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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/17/2025 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation under 35 USC § 112(f) or 35 USC 112 (pre-AIA ) sixth paragraph
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
Use of the word “means” (or “step for”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim element is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph). The presumption that 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph) is invoked is rebutted when the function is recited with sufficient structure, material, or acts within the claim itself to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step for”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim element is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph). The presumption that 35 U.S.C. 112(f) (pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph) is not invoked is rebutted when the claim element recites function but fails to recite sufficiently definite structure, material or acts to perform that function.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: a first sensing device disposed to sense; a storage unit disposed to store; a control unit coupled to the first sensing device; and a display device coupled to the control unit in claim 1.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
A review of the specification shows that the following appears to be the corresponding structure described in the specification for the 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph limitation: paragraph 37 recites “wherein the first sensing device 114 may include, for example, at least one of an image sensor, a pressure sensor, and a distance sensor”; paragraph 35 recites “the storage unit 112 may include any type of fixed or removable random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, hard disk or other circuits or chips with similar functions or a combination of these devices, circuits and chips”; paragraph 34 recites “the control unit 111 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphic processing unit (GPU), or other programmable general or specific-purpose microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSP), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), programmable logic device (PLD), other similar processing circuits or a combination of these devices”; and paragraph 36 recites “the display device 113 may include a display panel and a touch panel to provide display and touch control functions”. Therefore, the examiner believes that the operation detecting unit and a drive unit indicate as different parts of the control device 20.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
For more information, see MPEP § 2173 et seq. and Supplementary Examination Guidelines for Determining Compliance With 35 U.S.C. 112 and for Treatment of Related Issues in Patent Applications, 76 FR 7162, 7167 (Feb. 9, 2011).
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, 3, 16 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tan et al. (US. Pub. No. 2018/0170181, hereinafter “Tan”).
As to claims 1 and 19, Tan discloses an electronic device adaptable for a vehicle [figure 6, electronic device display for a vehicle], associated with its control method of an electronic device, comprising:
a first sensing device [figure 6, sensing device 42-46 disposed to sense a first passenger and a second passenger occupying in the vehicle, sensors 42-46 are incorporated inside the respective vehicle seats to detect presence of passengers seated in the respective seats, therefore the sensors are inherently weight sensors which are pressure sensors] disposed to sense a first passenger and a second passenger sitting in the vehicle to obtain sensing information, wherein the sensing information comprises a first position of the first passenger and a second position of the second passenger [paragraph 33, The passenger's seat controller and/or position sensor(s) 42 is located within the passenger compartment 18 and is connected to a one of the seats 20 that corresponds to a front passenger's seat (not shown). Similarly, the driver's seat controller and/or position sensor(s) 46 also located within the passenger compartment 18 and is connected to another one of the seats 20 corresponding to a driver's seat 20a (FIGS. 7 and 8). The driver's seat 20a and passenger's seat of the seats 20 are configured to move between an upright orientation (FIG. 7) and a reclined orientation (FIG. 8). The passenger's seat controller and/or position sensor(s) 42 and the driver's seat controller and/or position sensor(s) 46 provide signals to the controller 40 indicating current orientations of the corresponding one of the seats 20 (upright orientation or reclined orientation, and in any of a plurality of forward/rearward positions). The rear seat occupancy sensors 44 are installed within a rear seat 20b and are configured to detect the presence of a passenger or passenger's seated therein];
a storage unit [figure 6, controller 40, paragraph 58, The controller 40 can also include other conventional components such as an input interface circuit, an output interface circuit, and storage devices such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) device and a RAM (Random Access Memory) device] disposed to store storage information, wherein the storage information comprises a first permission corresponding to the first position and a second permission corresponding to the second position [paragraph 33, The passenger's seat controller and/or position sensor(s) 42 and the driver's seat controller and/or position sensor(s) 46 provide signals to the controller 40 indicating current orientations of the corresponding one of the seats 20 (upright orientation or reclined orientation, and in any of a plurality of forward/rearward positions). The rear seat occupancy sensors 44 are installed within a rear seat 20b and are configured to detect the presence of a passenger or passenger's seated therein];
a control unit [figure 6, controller 40 coupled to 42-46] coupled to the first sensing device and the storage unit, and disposed to determine that the first passenger has the first permission and determine that the second passenger has the second permission based on the sensing information and the storage information [paragraph 33, The passenger's seat controller and/or position sensor(s) 42 and the driver's seat controller and/or position sensor(s) 46 provide signals (these signals provide the presences of the passengers and work as permissions) to the controller 40 indicating current orientations of the corresponding one of the seats 20 (upright orientation or reclined orientation, and in any of a plurality of forward/rearward positions). The rear seat occupancy sensors 44 are installed within a rear seat 20b and are configured to detect the presence of a passenger or passenger's seated therein]; and
a display device [figure 6, electric display 14 coupled to the controller 40] coupled to the control unit and comprising a first area and a second area [figures 9-11, a first area and a second area P1-P3],
the first permission comprises allowing the first passenger to operate on the first area, and the second permission comprises allowing the second passenger to operate on the second area [paragraph 33, The passenger's seat controller and/or position sensor(s) 42 and the driver's seat controller and/or position sensor(s) 46 provide signals to the controller 40 indicating current orientations of the corresponding one of the seats 20 (upright orientation or reclined orientation, and in any of a plurality of forward/rearward positions). The rear seat occupancy sensors 44 are installed within a rear seat 20b and are configured to detect the presence of a passenger or passenger's seated therein, paragraph 35, with selections by a passenger or driver being inputted via contact with the touch sensitive layer 38 of the electronic display 14. The video control panel 52 and the touch sensitive layer 38 are in electronic communication with the controller 40 such that selections or inputs made by a passenger or driver inputted via the video control panel 52 or the touch sensitive layer 38 cause the controller 40 to display a video content selection, such as a movie or a TV show, paragraph 37, The first position P.sub.1 corresponds to a location above a front passenger's seat such that a passenger in the front seat of the seats 20 next to the driver's seat 20a can view video content with the passenger's seat being in a reclined orientation. In other words, in FIG. 9, the video content is displayed by the controller 40 in the first position P.sub.1 for the sole benefit of the front seat passenger, not the driver or passengers in the rear seat 20b, paragraph 38, The second position P.sub.2 corresponds to a location above a front driver's seat 20a such that the driver can view video content with the driver's seat 20a being in the reclined orientation (FIG. 8). In other words, in FIG. 10, the video content is displayed by the controller 40 in the second position P.sub.2 for the sole benefit of the driver, not passengers in the vehicle 10, paragraph 39, a third position P.sub.3 that is located for viewing by a passenger seated in the rear seat 20b behind the passenger (at a right-hand side of the rear seat 20b)],
wherein the vehicle has a first mode and a second mode [figures 7-8, non-autonomous driving mode (second mode) and autonomous driving mode or parking mode (first mode)],
in the first mode, allowing the first passenger to operate on the first area, and allowing the second passenger to operate on the second area [figures 8-10, in first mode, allowing the first passenger to operate on P2 area, and allowing the second passenger to operate on P1 area].
As to claim 3, Tan discloses the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first sensing device comprises at least one of an image sensor, a pressure sensor [paragraph 33, The passenger's seat controller and/or position sensor(s) 42 and the driver's seat controller and/or position sensor(s) 46 provide signals to the controller 40 indicating current orientations of the corresponding one of the seats 20 (upright orientation or reclined orientation, and in any of a plurality of forward/rearward positions). The rear seat occupancy sensors 44 are installed within a rear seat 20b and are configured to detect the presence of a passenger or passenger's seated therein] and a distance sensor.
As to claim 16, Tan discloses the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first area and the second area are disposed in a same display panel [figures 9-11, first area and second area are disposed in a same display panel 14].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 2 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tan in view of Kim et al. (US. Pub. No. 2021/0354559, hereinafter “Kim”).
As to claim 2, Tan discloses the electronic device according to claim 1.
Tan does not expressly disclose wherein in the first mode, the first permission comprises allowing the first passenger to operate on the second area, and the second permission comprises allowing the second passenger to operate on the first area.
Kim teaches wherein in a first mode, a first permission comprises allowing a first passenger to operate on a second area, and a second permission comprises allowing a second passenger to operate on the first area [figure 13B, paragraph 303, A passenger's request to select a specific screen as a main screen may be received through the sub display 1310. For instance, the guide information may include a graphic object corresponding to each screen. ‘A’ graphic object corresponding to the ‘A’ screen, ‘B’ graphic object corresponding to the ‘B’ screen, etc. may be included in the guide information. A passenger may select the ‘B’ screen as a main screen by applying a touch input to the ‘B’ graphic object. Further, a user may apply various touch inputs to each graphic object, thereby executing various functions related to a corresponding screen]
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the electronic device of Tan to wherein in the first mode, at least a part of the display device is disposed to display a first image, in the second mode, at least a part of the display device is disposed to display a second image, and the first image is different from the second image, as taught by Kim, in order to provide a vehicle controlling apparatus capable of providing various interactions by utilizing such a large-screen display (Kim, paragraph 10).
As to claim 18, Tan discloses the electronic device according to claim 1.
Tan does not disclose wherein the first area and the second area are disposed in different display panels.
Kim teaches wherein a first area and a second area are disposed in different display panels [figures 12A-B, first area and second area are disposed in different display panels A-C].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the electronic device of Tan to wherein a first area and a second area are disposed in different display panels, as taught by Kim, in order to provide a vehicle controlling apparatus capable of providing various interactions by utilizing such a large-screen display (Kim, paragraph 10).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tan, as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Tamura et al. (US. Pub. No. 2019/0025577, hereinafter “Tamura”).
As to claim 15, Tan discloses the electronic device according to claim 1.
Tan does not disclose wherein in the first mode, at least a part of the display device is disposed to display a first image, in the second mode, at least a part of the display device is disposed to display a second image, and the first image is different from the second image.
Tamura teaches wherein in a first mode, at least a part of a display device is disposed to display a first image [figure 3, display a first image IM1 in manual driving mode], in a second mode, at least a part of the display device is disposed to display a second image, and the first image is different from the second image [figure 5, display a second image IM2 in autonomous driving mode, IM1 is different from IM2, paragraph 39, The control device 3 controls the first display device 1 and the second display device 2 based on the state of the vehicle. More specifically, when the vehicle is in the manual driving mode, the control device 3 allows the first display device 1 to display the first image Im1. On the other hand, when the vehicle is in the autonomous driving mode, the control device 3 allows the second display device 2 to display the second image Im2].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the electronic device of Tan to wherein in the first mode, at least a part of the display device is disposed to display a first image, in the second mode, at least a part of the display device is disposed to display a second image, and the first image is different from the second image, as taught by Tamura, in order to control the first display device and the second display device based on a travel state of the vehicle (Tamura, abstract).
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tan, as applied to claim 1 above, further in view of Shiba et al. (US. Pub. No. 2021/0237754, hereinafter “Shiba”).
As to claim 17, Tan discloses the electronic device according to claim 1.
Tan does not disclose wherein a third area is further disposed between the first area and the second area, and the first area, the second area and the third area display different display images.
Shiba teaches wherein a third area is further disposed between a first area and a second area, and the first area, the second area and the third area display different display images [figure 4, third area 68 is disposed between a first area 14a and a second area 69, first area, second area and third area display different display images].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the electronic device of Tan to wherein a third area is further disposed between the first area and the second area, and the first area, the second area and the third area display different display images, as taught by Shiba, in order to cause display to be performed in a driving assistance display format (Shiba, abstract).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-14 and 20 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: None of the prior art, made of record, singularly or in combination, teaches or fairly suggests the features presented in the combination limitations of dependent claim 4, such as “wherein the first mode is a vehicle stop mode, and the second mode is a driving mode, in the second mode, the first permission of the first passenger comprises not allowing the first passenger to operate on the first area”, recited by claim 4; and “wherein in a second mode of the vehicle, 10 the second permission of the second passenger comprises not allowing the second passenger to operate on the first area, the first mode is a vehicle stop mode, and the second mode is a driving mode, and the second passenger is further away from the first area than the first passenger”, recited by claim 20.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US. Pub. No. 2006/0044214 (Hong et al.) is considered as pertinent art as seen in figure 2.
US. Pub. No. 2007/0006081 (Maehata et al.) is also considered as pertinent art as seen in figure 3.
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.
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, BENJAMIN LEE can be reached at (571)272-2963. 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.
/NAN-YING YANG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629