DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to the communication filed on January 15, 2025. Claims 1-20 are currently pending in this application. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d) based on application filed in Republic of Korea on February 27, 2024 has been acknowledged and considered by Examiner. Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) that are placed on record in the application file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, 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 1-5, 9, and 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication 2017/0262133 A1 by Chen et al. (“Chen”) in view of U.S. Patent Publication 2014/0098025 A1 by Lin et al. (“Lin”).
Regarding claim 1, Chen teaches an electronic device comprising: a projection component (Fig. 8, virtual input module; [0013], The virtual input module includes a projector); at least one processor including processing circuitry ([0013], The controller is used for receiving and processing the linear position signals from the two linear line sensors to get the position of the control member within a 2-dimensional coordinate system of the virtual input image. Then the controller is connected to the mobile phone wirelessly for input to the mobile phone. The controller could be a central processing unit as in [0031]); and memory storing one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to ([0032], Thus the processing the controller 44 of the present invention performs is simplified compared with the processing of signals obtained by cameras in prior arts such as US2012/0162077, incorporated by reference, which teaches in [0087]: The embedded processor 218 utilizes the CPU 220 to perform operations stored in the memory 222, such as image sensor calibration, image correlation, digital signal processing, and conversions of measured data into real life changes in locations. The embedded processor 218 may use the communication unit 224 to receive instructions from the host device 210, to pass instructions to the host device 210, and to transmit data representing changes in location of a user's finger located in the working area 36):
identify whether a touch sensing device is coupled to the electronic device to sense a touch input of a user, wherein the touch sensing device is configured to detachably couple to the electronic device; and based on identification that the touch sensing device is coupled to the electronic device, control the projection component to project a soft keyboard corresponding to a first keyboard layout on a projection plane (Fig. 8; [0001] and [0030], A virtual input module mounted in the housing can be connected to the mobile phone wirelessly and generating a virtual input image on a on a flat surface/plane in front of the virtual input device. Thereby users can input their data/commands or play mobile games by the virtual input image which can be a virtual keyboard image 60a. The mobile had a touch screen as in [0003].).
However, while Chen teaches thereby the virtual input device 1 of the present invention provides the user 3 of the mobile phone 2 a better and more comfortable operation mode while the user 3 operates or views the screen 2 a of the mobile phone 2 for a long period of time. The inconvenience and discomfort of the user 3 are improved, Chen did not limit the image 2a to a soft keyboard.
However, in the analogous art of projectors communicating with mobile devices, Lin teaches Fig. 1 illustrates the undocking status of the portable electrical input device and the electrical communication device of the disclosure with respect to grove 211. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrates the docking status of the portable electrical input device and the electrical communication device of the disclosure (Lin Figs. 1-3, [0027]). In Fig. 1, while the electrical input device is undocked, it was paired with a printed function pattern to use for inputs to the device. In Fig. 3, while the electrical input device was docked, it was paired with a function pattern projected on a working plane corresponding to touch region. The function pattern 251 was a QWERTZ keyboard while in another embodiment, the functional pattern 271was a different keyboard arrangement than the QWERTZ keyboard (Lin Fig. 1 and Fig. 3; [0032] and [0036]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have used the different keyboard layouts of Chen based on the docking status and communication of mobile input device as taught by Lin. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have virtually simulated a user input interface including a QWERTZ arrangement, and then a number pad, and provide a faster typing speed for the virtual keyboards of tablet PCs or smart phones can not completely compete with the traditional keyboard and offset that the touch screen input interface of the smart phone is not appropriate for long time operation (Lin Fig. 1 and Fig. 3; [0008] and [0032]).
Regarding claim 2, Chen does not teach the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores the one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device further to: based on identification that the touch sensing device is not coupled to the electronic device, control the projection component to project a soft keyboard corresponding to a second keyboard layout on the projection plane. While Chen teaches a second virtual image input with a different layout in [0030], the second layout was not triggered when touch sensing device is not coupled.
However, in the analogous art of projectors communicating with mobile devices, Lin teaches Fig. 1 illustrates the undocking status of the portable electrical input device and the electrical communication device of the disclosure with respect to grove 211. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrates the docking status of the portable electrical input device and the electrical communication device of the disclosure (Lin Figs. 1-3, [0027]). In Fig. 1, while the electrical input device is undocked, it was paired with a printed function pattern to use for inputs to the device. In Fig. 3, while the electrical input device was docked, it was paired with a function pattern projected on a working plane corresponding to touch region. The function pattern 251 was a QWERTZ keyboard while in another embodiment, the functional pattern 271was a different keyboard arrangement than the QWERTZ keyboard (Lin Fig. 1 and Fig. 3; [0032] and [0036]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have used the different keyboard layouts of Chen based on the docking status and communication of mobile input device as taught by Lin. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have virtually simulated a user input interface including a QWERTZ arrangement, and then a number pad, and provide a faster typing speed for the virtual keyboards of tablet PCs or smart phones can not completely compete with the traditional keyboard and offset that the touch screen input interface of the smart phone is not appropriate for long time operation (Lin Fig. 1 and Fig. 3; [0008] and [0032]).
Regarding claim 3, Chen does not teach the electronic device of claim 2, wherein the memory stores the one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device further to: based on identification that the touch sensing device is coupled to the electronic device while projecting the soft keyboard corresponding to the second keyboard layout, control the projection component to change the soft keyboard corresponding to the second keyboard layout to the soft keyboard corresponding to the first keyboard layout and project the soft keyboard corresponding to the first keyboard layout.
However, in the analogous art of projectors communicating with mobile devices, Lin teaches Fig. 1 illustrates the undocking status of the portable electrical input device and the electrical communication device of the disclosure with respect to grove 211. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrates the docking status of the portable electrical input device and the electrical communication device of the disclosure (Lin Figs. 1-3, [0027]). In Fig. 1, while the electrical input device is undocked, it was paired with a printed function pattern to use for inputs to the device. In Fig. 3, while the electrical input device was docked, it was paired with a function pattern projected on a working plane corresponding to touch region. The function pattern 251 was a QWERTZ keyboard while in another embodiment, the functional pattern 271was a different keyboard arrangement than the QWERTZ keyboard (Lin Fig. 1 and Fig. 3; [0032] and [0036]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have used the different keyboard layouts of Chen based on the docking status and communication of mobile input device as taught by Lin. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have virtually simulated a user input interface including a QWERTZ arrangement, and then a number pad, and provide a faster typing speed for the virtual keyboards of tablet PCs or smart phones can not completely compete with the traditional keyboard and offset that the touch screen input interface of the smart phone is not appropriate for long time operation (Lin Fig. 1 and Fig. 3; [0008] and [0032]).
Regarding claim 4, Chen does not teach the electronic device of claim 2, wherein the memory stores the one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device further to: based on identification that the touch sensing device is separated from the electronic device while projecting the soft keyboard corresponding to the first keyboard layout, control the projection component to change the soft keyboard corresponding to the first keyboard layout to the soft keyboard corresponding to the second keyboard layout and project the soft keyboard corresponding to the second keyboard layout.
However, in the analogous art of projectors communicating with mobile devices, Lin teaches Fig. 1 illustrates the undocking status of the portable electrical input device and the electrical communication device of the disclosure with respect to grove 211. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrates the docking status of the portable electrical input device and the electrical communication device of the disclosure (Lin Figs. 1-3, [0027]). In Fig. 1, while the electrical input device is undocked, it was paired with a printed function pattern to use for inputs to the device. In Fig. 3, while the electrical input device was docked, it was paired with a function pattern projected on a working plane corresponding to touch region. The function pattern 251 was a QWERTZ keyboard while in another embodiment, the functional pattern 271was a different keyboard arrangement than the QWERTZ keyboard (Lin Fig. 1 and Fig. 3; [0032] and [0036]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have used the different keyboard layouts of Chen based on the docking status and communication of mobile input device as taught by Lin. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have virtually simulated a user input interface including a QWERTZ arrangement, and then a number pad, and provide a faster typing speed for the virtual keyboards of tablet PCs or smart phones can not completely compete with the traditional keyboard and offset that the touch screen input interface of the smart phone is not appropriate for long time operation (Lin Fig. 1 and Fig. 3; [0008] and [0032]).
Regarding claim 9, Chen of the combination of references further teaches the electronic device of claim 2, wherein the first keyboard layout is a keyboard layout corresponding to a touch input mode ([0001] and [0030], The game players can touch the virtual input image 60 directly instead of direct touch of the screen 2a of the mobile phone).
Chen does not teach the second keyboard layout is a keyboard layout corresponding to a remote input mode.
However, in the analogous art of projectors communicating with mobile devices, Lin teaches Fig. 1 illustrates the undocking status of the portable electrical input device and the electrical communication device of the disclosure with respect to grove 211. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrates the docking status of the portable electrical input device and the electrical communication device of the disclosure (Lin Figs. 1-3, [0027]). In Fig. 1, while the electrical input device is undocked, it was paired with a printed function pattern to use for inputs to the device. The communication interface continued to remotely communicate with the portable/mobile input device through wireless communication interfaces such as to convey inputs (Lin [0030]). In Fig. 3, while the electrical input device was docked, it was paired with a function pattern projected on a working plane corresponding to touch region. The function pattern 251 was a QWERTZ keyboard while in another embodiment, the functional pattern 271 was a different keyboard arrangement than the QWERTZ keyboard (Lin Fig. 1 and Fig. 3; [0032] and [0036]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have used the different keyboard layouts of Chen based on the docking status and communication of mobile input device as taught by Lin. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have virtually simulated a user input interface including a QWERTZ arrangement, and then a number pad, and provide a faster typing speed for the virtual keyboards of tablet PCs or smart phones can not completely compete with the traditional keyboard and offset that the touch screen input interface of the smart phone is not appropriate for long time operation (Lin Fig. 1 and Fig. 3; [0008] and [0032]).
Regarding claim 11, the above rejection of the electronic device in claim 1 stands for the corresponding method of operating the electronic device claimed.
Regarding claim 12, Chen in view of Lin renders obvious the claim limitations in consideration of the grounds of rejection of claim 2 above.
Regarding claim 13, Chen in view of Lin renders obvious the claim limitations in consideration of the grounds of rejection of claim 3 above.
Regarding claim 14, Chen in view of Lin renders obvious the claim limitations in consideration of the grounds of rejection of claim 4 above.
Regarding claim 15, Chen in view of Lin renders obvious the claim limitations in consideration of the grounds of rejection of claim 5 above.
Claims 6-7 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication 2017/0262133 A1 by Chen in view of U.S. Patent Publication 2014/0098025 A1 by Lin, and further in view of Foreign Patent Publication JP 2009064375 A by Suzuki.
Regarding claim 6, Chen in view of Lin do not teach the electronic device of claim 2, wherein the memory stores the one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device further to: identify that a projection mode of the electronic device to which the touch sensing device is coupled is switched from a floor projection mode to a wall projection mode; and based on identification that the projection mode of the electronic device to which the touch sensing device is coupled is switched to the wall projection mode, control the projection component to change the soft keyboard corresponding to the first keyboard layout to the soft keyboard corresponding to the second keyboard layout and project the soft keyboard corresponding to the second keyboard layout.
In the analogous art of projector environments for computing devices, Suzuki teaches a projector display apparatus that projected a keyboard image on a floor surface and a monitor image with a variable projection direction. 0005-0006. The monitor image could have been switched to a wall projection mode, and the CMOS camera module for detecting position and contact information was not provided. The monitor image showed a position of electronic device. (Suzuki Fig. 1 and Fig. 8; [0005]-[0006] and [0036]). It would have been obvious to have modified the projector of Chen in view of Lin to have had a wall projection when the device was not docked. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have viewed the monitor in a standing state, making it easily viewed and improving usability (Suzuki Fig. 1 and Fig. 8; [0005]-[0006] and [0036]).
Regarding claim 7, Chen in view of Lin do not teach electronic device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores the one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device further to: identify that a projection mode of the electronic device to which the touch sensing device is coupled is switched from a floor projection mode to a wall projection mode; based on identification that the projection mode of the electronic device to which the touch sensing device is coupled is switched to the wall projection mode, disable a touch input mode; and control the projection component to project, on the projection plane, a user interface (UI), wherein the UI guides an adjustment of a projection direction or a position of the electronic device to correspond to the wall projection mode or the floor projection mode.
In the analogous art of projector environments for computing devices, Suzuki teaches a projector display apparatus that projected a keyboard image on a floor surface and a monitor image with a variable projection direction. 0005-0006. The monitor image could have been switched to a wall projection mode, and the CMOS camera module for detecting position and contact information was not provided. The monitor image showed a position of electronic device. (Suzuki Fig. 1 and Fig. 8; [0005]-[0006] and [0036]). It would have been obvious to have modified the projector of Chen in view of Lin to have had a wall projection when the device was not docked. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have viewed the monitor in a standing state, making it easily viewed and improving usability (Suzuki Fig. 1 and Fig. 8; [0005]-[0006] and [0036]).
Regarding claim 16, Chen in view of Lin and Suzuki renders obvious the claim limitations in consideration of the grounds of rejection of claim 6 above.
Regarding claim 17, Chen in view of Lin and Suzuki renders obvious the claim limitations in consideration of the grounds of rejection of claim 7 above.
Claims 8, 10, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication 2017/0262133 A1 by Chen in view of U.S. Patent Publication 2014/0098025 A1 by Lin, and further in view of U.S. Patent Publication 2004/0046744 A1 by Rafii et al. (“Rafii.”)
Regarding claim 8, Chen in view of Lin do not teach electronic device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores the one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device further to: based on information collected by the touch sensing device coupled to the electronic device, detect an error of the touch input of the user; and adjust at least one of a size, a spacing, or a position of soft keys included in the soft keyboard corresponding to the first keyboard layout so as to compensate for the detected error of the touch input of the user.
However, in the analogous art of detecting virtual input from a companion device, Rafii teaches when a key is actually struck (as perceived by the user's finger movement), the struck key may be highlighted using a different color or contrast. If the virtual keys are not in a correct rest position, the user can command the companion device to position the virtual keyboard or other input device in the proper starting position. For instance, if the user typically begins to key by placing the right hand fingers on home row J, K, L, and “:” keys, and the left fingers on F, D, S and A keys, the software will move the keys of the virtual keyboard to such a position. Such method step personalizes the virtual keyboard to the style of a particular user. This personalization process is carried out at least once the user's typing posture changes substantially to where too many wrong keys are being identified as having been typed upon. (Rafii Fig. 1A; [0084] and [0091]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have had used the virtual key manipulation of Rafii in the virtual keyboards of Chen in view of Lin. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have software routine preferably recognizes and corrects for errors in a drifting of the user's hands while typing, e.g., a displacement on the virtual keyboard and provide personalization (Rafii Fig. 1A; [0084] and [0022]).
Regarding claim 10, Chen in view of Lin do not teach electronic device of claim 9, wherein the memory stores the one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device further to: based on the hand of the user being identified by analyzing the image data, control the projection component to project the soft keyboard corresponding to the first keyboard layout; and based on the hand of the user not being identified by analyzing the image data, control the projection component to project the soft keyboard corresponding to the second keyboard layout or not to project the soft keyboard.
However, in the analogous art of detecting virtual input from a companion device, Rafii teaches when a key is actually struck (as perceived by the user's finger movement), the struck key may be highlighted using a different color or contrast. If the virtual keys are not in a correct rest position, the user can command the companion device to position the virtual keyboard or other input device in the proper starting position. For instance, if the user typically begins to key by placing the right hand fingers on home row J, K, L, and “:” keys, and the left fingers on F, D, S and A keys, the software will move the keys of the virtual keyboard to such a position. Such method step personalizes the virtual keyboard to the style of a particular user. This personalization process is carried out at least once the user's typing posture changes substantially to where too many wrong keys are being identified as having been typed upon. (Rafii Fig. 1A; [0084] and [0091]). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have had used the virtual key manipulation of Rafii in the virtual keyboards of Chen in view of Lin. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have software routine preferably recognizes and corrects for errors in a drifting of the user's hands while typing, e.g., a displacement on the virtual keyboard and provide personalization (Rafii Fig. 1A; [0084] and [0022]).
Regarding claim 18, Chen in view of Lin and Rafii renders obvious the claim limitations in consideration of the grounds of rejection of claim 6 above.
Regarding claim 20, the above rejection of the electronic device in claim 1 stands for the corresponding non-transitory device claimed. Rafii further teaches computer systems that receive and process input data are well known in the art. Typically such systems include a central processing unit (CPU), persistent read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), at least one bus interconnecting the CPU, the memory, at least one input port to which a device is coupled input data and commands in paragraph [0003]-.
Claims 9 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication 2017/0262133 A1 by Chen in view of U.S. Patent Publication 2014/0098025 A1 by Lin, and further in view of U.S. Patent 6,650,318 B1 by Arnon.
Regarding claim 9, Chen in view of Lin do not teach electronic device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores the one or more instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device further to: obtain image data capturing a touch input activity of the user obtain information related to a hand of the user by analyzing the image data, wherein the information related to the hand of the user includes at least one of: a number of hands of the user, a position and a direction of the hands of the user, whether the hand of the user is a left hand or a right hand, a spacing between two hands of the user, or a length of a finger included in the hand of the user; and based on the obtained information related to the hand of the user, determine a type of the soft keyboard corresponding to the first keyboard layout; and adjust a size, a spacing, or a position of the soft keys included in the soft keyboard corresponding to the first keyboard layout.
In the analogous art of optically projected input device such as a keyboard, Arnon teaches detecting light reflected from an object within a silhouette of the image, and analyzing a reflection of the light to determine a spatial position of the object (Arnon Fig. 8, Col. 3, lines 57-64). When creating and projecting images of any of the data input devices of the present invention, it is possible that portions of the image may fall upon fingers of the user. Since processor 50 knows the exact position of the hand or finger is known, as well as the position of light beam 14, processor 50 can instruct beam-moving apparatus 16 and light source 12 to cause light beam 14 to generate the image 18 only in those regions not covered by the fingers (Arnon Fig. 8, Col. 10, lines 20-30). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the projector of Chen in view of Lin as taught by Arnon. One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to have accommodated some users may desire that no portion of the image fall on their finger.
Regarding claim 19, Chen in view of Lin and Arnon renders obvious the claim limitations in consideration of the grounds of rejection of claim 6 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20160274733 A1 by Hasagawa et al. teaches when the finger 30 approaches or is brought into contact with the projection object 204, the shape of the shadow of the finger changes. Accordingly, the projection-type display device 205 analyses an image acquired by the camera 100, thereby detecting the approaching degree, the contact point, and the pointing direction of the finger.
CN 112306442 B by Hou teaches using a plurality of device for large display control including touch devices and remote controls.
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/MAHEEN I JAVED/Examiner, Art Unit 2621
/AMR A AWAD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2621
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