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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to CLAIMS entered for patent application 19/190,978 filed on April 28, 2025.
Claims 1-15 are pending.
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 2 of the claim, the claim states “the liquid quality sensor.” Examiner assumes this is a typographical error, and was meant to state “the light quality sensor.” 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).
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Claims 1-15 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-13 of U.S. Patent No. US 12,316,917. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because both disclose playing and displaying content on a display, associating and storing a scene and a time in which the content is played and displayed, acquiring a measured value of the light quantity sensor, and comparing the measured value with a predetermined natural light threshold value, when the processor determines that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value, the processor suggests re-viewing in which the content is returned to and played from a scene of the content displayed on the display at a time when the processor determines that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value, and when the processor receives input of an instruction for re- viewing from an operation member, the processor plays and displays the content again from the scene of the content displayed on the display at the time when the processor determines that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value.
Instant Application
1. A mobile content viewing device comprising: a light quantity sensor; a display; an operation member; and a processor connected to the light quantity sensor, the display, and the operation member, wherein the processor plays and displays content on the display, associates and stores a scene and a time in which the content is played and displayed, acquires a measured value of the light quantity sensor, and compares the measured value with a predetermined natural light threshold value, when the processor determines that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value, the processor suggests re-viewing in which the content is returned to and played from a scene of the content displayed on the display at a time when the processor determines that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value, and when the processor receives input of an instruction for re- viewing from the operation member, the processor plays and displays the content again from the scene of the content displayed on the display at the time when the processor determines that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value.
2. The mobile content viewing device according to The mobile content viewing device according to wherein the processor sets the natural light threshold value according to a set value of brightness of the display.
3. The mobile content viewing device according to The mobile content viewing device according to wherein the processor sets the natural light threshold value according to brightness of a scene of the content displayed on the display.
4. The mobile content viewing device according to claim 1, further comprising a timer, wherein the processor uses the timer to measure a time elapsed from a time when the measured value becomes equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value, and the processor suggests the re-viewing when the elapsed time is equal to or greater than an elapsed time threshold value defined to determine occurrence of a viewing inhibition event.
5. The mobile content viewing device according to The mobile content viewing device according to wherein the processor suggests the re-viewing when the processor determines that the elapsed time is equal to or greater than the elapsed time threshold value, and determines that a newly acquired measured value is less than the natural light threshold value.
6. The mobile content viewing device according to The mobile content viewing device according to wherein the processor compares the measured value with a low natural light threshold value for a relatively small quantity of light, and when a newly acquired measured value becomes equal to or greater than a high natural light threshold value provided for a large quantity of light and larger than the low natural light threshold value during measurement of a time elapsed from a time when the measured value becomes equal to or greater than the low natural light threshold value, the processor suggests the re- viewing even when the elapsed time does not reach the elapsed time threshold value.
7. The mobile content viewing device according to The mobile content viewing device according to wherein the liquid quantity sensor is at least one of an in- camera provided on the same surface as the display, an out-camera provided on a side opposite to the display, and an illuminance sensor.
8. The mobile content viewing device according to The mobile content viewing device according to wherein the processor displays a re-viewing button for suggesting the re-viewing on the display.
9. The mobile content viewing device according to The mobile content viewing device according to wherein the re-viewing button includes a thumbnail video image played from a scene of the content displayed on the display at the time when it is determined that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value.
10. The mobile content viewing device according to The mobile content viewing device according to wherein the processor normally displays the re-viewing button on the display in a state in which the re-viewing button is disactivated, and the processor activates the re-viewing button when the processor determines to suggest the re-viewing.
11. The mobile content viewing device according to The mobile content viewing device according to wherein the processor normally displays a replay button for the content on the display, and the processor hides the replay button and displays the re- viewing button in a region in which the replay button was present when the processor determines to suggest the re-viewing.
12. The mobile content viewing device according to The mobile content viewing device according to wherein when the re-viewing button is pressed at least one or more times within a fixed time period defined in advance after the re-viewing button is pressed, the processor plays the content again from a scene preceding a scene of the content displayed on the display at the time when the processor determines that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value.
13. The mobile content viewing device according to The mobile content viewing device according to wherein the operation member is at least one of a touch panel stacked on the display, a microphone that collects a voice of a viewer, a camera that captures an image of a gesture of the viewer, and the processor that analyzes the gesture included in video image data captured by the camera.
14. A mobile content viewing device comprising: a light quantity sensor; a display; an operation member; a timer; and a processor connected to the light quantity sensor, the display, the operation member, and the timer, wherein the processor plays and displays content on the display, associates and stores a scene and a time in which the content is played and displayed, acquires a measured value of the light quantity sensor, and calculates a natural light threshold value obtained by adding a predetermined light quantity to the measured value, when the processor determines that a time period from a current time to a time when the measured value reaches the natural light threshold value is shorter than a predetermined fixed time period, the processor suggests re-viewing in which the content is returned to and played from a scene of the content displayed on the display at the time when the measured value reaches the natural light threshold value, and when the processor receives input of an instruction for the re-viewing from the operation member, the processor plays and displays the content again from a scene of the content displayed on the display at a time when the processor determines that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value.
15. A content viewing method to be executed by a mobile content viewing device, the content viewing method comprising: a step of reproducing and displaying content on a display and associating and storing a scene and a time in which the content is played and displayed; a step of acquiring a measured value of a light quantity sensor, comparing the measured value with a predetermined natural light threshold value, and when it is determined that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value, suggesting re-viewing in which the content is returned to and played from a scene of the content displayed on the display at a time when it is determined that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value; and a step of reproducing and displaying, when input of an instruction for the re-viewing is received, the content again from the scene of the content displayed at the time when it is determined the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value.
Pat. No.: US 12,316,917
1. A mobile content viewing device comprising: a light quantity sensor; a display; a touch panel; and a processor connected to the light quantity sensor, the display, and the touch panel, wherein the processor plays and displays content on the display, associates and stores a scene and a time in which the content is played and displayed, acquires a measured value of the light quantity sensor, and compares the measured value with a predetermined natural light threshold value, when the processor determines that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value, the processor suggests re-viewing in which the content is returned to and played from a scene of the content displayed on the display at a time when the processor determines that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value, and when the processor receives input of an instruction for re-viewing from the touch panel, the processor plays and displays the content again from the scene of the content displayed on the display at the time when the processor determines that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value.
2. The mobile content viewing device according to claim 1, wherein the processor sets the natural light threshold value according to a set value of brightness of the display.
3. The mobile content viewing device according to claim 1, wherein the processor sets the natural light threshold value according to brightness of a scene of the content displayed on the display.
4. The mobile content viewing device according to claim 1, further comprising a timer, wherein the processor uses the timer to measure a time elapsed from a time when the measured value becomes equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value, and the processor suggests the re-viewing when the elapsed time is equal to or greater than an elapsed time threshold value defined to determine occurrence of a viewing inhibition event.
5. The mobile content viewing device according to claim 4, wherein the processor suggests the re-viewing when the processor determines that the elapsed time is equal to or greater than the elapsed time threshold value, and determines that a newly acquired measured value is less than the natural light threshold value.
6. The mobile content viewing device according to claim 4, wherein the processor compares the measured value with a low natural light threshold value for a relatively small quantity of light, and when a newly acquired measured value becomes equal to or greater than a high natural light threshold value provided for a large quantity of light and larger than the low natural light threshold value during measurement of a time elapsed from a time when the measured value becomes equal to or greater than the low natural light threshold value, the processor suggests the re-viewing even when the elapsed time does not reach the elapsed time threshold value.
7. The mobile content viewing device according to claim 1, wherein the light quantity sensor is at least one of an in-camera provided on the same surface as the display, an out-camera provided on a side opposite to the display, and an illuminance sensor.
8. The mobile content viewing device according to claim 1, wherein the processor displays a re-viewing button for suggesting the re-viewing on the display.
9. The mobile content viewing device according to claim 8, wherein the re-viewing button includes a thumbnail video image played from a scene of the content displayed on the display at the time when it is determined that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value.
10. The mobile content viewing device according to claim 8, wherein the processor normally displays the re-viewing button on the display in a state in which the re-viewing button is disactivated, and the processor activates the re-viewing button when the processor determines to suggest the re-viewing.
11. The mobile content viewing device according to claim 8, wherein the processor normally displays a replay button for the content on the display, and the processor hides the replay button and displays the re-viewing button in a region in which the replay button was present when the processor determines to suggest the re-viewing.
12. The mobile content viewing device according to claim 8, wherein when the re-viewing button is pressed at least one or more times within a fixed time period defined in advance after the re-viewing button is pressed, the processor plays the content again from a scene preceding a scene of the content displayed on the display at the time when the processor determines that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value.
13. A content viewing method to be executed by a mobile content viewing device, the content viewing method comprising: a step of reproducing and displaying content on a display and associating and storing a scene and a time in which the content is played and displayed; a step of acquiring a measured value of a light quantity sensor, comparing the measured value with a predetermined natural light threshold value, and when it is determined that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value, suggesting re-viewing in which the content is returned to and played from a scene of the content displayed on the display at a time when it is determined that the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value; and a step of reproducing and displaying, when input of an instruction for the re-viewing is received, the content again from the scene of the content displayed at the time when it is determined the measured value is equal to or greater than the natural light threshold value.
Conclusion
Claims 1-15 are rejected. Claim 7 is objected to.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Joshua D Taylor whose telephone number is (571)270-3755. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 6 pm.
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/Joshua D Taylor/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2426 September 3, 2026
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