DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-3, 7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Seegers et al (US 2020/0070722).
In regards to claim 1, Seegers discloses a display system comprising a protective lens (shaped part 16) forming a display surface, the display surface having a display area and at least one peripheral area (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 37-39), the display system comprising:
an electronic control unit (electronics module 20) (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 37-39, 44), and
a display device (thin-film display 14) arranged opposite the display area, comprising a front face facing the protective lens, configured to display, in response to a command from the electronic control unit, a light signal on the display area, forming a first-resolution display (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 37-49),
wherein the display system further comprises at least one thin film extending between the protective lens and the front face of the display device, configured to guide light from a light source and to form light patterns, in response to a command from said electronic control unit, the light patterns forming a display of second resolution, lower than the first resolution, on the at least one peripheral area of the display surface (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 37-49; the area over monitor 18 can turned on or off to display what is on the monitor).
In regards to claim 2, Seegers discloses the display system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one thin film also extends over the entire display area (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 37-49; the thin-film display 14 can extend) along the whole region).
In regards to claim 3, Seegers discloses the display system according to claim 1, comprising at least two thin films, each thin film being configured to display distinct light patterns, modifiable by command from the electronic control unit (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 37-49; the first thin film is the thin-film display and the second thin film is monitor 18).
In regards to claim 7, Seegers discloses the display system according to claim 1, wherein said display device is selected from a transmissive LCD, a reflective LCD, a transflective LCD, a self-emissive LCD (paragraphs 13, 40).
In regards to claim 10, Seegers discloses a trim element for a motor vehicle comprising the display system according to claim 1 (Fig. 1 and paragraphs 7, 37).
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.
Claims 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seegers et al (US 2020/0070722) in view of Moll et al (US 2024/0369867; submitted by Applicant).
In regards to claim 4, Seegers does not disclose the display system according to claim 1, comprising at least one thin film having an associated viewing angle, said thin film with associated viewing angle being configured to form light patterns visible to a user positioned at a first spatial viewing position and opaque to a user positioned at a second spatial viewing position.
Moll discloses comprising at least one thin film having an associated viewing angle, said thin film with associated viewing angle being configured to form light patterns visible to a user positioned at a first spatial viewing position and opaque to a user positioned at a second spatial viewing position (Figs. 1, 3 and paragraphs 40-46, 49-50, 54).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Seegers with the teachings of Moll, privacy mode, because it would prevent the driver from being distracted from what is being displayed.
In regards to claim 5, Seegers does not disclose the display system according to claim 4, wherein said display device is configured to switchover on command from a public display mode to a private display mode and vice versa, the public display mode being a display mode in which the light signal displayed on the display area is visible from both the first spatial viewing position and the second spatial viewing position, the private display mode being a display mode in which the light signal displayed on the display area is visible from the first spatial viewing position but not visible from the second spatial viewing position, and wherein said thin film having an associated viewing angle is configured to form, in response to a command to switch to the private display mode, light patterns visible to a user placed at the second spatial viewing position, at least on said display area.
Moll discloses wherein said display device is configured to switchover on command from a public display mode to a private display mode and vice versa, the public display mode being a display mode in which the light signal displayed on the display area is visible from both the first spatial viewing position and the second spatial viewing position, the private display mode being a display mode in which the light signal displayed on the display area is visible from the first spatial viewing position but not visible from the second spatial viewing position, and wherein said thin film having an associated viewing angle is configured to form, in response to a command to switch to the private display mode, light patterns visible to a user placed at the second spatial viewing position, at least on said display area (Figs. 1, 3 and paragraphs 40-46, 49-50, 54).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Seegers with the teachings of Moll, privacy mode, because it would prevent the driver from being distracted from what is being displayed.
In regards to claim 6, Seegers does not disclose the display system according to claim 4, comprising a first thin film and a second thin film at least partially superimposed, each of said thin films having a distinct associated viewing angle, the first thin film being configured to form first light patterns visible to a user placed at the first spatial viewing position and opaque to a user placed at the second spatial viewing position, and the second thin film being configured to form second light patterns visible to a user placed in the second spatial viewing position and opaque to a user placed in the first spatial viewing position, each of the thin films being illuminated in response to a command to switch to a private display mode.
Moll discloses comprising a first thin film and a second thin film at least partially superimposed, each of said thin films having a distinct associated viewing angle, the first thin film being configured to form first light patterns visible to a user placed at the first spatial viewing position and opaque to a user placed at the second spatial viewing position, and the second thin film being configured to form second light patterns visible to a user placed in the second spatial viewing position and opaque to a user placed in the first spatial viewing position, each of the thin films being illuminated in response to a command to switch to a private display mode (Figs. 1, 3 and paragraphs 40-46, 49-50, 54).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Seegers with the teachings of Moll, privacy mode, because it would prevent the driver from being distracted from what is being displayed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Han et al (US 2026/0063938) discloses a display device having a switchable viewing angle in one example includes a display panel having a display area and a non-display area around the display area. The display area can include a viewing angle control area in which the display device is operated to be switched between a viewing angle control mode and a share mode, a share area in which the display device is operated in the share mode, and a boundary area disposed between the viewing angle control area and the share area and in which the display device is operated to be switched between the viewing angle control mode and the share mode. The display device can further include a viewing angle control panel disposed below the display panel and configured to selectively control the operating mode of the display device by controlling a polarized light transmitting into the display area (Abstract).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael Pervan whose telephone number is (571)272-0910. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri between 7:00am - 4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin Lee can be reached at (571) 272-2963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL PERVAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629 June 26, 2026
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