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 Amendment
This office action is in response to claims filed 03/19/2026. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/19/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant argues that the description of the Figures 7,11B, 12B, 14B and 16B of weighted areas would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art.
In response to the arguments, the examiner respectfully disagrees. The examiner notes that there is no description of weighted areas, nor does the applicant provide specific sections to describe the scope of the claims. The examiner notes the relationship of what occurs with the weight being above a threshold is missing. The claim limitations merely state that a display area has a weight greater than a preset threshold.
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 1-20 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 1- 20 recite “identify, based on the input image and the information about the first area of the display, a second area display area within the first area of the display, where the base image is displayed, the second area having a weight greater than a preset threshold,…display the base image in the second area”
It is unclear where the base image is displayed and also, the next step is to convert and then display the base image.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted structural cooperative relationships are:
Claims 1-20 recites “identify, based on the input image and the information about the first area of the display, a second area display area within the first area of the display, where the base image is displayed, the second area having a weight greater than a preset threshold,.”
The missing relationship is of between “the weight” and all of the following: the base image, the guide, the display area, and the second area.
Claims 5-7 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted structural cooperative relationships are:
Claims 5-7 and 15-17 recites “the information about the area comprises an information about a plurality of sub-guide areas having a plurality of different weights with respect to implementation of the holographic image.”
The missing relationship is of between different weights, sub-guide areas and either the guide or the area.
It is unclear if the claim 1’s limitation of second area having a weight is related to the weights of claims 5-7 and claim 11’s limitation of second area having weight related to the weights of claims of 15-17.
Claim 7 and 17 discloses “first sub guide area and second sub guide area display first and second base image. It is unclear what the scope of second area is and the first and second sub guide area.
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.
Claims 1-4, 8-14, 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Eder et al (US 2020/0236330 and hereafter referred to as “Eder”).
Regarding Claim 1, Eder discloses an electronic device comprising:
a display (Figure 3, 418, Figure 4, Figure 11, Figure 6);
memory storing at least one instruction (Page 5, paragraph 0090); and
at least one processor configured to execute the at least one instruction stored in the memory, wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the at least one processor (Page 5, paragraph 0090), causes the electronic device to:
obtain an input image (Page 2, paragraph 0030),
obtain information about a first area of the display for displaying a base image, the base image being is reflected by a hologram guide to be implemented as a holographic image (Page 2, paragraph 0034),
identify, based on the input image and the information about the first area of the display, a second area within the first area of the display, where the base image is displayed (first area of the display – entire display, second area is any portion – Figure3, Figure 4, Page 2, paragraph 0034, 0042), the second area having a weight greater than a preset threshold, (the inverse distortion for conical reflection to the pre-inverse distort, Page 2-3, paragraph 0043-0045 – the pre-inverse distorted rectangle is greater than the distortion of cone which meets weight and threshold, Page 7, paragraph 0126, Page 8, paragraph 0134),
convert the input image into the base image based on the display second area (Page 2-3, paragraphs 0034, 0042-0046, Figure 6), and
display the base image in the display second area (Figure 6, Figure 9b).
Regarding Claim 11, Eder discloses operating method of an electronic device, the operating method comprising:
obtaining an input image (Page 2, paragraph 0030),
obtaining information about a first area of the display for displaying a base image, the base image being is reflected by a hologram guide to be implemented as a holographic image (Page 2, paragraph 0034),
identifying, based on the input image and the information about the first area of the display, a second area within the first area of the display, where the base image is displayed (first area of the display – entire display, second area is any portion – Figure3, Figure 4, Page 2, paragraph 0034, 0042), the second area having a weight greater than a preset threshold, (the inverse distortion for conical reflection to the pre-inverse distort, Page 2-3, paragraph 0043-0045 – the pre-inverse distorted rectangle is greater than the distortion of cone which meets weight and threshold, Page 7, paragraph 0126, Page 8, paragraph 0134),
converting the input image into the base image based on the display second area (Page 2-3, paragraphs 0034, 0042-0046, Figure 6), and
displaying the base image in the display second area (Figure 6, Figure 9b).
Regarding Claim 2 and 12, Eder discloses all the limitations of Claims 1 and 11 respectively. Eder discloses wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the electronic device to: determine whether the display is connected to the hologram guide, based on determining that the display is connected to the hologram guide, display the base image in the second area of the display, and based on determining that the display is not connected to the hologram guide, display the input image on the display (Figure 6, Figure 9b, Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 3 and 13, Eder discloses all the limitations of Claims 1 and 11 respectively. Eder discloses wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the electronic device to: receive information about the hologram guide from the hologram guide (Figure 3, Figure 6, paragraphs 0034, 0042-0046), and obtain the information about the first area based on the information about the hologram guide ( and wherein the information about the hologram guide comprises at least one of a type of the hologram guide, a shape of the hologram guide, a number of at least one reflection surface of the hologram guide, an angle formed between the at least one reflection surface and the display, or a material of the at least one reflection surface (Figure 3, Figure 6, paragraphs 0034, 0042-0046).
Regarding Claim 4 and 14, Eder discloses all the limitations of Claims 1 and 11 respectively. Eder discloses wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the electronic device to: receive, indication information comprising information about a target image based on the input image, the target image to be implemented as the holographic image; identify, based on the input image, the information about the first area of the display, and the indication information, the second display area in which the base image for implementing the target image as the holographic image is to be displayed, convert the input image into the base image based on the display second area and the indication information, and display the base image in the second area (Figure 3, Figure 6, paragraphs 0034, 0042-0046).
Regarding Claim 8 and 18, Eder discloses all the limitations of Claims 1 and 11 respectively. Eder discloses wherein the input image comprises at least one of content or a graphical user interface (Figure 3, Figure 6, paragraphs 0034, 0042-0046).
Regarding Claim 9 and 19, Eder discloses all the limitations of Claims 1 and 11 respectively. Eder discloses wherein the hologram guide comprises a plurality of reflection surfaces, wherein the second area comprises a plurality of display surfaces respectively corresponding to the plurality of reflection surfaces, and wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the electronic device to: convert, based on the second area, the input image into a plurality of base images for allowing the holographic image to be implemented on a same side of respective front sides of the plurality of reflection surfaces, the holographic image being implemented via the hologram guide by reflecting the plurality of base images, and display the plurality of base images respectively on the plurality of display (Figure 3, Figure 6, paragraphs 0034, 0042-0046 – there are multiple areas within the display to display the images and it is being reflected due to the hologram guide).
Regarding Claim 10, Eder discloses all the limitations of Claim 1. Eder discloses, wherein the hologram guide comprises a plurality of reflection surfaces, wherein the second area comprises a plurality of display surfaces respectively corresponding to the plurality of reflection surfaces, and wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the at least one processor, further causes the electronic device to: convert, based on the second area, the input image into a plurality of base images for allowing the holographic image to be implemented on different sides of respective front sides of the plurality of reflection surfaces, the holographic image being implemented via the hologram guide by reflecting the plurality of base images, and display the plurality of base images respectively on the plurality of display surfaces (Figure 3, Figure 6, paragraphs 0034, 0042-0046 – there are multiple areas within the display to display the images and it is being reflected due to the hologram guide).
Regarding claim 20, Eder disclose a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having recorded thereon a program (Page 5, paragraph 0080) for performing the operating method of claim 11. See rejection above.
Note to the Applicant
While claims 5-7 and 15-17 are not rejected under prior art, the scope of the claims are unclear. The claims are not allowable as further search and/or consideration are required once the claims are clarified.
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 FARZANA HOSSAIN whose telephone number is (571)272-5943. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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, Christopher Kelley can be reached at 571-272-7331. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/FARZANA HOSSAIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
April 11, 2026