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) submitted on 09/12/2025 and 04/29/2026 was filed after the mailing date of the application on 08/27/2025. 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 § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Claims 14-15 is drawn to a computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program, where the computer readable medium as defined in the specification does not explicitly exclude a signal or carrier wave; therefore, fail(s) to fall within a statutory category of invention.
A claim directed to a computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program, where the computer readable medium as defined in the specification does not explicitly exclude a signal or carrier wave or paper, which can covers a signal or carrier wave or paper which are non-statutory as noted, infra.
A claim directed to a computer program itself or signal or carrier wave is non-statutory because it is not:
A process occurring as a result of executing the program, or
A machine programmed to operate in accordance with the program, or
A manufacture structurally and functionally interconnected with the program in a manner which enable the program to act as a computer component and realize its functionality, or
A composition of matter.
A claim directed to a paper having thereon a computer program is non-statutory, because it covers printed matter which is non-statutory. It is not until the program is converted into an electronic form to be read and executed by the processor that it becomes functional descriptive material. There is no functional relationship between the paper and the computer program (see In re Gulack, 217 USPQ 401, In re Lowry ,32 F.3d 1579, 32 USPQ2d 1031 (Fed.Cir.1994)). The program as disclosed is merely printed on the paper, hence the program is merely non-functional descriptive material, therefor, the claimed paper with a computer program printed on it is non-statutory. See Ex parte S, 25 JPOS 904, Ex parte Glenn, 155 USPQ 42 , In re Lockert, 65 F.2d 159, 17 USPQ 515.
See MPEP § 2106.01. Data structures not claimed as embodied in computer readable media are descriptive material per se and are not statutory because they are not capable of causing functional change in the computer. See, e.g., Warmerdam, 33 F.3d at 1361, 31 USPQ2d at 1760 (claim to a data structure per se held nonstatutory). Such claimed data structures do not define any structural and functional interrelationships between the data structure and other claimed aspects of the invention, which permit the data structure's functionality to be realized. In contrast, a claimed computer readable medium encoded with a data structure defines structural and functional interrelationships between the data structure and the computer software and hardware components which permit the data structure's functionality to be realized, and is thus statutory. Similarly, computer programs claimed as computer listings per se, i.e., the descriptions or expressions of the programs are not physical “things.” They are neither computer components nor statutory processes, as they are not “acts” being performed. Such claimed computer programs do not define any structural and functional interrelationships between the computer program and other claimed elements of a computer, which permit the computer program's functionality to be realized.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI et al (US Pub. 20220415282) in view of Zhong et al (US Pub. 20180365086).
Regarding claim 1, LI discloses:
A display control method, applied to an electronic device, (at least fig. 1 and paragraph 85. Describes a control method based on a vertical synchronization signal. The method may be applied to an electronic device including a touchscreen) wherein the method comprises:
Receiving a first operation of a user, (at least fig. 1A and paragraph 88. Describes after a TP in the TP IC/TP driver 10 collects a touch operation performed by the user (for example, a touch object such as a user finger or a stylus) on the TP of the electronic device);
Starting a first application in response to the first operation, (at least fig. 1A and paragraphs 90-93. Describes the UI thread in the UI framework 30 draws one or more layers corresponding to the touch event, and a rendering thread (for example, drawFrame) performs layer rendering on the one or more layers. Para. 91, describes: A composition thread in the display frame 40 performs layer composition on the one or more drawn layers (namely, the one or more rendered layers) to obtain an image frame);
Receiving a second operation of the user for the first application, wherein the second operation comprises a sliding operation, (at least fig. 8B(1) and paragraphs 245-246. Describes in response to a sliding operation of the user from the touch point A to the touch point H through the touch point B, the touch point C, the touch point D, the touch point E, the touch point F, and the touch point G, the electronic device may display an image of a smiley icon and that moves with the sliding operation);
Obtaining touch point coordinates and a touch event of the second operation based on a touch sampling rate of the electronic device in response to the second operation, (at least fig. 8B(1) and paragraph 237. Describes a sample period from a moment t.sub.2 to a moment t.sub.3, the TP collects two touch points: a touch point A and a touch point B);
Generating a first vertical synchronization signal based on a screen refresh rate of the electronic device, (at least fig. 1A, 3 and paragraph 134. Describes a signal period T3 of the vertical synchronization signal 3 (for example, HW_VSYNC) is determined based on a screen refresh rate of the display screen of the electronic device) and generating a second vertical synchronization signal based on the touch event, (at least fig. 1A, 3 and paragraph 132. Describes a finger touches the TP) or a UI event occurring in the electronic device, the UI framework may invoke, at an arrival moment of the vertical synchronization signal 1, the UI thread to draw one or more layers corresponding to the touch event, and then invoke the rendering thread to render the one or more layers); and
Performing drawing and rendering of an image frame to be refreshed and displayed in response to either of the first vertical synchronization signal and the second vertical synchronization signal when the second operation reaches a sliding response threshold of the first application, (at least fig. 8B(1) and paragraphs 132,134, 251. Describes a signal period T3 of the vertical synchronization signal 3 (for example, HW_VSYNC) is determined based on a screen refresh rate of the display screen of the electronic device. Para. 132, describes: a finger touches the TP) or a UI event occurring in the electronic device, the UI framework may invoke, at an arrival moment of the vertical synchronization signal 1, the UI thread to draw one or more layers corresponding to the touch event, and then invoke the rendering thread to render the one or more layers. Para. 251, describes: When the user finger slides to a location (namely, a location corresponding to a user finger (4)) between the touch point H and the touch point I at the moment t.sub.7, , the electronic device may display a smiley face (4) at a location corresponding to the resample Re2′ point in response to a touch operation at the Re2′ point. In this case, the electronic device performs image frame display 4).
LI does not explicitly disclose:
wherein a frequency of generating the second vertical synchronization signal based on the touch event request is equal to the touch sampling rate;
Zhong teaches:
wherein a frequency of generating the second vertical synchronization signal based on the touch event request is equal to the touch sampling rate, (at least fig. 3-4 and paragraph 100. Describes a sampling frequency of the touch panel is 120 Hz, the MCU obtains the touch data from the touch panel, and therefore, a frequency for processing the touch data is consistent with the sampling frequency of the touch panel, and is 120 Hz.)
The two references are analogous art because they are related with the same field of invention of image processing and display technology.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate frequency of vertical synchronization signal to be equal to the touch sampling rate as taught by Zhong with the display device as disclose by LI. The motivation to combine the reference of Zhong is to recognize that effective touch event can be recognized in a shorter period and screen response performance can be improved.
Regarding claim 14, LI discloses:
An electronic device, (at least fig. 1A and paragraph 85. Describes an electronic device including a touchscreen) comprising:
A memory storing a computer program comprising instructions, (at least fig. 1A and paragraph 49. Describes where the electronic device includes a touchscreen, a memory, and one or more processors, the touchscreen, the memory, and the processor are coupled, the memory is configured to store computer program code, the computer program code includes computer instructions); and
A processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the electronic device implement operations, (at least fig. 1A and paragraph 49. Describes where when the processor executes the computer instructions, the electronic device performs the method in any one of the first aspect or the possible design manners of the first aspect) comprising:
Receiving a first operation of a user, (at least fig. 1A and paragraph 88. Describes after a TP in the TP IC/TP driver 10 collects a touch operation performed by the user (for example, a touch object such as a user finger or a stylus) on the TP of the electronic device);
Starting a first application in response to the first operation, (at least fig. 1A and paragraphs 90-93. Describes the UI thread in the UI framework 30 draws one or more layers corresponding to the touch event, and a rendering thread (for example, drawFrame) performs layer rendering on the one or more layers. Para. 91, describes: A composition thread in the display frame 40 performs layer composition on the one or more drawn layers (namely, the one or more rendered layers) to obtain an image frame);
Receiving a second operation of the user for the first application, wherein the second operation comprises a sliding operation, (at least fig. 8B(1) and paragraphs 245-246. Describes in response to a sliding operation of the user from the touch point A to the touch point H through the touch point B, the touch point C, the touch point D, the touch point E, the touch point F, and the touch point G, the electronic device may display an image of a smiley icon and that moves with the sliding operation);
Obtaining touch point coordinates and a touch event of the second operation based on a touch sampling rate of the electronic device in response to the second operation, (at least fig. 8B(1) and paragraph 237. Describes a sample period from a moment t.sub.2 to a moment t.sub.3, the TP collects two touch points: a touch point A and a touch point B);
Generating a first vertical synchronization signal based on a screen refresh rate of the electronic device, and generating a second vertical synchronization signal based on the touch event, (at least fig. 1A, 3 and paragraph 132. Describes a finger touches the TP) or a UI event occurring in the electronic device, the UI framework may invoke, at an arrival moment of the vertical synchronization signal 1, the UI thread to draw one or more layers corresponding to the touch event, and then invoke the rendering thread to render the one or more layers); and
Performing drawing and rendering of an image frame to be refreshed and displayed in response to either of the first vertical synchronization signal and the second vertical synchronization signal when the second operation reaches a sliding response threshold of the first application, (at least fig. 8B(1) and paragraphs 132,134, 251. Describes a signal period T3 of the vertical synchronization signal 3 (for example, HW_VSYNC) is determined based on a screen refresh rate of the display screen of the electronic device. Para. 132, describes: a finger touches the TP) or a UI event occurring in the electronic device, the UI framework may invoke, at an arrival moment of the vertical synchronization signal 1, the UI thread to draw one or more layers corresponding to the touch event, and then invoke the rendering thread to render the one or more layers. Para. 251, describes: When the user finger slides to a location (namely, a location corresponding to a user finger (4)) between the touch point H and the touch point I at the moment t.sub.7, , the electronic device may display a smiley face (4) at a location corresponding to the resample Re2′ point in response to a touch operation at the Re2′ point. In this case, the electronic device performs image frame display 4).
LI does not explicitly disclose:
wherein a frequency of generating the second vertical synchronization signal based on the touch event request is equal to the touch sampling rate;
Zhong teaches:
wherein a frequency of generating the second vertical synchronization signal based on the touch event request is equal to the touch sampling rate, (at least fig. 3-4 and paragraph 100. Describes a sampling frequency of the touch panel is 120 Hz, the MCU obtains the touch data from the touch panel, and therefore, a frequency for processing the touch data is consistent with the sampling frequency of the touch panel, and is 120 Hz.)
Regarding the rejection of claim 14, refer to the motivation of claim 1.
Regarding claim 15, LI discloses:
A computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions, wherein when the computer instructions run on an electronic device, the electronic device is enabled to perform, (at least fig. 1A and paragraph 49. Describes where the electronic device includes a touchscreen, a memory, and one or more processors, the touchscreen, the memory, and the processor are coupled, the memory is configured to store computer program code, the computer program code includes computer instructions, and when the processor executes the computer instructions, the electronic device performs the method) the following steps:
Receiving a first operation of a user, (at least fig. 1A and paragraph 88. Describes after a TP in the TP IC/TP driver 10 collects a touch operation performed by the user (for example, a touch object such as a user finger or a stylus) on the TP of the electronic device);
Starting a first application in response to the first operation, (at least fig. 1A and paragraphs 90-93. Describes the UI thread in the UI framework 30 draws one or more layers corresponding to the touch event, and a rendering thread (for example, drawFrame) performs layer rendering on the one or more layers. Para. 91, describes: A composition thread in the display frame 40 performs layer composition on the one or more drawn layers (namely, the one or more rendered layers) to obtain an image frame);
Receiving a second operation of the user for the first application, wherein the second operation comprises a sliding operation, (at least fig. 8B(1) and paragraphs 245-246. Describes in response to a sliding operation of the user from the touch point A to the touch point H through the touch point B, the touch point C, the touch point D, the touch point E, the touch point F, and the touch point G, the electronic device may display an image of a smiley icon and that moves with the sliding operation);
Obtaining touch point coordinates and a touch event of the second operation based on a touch sampling rate of the electronic device in response to the second operation, (at least fig. 8B(1) and paragraph 237. Describes a sample period from a moment t.sub.2 to a moment t.sub.3, the TP collects two touch points: a touch point A and a touch point B);
Generating a first vertical synchronization signal based on a screen refresh rate of the electronic device, and generating a second vertical synchronization signal based on the touch event, (at least fig. 1A, 3 and paragraph 132. Describes a finger touches the TP) or a UI event occurring in the electronic device, the UI framework may invoke, at an arrival moment of the vertical synchronization signal 1, the UI thread to draw one or more layers corresponding to the touch event, and then invoke the rendering thread to render the one or more layers); and
Performing drawing and rendering of an image frame to be refreshed and displayed in response to either of the first vertical synchronization signal and the second vertical synchronization signal when the second operation reaches a sliding response threshold of the first application, (at least fig. 8B(1) and paragraphs 132,134, 251. Describes a signal period T3 of the vertical synchronization signal 3 (for example, HW_VSYNC) is determined based on a screen refresh rate of the display screen of the electronic device. Para. 132, describes: a finger touches the TP) or a UI event occurring in the electronic device, the UI framework may invoke, at an arrival moment of the vertical synchronization signal 1, the UI thread to draw one or more layers corresponding to the touch event, and then invoke the rendering thread to render the one or more layers. Para. 251, describes: When the user finger slides to a location (namely, a location corresponding to a user finger (4)) between the touch point H and the touch point I at the moment t.sub.7, , the electronic device may display a smiley face (4) at a location corresponding to the resample Re2′ point in response to a touch operation at the Re2′ point. In this case, the electronic device performs image frame display 4).
LI does not explicitly disclose:
wherein a frequency of generating the second vertical synchronization signal based on the touch event request is equal to the touch sampling rate;
Zhong teaches:
wherein a frequency of generating the second vertical synchronization signal based on the touch event request is equal to the touch sampling rate, (at least fig. 3-4 and paragraph 100. Describes a sampling frequency of the touch panel is 120 Hz, the MCU obtains the touch data from the touch panel, and therefore, a frequency for processing the touch data is consistent with the sampling frequency of the touch panel, and is 120 Hz.)
Regarding the rejection of claim 15, refer to the motivation of claim 1.
Regarding claim 2, LI discloses:
Wherein the performing drawing and rendering of an image frame to be refreshed and displayed in response to either of the first vertical synchronization signal and the second vertical synchronization signal when the second operation reaches a sliding response threshold of the first application, (at least fig. 8B(1) and paragraphs 132,134, 251. Describes a signal period T3 of the vertical synchronization signal 3 (for example, HW_VSYNC) is determined based on a screen refresh rate of the display screen of the electronic device. Para. 132, describes: a finger touches the TP) or a UI event occurring in the electronic device, the UI framework may invoke, at an arrival moment of the vertical synchronization signal 1, the UI thread to draw one or more layers corresponding to the touch event, and then invoke the rendering thread to render the one or more layers. Para. 251, describes: When the user finger slides to a location (namely, a location corresponding to a user finger (4)) between the touch point H and the touch point I at the moment t.sub.7, , the electronic device may display a smiley face (4) at a location corresponding to the resample Re2′ point in response to a touch operation at the Re2′ point. In this case, the electronic device performs image frame display 4) comprises:
in response to either of the first vertical synchronization signal and the second vertical synchronization signal, determining, based on the obtained touch point coordinates, whether the second operation reaches the sliding response threshold of the first application, (at least fig. 8B(1) and paragraph 246. Describes when a user finger slides to a location (namely, a location corresponding to a user finger (3)) between the touch point F and the touch point G at the moment, the electronic device may display a smiley face (3) at a location corresponding to the resample Re1 point in response to a touch operation at the Re1 point); and
Performing drawing and rendering of the image frame to be refreshed and displayed when the second operation reaches the sliding response threshold of the first application, (at least fig. 8B(1) and paragraphs 132, 251. Describes a finger touches the TP) or a UI event occurring in the electronic device, the UI framework may invoke, at an arrival moment of the vertical synchronization signal 1, the UI thread to draw one or more layers corresponding to the touch event, and then invoke the rendering thread to render the one or more layers. Para. 251, describes: When the user finger slides to a location (namely, a location corresponding to a user finger (4)) between the touch point H and the touch point I at the moment t.sub.7, , the electronic device may display a smiley face (4) at a location corresponding to the resample Re2′ point in response to a touch operation at the Re2′ point. In this case, the electronic device performs image frame display 4).
Regarding claim 3, LI discloses:
Wherein the touch event comprises a first down DOWN event, a move MOVE event, and an up UP event, (at least fig. 2 and paragraphs 122, 251. Describes the electronic device 200 may further calculate a touch location based on a detection signal of the pressure sensor 280A. In some embodiments, touch operations that are performed at a same touch location but have different touch operation strength may correspond to different operation instructions. Para. 245, describes: it is assumed that in response to a sliding operation of the user from the touch point A to the touch point H, the electronic device may display an image of a smiley icon) and the generating a second vertical synchronization signal based on the touch event comprises: generating the second vertical synchronization signal based on the MOVE event, (at least fig. 8B(1)-8B(2) and paragraphs 132, 251. Describes a finger touches the TP) or a UI event occurring in the electronic device, the UI framework may invoke, at an arrival moment of the vertical synchronization signal 1, the UI thread to draw one or more layers corresponding to the touch event, and then invoke the rendering thread to render the one or more layers. Para. 251, describes: When the user finger slides to a location (namely, a location corresponding to a user finger (4)) between the touch point H and the touch point I at the moment t.sub.7, , the electronic device may display a smiley face (4) at a location corresponding to the resample Re2′ point in response to a touch operation at the Re2′ point. In this case, the electronic device performs image frame display 4).
Regarding claim 4, LI discloses:
Wherein the generating the second vertical synchronization signal based on the MOVE event comprises: recording a quantity of MOVE events; and when the quantity of MOVE events is greater than a first preset value, generating the second vertical synchronization signal based on the MOVE event, wherein the first preset value is set based on the sliding response threshold of the first application, (at least fig. 8B(1)-8B(2) and paragraphs 245-246. Describes in response to a sliding operation of the user from the touch point A to the touch point H through the touch point B, the touch point C, the touch point D, the touch point E, the touch point F, and the touch point G, the electronic device may display an image of a smiley icon and that moves with the sliding operation).
Regarding claim 13, LI discloses:
After the performing drawing and rendering of an image frame to be refreshed and displayed, further comprising: synthesizing and transmitting a rendered image frame for displaying, (at least fig. 7A(a) and paragraphs 218. Describes the electronic device (namely, an LCD of the electronic device) can perform image frame display a only in response to the vertical synchronization signal 3 at the moment t.sub.3, to refresh and display the image frame obtained by performing image frame composition a).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-12 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: Prior arts do not disclose or suggest wherein the generating the second vertical synchronization signal based on the MOVE event comprises: generating the second vertical synchronization signal based on the MOVE event when a vertical synchronization signal adding function icon is in an enabled state.
Conclusion
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/IFEDAYO B ILUYOMADE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624 05/28/2026
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