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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: TRANSPARENT DISPLAY DEVICE AND TRANSPARENCY ADJUSTMENT METHOD THEREOF.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the electronic device, the first light-transmitting surface, the second light-transmitting surface, the third light-transmitting surface, the rotating shaft, the display processing unit, the first display processing subunit, the second display processing subunit, the first input layer, the second input layer, the light guide, the first light-emitting module, and the second light-emitting module must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 5, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 5 recites “an image acquisition unit” twice in line 1 and 2. It is unclear, to the examiner of record, if the second occurrence is the same element or if it is a different element. Claim 14 has two periods, the first at the end of line eight and the second at the end of line 10. It is unclear, to the examiner of record, what is included in the claimed limitations of claim 14. In other words, it is unclear where claim 14 actually ends.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 6, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hulford (9791943). With respect to claim 1, Hulford discloses an electronic device (100) comprising: a first body (104), the first body (104) including a first part (upper section of 112, see figures 6 and 7) and a second part (lower part of 112, see figures 6 and 7), the first part (upper part of 112, see figures 6 and 7)) including a first light-transmitting surface (602, see figures 6 and 7) and a second light-transmitting surface (see portion opposite 602 in figures 6 and 7) opposite to each other; a connecting device (106) connected to the first body (104); and a second body (102) connected to the connecting device (106), the second body (104) and the first body (104) being configured to move relative to each other based on the connecting device (106), wherein: in a first state, the electronic device (100) outputs an image through the first light-transmitting surface (602, see figures 6 and 7) and at least part of an environment facing the second light-transmitting surface (see portion opposite 602 in figures 6 and 7) is visible through the first light-transmitting surface (602, see figures 6 and 7) , and the second part (lower part of 112, see figures 6 and 7)) is a non-light-transmitting part. With respect to claim 6, Hulford discloses the electronic device (100) of claim 1, wherein: a first relative distance between the second part (lower part of 112, see figures 6 and 7) of the first body (104) and the connecting device (106) is shorter than a second relative distance between the first part (upper part of 112, see figures 6 and 7) of the first body (104) and the connecting device (106). With respect to claim 13, Hulford discloses a control method, comprising: obtaining a display instruction for an electronic device (100); determining a state of the electronic device (100) based on the display instruction; the state of the electronic device (100) at least include a first state, in the first state, the electronic device (100) output an image through a first light-transmitting surface and at least part of the environment facing a second light-transmitting surface may be visible through the first light-transmitting surface; the electronic device (100) include a first body (104), the first body (104) include a first part upper section of 112, see figures 6 and 7) and a second part lower section of 112, see figures 6 and 7), the first part include a first light-transmitting surface and the second light-transmitting surface opposite to each other, and the second part include a non-light-transmitting surface.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, and 7-12 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: as to claims 2-4, and 7-12, patentability resides, at least in part, in each and every limitations as presently claimed and including all of the other limitations of the base claim(s) respectfully.
Claims 5 and 14 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LISA LEA-EDMONDS whose telephone number is (571)272-2043. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Thompson can be reached at 571-272-2342. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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LISA LEA-EDMONDS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
/LISA LEA-EDMONDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847 2026-08-26
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