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 .
Response to Amendments
The 103 rejections to claims 1, 11 and 20 are withdrawn in view of Applicant’s amendment to the above claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed on 01/21/2026, with respect to the amended claim limitations of claims 1, 11 and 20 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections of claims 1, 11 and 20 have been withdrawn in view of Applicant’s amendments.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
Claims 1-3, 8-13, 15 and 18-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-8, 11-17 and 19 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the broader claim limitation of claims 1, 11 and 20 of the current application is met by the narrower claim limitation of claims 1, 11 and 19 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465 as shown in the following tables and the discussion thereafter.
Current Application
US. Patent No. 12,229,465
1. An electronic device (101) comprising:
a first display (260) disposed in a front surface of the electronic device;
a second display (261) disposed in a rear surface of the electronic device;
at least one processor (120 or 520); and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
output content through the first display,
identify a direction from the electronic device toward
through a short-range communication scheme,
in response to identifying that the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device is within a first range of directions, keep outputting the content through the first display of the electronic device,
identify whether the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device changes to fall outside the first range of directions while keeping outputting the content through the first display, and
in response to identifying that the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device changes to fall outside the first range of directions, reduce a brightness of the first display,
wherein the first range of directions correspond to a predetermined front-facing direction range
1. (Currently Amended) An electronic device (101) comprising:
a first display (260) disposed in a front surface of the electronic device;
a second display (261)_disposed in a rear surface of the electronic device;
at least one processor (120 or 520); and
memory storing instructions that when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
output content through the first display,
identify a direction of an external electronic device, connected to the electronic device through short-range communication scheme, with respect to the electronic device while outputting the content,
in response to identifying that the direction of the external electronic device with respect to the electronic device is within a first range of directions, keep outputting the content through the first display of the electronic device, and
4, (Original) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:
identify whether the direction of the external electronic device falls outside the first range of directions while keeping outputting the content through the first display, and
in response to identifying that the direction of the external electronic device falls outside the first range of directions, reduce a brightness of the first display.
in response to identifying that the direction of the external electronic device with respect to the electronic device is within a second range of directions, output the content through the second display of the electronic device,
wherein the first range of directions is within a predetermined azimuthal angle range with respect to a normal direction of the first display, and
wherein the second range of directions is within a rear range of directions which is opposite to the first range of directions.
Claim 2 of the present application corresponds to claim 2 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465.
Claim 3 of the present application corresponds to claim 3 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465.
Claim 5 of the present application corresponds to claim 5 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465.
Claim 8 of the present application corresponds to claim 6 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465.
Claim 9 of the present application corresponds to claim 7 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465.
Claim 10 of the present application corresponds to claim 8 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465.
Current Application
US. Patent No. 12,229,465
11. A method for controlling a display corresponding to a direction of an external electronic device by an electronic device, the method comprising:
outputting content through a first display disposed in a front surface of the electronic device;
identifying, by the electronic device, a direction from the electronic device toward
in response to identifying that the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device is within a first range of directions, keeping outputting the content through the first display of the electronic device;
identifying whether the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device changes to fall outside the first range of directions while keeping outputting the content through the first display; and
in response to identifying that the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device changes to fall outside the first range of directions, reducing a brightness of the first display,
wherein the first range of directions corresponds to a predetermined front-facing direction range
11. (Currently Amended) A method for controlling a display corresponding to a direction of an external electronic device by an electronic device, the method comprising:
outputting content through a first display disposed in a front surface of the electronic device;
identifying, by the electronic device, a direction of the external electronic device connected to the electronic device through short-range communication scheme with respect to the electronic device while outputting the content;
in response to identifying that the direction of the external electronic device with respect to the electronic device is within a first range of directions, keeping outputting the content through the first display of the electronic device; and
14. (Original) The method of claim 11, further comprising:
identifying whether the direction of the external electronic device falls outside the first range of directions while keeping outputting the content through the first display; and
in response to identifying that the direction of the external electronic device falls outside the first range of directions, reducing a brightness of the first display.
in response to identifying that the direction of the external electronic device with respect to the electronic device is within a second range of directions, outputting the content through a second display disposed in a rear surface of the electronic device,
wherein the first range of directions is within a predetermined azimuthal angle range with respect to a normal direction of the first display, and
wherein the second range of directions is within a rear range of directions which is opposite to the first range of directions.
Claim 12 of the present application corresponds to claim 12 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465.
Claim 13 of the present application corresponds to claim 13 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465.
Claim 15 of the present application corresponds to claim 15 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465.
Claim 18 of the present application corresponds to claim 16 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465.
Claim 19 of the present application corresponds to claim 17 of US. Patent No. 12,229,465.
Current Application
US. Patent No. 12,229,465
20. A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions configured to, when executed by at least one processor (120) of an electronic device (101), enable the electronic device to perform at least one operation, the at least one operation comprising:
outputting a content through a first display disposed in a front surface of the electronic device;
identifying a direction from the electronic device toward
in response to identifying that the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device is within a first range of directions, keeping outputting the content through the first display;
identifying whether the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device changes to fall outside the first range of directions while keeping outputting the content through the first display; and
in response to identifying that the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device changes to fall outside the first range of directions, reducing a brightness of the first display,
wherein the first range of directions corresponds to a predetermined front-facing direction range
19. (Currently Amended) A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions configured to, when executed by at least one processor (120) of an electronic device (101), enable the electronic device to perform at least one operation, the at least one operation comprising:
outputting a content through a first display disposed in a front surface of the electronic device;
identifying a direction of an external electronic device connected to the electronic device through short-range communication scheme with respect to the electronic device while outputting the content;
in response to identifying that the direction of the external electronic device with respect to the electronic device is within a first range of directions, keeping outputting the content through the first display; and
4, (Original) The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions further cause the electronic device to:
identify whether the direction of the external electronic device falls outside the first range of directions while keeping outputting the content through the first display, and
in response to identifying that the direction of the external electronic device falls outside the first range of directions, reduce a brightness of the first display.
in response to identifying that the direction of the external electronic device with respect to the electronic device is within a second range of directions, outputting the content through a second display of the electronic device disposed in a rear surface of the electronic device,
wherein the first range of directions is within a predetermined azimuthal angle range with respect to a normal direction of the first display, and
wherein the second range of directions is within a rear range of directions which is opposite to the first range of directions.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-3, 8-13, 15 and 18-20 would be allowable if a Terminal Disclaimer is filed to overcome the Double Patenting rejection(s) set forth in this Office Action.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
None of the prior art, made of record, singularly or in combination, teaches or fairly suggests the features presented in the combined limitations of independent claims 1, 11 and 20, based on Applicant’s persuasive arguments, filed on 01/21/2026, especially the claim limitation “identify whether the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device changes to fall outside the first range of directions while keeping outputting the content through the first display, and in response to identifying that the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device changes to fall outside the first range of directions, reduce a brightness of the first display, wherein the first range of directions correspond to a predetermined front-facing direction range of the first display” of claims 1, 11 and 20. The dependent claims 2-3, 8-10, 12-13, 15 and 18-19 are allowed for at least the same reason indicated above. Jung, in view of Choi and Song does not teach the limitation identify whether the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device changes to fall outside the first range of directions while keeping outputting the content through the first display, and in response to identifying that the direction from the electronic device toward the external electronic device changes to fall outside the first range of directions, reduce a brightness of the first display, wherein the first range of directions correspond to a predetermined front-facing direction range of the first display of claims 1, 11 and 20.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NAN-YING YANG whose telephone number is (571)272-2211. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm, EST.
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/NAN-YING YANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629