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 .
The amendment filed on 03/17/2026 has been entered. Claims 1, 3, 11, and 17 have been amended. Claims 1-18 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1,11, and 17 applicant argues on pages 10-12 of the Remarks that “Park, however, appears to be entirely silent regarding the side displays 132L and 132R including a gaze area, at least one adjacent area adjacent to the gaze area, at least one distant area separated from the gaze area with the at least one adjacent area therebetween, and at least one important display area. Indeed, the Office action appears to acknowledge this, by indicating that claim 3 recites allowable subject matter. Accordingly, Park does not appear to disclose, or even suggest, each of the features of claims 1, 11, and 17.”
In response to the applicant’s argument, examiner respectfully disagrees. Park describes daze tracking in fig. 9, 19-20 and paragraph 28, “the control method may further include identifying a gaze direction of the driver based on the driver image, and adjusting brightness of the transparent display, and brightness of a side display outputting a rear lateral image of the vehicle, based on the gaze direction of the driver” Paragraph 110 also describes at least an important area, “the controller 200, based on the execution of the multimedia application in the autonomous driving mode, may divide the screen area of the transparent display 150 into a first region A1 in which the driving information is displayed and a second region A2 in which the multimedia information by the execution of the multimedia application is displayed”. Paragraph 126 further describes at least a distance area, “The controller 200 may identify the gaze direction of the driver based on a driver image obtained by the driver sensor 140 (1803). The controller 200 may adjust brightness of the transparent display 150 and brightness of the side displays 132L and 132R based on a gaze direction of the driver (1804)” The acknowledgement by the examiner that claim 3 will be allowable if incorporated in the independent claim is predicated on all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims being included as indicated in the previous office action. The rejection is maintained.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 11, and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park (US Pub. 20230069348) in view of Kwon et al (US Pub. 20150091796).
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses:
An image display device, (at least refer to fig. 1 and paragraph 54. Describes a transparent display 150) comprising:
A display panel configured to display an image in an image display area, (at least refer to fig. 5 and paragraph 63. Describes the transparent display 150 may display vehicle state information and driving information);
A gaze tracking processor configured to analyze image data for an image on a front side captured by a built-in camera and to detect gaze tracking coordinate information, (at least refer to fig. 5 and paragraph 63. Describes the driver sensor 140 which is an image sensor may be implemented by a camera. The driver sensor 140 may also include a face analysis device configured for analyzing a facial expression of the user, and an eye tracker configured for tracking a position of a pupil); and
A main driver circuit configured to divide and separate the image display area into a plurality of divided display areas based on the gaze tracking coordinate information, the divided display areas including a gaze area corresponding to the gaze tracking coordinate information, at least one adjacent area adjacent to the gaze area, at least one distant area separated from the gaze area with the at least one adjacent area therebetween, and at least one important display area configured to display an image of an important feature depending on characteristics of the displayed image, (at least refer to fig. 9, 19-20 and paragraphs 28, 110, 126. Describes the control method may further include identifying a gaze direction of the driver based on the driver image, and adjusting brightness of the transparent display, and brightness of a side display outputting a rear lateral image of the vehicle, based on the gaze direction of the driver. Para. 110, describes: the controller 200, based on the execution of the multimedia application in the autonomous driving mode, may divide the screen area of the transparent display 150 into a first region A1 in which the driving information is displayed and a second region A2 in which the multimedia information by the execution of the multimedia application is displayed. Para. 126, describes: The controller 200 may identify the gaze direction of the driver based on a driver image obtained by the driver sensor 140 (1803). The controller 200 may adjust brightness of the transparent display 150 and brightness of the side displays 132L and 132R based on a gaze direction of the driver (1804)) and to modulate a grayscale value or a luminance value of the image data for at least one of the divided display areas according to still image or moving image features to thereby control an image display operation for at least one of the divided display areas, (at least refer to fig. 19-20 and paragraphs 124-128. Describes the graphic element RM1 may be displayed as an augmented reality image. That is, the graphic element RM1 may overlap at a position of the other vehicle V2 in the photographed rear left image, and the graphic element RM1 may appear to exist in a real environment. Para. 125, describes: The graphic element RM2 may be displayed as an augmented reality image. That is, the graphic element RM2 may overlap at a position of the other vehicle V3 in the photographed rear right image, and the graphic element RM2 may appear to exist in the real environment. Para. 126, describes: The controller 200 may identify the gaze direction of the driver based on a driver image obtained by the driver sensor 140 (1803). The controller 200 may adjust brightness of the transparent display 150 and brightness of the side displays 132L and 132R based on a gaze direction of the driver (1804)).
Park does not explicitly disclose:
A built-in camera of the display panel
A plurality of divided display areas based on the gaze tracking coordinate information
Kwon teaches:
A built-in camera of the display panel, (at least refer to fig. 7 and paragraph 72. Describes the camera 160 according to the present embodiment employs an eye-tracking structure for tracking movements of the user's eyes to detect a direction of the sightline of the user)
A plurality of divided display areas based on the gaze tracking coordinate information, (at least refer to fig. 7-8 and paragraph 133. Describes accordingly, when a display 130 is bent, the display apparatus 100 detects the sightline of the user, divides the target area from the remaining area, and adjusts a scale of the image differently for the target area and the remaining area)
The two references are analogous art because they both relate with the same field of invention of electronic display device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate divided display areas based on the gaze tracking information of display a build-in camera as taught by Kwon with the vehicle display as disclosed by Park. The motivation to combine the Kwon reference is to adjust the displayed state of an image in correspondence with the detected sightline of the user which can enable the device to conserve power.
Regarding claim 11, Park discloses:
An image display device, (at least refer to fig. 1 and paragraph 54. Describes a transparent display 150) comprising:
A display panel configured to display an image in an image display area, (at least refer to fig. 5 and paragraph 63. Describes the transparent display 150 may display vehicle state information and driving information);
A touch sensor on a front surface of the display panel to detect a user's touch, (at least refer to fig. 2 and paragraph 74. Describes the first side display 132L, the second side display 132R, and the center display 160 may include a touch screen to obtain touch input of the user);
A gaze tracking processor configured to analyze image data on an image on a front side captured by a built-in camera and detecting the user's gaze tracking coordinate information, (at least refer to fig. 5 and paragraph 63. Describes the driver sensor 140 which is an image sensor may be implemented by a camera. The driver sensor 140 may also include a face analysis device configured for analyzing a facial expression of the user, and an eye tracker configured for tracking a position of a pupil); and
A main driver circuit configured to divide and separate the image display area into a plurality of divided display areas comprising a gaze area corresponding to the gaze tracking coordinates, at least one adjacent area adjacent to the gaze area, at least one distant area separated from the gaze area with the at least one adjacent area therebetween, and at least one important display area displaying an image of an important feature depending on characteristics of the image, (at least refer to fig. 9, 19-20 and paragraphs 28, 110, 126. Describes the control method may further include identifying a gaze direction of the driver based on the driver image, and adjusting brightness of the transparent display, and brightness of a side display outputting a rear lateral image of the vehicle, based on the gaze direction of the driver. Para. 110, describes: the controller 200, based on the execution of the multimedia application in the autonomous driving mode, may divide the screen area of the transparent display 150 into a first region A1 in which the driving information is displayed and a second region A2 in which the multimedia information by the execution of the multimedia application is displayed. Para. 126, describes: The controller 200 may identify the gaze direction of the driver based on a driver image obtained by the driver sensor 140 (1803). The controller 200 may adjust brightness of the transparent display 150 and brightness of the side displays 132L and 132R based on a gaze direction of the driver (1804)) and modulates image data for at least one divided display area of the divided display areas to control an image display operation for the at least one divided display area, (at least refer to fig. 19-20 and paragraphs 124-128. Describes the graphic element RM1 may be displayed as an augmented reality image. That is, the graphic element RM1 may overlap at a position of the other vehicle V2 in the photographed rear left image, and the graphic element RM1 may appear to exist in a real environment. Para. 125, describes: The graphic element RM2 may be displayed as an augmented reality image. That is, the graphic element RM2 may overlap at a position of the other vehicle V3 in the photographed rear right image, and the graphic element RM2 may appear to exist in the real environment. Para. 126, describes: The controller 200 may identify the gaze direction of the driver based on a driver image obtained by the driver sensor 140 (1803). The controller 200 may adjust brightness of the transparent display 150 and brightness of the side displays 132L and 132R based on a gaze direction of the driver (1804)).
Park does not explicitly disclose:
A built-in camera of the display panel
a plurality of divided display areas comprising a gaze area corresponding to the gaze tracking coordinates
Kwon teaches:
A built-in camera of the display panel, (at least refer to fig. 7 and paragraph 72. Describes the camera 160 according to the present embodiment employs an eye-tracking structure for tracking movements of the user's eyes to detect a direction of the sightline of the user)
a plurality of divided display areas comprising a gaze area corresponding to the gaze tracking coordinates, (at least refer to fig. 7-8 and paragraph 133. Describes accordingly, when a display 130 is bent, the display apparatus 100 detects the sightline of the user, divides the target area from the remaining area, and adjusts a scale of the image differently for the target area and the remaining area)
Regarding the rejection of claim 11, refer to the motivation of claim 1.
Regarding claim 17, Park discloses:
An electronic device including an image display device, the image display device, (at least refer to fig. 1 and paragraph 54. Describes a transparent display 150) comprising:
A display panel configured to display an image in an image display area, (at least refer to fig. 5 and paragraph 63. Describes the transparent display 150 may display vehicle state information and driving information);
A gaze tracking processor configured to analyze image data for an image on a front side captured by a built-in camera and to detect gaze tracking coordinate information, (at least refer to fig. 5 and paragraph 63. Describes the driver sensor 140 which is an image sensor may be implemented by a camera. The driver sensor 140 may also include a face analysis device configured for analyzing a facial expression of the user, and an eye tracker configured for tracking a position of a pupil); and
A main driver circuit configured to divide and separate the image display area into a plurality of divided display areas based on the gaze tracking coordinate information, the divided display areas including a gaze area corresponding to the gaze tracking coordinate information, at least one adjacent area adjacent to the gaze area, at least one distant area separated from the gaze area with the at least one adjacent area therebetween, and at least one important display area configured to display an image of an important feature depending on characteristics of the displayed image, (at least refer to fig. 9, 19-20 and paragraphs 28, 110. Describes the control method may further include identifying a gaze direction of the driver based on the driver image, and adjusting brightness of the transparent display, and brightness of a side display outputting a rear lateral image of the vehicle, based on the gaze direction of the driver. Para. 110, describes: the controller 200, based on the execution of the multimedia application in the autonomous driving mode, may divide the screen area of the transparent display 150 into a first region A1 in which the driving information is displayed and a second region A2 in which the multimedia information by the execution of the multimedia application is displayed. Para. 126, describes: The controller 200 may identify the gaze direction of the driver based on a driver image obtained by the driver sensor 140 (1803). The controller 200 may adjust brightness of the transparent display 150 and brightness of the side displays 132L and 132R based on a gaze direction of the driver (1804)) and to modulate a grayscale value or a luminance value of the image data for at least one of the divided display areas according to still image or moving image features to thereby control an image display operation for at least one of the divided display areas, (at least refer to fig. 19-20 and paragraphs 124-128. Describes the graphic element RM1 may be displayed as an augmented reality image. That is, the graphic element RM1 may overlap at a position of the other vehicle V2 in the photographed rear left image, and the graphic element RM1 may appear to exist in a real environment. Para. 125, describes: The graphic element RM2 may be displayed as an augmented reality image. That is, the graphic element RM2 may overlap at a position of the other vehicle V3 in the photographed rear right image, and the graphic element RM2 may appear to exist in the real environment. Para. 126, describes: The controller 200 may identify the gaze direction of the driver based on a driver image obtained by the driver sensor 140 (1803). The controller 200 may adjust brightness of the transparent display 150 and brightness of the side displays 132L and 132R based on a gaze direction of the driver (1804)).
Park does not explicitly disclose:
A built-in camera of the display panel
A plurality of divided display areas based on the gaze tracking coordinate information
Kwon teaches:
A built-in camera of the display panel, (at least refer to fig. 7 and paragraph 72. Describes the camera 160 according to the present embodiment employs an eye-tracking structure for tracking movements of the user's eyes to detect a direction of the sightline of the user)
A plurality of divided display areas based on the gaze tracking coordinate information, (at least refer to fig. 7-8 and paragraph 133. Describes accordingly, when a display 130 is bent, the display apparatus 100 detects the sightline of the user, divides the target area from the remaining area, and adjusts a scale of the image differently for the target area and the remaining area)
Regarding the rejection of claim 17, refer to the motivation of claim 1.
Regarding claim 18, Park discloses:
Wherein the electronic device is one of a mobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet personal computer (PC), a mobile communications terminal, an electronic notebook, an electronic book, a portable multimedia player (PMP), a navigation device and a ultra mobile PC (UMPC), a television, a laptop computer, a monitor, an electronic billboard, or an Internet of Things (IOT) device, (at least refer to fig. 1-2 and paragraph 62. Describes the transparent display 150 is configured as an instrument panel (cluster) and/or an infotainment device. The infotainment device may also be referred to as an audio video navigation (AVN) device. Para. 67, describes: For example, the vehicle 1 may include a navigation system 170).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-10 and 12-16 are 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: Prior art fail to explicitly disclose wherein the gaze tracking processor is configured to divide and to extract eye image data from the image data for the image on the front side, and to detect an image of a corneal or a reflected image of the corneal from the eye image data, and wherein the gaze tracking processor is configured to extract a coordinate position on a straight line on the front side facing the image of the corneal or the reflected image of the corneal to extract the gaze tracking coordinate information for the display panel. wherein the main driver circuit comprises: a block area setter configured to divide and separate the image display area into the plurality of divided display areas based on the gaze tracking coordinate information; a block data aligner configured to divide and align image data at least every frame into a plurality of divided image data corresponding to the divided display areas, and to classify the image data into features of still image and moving image; a block data corrector configured to sequentially extract dimming correction values for correcting the divided image data for at least one divided display area among the plurality of divided display areas according to the results of classifying the features of still image and moving image, and to correct and modulate the divided image data for the at least one divided display area with the respective dimming correction values; and a corrected image data aligner configured to sequentially provide a data driver circuit with the corrected image data for the at least one the divided display area corrected by the dimming correction values, to control an image by the corrected image data for the at least one divided display area to be displayed in the respective divided display area.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 IFEDAYO B ILUYOMADE whose telephone number is (571)270-7118. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday.
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/IFEDAYO B ILUYOMADE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624 04/21/2026
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