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 .
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-11, 13-18 and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities: Line 1, “A” should be changed to --The--. Appropriate correction is required.
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 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); 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 nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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Claims 1, 3-7, 12, 13 and 16-18 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-5 and 8 of U.S. Patent No. 12,124,658. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they can be interpreted to describe substantially identical, very similar claimed limitations, or being obvious which are shown below:
Instant application 19/059,255
U.S. Patent No. 12,124,658
Claim 1: A method for receiving user input and using the user input to control an apparatus, the method comprising: providing a display for displaying video content based on display signals; (1)
providing one or more sensors for generating one or more corresponding sensor input signals, wherein providing the one or more sensors comprises providing one or more capacitive sensors which are sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by a human body part in proximity to the one or more capacitive sensors; (2)
locating at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors on a user-facing side of the display, so that a human user can see the display through the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors; (3)
detecting, by the one or more capacitive sensors, user input corresponding to a gesture made by the human user on the user-facing side of the display; (1)
generating a control signal in response to, and based at least in part on, the detecting by the one or more capacitive sensors; providing the control signal as an input to a control system of the apparatus to thereby cause the control system of the apparatus to operate the apparatus based on the control signal. (4)
Claim 3: A method according to claim 1 comprising: estimating a location of a portion of a hand of the human user based on the one or more sensor input signals from the one or more capacitive sensors and one or more of: generating a display signal based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand of the user which causes the display to display an indicia, wherein a location of the displayed indicia on the display is based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand; and estimating a proximity of the portion of the hand of the user to the display. (1)
Claim 4: A method according to claim 3 comprising causing the display signal to at least one of: change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user; change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user, wherein the change of the appearance of the displayed indicia comprises at least one of a change of color of the displayed indicia, size of the displayed indicia, brightness of the displayed indicia, changing shape of the displayed indicia, changing a color gradient of the displayed indicia and adding other indicia to the displayed indicia.(5)
Claim 5: A method according to claim 3 wherein detecting, by the one or more capacitive sensors, the user input comprises detecting one or more of: a swiping motion made with a portion of the hand of the user; and a circular motion made with a portion of the hand of the user. (6)
Claim 6: A method according to claim 3 comprising: causing the display signal to vary a size of the displayed indicia in a manner correlated to the proximity of the portion of the hand to the display; and changing the control signal and thereby changing the operation of the apparatus when: the size of the displayed indicia is the same, to within a suitable threshold, as one of one or more virtual inputs; and the location of the portion of the hand lacks motion, greater than a suitable threshold, for a threshold period of time. (7)
Claim 7: A method according to claim 1 comprising: locating one or more optical sensors around a perimeter of the display, the one or more optical sensors sensitive to changes in electromagnetic radiation reflected from a body of the human user on the user-facing side of the display; detecting, by the one or more optical sensors, user input corresponding to the gesture made by the human user on the user-facing side of the display; and wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal in response to, and based at least in part on, the detecting by the one or more capacitive sensors and the detecting by the one or more optical sensors. (8)
Claim 12: A method for receiving user input and using the user input to control an apparatus comprising a display, the method comprising: providing one or more sensors for generating one or more corresponding sensor input signals, wherein providing the one or more sensors comprises providing one more or capacitive sensors which are sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by a human body part in proximity to the one or more capacitive sensors; (2)
locating at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors on a user-facing side of the display, so that a human user can see the display through the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors; (3)
detecting, by the one or more capacitive sensors, user input corresponding to a gesture made by the human user on the user-facing side of the display; (1)
generating a control signal in response to, and based at least in part on, the detecting by the one or more capacitive sensors; providing the control signal as an input to a control system of the apparatus to thereby cause the control system of the apparatus to operate the apparatus based on the control signal. (4)
Claim 13: A method according to claim 1 comprising: locating one or more optical sensors around a perimeter of the display, the one or more optical sensors sensitive to changes in electromagnetic radiation reflected from a body of the human user on the user-facing side of the display; detecting, by the one or more optical sensors, user input corresponding to the gesture made by the human user on the user-facing side of the display; and wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal in response to, and based at least in part on, the detecting by the one or more capacitive sensors and the detecting by the one or more optical sensors. (8)
Claim 16: A method according to claim 12 comprising: estimating a location of a portion of a hand of the human user based on the one or more sensor input signals from the one or more capacitive sensors and one or more of: generating a display signal based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand of the user which causes the display to display an indicia, wherein a location of the displayed indicia on the display is based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand; and estimating a proximity of the portion of the hand of the user to the display. (1)
Claim 17: A method according to claim 16 comprising causing the display signal to at least one of: change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user; change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user, wherein the change of the appearance of the displayed indicia comprises at least one of a change of color of the displayed indicia, size of the displayed indicia, brightness of the displayed indicia, changing shape of the displayed indicia, changing a color gradient of the displayed indicia and adding other indicia to the displayed indicia. (5)
Claim 18: A method according to claim 16 wherein detecting, by the one or more capacitive sensors, the user input comprises detecting one or more of: a swiping motion made with a portion of the hand of the user; and a circular motion made with a portion of the hand of the user. (6)
Claim 1: A retrofit interface apparatus for interfacing with a target device to provide the target device with touchless user input, the apparatus comprising: a touchless sensing system comprising one or more sensors responsive to touchless input made by a human user and for generating one or more corresponding sensor input signals; (2)
a controller connected to receive the one or more sensor input signals from the touchless sensing system and configured to generate, based on the one or more sensor input signals, a corresponding control signal; the controller connectable to the target device to bypass a touch-based input of the target device and to provide the control signal as an input to an existing control system of the target device to thereby cause the control system of the target device to operate the target device based on the control signal; (4)
wherein the touchless sensing system comprises one or more capacitive sensors which are sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by a human body part in proximity to the one or more capacitive sensors; (2)
and wherein at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors is located on a user-facing side of a display of the target device, the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors fabricated from transparent conductive material, so that the human user can see the display of the target device through the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors. (3)
Claim 2: An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured, based on the one or more input signals, to estimate a location of a portion of a hand of the human user and to perform one or more of: generating a display signal based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand of the user which causes the display to display an indicia, a location of the displayed indicia on the display based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand; and estimating a proximity of the portion of the hand of the user to the display. (1)
Claim 3: An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein at least one of: the display signal causes the display to change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user; the display signal causes the display to change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user and the change of the appearance of the displayed indicia comprises at least one of a change of color of the displayed indicia, size of the displayed indicia, brightness of the displayed indicia, changing shape of the displayed indicia, changing a color gradient of the displayed indicia and adding other indicia to the displayed indicia.(5)
Claim 4: An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the controller is configured, based on the one or more sensor input signals, to detect a circular motion made with a portion of the hand of the user. (6)
Claim 5: An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the display signal causes the display to vary a size of the displayed indicia in a manner correlated to the proximity of the portion of the hand to the display, and wherein the controller is configured to change the control signal and to thereby change the operation of the target device when: the size of the displayed indicia is the same, to within a suitable threshold, as one of one or more of one of the virtual inputs; and the location of the portion of the hand lacks motion, above a suitable threshold, for a threshold period of time. (7)
Claim 8: An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: the touchless sensing system comprises one or more optical sensors located around the perimeter of the display and sensitive to changes in electromagnetic radiation reflected from a body of the user on the user-facing side of the display; the one or more sensor input signals comprise one or more capacitive sensor signals from the one or more capacitive sensors and one or more optical sensor signals from the one or more optical sensors; and the controller is configured to generate the control signal based on both the one or more capacitive sensor signals and the one or more optical sensor signals. (8)
Claim 1: A retrofit interface apparatus for interfacing with a target device to provide the target device with touchless user input, the apparatus comprising: a touchless sensing system comprising one or more sensors responsive to touchless input made by a human user and for generating one or more corresponding sensor input signals; (2)
a controller connected to receive the one or more sensor input signals from the touchless sensing system and configured to generate, based on the one or more sensor input signals, a corresponding control signal; the controller connectable to the target device to bypass a touch-based input of the target device and to provide the control signal as an input to an existing control system of the target device to thereby cause the control system of the target device to operate the target device based on the control signal; (4)
wherein the touchless sensing system comprises one or more capacitive sensors which are sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by a human body part in proximity to the one or more capacitive sensors; (2)
and wherein at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors is located on a user-facing side of a display of the target device, the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors fabricated from transparent conductive material, so that the human user can see the display of the target device through the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors. (3)
Claim 2: An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured, based on the one or more input signals, to estimate a location of a portion of a hand of the human user and to perform one or more of: generating a display signal based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand of the user which causes the display to display an indicia, a location of the displayed indicia on the display based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand; and estimating a proximity of the portion of the hand of the user to the display. (1)
Claim 8: An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: the touchless sensing system comprises one or more optical sensors located around the perimeter of the display and sensitive to changes in electromagnetic radiation reflected from a body of the user on the user-facing side of the display; the one or more sensor input signals comprise one or more capacitive sensor signals from the one or more capacitive sensors and one or more optical sensor signals from the one or more optical sensors; and the controller is configured to generate the control signal based on both the one or more capacitive sensor signals and the one or more optical sensor signals. (8)
Claim 2: An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured, based on the one or more input signals, to estimate a location of a portion of a hand of the human user and to perform one or more of: generating a display signal based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand of the user which causes the display to display an indicia, a location of the displayed indicia on the display based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand; and estimating a proximity of the portion of the hand of the user to the display. (1)
Claim 3: An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein at least one of: the display signal causes the display to change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user; the display signal causes the display to change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user and the change of the appearance of the displayed indicia comprises at least one of a change of color of the displayed indicia, size of the displayed indicia, brightness of the displayed indicia, changing shape of the displayed indicia, changing a color gradient of the displayed indicia and adding other indicia to the displayed indicia.(5)
Claim 4: An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the controller is configured, based on the one or more sensor input signals, to detect a circular motion made with a portion of the hand of the user. (6)
Claims 1-20 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 21-38 of copending Application No. 18/826,836 (reference application). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they can be interpreted to describe substantially identical, very similar claimed limitations, or being obvious which are shown below:
Instant application 19/059,255
Copending Application No. 18/826,836
Claim 1: A method for receiving user input and using the user input to control an apparatus, the method comprising: providing a display for displaying video content based on display signals; (1)
providing one or more sensors for generating one or more corresponding sensor input signals, wherein providing the one or more sensors comprises providing one or more capacitive sensors which are sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by a human body part in proximity to the one or more capacitive sensors; (2)
locating at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors on a user-facing side of the display, so that a human user can see the display through the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors; (3)
detecting, by the one or more capacitive sensors, user input corresponding to a gesture made by the human user on the user-facing side of the display; (1)
generating a control signal in response to, and based at least in part on, the detecting by the one or more capacitive sensors; providing the control signal as an input to a control system of the apparatus to thereby cause the control system of the apparatus to operate the apparatus based on the control signal. (4)
Claim 2: A method according to claim 1 comprising locating at least a portion of the one or more capacitive sensors around a perimeter of the display and wherein the one or more capacitive sensors are sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by the human body part in proximity to the user-facing side of the display in a middle of the perimeter.
Claim 3: A method according to claim 1 comprising: estimating a location of a portion of a hand of the human user based on the one or more sensor input signals from the one or more capacitive sensors and one or more of: generating a display signal based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand of the user which causes the display to display an indicia, wherein a location of the displayed indicia on the display is based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand; and estimating a proximity of the portion of the hand of the user to the display.
Claim 4: A method according to claim 3 comprising causing the display signal to at least one of: change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user; change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user, wherein the change of the appearance of the displayed indicia comprises at least one of a change of color of the displayed indicia, size of the displayed indicia, brightness of the displayed indicia, changing shape of the displayed indicia, changing a color gradient of the displayed indicia and adding other indicia to the displayed indicia.
Claim 5: A method according to claim 3 wherein detecting, by the one or more capacitive sensors, the user input comprises detecting one or more of: a swiping motion made with a portion of the hand of the user; and a circular motion made with a portion of the hand of the user. (8)
Claim 6: A method according to claim 3 comprising: causing the display signal to vary a size of the displayed indicia in a manner correlated to the proximity of the portion of the hand to the display; and changing the control signal and thereby changing the operation of the apparatus when: the size of the displayed indicia is the same, to within a suitable threshold, as one of one or more virtual inputs; and the location of the portion of the hand lacks motion, greater than a suitable threshold, for a threshold period of time. (9)
Claim 7: A method according to claim 1 comprising: locating one or more optical sensors around a perimeter of the display, the one or more optical sensors sensitive to changes in electromagnetic radiation reflected from a body of the human user on the user-facing side of the display; detecting, by the one or more optical sensors, user input corresponding to the gesture made by the human user on the user-facing side of the display; and wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal in response to, and based at least in part on, the detecting by the one or more capacitive sensors and the detecting by the one or more optical sensors.
Claim 8: A method according to claim 1 comprising estimating a line-of-sight vector of the human user based on the one or more sensor input signals.
Claim 9: A method according to claim 8 comprising estimating a position of a portion of a hand of the user based on the detecting by the one or more capacitive sensors and wherein generating the control signal is based at least in part on a combination of the estimated line-of-sight vector and the estimated position of the portion of the hand of the user.
Claim 10: A method according to claim 8 comprising generating a display signal, which causes the display to skew an image displayed by the display based on the estimated line of sight vector.
Claim 11: A method according to claim 1 comprising locating a layer of non-conductive material to cover a user-facing side of the one or more capacitive sensors.
Claim 12: A method for receiving user input and using the user input to control an apparatus comprising a display, the method comprising: providing one or more sensors for generating one or more corresponding sensor input signals, wherein providing the one or more sensors comprises providing one more or capacitive sensors which are sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by a human body part in proximity to the one or more capacitive sensors; (2)
locating at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors on a user-facing side of the display, so that a human user can see the display through the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors; (3)
detecting, by the one or more capacitive sensors, user input corresponding to a gesture made by the human user on the user-facing side of the display; (1)
generating a control signal in response to, and based at least in part on, the detecting by the one or more capacitive sensors; providing the control signal as an input to a control system of the apparatus to thereby cause the control system of the apparatus to operate the apparatus based on the control signal. (4)
Claim 13: A method according to claim 12 comprising: locating one or more optical sensors around a perimeter of the display, the one or more optical sensors sensitive to changes in electromagnetic radiation reflected from a body of the human user on the user-facing side of the display; detecting, by the one or more optical sensors, user input corresponding to the gesture made by the human user on the user-facing side of the display; and wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal in response to, and based at least in part on, the detecting by the one or more capacitive sensors and the detecting by the one or more optical sensors.
Claim 14: A method according to claim 12 comprising estimating a line-of-sight vector of the human user based on the one or more sensor input signals.
Claim 15: A method according to claim 14 comprising at least one of: estimating a position of a portion of a hand of the user based on the detecting by the one or more capacitive sensors and wherein generating the control signal is based at least in part on a combination of the estimated line-of-sight vector and the estimated position of the portion of the hand of the user.
Claim 16: A method according to claim 12 comprising: estimating a location of a portion of a hand of the human user based on the one or more sensor input signals from the one or more capacitive sensors and one or more of: generating a display signal based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand of the user which causes the display to display an indicia, wherein a location of the displayed indicia on the display is based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand; and estimating a proximity of the portion of the hand of the user to the display.
Claim 17: A method according to claim 16 comprising causing the display signal to at least one of: change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user; change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user, wherein the change of the appearance of the displayed indicia comprises at least one of a change of color of the displayed indicia, size of the displayed indicia, brightness of the displayed indicia, changing shape of the displayed indicia, changing a color gradient of the displayed indicia and adding other indicia to the displayed indicia.
Claim 18: A method according to claim 16 wherein detecting, by the one or more capacitive sensors, the user input comprises detecting one or more of: a swiping motion made with a portion of the hand of the user; and a circular motion made with a portion of the hand of the user.
Claim 19: A method for receiving user input and using the user input to control an apparatus, the method comprising: providing a display for displaying video content based on display signals; (1)
providing one or more sensors for generating one or more corresponding sensor input signals, wherein providing the one or more sensors comprises: providing one or more capacitive sensors, and locating at least a portion of the one or more capacitive sensors around a perimeter of the display, the one or more capacitive sensors sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by a human body part in proximity to the one or more capacitive sensors and to a user-facing side of the display in a middle of the perimeter; (2)
detecting, by the one or more capacitive sensors, user input corresponding to a gesture made by the human user on the user-facing side of the display; generating a control signal in response to and based on the detecting; providing the control signal as an input to a control system of the apparatus to thereby cause the control system of the apparatus to operate the apparatus based on the control signal. (3)
Claim 20: A method according to claim 19 comprising: locating one or more optical sensors around a perimeter of the display, the one or more optical sensors sensitive to changes in electromagnetic radiation reflected from a body of the human user on the user-facing side of the display; detecting, by the one or more optical sensors, user input corresponding to the gesture made by the human user on the user-facing side of the display; (4)
and wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal in response to and based at least in part on the detecting by the one or more capacitive sensors and the detecting by the one or more optical sensors. (5)
Claim 21: A system for receiving input to control an apparatus, the system comprising: a display for displaying video content based on display signals; (1)
one or more capacitive sensors which are sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by a human body part in proximity to a user-facing side of the display; (2)
a controller sensor connected to receive one or more capacitive signals from the one or more capacitive sensors to generate a control signal based on the one or more capacitive sensor signals, the controller connectable to the apparatus to provide the control signal as an input to a control system of the apparatus and to thereby cause the control system of the apparatus to operate the apparatus based on the control signal; (4)
wherein at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors is located on a user-facing side of the display, the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors fabricated from transparent conductive material, so that the human user can see the display through the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors. (3)
Claim 22: The system according to claim 21 wherein at least a portion of the one or more capacitive sensors are located around a perimeter of the display and are sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by a human body part in proximity to a user-facing side of the display in a middle of the perimeter.
Claim 23: The system according to claim 21 wherein the controller sensor is configured, based on the one or more input signals, to estimate a location of a portion of a hand of the human user and to perform one or more of: generating a display signal based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand of the user which causes the display to display an indicia, a location of the displayed indicia on the display based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand; and estimating a proximity of the portion of the hand of the user to the display.
Claim 24: The system according to claim 23 wherein at least one of: the display signal causes the display to change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user; the display signal causes the display to change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user and the change of the appearance of the displayed indicia comprises at least one of a change of color of the displayed indicia, size of the displayed indicia, brightness of the displayed indicia, changing shape of the displayed indicia, changing a color gradient of the displayed indicia and adding other indicia to the displayed indicia. indicia.
Claim 25: The system according to claim 23 wherein the controller is configured, based on the one or more sensor input signals, to detect one or more of: a swiping motion made with a portion of the hand of the user; and a circular motion made with a portion of the hand of the user. (8)
Claim 26: The system according to claim 23 wherein the display signal causes the display to vary a size of the displayed indicia in a manner correlated to the proximity of the portion of the hand to the display, and wherein the controller is configured to change the control signal and to thereby change the operation of the apparatus when: the size of the displayed indicia is the same, to within a suitable threshold, as one of one or more virtual inputs; and the location of the portion of the hand lacks motion, above a suitable threshold, for a threshold period of time.
Claim 27: The system according to claim 21 comprising one or more optical sensors located around a perimeter of the display and sensitive to changes in electromagnetic radiation reflected from a body of the human user on the user-facing side of the display; the one or more sensor input signals comprise one or more capacitive sensor signals from the one or more capacitive sensors and one or more optical sensor signals from the one or more optical sensors; and, the controller is configured to generate the control signal based on both the one or more capacitive sensor signals and the one or more optical sensor signals.
Claim 28: The system according to claim 21 wherein the controller is configured, based on the one or more sensor input signals, to estimate a line-of-sight vector of the human user.
Claim 29: The system according to claim 28 wherein the controller sensor is configured, based on the one or more input signals, to estimate a position of a portion of a hand of the user and wherein the controller is configured to generate the control signal based at least in part on a combination of the estimated line-of-sight vector and the estimated position of the portion of the hand of the user.
Claim 30: The system according to claim 28 wherein the controller is configured to generate a display signal, which causes the display to skew an image displayed by the display based on the estimated line of sight vector.
Claim 31: The system according to claim 21 comprising a layer of non-conductive material located to cover a user-facing side of the one or more capacitive sensors.
Claim 32: A system for receiving input for controlling an apparatus comprising a display, the system comprising: one or more sensors responsive to touchless input made by a human user and for generating one or more corresponding sensor input signals; (2)
and, a controller connected to receive the one or more sensor input signals from the one or more sensors and configured to generate, based on the one or more sensor input signals, a corresponding control signal; the controller connectable to the apparatus to provide the control signal as an input to a control system of the apparatus to thereby cause the control system of the apparatus to operate the apparatus based on the control signal; (4)
wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more capacitive sensors which are sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by a human body part in proximity to the one or more capacitive sensors; (2)
wherein at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors is located on a user-facing side of the display, the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors fabricated from transparent conductive material, so that the human user can see the display through the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors. (3)
Claim 33: The system according to claim 32 comprising one or more optical sensors located around a perimeter of the display and sensitive to changes in electromagnetic radiation reflected from a body of the human user on the user-facing side of the display; the one or more sensor input signals comprise one or more capacitive sensor signals from the one or more capacitive sensors and one or more optical sensor signals from the one or more optical sensors; and, the controller is configured to generate the control signal based on both the one or more capacitive sensor signals and the one or more optical sensor signals.
Claim 34: The system according to claim 32 wherein the controller is configured, based on the one or more sensor input signals, to estimate a line-of-sight vector of the human user.
Claim 35: The system according to claim 34 is configured, based on the one or more sensor input signals, to estimate a position of a portion of a hand of the user and wherein the controller is configured to generate the control signal based at least in part on a combination of the estimated line-of-sight vector and the estimated position of the portion of the hand of the user and wherein the controller is configured to generate a display signal, which causes the display to skew an image displayed by the display based on the estimated line of sight vector.
Claim 36: The system according to claim 32 sensor wherein the controller is configured, based on the one or more input signals, to estimate a location of a portion of a hand of the human user and to perform one or more of: generating a display signal based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand of the user which causes the display to display an indicia, a location of the displayed indicia on the display based on the estimated location of the portion of the hand; and estimating a proximity of the portion of the hand of the user to the display.
Claim 37: The system according to claim 36 wherein at least one of: the display signal causes the display to change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user; the display signal causes the display to change an appearance of the displayed indicia based on the estimated proximity of the portion of the hand of the user and the change of the appearance of the displayed indicia comprises at least one of a change of color of the displayed indicia, size of the displayed indicia, brightness of the displayed indicia, changing shape of the displayed indicia, changing a color gradient of the displayed indicia and adding other indicia to the displayed indicia.
Claim 38: The system according to claim 36 wherein the controller is configured, based on the one or more sensor input signals, to detect one or more of: a swiping motion made with a portion of the hand of the user; and a circular motion made with a portion of the hand of the user.
Claim 21: A system for receiving input to control an apparatus, the system comprising: a display for displaying video content based on display signals; (1)
one or more capacitive sensors which are sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by a human body part in proximity to a user-facing side of the display; (2)
a controller sensor connected to receive one or more capacitive signals from the one or more capacitive sensors to generate a control signal based on the one or more capacitive sensor signals, the controller connectable to the apparatus to provide the control signal as an input to a control system of the apparatus and to thereby cause the control system of the apparatus to operate the apparatus based on the control signal; wherein at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors is located on a user-facing side of the display, the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors fabricated from transparent conductive material, so that the human user can see the display through the at least one electrode of each of the one or more capacitive sensors. (3)
Claim 22: The system according to claim 21 wherein at least a portion of the one or more capacitive sensors are located around a perimeter of the display and are sensitive to disturbances in their electric fields caused by a human body part in proximity to a user-facing side of the display in a middle of the perimeter.(2)
Claim 27: The system according to claim 21 comprising one or more optical sensors located around a perimeter of the display and sensitive to changes in electromagnetic radiation reflected from a body of the human user on the user-facing side of the display; (4)
the one or more sensor input signals comprise one or more capacitive sensor signals from the one or more capacitive sensors and one or more optical sensor signals from the one or more optical sensors; and, the controller is configured to generate the control signal based on both the one or more capacitive sensor signals and the one or more optical sensor signals. (5)
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
Conclusion
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/HAI L NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836 July 16, 2026
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