CTNF 19/335,791 CTNF 81624 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Galan Garcia et al. (US 2020/0139814) in view of Verthein (US 2011/0261002) . Regarding claim 1: Galan Garcia discloses: Claim 1 Galan Garcia 1. A haptic touch panel display comprising: a display panel including a display region; Paragraph 104: "display" a touch panel disposed, in the display region, on an upper surface of the display panel or in the display panel; Paragraph 104: "a sensor/detector…to detect input such as touch/proximity" a plurality of actuators configured to vibrate the display panel; Paragraph 140: "Actuator which vibrates the surface" a light-transmitting decorative film supported in the display region of the display panel; Paragraph 104: "cover layer T…a poly/plastic film cover material" a haptic control circuit configured to drive the plurality of actuators and thus cause at least a part of the light-transmitting decorative film to vibrate with a first texture represented by an exterior of the light-transmitting decorative film; and Not disclosed by Galan Garcia a control device configured to control the display panel, the touch panel, and the haptic control circuit. Paragraph 102: "controller/control system" Therefore Galan Garcia does not disclose: "a haptic control circuit configured to drive the plurality of actuators and thus cause at least a part of the light-transmitting decorative film to vibrate with a first texture represented by an exterior of the light-transmitting decorative film" Verthein discloses: A haptic control circuit configured to drive the plurality of actuators to cause the display to vibrate with a first texture represented by a decorative film (paragraph 40). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the the application was filed to include in Galan Garcia a haptic control circuit configured to drive the plurality of actuators and thus cause at least a part of the light-transmitting decorative film to vibrate with a first texture represented by an exterior of the light-transmitting decorative film, as suggested by Verthein. The rationale is as follows: Galan Garcia and Verthein are directed to the same field of art. Verthein disclose simulating the case material can provide subtle feedback to the user. Galan Garcia's case material is the decorative film. This is a known technique that one of ordinary skill in the art could have included with predictable results . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Galan Garcia in view of Verthein, and further in view of Cruz-Hernandez et al. (US 2010/0231550) Regarding claim 2: Galan Garcia in view of Verthein discloses a haptic touch panel display as discussed above. Galan Garcia in view of Verthein does not disclose: "wherein the display panel displays a content image in a part of the display region, the light-transmitting decorative film transmits the content image, and the control device causes the haptic control circuit to drive the plurality of actuators and thus causes the light-transmitting decorative film not to vibrate with the first texture in a content region in which the content image is displayed." Cruz-Hernandez discloses: creating different haptic effects in an area depending on whether it displays a background or content image (most clearly shown in claim 5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to include in Galan Garcia in view of Verthein wherein the display panel displays a content image in a part of the display region, the light-transmitting decorative film transmits the content image, and the control device causes the haptic control circuit to drive the plurality of actuators and thus causes the light-transmitting decorative film not to vibrate with the first texture in a content region in which the content image is displayed, as suggested by Cruz-Hernandez. The rationale is as follows: Galan Garcia, Verthein, and Cruz-Hernandez are directed to the same field of art. Galan Garcia in view of Verthein discusses using an actuator to create a texture to simulate the decorative layer. Galan Garcia discloses that an image might be displayed through the decorative layer. Cruz-Hernandez discloses that when a content image is displayed on a background, different haptic effects should be applied to these different regions. This is a known improvement, improving usability, that one of ordinary skill in the art could have included with predictable results . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 3-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Galan Garcia in view of Verthein, and further in view of Cruz-Hernandez, and further in view of Chen (US 2024/0302901) Regarding claim 3: Galan Garcia, etc., discloses a haptic touch panel display as discussed above. Galan Garcia, etc., does not disclose: "wherein the control device receives, from the outside, data of a display image including the content image, the display image being subject to display in the display region, and outputs the data to the display panel, detects, from the display image, a background region in which a background image having a gray scale value equal to or less than a predetermined value and having a size larger than a predetermined size is located, and controls the haptic control circuit and thus causes the light-transmitting decorative film to vibrate with the first texture in the background region." Chen discloses: wherein the control device receives, from the outside, data of a display image including the content image, the display image being subject to display in the display region, and outputs the data to the display panel (Fig. 2: 21), detects, from the display image, a background region in which a background image having a gray scale value equal to or less than a predetermined value (paragraph 40: different haptic parameters correspond to grayscale value ranges) and having a size larger than a predetermined size is located (paragraph 51: it filters out areas smaller than a predetermined size), and controls the haptic control circuit and thus causes display to vibrate with the first texture in the background region (paragraph 40). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to include in Galan Garcia, etc., wherein the control device receives, from the outside, data of a display image including the content image, the display image being subject to display in the display region, and outputs the data to the display panel, detects, from the display image, a background region in which a background image having a gray scale value equal to or less than a predetermined value and having a size larger than a predetermined size is located, and controls the haptic control circuit and thus causes the light-transmitting decorative film to vibrate with the first texture in the background region, as suggested by Chen. The rationale is as follows: Galan Garcia, etc., and Chen are directed to the same field of art. Chen discloses how to determine which haptic signals should go in different areas, and how large they should be, which is clearly applicable to implementing the device of Galan Garcia, etc. These details are a known improvement that one of ordinary skill in the art could have included with predictable results. Regarding claim 4: Galan Garcia, etc., discloses: wherein the control device controls the haptic control circuit and thus causes an intensity of the vibration to be changed according to a distribution of the gray scale value of the background image in the background region (follows from the teaching of Chen, shown in, e.g., Fig. 5). Regarding claim 5: Galan Garcia, etc., discloses: wherein the display image includes an image of an icon indicating an operation on the haptic touch panel display, and the control device controls the haptic control circuit and thus causes the light-transmitting decorative film to vibrate with a second texture different from the first texture in an application region in which the icon is arranged in the display region (this was taught by Cruz-Hernandez as discussed above). Regarding claim 6: Galan Garcia, etc., discloses: wherein the touch panel transmits a detection signal to the control device at a predetermined cycle, and the control device acquires a touch position from the detection signal, and controls the haptic control circuit and thus causes the light-transmitting decorative film to vibrate with the first texture in the background region while the touch position is being detected in the background region (e.g., Chen paragraph 47). Regarding claim 7: Galan Garcia, etc., discloses: wherein the touch panel transmits a detection signal to the control device at a predetermined cycle, and the control device acquires a touch position from the detection signal, and controls the haptic control circuit and thus, when the touch position is moved beyond a boundary between the content region and the background region, causes the light-transmitting decorative film to more largely vibrate at the touch position in a region after the movement than the vibration of the light-transmitting decorative film in the background region (follows from, e.g., Chen paragraph 47, where if the grayscale level of the background region is lower than the content region this will follow). Regarding claim 8: Galan Garcia, etc., discloses: wherein the light-transmitting decorative film includes unevenness on a surface of the light-transmitting decorative film, and the control device controls the haptic control circuit and thus causes the unevenness to emphasize the first texture (this process is shown in, e.g., Chen Fig. 5) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Galan Garcia in view of Verthein, and futher in view of Zhao et al. (US 2022/0111731) Regarding claim 9: Galan Garcia in view of Verthein discloses a haptic touch panel as discussed above. Galan Garcia in view of Verthein does not discloses: "wherein the display panel is a liquid crystal display panel." Zhao discloses wherein the display panel is a liquid crystal display panel (e.g., paragraph 12). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to include in Galan Garcia in view of Verthein the elements taught by Zhao. The rationale is as follows: Galan Garcia, Verthein, and Zhao are directed to the same field of art. In virtually identical circumstances (a display in a vehicle with a decorative cover), Zhao discloses there can be a number of different kinds of displays including a liquid crystal panel. One of ordinary skill in the art could have substituted any of these potential displays for the display of Galan Garcia, as they are used in the same environment, for the same purpose, and achieve the same result, with predictable results. Regarding claim 10: Galan Garcia, etc., discloses: wherein the display panel is a self-luminous panel (among the displays discussed in Zhao paragraph 12 -- for example an OLED array) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Behles et al. (US 2015/0097786) . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER RAY LAMB whose telephone number is (571)272-5264. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00 PM. 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, Patrick Edouard can be reached at 571-272-7603. 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. /CHRISTOPHER R LAMB/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2622 Application/Control Number: 19/335,791 Page 2 Art Unit: 2622 Application/Control Number: 19/335,791 Page 3 Art Unit: 2622 Application/Control Number: 19/335,791 Page 4 Art Unit: 2622 Application/Control Number: 19/335,791 Page 5 Art Unit: 2622 Application/Control Number: 19/335,791 Page 6 Art Unit: 2622 Application/Control Number: 19/335,791 Page 7 Art Unit: 2622 Application/Control Number: 19/335,791 Page 8 Art Unit: 2622 Application/Control Number: 19/335,791 Page 9 Art Unit: 2622 Application/Control Number: 19/335,791 Page 10 Art Unit: 2622
Prosecution Insights