scheme to enable a user to view the selected color(s) that will be displayed upon exiting the editing user interface [0280]) of a color option from a plurality of color options (Connor: displaying the editing user interface that enables the user associated with the computer system to select a color arrangement of the user interface enables a user to select multiple colors for elements on the watch face [0281]).
Regarding claim 227:
Claim 227 is substantially similar to claim 196, and is therefore rejected for similar reasons. Claim 227 contains the following notable differences:
Claim 227 claims a method instead of a computer system. In the rejection of claim 196, it was shown that Connor in view of Wilson teaches the claimed computer system. It follows that Connor in view of Wilson teaches the corresponding method.
Regarding claim 228:
Claim 228 is substantially similar to claim 196, and is therefore rejected for similar reasons. Claim 228 contains the following notable differences:
Claim 228 claims a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium instead of a computer system. Connor teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium: “In accordance with some embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of a computer system that is in communication with a display generation component is described.” [0007]
Claims 199, 202, and 216 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Connor (US 20220198984 A1) in view of Wilson (US 20200356224 A1) and Koh (US 20200218204 A1).
Regarding claim 199:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 198 (as shown above), wherein the change in color of the first portion of the one or more numerals includes a change from a first respective color to a second respective color (see Note 198A), including:
the first respective color is lighter than the second respective color (Connor; Fig 6A; see Note 199A and Note 199B); and
Note 199A: Connor teaches: “first geometric region 608 and/or second geometric region 610 change […] color over time, such that a user can perceive the changes to first geometric region 608 and/or second geometric region 610 over a period of time (e.g., after continuously viewing user interface 604 for […] more than 1 minute and/or after viewing user interface 604 upon a transition from the first mode to the second mode and/or a transition from the second mode to the first mode)” [0197] and that “colors of the indication of time are different on opposite sides of a boundary of the one or more geometric regions” (Abstract).
In other words, Connor explicitly teaches that the indication of time (i.e., the numerals included by a geometric region, as shown in Figs. 6A-6D may change color every minute.
Note 199B: Fig. 6A of Connor of showcases that the numerals may have portion that is a color lighter than the background color.
Connor in view of Wilson fails to explicitly teach:
in accordance with a determination that the current minute is a second minute immediately subsequent to the first minute, the first respective color is darker than the second respective color.
Koh teaches:
in accordance with a determination that the current minute is a first minute, the first respective color is lighter than the second respective color (Koh: In the example of FIG. 14A, watch face image 30 includes solid watch face element 66, formed from a solid area of white pixels 68 set against a solid area of black pixels in background 32. [0056]);
in accordance with a determination that the current minute is a second minute immediately subsequent to the first minute, the first respective color is darker than the second respective color (Koh: To compensate for the wear due to pixels 68 of FIG. 14A, the polarity of watch face image 30 may periodically be reversed as shown in FIG. 14B. In particular, the solid area of pixels 68 in element 66 may be filled with black pixels and background 32 may be filled with white pixels. […] Both the positive and negative images may include time information, date information, watch face complications, and/or other watch face information. [0056]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Koh with Connor in view of Wilson. Alternating colors of the first and second color would benefit the Connor in view of Wilson teachings because “By presenting matching positive and negative watch face images for equal amounts of time, wear in the pixels of display 14 can be balanced and the risk of burn-in effects (e.g., ghost images) can be reduced.” (Koh, [0056])
Regarding claim 202:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 197 (as shown above), wherein:
during a first minute, the time user interface includes the first portion having the first color on the first side of the color boundary and the second portion having the second color on the second side of the color boundary opposite of the first side of the color boundary (see Note 199A), and
Connor in view of Wilson fails to teach:
during a second minute, the time user interface includes the second portion having the first color on the second side of the color boundary.
Koh teaches:
during a first time, the time user interface includes the first portion having the first color on the first side of the color boundary and the second portion having the second color on the second side of the color boundary opposite of the first side of the color boundary (Koh: In the example of FIG. 14A, watch face image 30 includes solid watch face element 66, formed from a solid area of white pixels 68 set against a solid area of black pixels in background 32. [0056]), and
during a second time, the time user interface includes the second portion having the first color on the second side of the color boundary (Koh: To compensate for the wear due to pixels 68 of FIG. 14A, the polarity of watch face image 30 may periodically be reversed as shown in FIG. 14B. In particular, the solid area of pixels 68 in element 66 may be filled with black pixels and background 32 may be filled with white pixels. […] Both the positive and negative images may include time information, date information, watch face complications, and/or other watch face information. [0056]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Koh with Connor in view of Wilson. Alternating the colors on the watch face over time, as in Koh, would benefit the Connor in view of Wilson teachings because “By presenting matching positive and negative watch face images for equal amounts of time, wear in the pixels of display 14 can be balanced and the risk of burn-in effects (e.g., ghost images) can be reduced.” (Koh, [0056])
Regarding claim 216:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 196 (as shown above), wherein displaying the time user interface includes:
in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a first power state (Connor: At FIG. 6A, computer system 600 is in a first mode, such as an active mode or a normal operating mode. [0187]), displaying, via the display generation component, a background of the time user interface outside of the one or more numerals having two colors (Connor: at FIG. 6A, background 619 of user interface 604 includes the third color (e.g., represented as black at FIG. 6A) [0190]); and
a second power state, , wherein the computer system consumes less power in the second power state than in the first power state (Connor: a second mode of operation of the computer system (e.g., a low power consumption mode, an inactive mode, and/or a sleep mode) [0276])
Connor in view of Wilson fails to teach:
in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a second power state, , wherein the computer system consumes less power in the second power state than in the first power state, displaying, via the display generation component, the two colors within the one or more numerals.
Koh teaches:
in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a second power state, , wherein the computer system consumes less power in the second power state than in the first power state, displaying, via the display generation component, the two colors within the one or more numerals (Koh: As shown in FIG. 13B, when an outline style is used for element 66, element 66 may have a dark center portion (e.g., black pixels 68B) surrounded by a lighter border region (e.g., white pixels 68W). This type of style still allows element 66 to be readily viewed against the black pixels of background 32, but illuminates fewer pixels and therefore reduces pixel wear. [0055]).
Note 216A: Connor teaches “a second mode of operation (e.g., a low power mode and/or a dimmed mode))” [0246]. Koh in [0055] teaches a method in Fig. 13B where the numeral is displayed in both black and white, which “illuminates fewer pixels and therefore reduces pixel wear”. The Examiner submits that it would be obvious to utilize the method of Koh during the second low power mode taught by Connor.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Koh with Connor in view of Wilson. Displaying the numerals with two colors, as in Koh, would benefit the Connor in view of Wilson teachings because doing so “illuminates fewer pixels and therefore reduces pixel wear” (Koh, [0055]).
Claims 207 and 208 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Connor (US 20220198984 A1) in view of Wilson (US 20200356224 A1) and Arun (NPL: A historical view on the Metropolitan Apple Watch face).
Regarding claim 207:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 204, wherein:
Connor in view of Wilson fails to explicitly teach:
the first configuration corresponds to the one or more numerals having at least one of a first shape and a first size, and
displaying, via the display generation component, the time user interface including the one or more numerals having a second configuration different from the first configuration includes modifying at least one of the first shape and the first size of the one or more numerals.
Arun teaches:
the first configuration corresponds to the one or more numerals having at least one of a first shape and a first size, and
displaying, via the display generation component, the time user interface including the one or more numerals having a second configuration different from the first configuration includes modifying at least one of the first shape and the first size of the one or more numerals (Arun: Turning the digital crown morphs the text in a smooth continuous animation, Pg. 10, par. 1, see Note 207A).
Note 207A: Arun showcases that the “Metropolitan face” has numerals that can be modified in shape (i.e., “wide to tall” (Pg. 10, par. 1)) and size (“Turn your wrist away, and the numbers shrink into straight markers. Look at the watch again, and the numbers reappear.” (Pg. 10, par. 2)). On Pg. 11, Arun showcases animations that demonstrates that the numerals change in real time. Screenshots of the animations are provided below.
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Numerals on the watch before the user input (left) and after the user input (right).
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Numerals on the watch before the user motion (left) and just after the user motion (right).
Note that when the user performs the inputs, the shape and sizes of multiple distinct numerals are modified.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Arun with Connor in view of Wilson. Modifying at least one of the first shape and the first size of the one or more numerals, as in Arun, would benefit the Connor in view of Wilson teachings by enabling the numerals to be modified to improve readability or accommodate a preference of the user: “if a particular weight or width isn’t just right, you can choose a custom number that sits between one of the predetermined options.” (Arun, Pg. 12, par. 1).
Regarding claim 208:
Connor in view of Wilson and Arun teaches:
The computer system of claim 207 (as shown above), wherein modifying at least one of the first shape and the first size of the one or more numerals includes:
modifying at least one of a respective shape and a respective size of a first numeral; and
modifying at least one of a respective shape and a respective size of a second numeral that is different from the first numeral (see Note 208A).
Note 208A: In Note 207A, it was shown that the size and shape of numerals may be modified. In the screenshots produced in Note 207A, Arun shows that when the user performs the inputs, the shape and sizes of multiple distinct numerals are modified.
Claim 209 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Connor (US 20220198984 A1) in view of Wilson (US 20200356224 A1) and Wilson (US 20170357427 A1; hereinafter Wilson 2017).
Regarding claim 209:
Connor in view of Wilson and Arun teaches:
The computer system of claim 204 (as shown above), the one or more programs including instructions for:
detecting that a first minute has ended and a second minute has started (Connor: a user can perceive the changes to first geometric region 608 and/or second geometric region 610 over a period of time (e.g., after continuously viewing user interface 604 for more than […] 1 minute [0197]; see Note 204A); and
Connor in view of Wilson and Arun fails to explicitly teach:
in response to detecting that the first minute has ended and the second minute has started displaying, via the display generation component, the time user interface including a respective numeral of the one or more numerals having the second configuration different from the first configuration, wherein the respective numeral of the one or more numerals maintains a respective value.
Wilson 2017 teaches:
in response to detecting that the first minute has ended and the second minute has started (Wilson: If the clock face instead or additionally depicts a representation of a digital clock, the numerical indications of the hour and the minute may be animated in some fashion to depict the passage of time. [0285]; see Note 209A) displaying, via the display generation component, the time user interface including a respective numeral of the one or more numerals having the second configuration different from the first configuration, wherein the respective numeral of the one or more numerals maintains a respective value (Wilson 2017: In some embodiments, a current-time indicator such as a digital clock face may be animated as translating out of the way, and a non-current-time indicator, such as a different digital clock face with numerals displayed in a different color, may be animated as increasing in size as if appearing from the distant z-axis and moving toward the viewer [0891]; see Note 209B).
Note 209A: It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to detect whether a minute has passed to update a digital clock that reflects the passing of time.
Note 209B: The Examiner submits that it would be obvious to maintain a value of the numerals while animating the non-current numerals. Wilson 2017 teaches: “In some embodiments, text, numerals, or other characters or elements of a user interface object may be suddenly replaced by a new character as scrubbing is performed, such that the ‘09’ in 11:09 would cease to be displayed and be immediately replaced by a ‘10.’”. [0835]. Wilson 2017 discloses the changing of the value of numerals in a separate embodiment, and therefore, it would be obvious to a PHOSITA to omit the teachings of [0835] from an implementation of the embodiments described in [0891].
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Wilson 2017 with Connor in view of Wilson and Arun. Animation of the numerals, as in Wilson 2017, would benefit the Connor in view of Wilson and Arun teachings by providing an entertaining or pleasing transition between times.
Claim 211 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Connor (US 20220198984 A1) in view of Wilson (US 20200356224 A1), and Wilson (US 20170357427 A1; hereinafter Wilson 2017).
Regarding claim 211:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 196 (as shown above), the one or more programs including instructions for:
detecting that a first minute that corresponds to a first hour has ended and that a second minute has started (Wilson: In some embodiments, device 600 generates tactile output after 4:00 to indicate to the user of device 600 that an hour boundary is currently passing or has recently passed [0204]); and
in response to detecting that the first minute has ended and a next minute has started (Wilson: device 600 initiates an animation in response tactile output 616 [0205]):
Connor in view of Wilson fails to teach:
in accordance with a determination that the second minute corresponds to a second hour that is different from the first hour, displaying the time user interface including the one or more numerals crossfading into one or more second numerals different from the one or more numerals; and
in accordance with a determination that the second minute corresponds to the first hour, displaying the time user interface including the one or more numerals shifting to a new orientation.
Wilson 2017 teaches:
in accordance with a determination that the second minute corresponds to a second hour that is different from the first hour, displaying the time user interface including the one or more numerals crossfading into one or more second numerals different from the one or more numerals (Wilson 2017: Updates may be displayed for each changing second, 15 seconds, minute, 5 minutes, hour, or the like. In some embodiments, displayed numerals on a digital clock face may change gradually or smoothly, such as by fading into and out of view or translating into or out of view. [0856]; emphasis added; see Note 211A); and
in accordance with a determination that the second minute corresponds to the first hour, displaying the time user interface including the one or more numerals shifting to a new orientation (Wilson 2017: Updates may be displayed for each changing second, 15 seconds, minute, 5 minutes, hour, or the like. In some embodiments, displayed numerals on a digital clock face may change gradually or smoothly, such as by fading into and out of view or translating into or out of view. [0856]; emphasis added; see Note 211A).
Note 211A: In [0856], Wilson 2017 teaches that numerals may both crossfade or translate “shift” into a new position each minute or hour.
When the second minute corresponds to a second hour, (e.g., a transition from 3:59 to 4:00), Wilson 2017’s teaching that the animation may be played each hour may apply. On the other hand, when the second minute corresponds to a first hour (e.g., a minute transition from 3:58 to 3:59), Wilson 2017’s teaching that the animation may be played each minute may apply. In both circumstances, Wilson suggests that the animation may be a crossfade or translation.
The Examiner submits that it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to differentiate between a minute transition and an hour transition by utilizing a different animation.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Wilson 2017 with Connor in view of Wilson. Animation of the numerals via a fade and shifting animation, as in Wilson 2017, would benefit the Connor in view of Wilson teachings by providing an entertaining or pleasing transition between times.
Claims 213, 214, and 215 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Connor (US 20220198984 A1) in view of Wilson (US 20200356224 A1), Ritter (NPL: How to automatically change Apple Watch faces at certain times or places), and Wilson (US 20170357427 A1, hereinafter Wilson 2017).
Regarding claim 213:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 196 (as shown above), wherein:
displaying the indication of time that includes one or more numerals representing at least one of an hour and a minute (Connor: Digital indication of time 610 includes a representation of a digital clock with a numerical indication of an hour value (e.g., 3 as depicted in FIG. 6A) and a numerical indication of a minute value (e.g., 00 as depicted in FIG. 6A). [0197]) with a color boundary that represents a number of seconds that have elapsed in the current minute and moves over time toward a second edge of the time user interface (Wilson: Figs 11A-11D) as additional seconds elapse in the current minute is displaying the time user interface in a first display mode (Wilson: In some embodiments, the location of character user interface object 1102 indicates a unit of time other than minutes (e.g., hours, seconds, days, etc.). [0267]; see Note 196C), and
Connor in view of Wilson fails to explicitly teach:
the one or more programs include instructions for:
detecting an event corresponding to a display mode change; and
in response to detecting the event, displaying, via the one or more display generation components, the time user interface in a second display mode that is different from the first display mode, wherein displaying the time user interface in the second display mode includes:
displaying, via the display generation component, the indication of time with additional information that is not available in the first display mode for the time user interface; and
displaying, via the display generation component, a background of the time user interface, wherein the background includes a color gradient.
Ritter teaches:
the one or more programs include instructions for:
detecting an event corresponding to a display mode change (see Note 213A); and
in response to detecting the event, displaying, via the one or more display generation components, the time user interface in a second display mode that is different from the first display mode, (Ritter: as you can see it’s going to change soon, in about 10 seconds once the second hits 12, 2:53 – 3:03; see Note 213B) wherein displaying the time user interface in the second display mode includes:
displaying, via the display generation component, the indication of time with additional information that is not available in the first display mode for the time user interface (Ritter: 3:07-3:09; see Note 213A); and
Note 213A: In the video, Ritter showcases creating a program (“Automation”) that changes the display mode of the watch. During the process Ritter showcases that an event can be selected from a menu: “and once you're here you see that you can choose time of day, you can choose when the alarm is stopped, you go to sleep, when you arrive somewhere, or leave from somewhere, when you start a workout, maybe you connect to your friend's wi-fi you and want to have a different watch face at your friend's house, or you go to work and …” (1:15 – 1:33). In Note 213B below, it is shown that Ritter’s program instructs the watch to change the display mode based on time of day.
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Ritter showcases at 1:15 that various events can be selected (e.g., Message, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.).
Note 213B: In response to the time changing to 2:13 as set in the automation by Ritter, the clock face changes from the first theme to the second theme.
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Ritter showcases an automation they have created at 2:43, where the watch face changes in response to the time reaching 23:13.
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At 3:07 – 3:09, the watch face changes from the first watch face (left) to the second watch face (right). Note that although the second watch face is less detailed, it includes numerical hour markers not present in the first watch face.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Ritter with Connor in view of Wilson. Automatically changing the display mode of the watch, as in Ritter, would benefit the Connor in view of Wilson teachings by allowing the watch to change appearance based on different circumstances, as described by Ritter: “maybe you connect to your friend's wi-fi and you want to have a different watch face at your friend's house” (1:15 – 1:33).
Connor in view of Wilson and Ritter still fails to teach:
displaying, via the display generation component, a background of the time user interface, wherein the background includes a color gradient.
Wilson 2017 teaches:
displaying, via the display generation component, a background of the time user interface, wherein the background includes a color gradient (Wilson 2017: Displayed background 1204 includes a plurality of pixels. A subset of these pixels is modified in appearance relative to the image such that the subset comes to represent one or more of user interface object 1206 and user interface object 1208 [0386]; Wilson 2017: In some embodiments, the subset of the pixels may be modified by applying a gradient [0387]) .
Regarding claim 214:
Connor in view of Wilson, Ritter, and Wilson 2017 teaches:
The computer system of claim 213 (as shown above), the one or more programs including instructions for:
in accordance with a determination that the current minute has elapsed and a next minute begins, modifying at least one color of the color gradient (Wilson 2017: device 1400 updates a color displayed on the clock face over time by continuously changing the color, so that the user perceives time passing through color change […] the color may cycle through a gradient of colors, with the full cycle lasting a minute, an hour, a day, etc [0420]).
Regarding claim 215:
Connor in view of Wilson, Ritter, and Wilson 2017 teaches:
The computer system of claim 213 (as shown above), the one or more programs including instructions for:
detecting that a first minute has ended and a second minute has started (Wilson 2017: the color may cycle through a gradient of colors, with the full cycle lasting a minute [0420]); and
in response to detecting that the first minute has ended and the second minute has started, modifying at least one color of the one or more numerals (Wilson 2017: Features such as the background of the clock face, clock face outline, seconds hand, hour indication(s), minute indication(s), hour hand, minute hand, and so forth may be displayed in any color. [0420]; emphasis added).
Claim 218 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Connor (US 20220198984 A1) in view of Wilson (US 20200356224 A1) and Sliech (US 20220327977 A1).
Regarding claim 218:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 196 (as shown above), the one or more programs including instructions for:
in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a first power state (Connor: first mode, such as an active mode or a normal operating mode [0187]),
in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a second power state, , wherein the computer system consumes less power in the second power state than in the first power state (Connor: computer system 600 transitions between the first mode and a second mode (e.g., an inactive mode, a sleep mode, and/or a low-power consumption mode) [0187]).
Connor in view of Wilson fails to explicitly teach:
in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a first power state, displaying, via the display generation component, the color boundary moving through a plurality of intermediate states during one second; and
in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a second power state, ,wherein the computer system consumes less power in the second power state than in the first power state, displaying, via the display generation component, the color boundary that does not move through intermediate states between seconds.
Sliech teaches:
in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a first power state, displaying, via the display generation component, the color boundary moving through a plurality of intermediate states during one second (Sliech: For example, the electronic displays may be able to refresh the display panel at 240 Hz, 60 Hz, 1 Hz, and so forth. [0027]; emphasis added; see Note 218A); and
in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a second power state, , wherein the computer system consumes less power in the second power state than in the first power state (Sliech: a higher refresh rate consumes more power than a lower refresh rate. […] When fewer panel refreshes are needed, the electronic display may operate at a lower refresh rate [0027]), displaying, via the display generation component, the color boundary that does not move through intermediate states between seconds (Sliech: For example, the electronic displays may be able to refresh the display panel at 240 Hz, 60 Hz, 1 Hz, and so forth. [0027]; emphasis added; see Note 218A).
Note 218A: Connor teaches that their “normal mode” has an “increased refresh rate”: “an increased refresh rate mode, an increased visibility mode, a high power mode and/or a normal mode” [0246]. Sliech teaches: “electronic displays may be able to refresh the display panel at 240 Hz, 60 Hz, 1 Hz, and so forth.” [0027]. It is well known in the art that 1 Hz (hertz) is one cycle per 1 second. Therefore, Sliech teaches that images may be displayed at a rate of 240 frames per second, 60 frames per second, or 1 frame per second.
When the teachings of Sliech are combined with Connor, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that to reduce power, it would be obvious to reduce the refresh rate in the lower power mode, because Sliech teaches that: “a higher refresh rate consumes more power than a lower refresh rate” [0027].
Connor teaches: “receiving, via the one or more input devices (e.g., 602 and/or 658), a tap gesture or a wrist raise gesture (e.g., a tap gesture or wrist raise gesture detected by the computer system that causes the computer system to transition between a first mode of operation (e.g., an increased refresh rate mode, an increased visibility mode, a high power mode and/or a normal mode) and a second mode of operation (e.g., a low power mode and/or a dimmed mode))”. In other words, an indication that the user’s attention is directed towards the watch (a tap or wrist raise) may cause the watch to enter the active / high refresh rate mode from the low power mode.
In a high power mode, one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to choose a refresh rate of 60 Hz or 240 Hz because of the “judder” issue described by Sliech: “frame repeats could result in certain undesirable visual artifacts in some cases. For example, one visual artifact that may be generated is judder, which may be perceived when image frames are unintentionally delayed relative to an expected display time and/or displayed at an uneven cadence, causing jumps in motion of objects” [0006].
Therefore, when the teachings of Sliech are combined with Connor in view of Wilson, it would be obvious for the first mode to have a refresh rate of 240 Hz or 60 Hz.
In such a scenario, any animations on screen will “mov[e] through a plurality of intermediate states during one second” because the screen updates more than once per second.
Connor teaches: “computer system 600 transitions between the first mode and a second mode (e.g., an inactive mode, a sleep mode, and/or a low-power consumption mode) in response to user input corresponding to a request to enter the second mode or an absence of user input (e.g., touch gestures, rotation of a rotatable input mechanism, and/or device movement such as a wrist raise movement) for at least a predetermined time period” [0187]. In other words, an indication that the user’s attention is not directed towards the watch (a lack of inputs or a sleep mode command) may cause the watch to enter the inactive / low power mode from the high refresh rate mode.
Because Connor and Wilson do not teach display of sub-second intervals (such as milliseconds), it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to reduce the refresh rate to 1 frame per second, or 1 Hz, in the low power mode. This is because doing so conserves power while concealing to the user that the screen is not updating as fast as it was in the increased refresh rate mode (the user may not notice that the animation has increased judder or latency because the user’s attention is not on the watch).
In such a scenario, any animations on screen will not “move through intermediate states between seconds” because the screen updates once per second.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Sliech with Connor in view of Wilson. Displaying at a variable refresh rate, as in Sliech, would benefit the Connor in view of Wilson teachings by reducing “judder” when the user pays attention to the watch while also saving power when the user is not: “a high-frequency fixed refresh rate consumes large amounts of power, reducing the battery life of an electronic device. Further, judder may occur if frames cannot be generated at such higher rates.” [0007].
Claims 219, 222, 223, and 224 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Connor (US 20220198984 A1) in view of Wilson (US 20200356224 A1) and Kumawat (US 20220130085 A1).
Regarding claim 219:
Connor in view of Wilson teaches:
The computer system of claim 196 (As shown above), wherein displaying the time user interface includes: when the color boundary is at a first boundary:
Connor in view of Wilson fails to teach:
in accordance with a determination that a distance between the first boundary and an edge of a numeral of the one or more numerals is less than a threshold distance, changing a portion of the numeral from extending along a first position to extending along the first boundary.
Kumawat teaches:
in accordance with a determination that a distance between the first boundary and an edge of glyph of the one or more glyphs is less than a threshold distance (Kumawat: when a user moves text 514 near text 512 and when a potential snap-line of the text 514 is within a threshold distance of a potential snap-line of the text 512, a snap-line 510 is generated and displayed to aid the user in aligning a portion of text 514 with a portion of text 512 [0066]), changing a portion of the numeral from extending along a first position to extending along the first boundary (Kumawat: Snapping guides allow users to easily align some aspect of an object with an aspect of another object by causing the object to automatically jump (i.e., reposition) to an exact alignment position [0001]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Kumawat with Connor in view of Wilson. Aligning characters that are close to a boundary, as in Kumawat, would benefit the Connor in view of Wilson teachings by presenting a structured and easily readable image to the user. Kumawat also states that: “automatic alignment between objects is often an integral part of any designing/drawing application” [0001].
Regarding claim 222:
Connor in view of Wilson and Kumawat teaches:
The computer system of claim 219 (as shown above), wherein displaying the time user interface includes: when the color boundary is at the first boundary:
in accordance with a determination that a distance between the first boundary and an edge of a numeral of the one or more numerals is more than a second threshold distance, forgoing changing the portion of the numeral (see Note 222A).
Note 222A: Kumawat teaches: “as a user moves the text objects relative to each other, an algorithm runs in real-time to determine intersections with coordinate planes of the bounding boxes and relevant line segments of the two text objects. When an intersection between two or more points along a plane is determined, or the two or more points are determined to be within a threshold distance, a snap line is generated between common points on the two text objects.” [0003]. In other words, the intersection of a bounding box of the glyph or numeral may determine whether it is within a threshold distance. If there is no intersection, the object is outside of the threshold distance, and therefore it will not be aligned (no snap line is generated).
Regarding claim 223:
Connor in view of Wilson and Kumawat teaches:
The computer system of claim 219 (as shown above), wherein displaying the time user interface includes:
in accordance with a determination that a position of the first boundary is at an edge of a numeral of the one or more numerals, forgoing changing a portion of the numeral (see Note 223A).
Note 223A: The Examiner submits that if the numeral is already aligned with a boundary (such as a snap-line as taught in Kumawat), it would be obvious to not attempt to align the numeral that is already aligned.
Regarding claim 224:
Connor in view of Wilson and Kumawat teaches:
The computer system of claim 219 (as shown above), wherein displaying the time user interface includes:
in accordance with a determination that a second distance between the first boundary and a second edge of a second numeral (Kumawat: in a document that includes two text objects, the system fetches all bounding boxes and all relevant line segments for each of the two text objects [0003]; see Note 224A) of the one or more numerals is less than the threshold distance (Kumawat: when a user moves text 514 near text 512 and when a potential snap-line of the text 514 is within a threshold distance of a potential snap-line of the text 512, a snap-line 510 is generated and displayed to aid the user in aligning a portion of text 514 with a portion of text 512 [0066]), changing a portion of the second numeral from extending along a third position to extending along the first boundary (Kumawat: Snapping guides allow users to easily align some aspect of an object with an aspect of another object by causing the object to automatically jump (i.e., reposition) to an exact alignment position [0001]).
Note 224A: Kumawat teaches that the snapping may be executed for more than one character in [0003].
Claim 220 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Connor (US 20220198984 A1) in view of Wilson (US 20200356224 A1), Kumawat (US 20220130085 A1) and Seeler (US 20060117255 A1).
Regarding claim 220:
Connor in view of Wilson and Kumawat teaches:
The computer system of claim 219 (as shown above),
Connor in view of Wilson and Kumawat fails to explicitly teach:
wherein changing the portion of the numeral includes changing a width of at least a portion the numeral from a first width to a second width that is different from the first width.
Seeler teaches:
wherein changing the portion of the numeral includes changing a width of at least a portion the numeral from a first width to a second width that is different from the first width (Because the user may not wish to change the size of a text frame or frames, the user can access the interface 100 of FIG. 1 to change attributes of the text so that the text can be made to fit the text frame(s). […] in the case of an non-optimized fit, the algorithm would first adjust the tracking to see if a proper fit can be achieved within its prescribed parameters; if not, the horizontal scaling would similarly be adjusted [0005]; see Note 220A).
Note 220A: In other words, Seeler adjusts the width (horizonal scaling) of text characters if the text does not align with the text frame.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Seeler with Connor in view of Wilson and Kumawat. Adjusting the width of text, as in Seeler, would benefit the Connor in view of Wilson and Kumawat teachings by adjusting the text to prevent misalignment while also enabling the boundary used to tell the time to remain in an accurate position: “Because the user may not wish to change the size of a text frame or frames, the user can access the interface 100 of FIG. 1 to change attributes of the text so that the text can be made to fit the text frame(s).” (Seeler, [0005]).
Claim 221 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Connor (US 20220198984 A1) in view of Wilson (US 20200356224 A1), Kumawat (US 20220130085 A1) and Fushiki (US 6803913 B1; see attachment for paragraph numbers).
Regarding claim 221:
Connor in view of Wilson and Kumawat teaches:
The computer system of claim 219, wherein
Connor in view of Wilson and Kumawat fails to explicitly teach:
changing the portion of the numeral includes changing a curvature of the numeral from a first curvature to a second curvature that is different from the first curvature
Fushiki teaches:
changing the portion of the numeral includes changing a curvature of the numeral from a first curvature to a second curvature that is different from the first curvature (Fushiki: The transformation from a rectangle to a corresponding "quad" results in a warping of the character in accordance with a specified transformation. (Pg. 2, paragraph (16)); see Note 221A).
Note 221A: In Figs. 5A and 5B, Fushiki showcases the characters X and Y aligned with a quad. In Fig. 5B, the characters have a second curvature different from the first curvature in Fig. 5A.
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Fushiki showcases a difference in curvature in Figs. 5A and 5B.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Fushiki with Connor in view of Wilson and Kumawat. Adjusting the curvature of text, as in Fushiki, would benefit the Connor in view of Wilson and Kumawat teachings because “[s]uch rendering improves the appearance of the text and provides a method that modifies available fonts in a flexible fashion without the need to generate new fonts” (Fushiki, Abstract).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 225 and 226 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 225 recites:
“as the color boundary moves towards the first boundary, changing the portion of the numeral from extending along the first position to extending along a third position, wherein the third position is between the first position and the first boundary.”
Connor in view of Wilson and Kumawat fail to teach extending text or numerals to a third position between the color boundary and first position. Kumawat, Seeler, and Fushiki all discuss alignment with a border or boundary, but do not teach an extending towards a third or interpolated position between the initial position and boundary.
Therefore, none of the prior art searched or on the record teaches, suggests, or renders obvious the limitations of claim 225.
Claim 226 recites:
“in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a first power state, changing the portion of the numeral from extending along the first position to extending along a third position as the color boundary moves towards the first boundary, wherein the third position is between the first position and first boundary; and
in accordance with a determination that the computer system is in a second power state, wherein the computer system consumes less power in the second power state than in the first power state, changing the portion of the numeral from extending along a first position to extending along the first boundary without extending along the third position as the color boundary moves towards the first boundary.”
In the rejection of Claim 218, which also pertains to the high and low power modes, the Examiner cited Sliech to teach that a refresh rate may enable or prevent display updates within a time interval based on a high power and low power mode. However, Sliech in view of Connor and Wilson fails to teach “changing the portion of the numeral from extending along a first position to extending along the first boundary without extending along the third position as the color boundary moves towards the first boundary”.
Kumawat, Seeler, and Fushiki all discuss alignment with a border or boundary, but do not teach an extending towards a third or interpolated position between the initial position and boundary.
Therefore, none of the prior art searched or on the record teaches, suggests, or renders obvious the limitations of claim 226.
Conclusion
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/VINCENT ALEXANDER PROVIDENCE/Examiner, Art Unit 2617 /KING Y POON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2617