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 .
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 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hsu et al. (USPN 2011/0040563 A1).
As to claim 6, Hsu teaches a voice-controlled display (see at least [0017] “FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a display device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The display device 10 is preferably a television (TV) set, … The voice control device 104 controls the processing circuit 102 according to voices of a user”), comprising:
a voice receiving module configured to receive a speech instruction, and transform the speech instruction into a speech signal (see at least [0018] “The voice receiver 200 is used for receiving voice signals of the user, and transmitting the received voice signal to the voice recognition unit 202”; and [0029] “The voice receiver 200 receives a voice signal” – note the received spoken instruction must be converted into an electrical and/or digital speech signal before being processed by the voice recognition unit 202);
a processing module signally connected to the voice receiving module, and identifying the speech signal to generate a controlling instruction (see at least [0018] “The voice receiver 200 is used for receiving voice signals of the user, and transmitting the received voice signal to the voice recognition unit 202, in order to recognize contents of the voice signals and generate a corresponding recognition result. The function decision unit 204 determines which operating function the user wants to execute according to the recognition result provided by the voice recognition unit 202, and the execution unit 206 outputs a control command CMD accordingly, to control the processing circuit 102 to perform a corresponding operation.”; [0030] “The voice recognition unit 202 recognizes the voice signal, to generate a recognition result”; [0031] “The function decision unit 204 selects an operating function from a plurality of operating functions according to the recognition result.”; [0032] “The execution unit 206 controls the display device 10 to perform the operating function.”);
a displaying module signally connected to the processing module, and displaying a display screen according to the controlling instruction (see at least [0017] “The processing circuit 102 is utilized for receiving a video signal and displaying pictures corresponding to the video signal on the screen 100”; and [0018] “the execution unit 206 outputs a control command CMD accordingly, to control the processing circuit 102 to perform a corresponding operation”; [0032] “The execution unit 206 controls the display device 10 to perform the operating function” – note the screen 100 corresponds to the claimed displaying module because it displays visual content, while the processing circuit 102 and execution unit 206 collectively provide the claimed functional relationship of displaying a display screen according to the generated controlling instruction).
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.
Claims 1-3 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu et al. (USPN 2011/0040563 A1) in view of Liu (CN 117812309 A).
As to claim 1, Hsu teaches a voice-controlled displaying system (see at least [0017] “FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a display device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The display device 10 is preferably a television (TV) set, … The voice control device 104 controls the processing circuit 102 according to voices of a user”)
comprising: a controller (see at least [0017] “The display device 10 … comprises a screen 100, a processing circuit 102, and a voice control device 104” - the combination of the processing circuit 102 and voice control device 104 corresponds to the controller because these components collectively receive, process, and execute voice-based control operations for the display device),
comprising: a voice receiving module configured to receive a speech instruction, and transform the speech instruction into a speech signal (see at least [0018] “The voice receiver 200 is used for receiving voice signals of the user, and transmitting the received voice signal to the voice recognition unit 202”; and [0029] “The voice receiver 200 receives a voice signal” – note the received spoken instruction must be converted into an electrical and/or digital speech signal before being processed by the voice recognition unit 202);
a processing module signally connected to the voice receiving module, and identifying the speech signal to generate a controlling instruction (see at least [0018] “The voice receiver 200 is used for receiving voice signals of the user, and transmitting the received voice signal to the voice recognition unit 202, in order to recognize contents of the voice signals and generate a corresponding recognition result. The function decision unit 204 determines which operating function the user wants to execute according to the recognition result provided by the voice recognition unit 202, and the execution unit 206 outputs a control command CMD accordingly, to control the processing circuit 102 to perform a corresponding operation.”; [0030] “The voice recognition unit 202 recognizes the voice signal, to generate a recognition result”; [0031] “The function decision unit 204 selects an operating function from a plurality of operating functions according to the recognition result.”; [0032] “The execution unit 206 controls the display device 10 to perform the operating function.”); and
a transmitting module signally connected to the processing module, and configured to transmit the controlling instruction (see at least [0018] “the execution unit 206 outputs a control command CMD accordingly, to control the processing circuit 102 to perform a corresponding operation”; [0032] “The execution unit 206 controls the display device 10 to perform the operating function”); and
a display (see at least [0017] “The display device 10 … comprises a screen 100”),
comprising: receiving the transmitted control command at display-side circuitry (see at least [0017] “The processing circuit 102 is utilized for receiving a video signal and displaying pictures corresponding to the video signal on the screen 100”; [0018] “the execution unit 206 outputs a control command CMD accordingly, to control the processing circuit 102”); and
a displaying module signally connected to the receiving module, and displaying a display screen according to the controlling instruction (see at least [0017] “The processing circuit 102 is utilized for receiving a video signal and displaying pictures corresponding to the video signal on the screen 100”; and [0018] “the execution unit 206 outputs a control command CMD accordingly, to control the processing circuit 102 to perform a corresponding operation”; [0032] “The execution unit 206 controls the display device 10 to perform the operating function” – note the screen 100 corresponds to the claimed displaying module because it displays visual content, while the processing circuit 102 and execution unit 206 collectively provide the claimed functional relationship of displaying a display screen according to the generated controlling instruction).
Hsu does not explicitly teach that the display itself comprises a distinct “receiving module”.
Liu teaches a display, comprising: a receiving module signally connected to the transmitting module, and receiving the controlling instruction (see at least [n0078] “the display device 200 can establish the transmission and reception of control signals and data signals with the control device 100” … the display 260 includes … a component for receiving image signals output from the controller 250”); and
a displaying module signally connected to the receiving module, and displaying a display screen according to the controlling instruction (see [n0078] “the display 260 includes a display screen component for presenting a page, .., and a user control UI interface for displaying video content, image content, menu control interface, and user control UI interface. .. users can input user commands by entering specific sounds or gestures. The user input interface then uses sensors to recognize the sounds or gestures to receive the user input commands.”
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the voice-controlled display system of Hsu to include the explicit signal receiving and display interface architecture taught by Liu in order to improve communication and coordination between the controller-side voice processing circuitry and the display-side presentation circuitry. Liu expressly teaches a display architecture having dedicated signal receiving components and display screen presentation components for handling controller-generated instructions. Incorporating such known signal reception and display interface techniques into Hsu merely involves the predictable use of prior art elements according to their established functions to improve signal handling, and display responsiveness in a voice-controlled display system.
As to claim 2, the combination of Hsu and Liu teach the voice-controlled displaying system of claim 1 (see above rejection), wherein the controller further comprises: a searching module signally connected to the processing module, and configured to connect to a searching engine via an internet, so as to search an instruction information corresponding to the controlling instruction from the se arching engine; wherein the transmitting module transmits the controlling instruction and the instruction information to the display, and the display displays the display screen according to the controlling instruction and the instruction information (see Liu at least [n0005] “the smart device can directly send the interactive information to the server”; [n0007] “The communicator is configured to connect to a smart device for screen mirroring”; and [n0078] “the display device 200 can establish the transmission and reception of control signals and data signals with the control device 100 or the server 300 through the communicator 220. … The display device 200 can collect user voice through a sound collector and transmit the collected user voice to the controller 250 for processing .. the display 260 includes a display screen component for presenting a page … a component for receiving image signals output from the controller 250, and a user control UI interface for displaying video content, image content, menu control interface, and user control UI interface”).
As to claim 3, the combination of Hsu and Liu teach the voice-controlled displaying system of claim 1 (see above rejection), wherein the display screen comprises at least one of an image information, a weather information, a stock market information and a map guiding information (see Liu at least [n0005] “the smart device can directly send the interactive information to the server”; [n0078] “the display 260 includes a display screen component for presenting a page, and a user control UI interface for displaying video content, image content, menu control interface, and user control UI interface. .. The most common form of user interface is the graphical user interface (GUI), which refers to a user interface related to computer operation that is displayed graphically. .. The control can include at least one of the visual interface elements such as icons, buttons, menus, tabs, text boxes, dialog boxes, status bars, navigation bars, and widgets” - note weather information, stock market information, and map guiding information are well-known categories of information commonly displayed through graphical user interfaces, widgets, navigation bars, and network-connected display systems such as those taught by Liu).
As to claim 7, Hsu teaches the voice-controlled display of claim 6 (see above rejection).
Hsu does not directly teach a searching module signally connected to the processing module and displaying module, and configured to connected to a searching engine via an internet, so as to search an instruction information corresponding to the controlling instruction from the searching engine; wherein the displaying module displays the display screen according to the controlling instruction and the instruction information.
Liu teaches a searching module signally connected to the processing module and displaying module, and configured to connected to a searching engine via an internet, so as to search an instruction information corresponding to the controlling instruction from the searching engine; wherein the displaying module displays the display screen according to the controlling instruction and the instruction information (see Liu at least [n0005] “the smart device can directly send the interactive information to the server”; [n0007] “The communicator is configured to connect to a smart device for screen mirroring”; and [n0078] “the display device 200 can establish the transmission and reception of control signals and data signals with the control device 100 or the server 300 through the communicator 220. … The display device 200 can collect user voice through a sound collector and transmit the collected user voice to the controller 250 for processing .. the display 260 includes a display screen component for presenting a page … a component for receiving image signals output from the controller 250, and a user control UI interface for displaying video content, image content, menu control interface, and user control UI interface” – note the server communication and exchange of interactive information taught by Liu reasonably correspond to searching instruction information from a searching engine via the internet. Further, Liu teaches displaying content according to both control instructions and retrieved/displayed information because the display presents interface content responsive to controller-generated control/data signals).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hsu to include Liu’s network-connected searching and information retrieval/display architecture in order to provide internet-based retrieval of information associated with user voice commands and dynamic display of the retrieved information. Such modification combines known network communication and display interface techniques with a known voice-controlled display system to obtain predictable results.
As to claim 8, Hsu teaches the voice-controlled display of claim 6 (see above rejection).
Hsu does not directly teach wherein the display screen comprises at least one of an image information, a weather information, a stock market information, a map guiding information.
Liu teaches wherein the display screen comprises at least one of an image information, a weather information, a stock market information, a map guiding information (see Liu at least [n0005] “the smart device can directly send the interactive information to the server”; [n0078] “the display 260 includes a display screen component for presenting a page, and a user control UI interface for displaying video content, image content, menu control interface, and user control UI interface. .. The most common form of user interface is the graphical user interface (GUI), which refers to a user interface related to computer operation that is displayed graphically. .. The control can include at least one of the visual interface elements such as icons, buttons, menus, tabs, text boxes, dialog boxes, status bars, navigation bars, and widgets” - note weather information, stock market information, and map guiding information are well-known categories of information commonly displayed through graphical user interfaces, widgets, navigation bars, and network-connected display systems such as those taught by Liu).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the known GUI and network-display architecture of Liu within the voice-controlled display of Hsu to display commonly-used informational content including weather information, stock market information, and map guiding information because such information types are conventionally presented through GUI widgets, menus, and network-connected display interfaces. This represents the predictable use of prior art display systems according to their established functions.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu et al. (USPN 2011/0040563 A1) in view of Liu (CN 117812309 A), further in view of Wang (WO 2012/171396 A1).
As to claim 4, the combination of Hsu and Liu teach the voice-controlled displaying system of claim 1 (see above rejection),
Hsu and Liu do not directly teach wherein the display further comprises: a solar module electrically connected to the receiving module and the displaying module, and configured to transform an ambient light to a power, and supply the power to the receiving module and the displaying module.
Wang teaches wherein the display further comprises: a solar module electrically connected to the receiving module and the displaying module, and configured to transform an ambient light to a power, and supply the power to the receiving module and the displaying module (see at least Page 2 “solar panel consists of photovoltaic cells attached to the opposite side of a transparent type AMOLED display panel… the electronic device may further comprise a power management portion for managing and distributing the amount of the electrical power from either said integrated module, the electronic device main battery or any electronic device external power supply. The power management portion may be arranged to that when said electronic device is not in use, the electrical energy generated from said integrated module is used to trickle charge the internal battery of the electronic device.”; Page 3 “any ambient light that goes through the display portion would be converted to electrical power by the photovoltaic cells”; Page 5 “Any ambient light from this side that goes through the transparent AMOLED display portion plus the light emitted from the transparent AMOLED display portion go through the transparent shared substrate and the transparent solar panel front conductor and then reach the photovoltaic cells to be converted to electrical power.”; Page 6 “The electrical power generated from the integrated module then can be used as additional energy source to power the device that uses the display.”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the voice-controlled displaying system of Hsu and Liu to include the solar-powered display architecture taught by Wang in order to reduce dependence on external power sources, improve energy efficiency, and provide supplemental power generation for the display system using ambient light. Incorporating Wang’s known photovoltaic display integration into the known voice-controlled display system merely involves the predictable use of prior art energy-harvesting techniques according to their established functions.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu et al. (USPN 2011/0040563 A1) in view of Liu (CN 117812309 A), further in view of Kuo (USPN 2017/0103717 A1).
As to claim 5, the combination of Hsu and Liu teach the voice-controlled displaying system of claim 1 (see above rejection). wherein the controller is a smart speaker (see [0025] “the voice control device 104 can be formed inside the housing of the display device 10 … or formed outside the housing”; and “the voice control device 104 is formed inside a remote controller 500”).
Hsu and Liu do not directly teach wherein the displaying module is a Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Display (ChLCD), and the controlling instruction is configured to drive the display screen switching between a transparent screen and a non-transparent screen.
Kuo teaches the displaying module is a Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Display (ChLCD), and the controlling instruction is configured to drive the display screen switching between a transparent screen and a non-transparent screen (see at least [0026] “the liquid-crystal layer 240 comprises .. a Cholesteric Liquid-crystal (CHLC) material. .. The voltage levels of the electrodes T1˜T3 and 252 can change the arrangements of the liquid-crystal components .. so that the liquid-crystal component in the corresponding region is switched to a transparent phase or an opaque phase.”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the voice-controlled display system of Hsu and Liu to utilize the cholesteric liquid crystal display technology taught by Kuo in order to provide controllable transparent and non-transparent display states responsive to control instructions. Incorporating Kuo’s known CHLC switching display into Hsu combines known display technology with a known voice-controlled display system to achieve predictable visual display control functionality.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu et al. (USPN 2011/0040563 A1) in view of Wang (WO 2012/171396 A1).
As to claim 9, Hsu teaches the voice-controlled display of claim 6 (see above rejection).
Hsu does not directly teach a solar module electrically connected to the displaying module, and configured to transform an ambient light to a power, and supply the power to the voice receiving module, the processing module and the displaying module.
Wang teaches a solar module electrically connected to the displaying module, and configured to transform an ambient light to a power, and supply the power to the voice receiving module, the processing module and the displaying module. (see at least Page 2 “solar panel consists of photovoltaic cells attached to the opposite side of a transparent type AMOLED display panel… the electronic device may further comprise a power management portion for managing and distributing the amount of the electrical power from either said integrated module, the electronic device main battery or any electronic device external power supply. The power management portion may be arranged to that when said electronic device is not in use, the electrical energy generated from said integrated module is used to trickle charge the internal battery of the electronic device.”; Page 3 “any ambient light that goes through the display portion would be converted to electrical power by the photovoltaic cells”; Page 5 “Any ambient light from this side that goes through the transparent AMOLED display portion plus the light emitted from the transparent AMOLED display portion go through the transparent shared substrate and the transparent solar panel front conductor and then reach the photovoltaic cells to be converted to electrical power.”; Page 6 “The electrical power generated from the integrated module then can be used as additional energy source to power the device that uses the display.”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Wang’s photovoltaic display power system into the voice-controlled display of Hsu in order to provide supplemental electrical power generated from ambient light and thereby improve device power efficiency and operational lifetime. The modification combines known solar-powered display technology with a known voice-controlled display device to achieve predictable results.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu et al. (USPN 2011/0040563 A1) in view of Kuo (USPN 2017/0103717 A1).
As to claim 10, Hsu teaches the voice-controlled displaying of claim 6 (see above rejection).
Hsu does not directly teach wherein the displaying module is a Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Display (ChLCD), and the controlling instruction is configured to drive the display screen switching between a transparent screen and a non-transparent screen.
Kuo teaches the displaying module is a Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Display (ChLCD), and the controlling instruction is configured to drive the display screen switching between a transparent screen and a non-transparent screen (see at least [0026] “the liquid-crystal layer 240 comprises .. a Cholesteric Liquid-crystal (CHLC) material. .. The voltage levels of the electrodes T1˜T3 and 252 can change the arrangements of the liquid-crystal components .. so that the liquid-crystal component in the corresponding region is switched to a transparent phase or an opaque phase.”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the voice-controlled display system of Hsu to utilize the cholesteric liquid crystal display technology taught by Kuo in order to provide controllable transparent and non-transparent display states responsive to control instructions. Incorporating Kuo’s known CHLC switching display into Hsu combines known display technology with a known voice-controlled display system to achieve predictable visual display control functionality.
Conclusion
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/JENNIFER L ZUBAJLO/ Examiner, Art Unit 2627 5/28/2026
/KE XIAO/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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