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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 07/31/2025 and 02/27/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 13-16, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Publication No. 2013/0117717 to Song et al. (Song).
As to claim 1, Song discloses an electronic device comprising:
at least one camera (Fig. 4B; Para. 0040-0041, first position calculation unit, 301; Para. 0074-0075, camera for positioning device);
a touch sensitive display (Fig. 4B; Para. 0038, sensitive screen, 10 can display images);
at least one processor including processing circuitry (Para. 0036, controller to control operation of the 3D display system 200); and
memory, comprising one or more storage media, storing instructions (Para. 0036, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM)),
wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively (Para. 0036, control operation of the 3D display system 200), cause the electronic device to:
based on a three-dimensional (3D) display mode of the touch sensitive display, for providing a 3D effect image at a space in front of the touch sensitive display, display, via the touch sensitive display, two images separated from each other (Fig. 1; Para. 0020-0023, more than one operated device, 250 may be included);
based on a position relationship between the electronic device and an eye of a user in front of the electronic device, set a spatial range positioned in the space with respect to the 3D effect image (Para. 0049, 0051-0052, 3D positions of the left eye and right eye of the user may be configured or may be obtained by tracking);
while providing the 3D effect image, identify, via the at least one camera, whether a specified portion of a stylus pen is moved into the spatial range (Fig. 1, 4B; Para. 0040-0042, the 3D position of the contact portion may be determined based on 3D position information received from the operating pen 100, or based on 3D position information of a particular portion of the operating pen 100, azimuth information of the operating pen 100, and the distance between the contact portion and the particular portion; Para. 0074-0075, camera (tracking device) may be used to track and identify the operating pen 100, and to determine the 3D position information of the operating pen 100 to be sent to the 3D display system 200.); and
based on the specified portion of the stylus pen being moved into the spatial range, identify a position of the specified portion of the stylus pen as an input with respect to the 3D effect image (Fig. 1; Para. 0059, click operation; Para. 0066, display of the button can then be changed upon the detection of the virtual touch, such that the button looks like being pressed down).
As to claim 2, Song discloses the electronic device of claim 1,
wherein the touch sensitive display includes first display regions and second display regions (Para. 0051-0052, 0060, the left image and the right image of the 3D image), and
wherein the first display regions and the second display regions alternate with each other (Para. 0060, the coordinates of the pixels from the left image and/or right image of the operated device 250 may be shifted horizontally),
wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
for providing the 3D effect image at the space, concurrently display a first image of the two images via the first display regions and a second image of the two images via the second display regions (Para. 0051-0052, 0060, the left image and the right image of the 3D image).
As to claim 13, Song discloses the electronic device of claim 1,
wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
based on a 2D display mode before an execution of the 3D display mode, providing a 2D effect image on the touch sensitive display, display, via the touch sensitive display, one image (Para. 0003, the direct display effect of a user operation is shown in 2D; Para. 0004, perform 2D operations on display screen),
wherein the 3D effect image is configured to be perceived as being positioned at the space in front of the touch sensitive display (Fig. 1; Para. 0021-0022, operated device, 250 above the 3D display system, 200), and
wherein the 2D effect image is configured to be perceived as being positioned on the touch sensitive display (Para. 0003, the direct display effect of a user operation is shown in 2D).
As to claim 14, Song discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: based on the specified portion of the stylus pen being moved into the spatial range, execute at least one function in accordance with the identified input (Fig. 1; Para. 0059, click operation; Para. 0066, display of the button can then be changed upon the detection of the virtual touch, such that the button looks like being pressed down).
As to claim 15, Song discloses the electronic device of claim 14, wherein the at least one function includes displaying, via the touch sensitive display, other two images changed from the two images for providing another 3D effect image at least partially changed from the 3D effect image (Fig. 1; Para. 0059, click operation; Para. 0066, display of the button can then be changed upon the detection of the virtual touch, such that the button looks like being pressed down).
As to claim 16, Song discloses the electronic device of claim 15, wherein the electronic device further comprises communication circuitry (Fig. 4b, Para. 0038, communication unit, 20), wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
receive, from the stylus pen via the communication circuitry, pressure information indicating a pressure applied to the stylus pen (Fig. 3b; Para. 0031-0032, retraction-sensing unit, 106);
based on a first change in accordance with the pressure information indicating a first pressure, generate the other 3D effect image from the 3D effect image (Para. 0065-0066, based on the virtual 3D position of the retracted portion of the operating pen 100, a 3D image of the retracted portion of the operating pen 100 is drawn or rendered in real-time, dependent on distance of retraction (i.e. pressure)); and
based on a second change different from the first change in accordance with the pressure information indicating a second pressure different from the first pressure, generate the other 3D effect image from the 3D effect image (Para. 0065-0066, based on the virtual 3D position of the retracted portion of the operating pen 100, a 3D image of the retracted portion of the operating pen 100 is drawn or rendered in real-time, dependent on distance of retraction (i.e. pressure).
As to claim 18, Song discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device further comprises communication circuitry (Fig. 4b, Para. 0038, communication unit, 20), wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to:
receive, via the communication circuitry, a signal indicating that a physical button of the stylus pen has been pressed (Fig. 3b; Para. 0031-0032, retraction-sensing unit, 106);
based on reception of the signal, obtain data usable for identifying the position of the specified portion of the stylus pen via the at least one camera (Fig. 1, 4B; Para. 0040-0042, the 3D position of the contact portion may be determined based on 3D position information received from the operating pen 100, or based on 3D position information of a particular portion of the operating pen 100, azimuth information of the operating pen 100, and the distance between the contact portion and the particular portion; Para. 0074-0075, camera (tracking device) may be used to track and identify the operating pen 100, and to determine the 3D position information of the operating pen 100 to be sent to the 3D display system 200.); and
based on the data usable for identifying the position of the specified portion of the stylus pen, execute at least one function (Fig. 1; Para. 0059, click operation; Para. 0066, display of the button can then be changed upon the detection of the virtual touch, such that the button looks like being pressed down).
As to claim 19, Song discloses an electronic device comprising:
at least one camera configured to obtain an image usable for identifying a distance from the electronic device to an eye and a position of a stylus pen being in conjunction with the electronic device (Fig. 4B; Para. 0040-0041, first position calculation unit, 301; Para. 0074-0075, camera for positioning device; Fig. 1-4; Para. 0020, operating pen, 100);
at least one sensor configured to obtain data usable for identifying a direction of the eye with respect to the electronic device (Para. 0052, head tracking device);
a touch sensitive display configured to operate in one of a two-dimensional (2D) display mode and a three-dimensional (3D) display mode (Para. 0034, 3D display system 200 may include any appropriate device capable of processing and displaying 2D and 3D images; Fig. 4B; Para. 0038, sensitive screen, 10 can display images);
at least one processor including processing circuitry (Para. 0036, controller to control operation of the 3D display system 200); and
memory, comprising one or more storage media (Para. 0036, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM)), storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively (Para. 0036, control operation of the 3D display system 200), cause the electronic device to:
based on the 2D display mode representing one effect image by displaying, via the touch sensitive display, one image, identify, using the touch sensitive display, an input received from the stylus pen (Para. 0003, the direct display effect of a user operation is shown in 2D; Para. 0004, perform 2D operations on display screen); and
based on the 3D display mode representing one effect image by displaying, via the touch sensitive display, two images separated from each other, identify, using the at least one sensor and the at least one camera, an input received from the stylus pen (Fig. 1, 4B; Para. 0040-0042, the 3D position of the contact portion may be determined based on 3D position information received from the operating pen 100, or based on 3D position information of a particular portion of the operating pen 100, azimuth information of the operating pen 100, and the distance between the contact portion and the particular portion; Para. 0074-0075, camera (tracking device) may be used to track and identify the operating pen 100, and to determine the 3D position information of the operating pen 100 to be sent to the 3D display system 200.).
As to claim 20, Song discloses a system comprising:
an electronic device (Fig, 1-4; Para. 0020, 3D display system, 300); and
a stylus pen being in conjunction with the electronic device (Fig. 1-4; Para. 0020, operating pen, 100), wherein the electronic device is configured to:
based on a three-dimensional (3D) display mode of the electronic device, for providing a 3D effect image at a space in front of the electronic device, display two images separated from each other (Fig. 1; Para. 0020-0023, more than one operated device, 250 may be included); and
transmit, to the stylus pen, a signal to notify the 3D display mode of the electronic device (Fig. 3b; Para. 0027, communication unit, 103; Fig. 4b, Para. 0038, communication unit, 20),
wherein the stylus pen is configured to:
obtain data usable for identifying a pressure applied to the stylus pen (Fig. 3b; Para. 0031-0032, retraction-sensing unit, 106); and
in response to reception of the signal from the electronic device, transmit, to the electronic device, pressure information indicating the pressure applied to the stylus pen identified based on the data (Fig. 3b; Para. 0031-0032, When the retraction length of the tip of the operating pen 100 changes, the pressure on the pressure sensor by the elastic device also changes, and the retraction-sensing unit 106 may then convert the pressure information into a corresponding electrical signal and send the converted information to the communication unit 103 for transmission),
wherein the electronic device is configured to:
receive, from the stylus pen, the pressure information indicating the pressure applied to the stylus pen (Fig. 4b, Para. 0038, communication unit, 20); and
identify a position of a specified portion of the stylus pen as an input having the pressure with respect to the 3D effect image (Para. 0044-0045, second position calculation unit 304 is configured to calculate the virtual 3D position of the retracted portion of the operating pen 100 based on the 3D position of the contact portion of the operating pen 100, the touch position between the operating pen 100 and the screen 10, and the mathematic model of the retractable head 102 of the operating pen 100).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-12 and 17 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.
Conclusion
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/LISA S LANDIS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2626
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