www.uspto.gov
`
`UNITEDSTATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`18/223,068
`
`07/18/2023
`
`Hidenari KOSHIMAE
`
`10165US04CON
`
`5123
`
`Xsensts
`
`/Sony
`
`mses
`
`Xsensus / Sony
`100 Daingerfield Road, Suite 402
`Alexandria, VA 22314
`
`XIAO,DI
`
`2178
`
`02/18/2025
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`Xdocket @ XSensus.com
`
`Xsensuspat@ XSensus.com
`anaquadocketing @ Xsensus.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Office Action Summary
`
`Application No.
`18/223,068
`Examiner
`DI XIAO
`
`Applicant(s)
`KOSHIMAE etal.
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`2178
`No
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORYPERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s)filed on 11/29/2024.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)() This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3) An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)(2) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`2-22 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`C} Claim(s)__ is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 2-22 is/are rejected.
`(] Claim(s)__ is/are objectedto.
`C] Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`Application Papers
`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)0) The drawing(s) filedon__ is/are: a)(J accepted or b)( objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)7) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`c)Z None ofthe:
`b)() Some**
`a)C All
`1.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.2) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.1.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`*“ See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2) (J Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`4)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20250210
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/223,068
`Art Unit: 2178
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`In Applicant's Response dated 6/6/2024, Applicant amended claims 2 to 22; and
`
`argued against all rejections previously set forth in the Office action dated 3/31/2024.
`
`Response to Argument
`
`Applicant's arguments filed 10/24/2024 have beenfully considered but they are
`
`not persuasive. The amendedlimitation is specifically taught by the prior art Kawaguchi.
`
`As shownin fig. 9A and 9B, the user can select the moveicon with his or herfinger,
`
`then drag the window with the finger. Therefore, applicant's argument is unpersuasive.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
`
`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AlA 35 U.S.C.
`
`102 that form the basis forthe rejections under this section madein this Office action:
`
`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
`
`(bo) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this ora foreign country
`or in public use or on salein this country, more than one year prior to the date of application
`for patentin the United States.
`
`Claims 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22 is/are rejected under pre-AlA
`
`35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by Kawaguchi, Pub. No.: 2009/0164936A1.
`
`With regard to claim 2:
`
`Kawaguchi discloses A method implemented by a terminal including a display
`
`screen and circuitry, the method comprising: controlling display of a first display window
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/223,068
`Art Unit: 2178
`
`Page 3
`
`on the display screen, the first display window having a movement element (See move
`
`icon Si1 in fig. 9, paragraph 162: “More specifically,
`
`in each selection/setting
`
`window Sw, moveicon Si1 to which the commandforshifting the display position
`
`of each selection/setting window Sw with the underlying application icon Aw is
`
`assigned is arranged at the upperleft corner and closing icon Si2 to which the
`
`commandforclosing the selection/setting window Sw with the underlying
`
`application window Awis assigned is arranged at the upper right corner while
`
`property icon Si3 to which the command for displaying a property image of the
`
`correspond application is assigned is arranged at the lowerleft corner and size
`
`changeicon Si4 to which the commandfor changing the display size of the
`
`selection/setting window Sw andthatof the underlying application window Awis
`
`assigned is arranged at the lowerright corner.”); obtaining a user input through the
`
`movement element for directly moving the first display window on the display screen by
`
`directly touching and moving the movement element by the user input (see fig. 9A for
`
`moving the window by dragging the moveicon, paragraph 163: “In the
`
`selection/setting mode, as the user touches the display area of the move icon Si1
`
`arranged at the upperleft corner of a selection/setting window Sw onthe display
`
`screen 15A by means of a finger (or a pen), slides the finger in a desired
`
`direction, keeping the finger held in touch with the display screen 15A, and
`
`movesthe finger away from the display screen 15A,the selection/setting window
`
`Sw is movedin the desired direction in the window display region 52 along with
`
`the underlying application window Awasillustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B”); and
`
`moving a relative location of the movement element (Si1 is the move icon, paragraph
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/223,068
`Art Unit: 2178
`
`Page 4
`
`172: “For example, whena left half of a selection/setting window Sw movesoutof
`
`the window display region 52 so that the moveicon Si1 and the property icon Si3
`
`that are arrangedin the left half disappear, the move icon Si1 can be movedto the
`
`upperleft corner of the part of the selection/setting window Swthatis being
`
`displayed and the property icon Si3 can be moved to the lowerleft corner of the
`
`part of the selection/setting window Swthat is being displayed to make them
`
`reappear.”) within the first display window based on a position of the first display
`
`window on the display screen ( the icon is moved based on the window moves
`
`partially off screen, paragraph 171 and 172: “Still additionally, when a
`
`selection/setting window Sw partly moves out of the window display region 52 so
`
`that some of the selection/setting icons Si are no longer displayed as a result of
`
`moving the selection/setting window Swin a desired direction in the window
`
`display region 52 as shownin FIG. 14A, the disappeared selection/setting icons
`
`Si can be moved backinto the part of the selection/setting window Swthat is
`
`being displayed so as to display all the selection/setting icons Si in that part of
`
`the selection/setting window Sw as shownin FIG. 14B. For example, whena left
`
`half of a selection/setting window Sw movesout of the window display region 52
`
`so that the moveicon Si1 and the property icon Si3 that are arrangedin theleft
`
`half disappear, the move icon Si1 can be moved to the upperleft corner of the
`
`part of the selection/setting window Swthat is being displayed and the property
`
`icon Si3 can be movedto the lowerleft corner of the part of the selection/setting
`
`windowSwthatis being displayed to make them reappear.”).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/223,068
`Art Unit: 2178
`
`With regard to Claims 3 and 13:
`
`Page 5
`
`Kawaguchi disclose The methodof claim 2, further comprising: displaying the
`
`movement element in a region at an end of the display screen(Kawaguchi see figure
`
`14, paragraph 171 and 172: “Still additionally, when a selection/setting window
`
`Sw partly moves out of the window display region 52 so that some of the
`
`selection/setting icons Si are no longer displayed as a result of moving the
`
`selection/setting window Swina desired direction in the window display region
`
`52 as shownin FIG. 14A, the disappeared selection/setting icons Si can be moved
`
`backinto the part of the selection/setting window Swthat is being displayed so
`
`as to display all the selection/setting icons Si in that part of the selection/setting
`
`window Sw as shownin FIG. 14B. For example, whena left half of a
`
`selection/setting window Sw movesout of the window display region 52 so that
`
`the move icon Si1 and the property icon Si3 that are arrangedin theleft half
`
`disappear, the move icon Si1 can be movedto the upperleft corner of the part of
`
`the selection/setting window Swthat is being displayed and the property icon Si3
`
`can be moved tothe lowerleft corner of the part of the selection/setting window
`
`Sw that is being displayed to make them reappear.”).
`
`With regard to claims 4 and 14:
`
`Kawaguchi disclose the method of claim 2, further comprising: displaying a
`
`portion of thefirst display window at an edge of the display screen.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/223,068
`Art Unit: 2178
`
`Page 6
`
`(Kawaguchi see figure 14, paragraph 171 and 172: “Still additionally, when a
`
`selection/setting window Sw partly moves out of the window display region 52 so
`
`that some of the selection/setting icons Si are no longer displayed as a result of
`
`moving the selection/setting window Swin a desired direction in the window
`
`display region 52 as shownin FIG. 14A, the disappeared selection/setting icons
`
`Si can be moved backinto the part of the selection/setting window Swthat is
`
`being displayed so as to display all the selection/setting icons Si in that part of
`
`the selection/setting window Sw as shownin FIG. 14B. For example, whena left
`
`half of a selection/setting window Sw movesout of the window display region 52
`
`so that the moveicon Si1 and the property icon Si3 that are arrangedin theleft
`
`half disappear, the move icon Si1 can be moved to the upperleft corner of the
`
`part of the selection/setting window Swthat is being displayed and the property
`
`icon Si3 can be movedto the lowerleft corner of the part of the selection/setting
`
`windowSwthatis being displayed to make them reappear.”).
`
`With regard to Claim 5 and 15:
`
`Kawaguchi disclose the method of claim 2, further comprising: displaying a
`
`portion of the first display window at a left edge of the display screen (Kawaguchi see
`
`figure 14, paragraph 171 and 172: “Still additionally, when a selection/setting
`
`window Swpartly moves out of the window display region 52 so that some of the
`
`selection/setting icons Si are no longer displayed as a result of moving the
`
`selection/setting window Swina desired direction in the window display region
`
`52 as shownin FIG. 14A, the disappeared selection/setting icons Si can be moved
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/223,068
`Art Unit: 2178
`
`Page 7
`
`backinto the part of the selection/setting window Swthat is being displayed so
`
`as to display all the selection/setting icons Si in that part of the selection/setting
`
`window Sw as shownin FIG. 14B. For example, whena left half of a
`
`selection/setting window Sw movesout of the window display region 52 so that
`
`the move icon Si1 and the property icon Si3 that are arrangedin theleft half
`
`disappear, the move icon Si1 can be movedto the upperleft corner of the part of
`
`the selection/setting window Swthat is being displayed and the property icon Si3
`
`can be moved tothe lowerleft corner of the part of the selection/setting window
`
`Sw that is being displayed to make them reappear.”).
`
`With regard to Claims 6 and 16:
`
`Kawaguchi disclose The methodof claim 2, further comprising: displaying a
`
`portion of the first display window at aright edge of the display screen.(Kawaguchi, fig.
`
`26A, paragraph 240: “Still alternatively, when someof the selection/setting icons
`
`Si are no longer displayed because the selection/setting window Sw partly moves
`
`out of the window display region 52, the positions of the selection/setting icons
`
`Si may be adjusted so as to display the selection/setting icon having the highest
`
`degree of importance. For example, whenthe selection/setting icon Si that has
`
`the lowest degree of importance is displayed out of the four selection/setting
`
`icons Si1 through Si4 as shownin FIG. 26A, the selection/setting icon Siis
`
`replaced by the selection/setting icon Si having the highest degree of importance
`
`amongtheselection/setting icons Si1 to Si4 as shownin FIG. 26B. With this
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/223,068
`Art Unit: 2178
`
`Page 8
`
`arrangement, at least the selection/setting icon Si having the highest degree of
`
`importance can constantly be operated.”).
`
`With regard to Claims 7 and 17:
`
`Kawaguchi disclose the method of claim 4, wherein the movement elementis
`
`displayed in the displayed portion of the first display window (Kawaguchi see figure
`
`14, paragraph 171 and 172: “Still additionally, when a selection/setting window
`
`Sw partly moves out of the window display region 52 so that some of the
`
`selection/setting icons Si are no longer displayed as a result of moving the
`
`selection/setting window Swina desired direction in the window display region
`
`52 as shownin FIG. 14A, the disappeared selection/setting icons Si can be moved
`
`backinto the part of the selection/setting window Swthat is being displayed so
`
`as to display all the selection/setting icons Si in that part of the selection/setting
`
`window Sw as shownin FIG. 14B. For example, whena left half of a
`
`selection/setting window Sw movesout of the window display region 52 so that
`
`the move icon Si1 and the property icon Si3 that are arrangedin theleft half
`
`disappear, the move icon Si1 can be movedto the upperleft corner of the part of
`
`the selection/setting window Swthat is being displayed and the property icon Si3
`
`can be moved tothe lowerleft corner of the part of the selection/setting window
`
`Sw that is being displayed to make them reappear.”).
`
`Claim 12 is rejected for the same reason as claim 1.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/223,068
`Art Unit: 2178
`
`Page 9
`
`Claim 22 is rejected for the same reason as claim 1.
`
`Claims 8, 9, 10, 18, 19, 20 is/are rejected under pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as
`
`being unpatentable over Kawaguchi in view of Tsuruta et al., Pub. No.;
`
`2010/0088634A1,
`
`With regard to Claims 8 and 18:
`
`Kawaguchi do not disclose the method of claim 2, further comprising: controlling
`
`transition of the displayed portion of the first display windowinto an iconthatis
`
`displayed.
`
`HoweverTsuruta discloses the aspect of controlling transition of the displayed
`
`portion of thefirst display window into an icon that is displayed.
`
`(Tsuruta see fig. 29
`
`wherein window 377 is reduced to aicon after receiving a user input, paragraph
`
`317: “By way of example, assume that window 72 of mail application and window
`
`377 of Web browserare displayed as shownin FIG. 29(A). At the same time, the
`
`one-segment TV application is also active. Its window, however,is closed
`
`becauseof the limitation of exclusive display of the window with respect to the
`
`Webbrowserdescribed above, and activating icon 62 is displayed with its color
`
`changed. In the present embodiment, when the user one-touches activating icon
`
`62 with his/her finger 380, window 377 of Web browseris closed and the Web
`
`browser ends, and window 68 of one-segment TV application corresponding to
`
`the activating icon 62 is opened in the size as before closing as shownin FIG. 29
`
`(B). The operation of the program here will be described.”).
`
`It would have been
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/223,068
`Art Unit: 2178
`
`Page 10
`
`obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was madeto apply
`
`Tsuruta to Kawaguchi so a window can be minimized into an icon to allow the user to
`
`select again and reopen easily.
`
`With regard to Claims 9 and 19:
`
`Kawaguchi and Tsuruta disclose the method of claim 2, further comprising: after
`
`receiving a userinput, controlling transition of the displayed portion of the first display
`
`windowinto an icon that is displayed (Tsuruta see fig. 29 wherein window 377is
`
`reduced to aicon after receiving a user input, paragraph 317: “By wayof
`
`example, assume that window 72 of mail application and window 377 of Web
`
`browserare displayed as shownin FIG. 29(A). At the same time, the one-segment
`
`TV application is also active. Its window, however, is closed because of the
`
`limitation of exclusive display of the window with respect to the Web browser
`
`described above, and activating icon 62 is displayed with its color changed. In the
`
`present embodiment, when the user one-touches activating icon 62 with his/her
`
`finger 380, window 377 of Web browseris closed and the Web browser ends, and
`
`window 68 of one-segment TV application corresponding to the activating icon 62
`
`is opened in the size as before closing as shownin FIG. 29 (B). The operation of
`
`the program here will be described.”).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary
`
`skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to apply Tsuruta to Kawaguchi so a
`
`window can be minimizedinto a icon to allow the user to select again and reopen easily.
`
`With regard to Claims 10 and 20:
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/223,068
`Art Unit: 2178
`
`Page 11
`
`Kawaguchi and Tsuruta disclose the method of claim 9, wherein the user input is
`
`a touch operation. (Kawaguchi paragraph 77: “The upper housing 13 has a touch
`
`panel 16 larger than the display screen 15A of the display section 15 that shows a
`
`contour like that of a race track andis also arranged at a central part of the upper
`
`surface 13A thereof. The touch panel 16 is arranged to lie over the display screen
`
`15A including the periphery thereof with its longitudinal direction (to be referred
`
`to as panel longitudinal direction hereinafter) extending in parallel with the
`
`longitudinal direction of the terminal housing 11.”).
`
`Claim 11 and 21 is/are rejected under pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being
`
`unpatentable over Kawaguchi, and further in view of Friedlanderet al., Pub. No.:
`
`2010/0257554A1.
`
`With regard to Claims 11 and 21:
`
`Kawaguchi doesnot disclose the method of claim 2, wherein when a userinput
`
`on the display screen doesnot satisfy a condition, the first display window is moved in a
`
`direction opposite to a direction in which thefirst display window was dragged (wherein
`
`the condition is that the window is not at the edge of the screen,
`
`HoweverFriedlander discloses The method of claim 2, wherein when a user
`
`input on the display screen does not satisfy a condition, the first display window is
`
`movedin a direction opposite to a direction in whichthefirst display window was
`
`dragged (wherein the condition is that the windowis not at the edge of the screen
`
`paragraph 46: “In order to makethetelevision Widgets and Snippets more
`
`interesting and entertaining to use, various animations can be added to those
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/223,068
`Art Unit: 2178
`
`Page 12
`
`already discussed. By way of example, as depicted in FIG. 10, Widget 50, if moved
`
`either to the right or down as shown (but generally in any direction), can
`
`ultimately reach the edge of the screen 32. Consider the case of movementto the
`
`right as represented by arrow 72.If the user moves the Widget to the right and
`
`encounters the edge of the screen, the Widget can be animated to bounce backto
`
`the left slightly away from the edge in the direction of arrow 76. Similarly, if the
`
`DOWNarrowis pressed, the Widget can move downward in the direction of arrow
`
`80 until it encounters the edge of the screen 32, and then it bounces backin the
`
`direction of arrow 84.”).
`
`It would have been obviousto oneof ordinary skill
`
`in the art,
`
`at the time the invention was made to apply Friedlander to Kawaguchi so the window
`
`would movein the opposite direction of the user input to provide the user with feedback
`
`that a condition is no longer met to help the user better understand what needs to be
`
`done using vision feedback.
`
`Conclusion
`
`Anyinquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to DI XIAO whose telephone numberis (571)270-1758.
`
`The examiner can normally be reached 9Am-5Pm est M-F.
`
`Examinerinterviews 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 AutomatedInterview Request
`
`(AIR) at http:/Avwww.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 18/223,068
`Art Unit: 2178
`
`Page 13
`
`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
`
`supervisor, Stephen Hong can be reached on (571) 272-4124. 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 Centeris
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`
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`
`/DI XIAO/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2178
`
`