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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The Office does not understand how the applicant’s invention can perform “… determining a number of operators or identifying the operator, based on the first input trajectory information and the second input trajectory information stored in the memory” when claim 1 states “An in-vehicle information terminal apparatus comprising: a touch panel input portion including a touch sensor configured to detect an input trajectory of a flick operation performed by an operator …”.
The claim states the “apparatus” can detect an input trajectory of flick from an “an operator”; that the “the input trajectory is defined as a movement trajectory of a finger from a flick operation start point, where the operator touches a surface of the touch panel input portion, to a flick operation end point, where the operator releases the finger after moving the finger along the surface while maintaining contact,” and that two display areas are present “microprocessor is configured to perform controlling the display unit to display information in a first display area and a second display area arranged side by side” and that the invention further claims “storing, in the memory, first input trajectory information including information of the input trajectory on the first display area detected by the touch sensor and second input trajectory information including information of the input trajectory on the second display area detected by the touch sensor”.
First how does an apparatus which claims it can detect an operator and/or detect more than one operator, store or detect multiple input trajectories, when there are no vehicle operators claimed to actually touch the apparatus. If there are no occupants of the vehicle touching the touch sensor then who is making the input trajectories or how are the input trajectories actually being made and stored? The applicant’s specification does discuss actual operators actually touching the display “In FIG. 4, a first-hand HND1 is an occupant’s hand on the driver's seat, and a second hand HND2 is an occupant’s hand on the front passenger seat … When the operator performs the flick operation with the first hand HND1 on an area corresponding to the right tile 300R of the touch panel input portion 225, a first index finger IF1, which is the index finger of the first hand HND1, touches the surface of the touch panel input portion 225.
It appears from the specification that an actual operator which touches the display is required to create an “input trajectory”. Further it appears that the specification states it must be an “index finger” or “Depending on the operator’s habit, the flick operation may be performed with “another finger“ of a person that forms an input trajectory. Nothing in the claim suggests it must be the same finger of an operator to determine the input trajectories of a specific the operator. There is nothing preventing the system from identify the second input trajectory as another finger of the driver, as for instance “that an operator would move two different fingers across the left and right display areas which would not be touching the display for the same amount of time or at the same time, and the fingers would travel different distances as they flicked each display area. The specification further states “comparing a plurality of pieces of the first input trajectory information that have been stored with a plurality of pieces of the second input trajectory information that have been stored to obtain a degree of coincidence between trajectories, … determining that there are a plurality of operators who operate the in-vehicle information terminal apparatus 100 in a case where the degree of coincidence is lower than the predetermined degree”. As suggested above if one operator of the touch screen uses his index finger (i.e. finger normally used) to touch the left screen and his middle finger to touch the right screen the system would identify a low coincidence in one operator and therefore determine that two operators touched the touch screen. The system appears to be able to identify an operator touching with the same finger however since the system only determines input trajectories of one finger at a time then the Office is unclear how the apparatus could tell the difference between two operators using say their index fingers and one operator using two of his fingers since it would be easy to reach the side by side screens.
In fact, the applicant’s specification states “The CPU 105 sequentially stores information about the flick input trajectory in the storage unit 116 whenever the flick operation is detected by the touch panel input portion 225. … The CPU 105 compares the processed flick input trajectory information, and obtains a degree of coincidence between the flick input trajectories”. supports tracking the same input (i.e. operator’s finger) over time to build up confidence in the identification.
Second at no time in the claim does a user or operator actually touch the display which brings into question how any input trajectory is stored. The claim simply describes what an input trajectory is but does not describe any operator which actually touches the apparatus. While the claim explains what the apparatus is designed to perform it does and what a flick operation is on said device. The claim simply discusses two separate flick operations in each area.
Further because there is no sense of time between the two inputs the Office is confused over “determining a number of operators or identifying the operator” as most vehicles have only one operator at any one time, so is the question then identifying the number of operators over a time period as the specification supports “In this case, the CPU 105 is capable of determining whether there is one operator or there are two operators by referring to these pieces of information.” or does the applicant mean occupants of the vehicle, as the specification discusses “In particular, when both of the occupants on the driver's seat and the front passenger seat perform the flick operations at the same time”
At best from the specification the apparatus can identify the same finger of a user (i.e. operator of a touch screen) but not a different finger of the same user, which maybe be identified as belonging to a second occupant of the vehicle. Further can the apparatus determine two flick operations of overlapping time, on two areas of the display by two operators, because the claim states in can only detect one input trajectory of one operator and if it can the claim should state so or be clarified.
Further the applicant should clarify how the apparatus could tell just from an input trajectory on the touch screen that the two inputs were not made by the same operator using two fingers on the two different display areas. The applicant must clarify when the inputs are made on the touch sensor and that the inputs are made by a finger of a user touching the display, the number of possible operators of the touch panel, and how the apparatus can be prevented from determining that two fingers of the same person may not be identified as two occupants of the vehicle.
Appropriate clarification of the claim limitations must be made by the Applicant. The Office shall apply prior art which best matches the Office’s understanding of the application as presently presented.
Claims 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The Office is unclear how in Claim 10 “wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform the controlling including controlling the display unit such that an amount of the information displayed is reduced when it is determined that the predetermined flick operation is performed by the driver, as compared with when it is determined that the predetermined flick operation is not performed by the driver”. The specification at 0053 – “where an affirmative determination is made in S536, the processing proceeds to S540, and the CPU 105 outputs a control signal to the display 220 to increase the number of pieces of store information distributed to the information display area in the tile closer to the driver's seat”. Either figure 5 and paragraph 0053 is incorrect or claim ten is improperly drafted. Further the specification is silent on “an amount of the information displayed is reduced when it is determined that the predetermined flick operation is performed by the driver” as a search of the specification does not find the terms such as: reduce (i.e. other than in claim ten); smaller (i.e. other than in claim ten); or decrease at all.
Appropriate clarification of the claim limitation must be made by the Applicant. The Office shall apply prior art which best matches the Office’s understanding of the application as presently presented.
Claim 1 recites the limitations " first input trajectory” and “second input trajectory”. The claim talks about what an input trajectory is and that the apparatus can detect and input trajectory however the claim does not discuss a user(s) of the apparatus actually touching said apparatus performing a flick operation. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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.
Claim(s) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taka et al., US Patent Application (20120249456), hereinafter “Taka” and Ferguson et al., US Patent (12524119), hereinafter “Ferguson”
Regarding claim 1 Taka teaches an in-vehicle information terminal apparatus The display control processing is initiated when the display device I has been powered on and a map has been displayed on the display 11 [Taka para 0034] comprising: a touch panel input portion including a touch sensor The controller 20 is, in terms of function concept, provided with a detecting part 21 and a display controlling part 22. The detecting part 21 is a detecting unit that detects a position of the finger of the user where the touch panel 12 is touched. The display controlling part 22 is a display controlling unit that displays information regarding a predetermined time point on the display 11. [Taka para 0028 and see FIG. 1] configured to detect an input trajectory the display controlling part 22 determines the moving direction of the finger of the user just before the finger of the user lifts up from the touch panel 12 [Taka para 0037] of a flick operation performed by an operator the display controlling part 22 determines whether an operation (i.e., a flick operation) of flicking by a finger on the touch panel 12 [Taka para 0035 and See Fig. 3]; a display unit; the display 11. [Taka para 0028] and an electronic control unit the controller 20 finishes the display control processing [Taka para 0047] having a microprocessor and a memory connected to the microprocessor, executed on the CPU … and an internal memory such as a RAM for storing the programs [Taka para 0027] wherein the input trajectory is defined as a movement trajectory of a finger from a flick operation start point, where the operator touches a surface of the touch panel input portion, to a flick operation end point, where the operator releases the finger after moving the finger along the surface while maintaining contact, the display controlling part 22 determines the position firstly detected by the detecting part 21 when the finger of the user has touched the touch panel 12 as the position of the origin of the flick operation. [Taka para 0036] Subsequently, the display controlling part 22 determines a moving direction of the finger of the user on the touch panel 12 based on the finger position detected by the detecting part 21 while the finger of the user is touching the touch panel 12 (SA3). Specifically, the display controlling part 22 determines the moving direction of the finger of the user just before the finger of the user lifts up from the touch panel 12 [Taka para 0037] and the microprocessor is configured to perform controlling the display unit The controller 20 is a controlling unit that controls the display device 1. Specifically, a computer provided with a CPU [Taka para 0027]
to display information in a first display area and a second display area arranged side by side in a left-right direction on the display unit, FIG. 5A shows a situation before a flick operation is performed. FIG. 5B shows a situation where the information displayed on the display 11 was scrolled according to the flick operation [Taka para 0042] the first display area and the second display area being two information display areas each having a tile-like shape, the display controlling part 22 also scrolls a motorway map (the map on the right side in FIGS. 5A … the display position of the vehicle icon 11a on a regular map (the map on the left side in FIG. 5A) [Taka para 0042 and see Fig. 5A] (Taka teaches a display that uses two areas to display a regular map and a highway map)
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storing, in the memory, The display target table 32 is a display target information storing unit that stores display target information that determines information subject to display on the display 11. … The information to be stored corresponding to the item "origin" is information to identify a type of the origin of a flick operation when the flick operation has been performed through the touch panel 12 (for example, "vehicle icon" in FIG. 2). [Taka para 0035] first input trajectory information an operation (i.e., a flick operation) of flicking by a finger on the touch panel 12 has been performed, … by the detecting part 21 while the finger of the user is touching the touch panel 12 (SA1). [Taka para 0035] including information of the input trajectory a moving direction of the finger of the user on the touch panel 12 based on the finger position detected by the detecting part 21 while the finger of the user is touching the touch panel 12 (SA3). [Taka para 0037] on the first display area detected by the touch sensor FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate information displayed on the display 11. FIG. 5A shows a situation before a flick operation is performed. FIG. 5B shows a situation where the information displayed on the display 11 was scrolled according to the flick operation. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the position of the origin of the flick operation determined by the display controlling part 22 at SA2. [Taka para 0042] and second input trajectory information that displays highway information regarding a highway is determined as the position of the origin of the flick operation, the display controlling part 22 acquires, according to the display target table 32 in FIG. 2, the "same attribute facility existing in vicinity of position after traveling at average speed for transition time” [Taka para 0042] including information of the input trajectory on the second display area FIG. 7A shows a situation before a flick operation is performed. FIG. 7B shows a situation where the information displayed on the display 11 was scrolled according to the flick operation [Taka para 0044] detected by the touch sensor, the display target table 32 in FIG. 2, a "regular flick scroll" as the corresponding display target information. In this case, the display controlling part 22 determines a speed vector of the finger of the user based on the distance from the finger position detected by the detecting part 21 at a predetermined time before the finger position is lastly detected by the detecting part 21 to the finger position lastly detected by the detecting part 21, and scrolls the map by a vector based on the speed vector. [Taka para 0045]; and
Taka does not explicitly teach but Ferguson teaches determining a number of operators or identifying the operator, the system may create distinct user profiles that capture the unique input characteristics of each user. These profiles, stored in the memory of the capacitance module or the electronic device 600, may then be used as reference data for identifying which user is interacting with the device at any given time. [Ferguson col 16 lines 48-53] based on the first input trajectory information and the second input trajectory A capacitance module may collect movement attributes by prompting several types of gestures. For example, a user may be prompted to perform a swipe gesture, a drag gesture, [Ferguson col 20 lines 41-43] information stored in the memory. the term “user attribute” may generally refer to a characteristic or feature of the sensor data generated by a user's interaction with a capacitance module which may be used to uniquely identify that user. These attributes capture the distinctive patterns, habits, and idiosyncrasies of an individual's touch input, allowing the system to differentiate between users based on their inherent and consistent interaction style. User attributes may encompass various aspects of the touch input, such as the speed, pressure, and spatial characteristics of the user's gestures, providing a rich set of data points for user identification algorithms to analyze and compare against stored user profiles. [Ferguson col 6 lines 40-54]
Taka discloses display devices, methods, and programs display information regarding a predetermined time point on a display unit, and detect an origin position of a finger of a user on a touch panel when the touch panel is touched. During a flick operation that starts at the origin position, the devices, methods, and programs determine a moving direction of the finger on the touch panel, determine a transition time period based on the determined moving direction, and display on the display unit information regarding a future time point. The future time point is the transition time period after the predetermined time point.
Ferguson discloses a capacitance module may include a set of electrodes, a processor in communication with the set of electrodes, and memory in communication with the processor. The memory may include programmed instructions that cause the capacitance module, when executed, to determine a user identity by comparing input attributes of an unprompted input with at least one user attribute stored in the memory.
Prior to the effective date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Taka and Ferguson in the art of tracking inputs on a capacitance sensor module and operating the same, as one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable as the combined teachings and technologies were well known in the art. Ferguson improves Taka’s systems, methods and/or apparatus by using a capacitance module and stored user profiles to uniquely identify a user interacting with a touch device computer device shared between multiple users while eliminating the need of using other sensors, such as passwords, biometric sensors or image sensors, to identify a user, thus improving on traditional methods of user identification, such as login screens or passwords, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming, detracting from the overall user experience and efficiency of interaction.
Regarding claim 2 Taka and Ferguson teaches claim 1 in addition Ferguson teaches wherein the microprocessor is configured to further perform comparing a plurality of the first input trajectory information stored in the memory with a plurality of the second input trajectory information stored in the memory to determine a degree of coincidence between movement trajectories, the system may create distinct user profiles that capture the unique input characteristics of each user. These profiles, stored in the memory of the capacitance module or the electronic device 600, may then be used as reference data for identifying which user is interacting with the device at any given time. [Ferguson col 16 lines 48-53] and the determining including determining that the number of operators is one when the degree of coincidence is equal to or greater than a predetermined degree, the input attribute may be determined to match the stored attribute when the input attribute's value is within one percent of the stored attribute value, within two percent of the stored attribute value, within five percent of the stored attribute value, within ten percent of the stored attribute value, within 15 percent of the stored attribute value, within another predetermined percentage of the stored attribute value, [Ferguson col 10 lines 24-35] and the number of operators is plural when the degree of coincidence is less than the predetermined degree. During normal operation of a capacitance module, when a user performs a clicking action on the reference surface of the module, the system may measure the gesture endpoint attributes of the new input and compare them to the gesture endpoint attributes of stored user profiles. If the attributes of the new input match a particular user's profile, the system may infer that the input is likely to have been performed by that user. [Ferguson col 22 lines 24-31] For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “user attribute” may generally refer to a characteristic or feature of the sensor data generated by a user's interaction with a capacitance module which may be used to uniquely identify that user. These attributes capture the distinctive patterns, habits, and idiosyncrasies of an individual's touch input, allowing the system to differentiate between users based on their inherent and consistent interaction style. User attributes may encompass various aspects of the touch input, such as the speed, pressure, and spatial characteristics of the user's gestures, providing a rich set of data points for user identification algorithms to analyze and compare against stored user profiles. [Ferguson col 6 lines 40-54]
Regarding claim 3 Taka and Ferguson teaches claim 2 in addition Taka teaches wherein a direction of the movement trajectory from the flick operation start point toward the flick operation end point detected by the touch sensor on the first display area is a first flick operation direction when a flick operation has been performed (SA1: YES), the display controlling part 22 determines a position of an origin of the flick operation based on the finger position detected by the detecting part 21 while the finger of the user is touching the touch panel 12 (SA2), [Taka para 0037] a direction of the movement trajectory from the flick operation start point toward the flick operation end point detected by the touch sensor on the second display area is a second flick operation direction, the display controlling part 22 determines a moving direction of the finger of the user on the touch panel 12 based on the finger position detected by the detecting part 21 while the finger of the user is touching the touch panel 12 (SA3). Specifically, the display controlling part 22 determines the moving direction of the finger of the user just before the finger of the user lifts up from the touch panel 12 [Taka para 0037] and
Taka does not teach but Ferguson teaches the degree of coincidence of the movement trajectories is a degree of coincidence between an average value of a plurality of first flick operation directions and an average value of a plurality of second flick operation directions. he input attribute may be determined to match the stored attribute when the input attribute's value is within one percent of the stored attribute value, within two percent of the stored attribute value, within five percent of the stored attribute value, within ten percent of the stored attribute value, within 15 percent of the stored attribute value, within another predetermined percentage of the stored attribute value, [Ferguson col 10 lines 24-35]
Regarding claim 4 Taka and Ferguson teaches claim 2 in addition Ferguson teaches wherein a length of the movement trajectory from the flick operation start point to the flick operation end point detected by the touch sensor on the first display area is a first flick length, a length of the movement trajectory from the flick operation start point to the flick operation end point detected by the touch sensor on the second display area is a second flick length, and the degree of coincidence of the movement trajectories is a degree of coincidence between an average value of a plurality of first flick lengths and an average value of a plurality of second flick lengths. The distance traveled during a swipe or other gesture may be an informative user attribute for user identification, as it may reflect a user's natural tendencies in terms of gesture size and spatial coverage. [Ferguson col 20 lines 34-383] A gesture endpoint attribute may include an average measurement, [Ferguson col 21 lines 21-22] the system may measure the gesture endpoint attributes of the new input and compare them to the gesture endpoint attributes of stored user profiles. If the attributes of the new input match a particular user's profile, the system may infer that the input is likely to have been performed by that user. [Ferguson col 21 lines 26-31]
Regarding claim 5 Taka and Ferguson teaches claim 2 in addition Ferguson teaches wherein the microprocessor is configured to further perform storing, in the memory, a first operation start timing defined as a start timing of the flick operation detected on the first display area, and a second operation start timing defined as a start timing of the flick operation detected on the second display area, that different users may take different amounts of time to perform the same input, such as moving their finger from one position to another. By measuring the time taken to reach a specific position, the capacitance module may calculate the speed of the user input and use this speed attribute as a distinguishing factor for user identification. [Ferguson col 19 lines 47-53] and the determining including determining that the number of operators is plural when the flick operation on the first display area and the flick operation on the second display area are continuously detected and when a time difference between the first operation start timing and the second operation start timing is shorter than a predetermined time. A speed attribute may be quantified in various ways, such as average speed over the entire gesture, the instantaneous speed at different time points, or the acceleration profile of the finger movement. These metrics may be extracted from the raw position-over-time data and stored as part of each user's profile. [Ferguson col 19 lines 54-59]
Regarding claim 6 Taka and Ferguson teaches claim 1 in addition Ferguson teaches wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform the identifying including identifying that the operator of the flick operation During normal operation of a capacitance module, when a user performs a clicking action on the reference surface of the module, the system may measure the gesture endpoint attributes of the new input and compare them to the gesture endpoint attributes of stored user profiles. If the attributes of the new input match a particular user's profile, the system may infer that the input is likely to have been performed by that user. [Ferguson col 22 lines 24-31]
Ferguson does not teach but Taka teaches is a driver when the first input trajectory information stored in the memory includes a predetermined flick operation directed from a passenger-side toward a driver-side on the surface of the touch panel input portion. When a fourth direction is a direction rotated in the clockwise direction by approximately 270 degrees from the first direction in the touch panel 12, if the moving direction of the finger of the user is in the area of .+-.45 degrees from the fourth direction as a center, the display controlling part 22 determines that the transition time is 45 minutes. [Taka para 0039 and see Figure 4 below] (The applicant teaches a driver would normally flick towards the driver’s side.)
Figure 4
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Regarding claim 7 Taka and Ferguson teaches claim 6 in addition Ferguson teaches wherein the predetermined flick operation includes an operation directed obliquely upward toward the driver-side and an operation directed obliquely downward toward the driver-side. the term “dimension attribute” may generally refer to a dimension of the object (e.g., finger, thumb, palm, stylus, etc.) being measured. In some examples, a dimension attribute may include a length, a width, a surface area, a distance between features of the object, a diagonal measurement of an object, a diagonal measurement of a feature of an object, [Ferguson col 8 lines 52-58] A user may move in any direction including a diagonal direction from one point to another.
Regarding claim 8 Taka and Ferguson teaches claim 6 in addition Taka teaches wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform the identifying including further identifying that the operator of the flick operation is the driver … If the attributes of the new input match a particular user's profile, the system may infer that the input is likely to have been performed by that user. [Ferguson col 22 lines 24-31]
Ferguson does not teach but Taka teaches when the flick operation start point is located on the driver-side within the first display area. a moving direction of the finger of the user on the touch panel 12 based on the finger position detected by the detecting part 21 while the finger of the user is touching the touch panel 12 (SA3). [Taka para 0037 and see Fig. 5A]
Regarding claim 9 Taka and Ferguson teaches claim 2 in addition Taka teaches wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform the controlling including controlling the display unit to display the information in a first mode The first vehicle symbol and the second vehicle symbol have the same display mode or different display modes. [Taka para 0042]
Taka does not teach but Ferguson teaches when it is determined that the number of operators is one, and to display the information in a second mode different from the first mode when it is determined that the number of operators is plural. FIG. 26 depicts the electronic device 600 displaying an alert 2602 indicating that the user 606 has been authenticated based on an analysis of their input 2606 on the input device 604. In some cases, once a user has been positively identified by a capacitance module based on their input user attributes, the capacitance module may authenticate a user or access to some restricted function or data of an electronic device. [Ferguson col 25 lines 2-10]
Regarding claim 10 Taka and Ferguson teaches claim 6 in addition Ferguson teaches wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform the controlling including controlling the display unit such that an amount of the information displayed is reduced when it is determined that the predetermined flick operation is performed by the driver, as compared with when it is determined that the predetermined flick operation is not performed by the driver. FIG. 26 depicts the electronic device 600 displaying an alert 2602 indicating that the user 606 has been authenticated based on an analysis of their input 2606 on the input device 604. In some cases, once a user has been positively identified by a capacitance module based on their input user attributes, the capacitance module may authenticate a user or access to some restricted function or data of an electronic device. [Ferguson col 25 lines 2-10]
Regarding claim 11 Taka and Ferguson teaches claim 6 in addition Ferguson teaches wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform the controlling including controlling the display unit such that, when the predetermined flick operation is determined to be performed by the driver, a first predetermined number of images are switchably displayed in accordance with the flick operation in the first display area and a second predetermined number of images smaller than the first predetermined number are switchably displayed in accordance with the flick operation in the second display area. FIG. 26 depicts the electronic device 600 displaying an alert 2602 indicating that the user 606 has been authenticated based on an analysis of their input 2606 on the input device 604. In some cases, once a user has been positively identified by a capacitance module based on their input user attributes, the capacitance module may authenticate a user or access to some restricted function or data of an electronic device. [Ferguson col 25 lines 2-10]
It is well known in the art to use gestures to perform commands as both Taka and Ferguson teach. Further Ferguson teaches that data may be restricted depending on the identification of the touch screen operator. It would be within the ability of one of ordinary skill to design a response to a touch screen command which reduces or increases the number of images presented depending upon authentication if the user’s identity.
12. A control method controlling an in-vehicle information terminal apparatus, The display control processing is initiated when the display device I has been powered on and a map has been displayed on the display 11 [Taka para 0034] the in-vehicle information terminal apparatus including a touch panel input portion having a touch sensor The controller 20 is, in terms of function concept, provided with a detecting part 21 and a display controlling part 22. The detecting part 21 is a detecting unit that detects a position of the finger of the user where the touch panel 12 is touched. The display controlling part 22 is a display controlling unit that displays information regarding a predetermined time point on the display 11. [Taka para 0028 and see FIG. 1] configured to detect an input trajectory the display controlling part 22 determines the moving direction of the finger of the user just before the finger of the user lifts up from the touch panel 12 [Taka para 0037] of a flick operation performed by an operator the display controlling part 22 determines whether an operation (i.e., a flick operation) of flicking by a finger on the touch panel 12 [Taka para 0035 and See Fig. 3], a display unit, the display 11. [Taka para 0028] and an electronic control unit the controller 20 finishes the display control processing [Taka para 0047] having a microprocessor and a memory connected to the microprocessor, executed on the CPU … and an internal memory such as a RAM for storing the programs [Taka para 0027], wherein the input trajectory is defined as a movement trajectory of a finger from a flick operation start point, where the operator touches a surface of the touch panel input portion, to a flick operation end point, where the operator releases the finger after moving the finger along the surface while maintaining contact the display controlling part 22 determines the position firstly detected by the detecting part 21 when the finger of the user has touched the touch panel 12 as the position of the origin of the flick operation. [Taka para 0036] Subsequently, the display controlling part 22 determines a moving direction of the finger of the user on the touch panel 12 based on the finger position detected by the detecting part 21 while the finger of the user is touching the touch panel 12 (SA3). Specifically, the display controlling part 22 determines the moving direction of the finger of the user just before the finger of the user lifts up from the touch panel 12 [Taka para 0037], and the control method comprises controlling the display unit The controller 20 is a controlling unit that controls the display device 1. Specifically, a computer provided with a CPU [Taka para 0027]
to display information in a first display area and a second display area arranged side by side in a left-right direction on the display unit, FIG. 5A shows a situation before a flick operation is performed. FIG. 5B shows a situation where the information displayed on the display 11 was scrolled according to the flick operation [Taka para 0042] the first display area and the second display area being two information display areas each having a tile-like shape, the display controlling part 22 also scrolls a motorway map (the map on the right side in FIGS. 5A … the display position of the vehicle icon 11a on a regular map (the map on the left side in FIG. 5A) [Taka para 0042 and see Fig. 5A] (Taka teaches a display that uses two areas to display a regular map and a highway map), storing, in the memory, The display target table 32 is a display target information storing unit that stores display target information that determines information subject to display on the display 11. … The information to be stored corresponding to the item "origin" is information to identify a type of the origin of a flick operation when the flick operation has been performed through the touch panel 12 (for example, "vehicle icon" in FIG. 2). [Taka para 0035] first input trajectory information an operation (i.e., a flick operation) of flicking by a finger on the touch panel 12 has been performed, … by the detecting part 21 while the finger of the user is touching the touch panel 12 (SA1). [Taka para 0035] including information of the input trajectory a moving direction of the finger of the user on the touch panel 12 based on the finger position detected by the detecting part 21 while the finger of the user is touching the touch panel 12 (SA3). [Taka para 0037] on the first display area detected by the touch sensor FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate information displayed on the display 11. FIG. 5A shows a situation before a flick operation is performed. FIG. 5B shows a situation where the information displayed on the display 11 was scrolled according to the flick operation. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, when the position of the origin of the flick operation determined by the display controlling part 22 at SA2. [Taka para 0042] and second input trajectory information that displays highway information regarding a highway is determined as the position of the origin of the flick operation, the display controlling part 22 acquires, according to the display target table 32 in FIG. 2, the "same attribute facility existing in vicinity of position after traveling at average speed for transition time” [Taka para 0042] including information of the input trajectory on the second display area FIG. 7A shows a situation before a flick operation is performed. FIG. 7B shows a situation where the information displayed on the display 11 was scrolled according to the flick operation [Taka para 0044] detected by the touch sensor, the display target table 32 in FIG. 2, a "regular flick scroll" as the corresponding display target information. In this case, the display controlling part 22 determines a speed vector of the finger of the user based on the distance from the finger position detected by the detecting part 21 at a predetermined time before the finger position is lastly detected by the detecting part 21 to the finger position lastly detected by the detecting part 21, and scrolls the map by a vector based on the speed vector. [Taka para 0045]; and
Taka does not explicitly teach but Ferguson teaches determining a number of operators or identifying the operator, the system may create distinct user profiles that capture the unique input characteristics of each user. These profiles, stored in the memory of the capacitance module or the electronic device 600, may then be used as reference data for identifying which user is interacting with the device at any given time. [Ferguson col 16 lines 48-53] based on the first input trajectory information and the second input trajectory information A capacitance module may collect movement attributes by prompting several types of gestures. For example, a user may be prompted to perform a swipe gesture, a drag gesture, [Ferguson col 20 lines 41-43] information stored in the memory. the term “user attribute” may generally refer to a characteristic or feature of the sensor data generated by a user's interaction with a capacitance module which may be used to uniquely identify that user. These attributes capture the distinctive patterns, habits, and idiosyncrasies of an individual's touch input, allowing the system to differentiate between users based on their inherent and consistent interaction style. User attributes may encompass various aspects of the touch input, such as the speed, pressure, and spatial characteristics of the user's gestures, providing a rich set of data points for user identification algorithms to analyze and compare against stored user profiles. [Ferguson col 6 lines 40-54]
Taka discloses display devices, methods, and programs display information regarding a predetermined time point on a display unit, and detect an origin position of a finger of a user on a touch panel when the touch panel is touched. During a flick operation that starts at the origin position, the devices, methods, and programs determine a moving direction of the finger on the touch panel, determine a transition time period based on the determined moving direction, and display on the display unit information regarding a future time point. The future time point is the transition time period after the predetermined time point.
Ferguson discloses a capacitance module may include a set of electrodes, a processor in communication with the set of electrodes, and memory in communication with the processor. The memory may include programmed instructions that cause the capacitance module, when executed, to determine a user identity by comparing input attributes of an unprompted input with at least one user attribute stored in the memory.
Prior to the effective date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Taka and Ferguson in the art of tracking inputs on a capacitance sensor module and operating the same, as one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable as the combined teachings and technologies were well known in the art. Ferguson improves Taka’s systems, methods and/or apparatus by using a capacitance module and stored user profiles to uniquely identify a user interacting with a touch device computer device shared between multiple users while eliminating the need of using other sensors, such as passwords, biometric sensors or image sensors, to identify a user, thus improving on traditional methods of user identification, such as login screens or passwords, which can be cumbersome and time-consuming, detracting from the overall user experience and efficiency of interaction.
Regarding claim 13 Taka and Ferguson teaches claim 12 in addition Ferguson teaches further comprising comparing a plurality of the first input trajectory information stored in the memory with a plurality of the second input trajectory information stored in the memory to determine a degree of coincidence between movement trajectories, wherein the determining includes determining that the number of operators is one when the degree of coincidence is equal to or greater than a predetermined degree, and the number of operators is plural when the degree of coincidence is less than the predetermined degree. the distance traveled during a swipe or other gesture may be an informative user attribute for user identification, as it may reflect a user's natural tendencies in terms of gesture size and spatial coverage. [Ferguson col 20 lines 34-383] A gesture endpoint attribute may include an average measurement, [Ferguson col 21 lines 21-22] the system may measure the gesture endpoint attributes of the new input and compare them to the gesture endpoint attributes of stored user profiles. If the attributes of the new input match a particular user's profile, the system may infer that the input is likely to have been performed by that user. [Ferguson col 21 lines 26-31]
Regarding claim 14 Taka and Ferguson teaches claim 12 in addition Ferguson wherein the identifying includes identifying that the operator of the flick operation During normal operation of a capacitance module, when a user performs a clicking action on the reference surface of the module, the system may measure the gesture endpoint attributes of the new input and compare them to the gesture endpoint attributes of stored user profiles. If the attributes of the new input match a particular user's profile, the system may infer that the input is likely to have been performed by that user. [Ferguson col 22 lines 24-31]
Ferguson does not teach but Taka teaches is a driver when the first input trajectory information stored in the memory includes a predetermined flick operation directed from a passenger-side toward a driver-side on the surface of the touch panel input portion. When a fourth direction is a direction rotated in the clockwise direction by approximately 270 degrees from the first direction in the touch panel 12, if the moving direction of the finger of the user is in the area of .+-.45 degrees from the fourth direction as a center, the display controlling part 22 determines that the transition time is 45 minutes. [Taka para 0039 and see Figure 4] (The applicant teaches a driver would normally flick towards the driver’s side.)
Conclusion
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/ROBERT J MICHAUD/Examiner, Art Unit 2622
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