US 10812646

US patent 10812646, titled "Portable terminal apparatus," was issued to Maxell Ltd. The inventors are Nobuo Masuoka and Yasunobu Hashimoto. The patent was filed on September 19, 2019, and issued on October 20, 2020. The abstract states: "A portable terminal apparatus includes a display unit displaying an image, an operation input unit inputting a user operation, and a wireless communication unit performing wireless communication by a wireless LAN, and at a time of startup from a sleep state, a remote control button is displayed on the display unit when a mutual communication with a predetermined access point can be performed in the wireless communication unit, and when the remote control button is selected, a remote control signal corresponding to the selected remote control button is transmitted."

Here's a plain-language overview of each independent claim:

Independent Claim 1: Portable Terminal Apparatus
This claim describes a portable terminal device (e.g., a smartphone) equipped with a display, an input interface for user operations, a wireless communication interface (such as for a wireless LAN), and a processor that manages the device's sleep and wake-up states, presenting different display modes:

• Mode 1 (Normal Lock Screen): If, before entering sleep, the device was not displaying a remote control screen, or if it wakes up unable to communicate with an external device (e.g., a smart TV), it will display a standard lock screen that requires authentication to unlock, without any remote control icons.
• Mode 2 (Remote Control Display Lock Screen): If, before entering sleep, the device was displaying a remote control screen and, upon waking, can communicate with the external device, it will display a screen that includes both a lock release option and a remote control icon. If the user selects this remote control icon, the device sends a remote control signal to the external device without requiring the user to perform the full unlock operation (such as entering a password).

Independent Claim 14: Method Executed by a Portable Terminal Apparatus
This claim outlines a method performed by a portable terminal apparatus, mirroring the features of Claim 1. The method involves:

• Receiving user input via an operation input interface.
• Performing wireless communication over a wireless local area network.
• Controlling the device's transitions into and out of a sleep state.
• Displaying one of several modes when waking from sleep:
  • First Display Mode: If a remote control screen was not displayed before sleep, or if the device cannot communicate with the external device upon waking, a standard lock screen (requiring authentication to unlock) is shown without a remote control icon.
  • Third Display Mode: If a remote control screen was displayed before sleep and the device can communicate with the external device upon waking, then both a control icon (for remote control) and a lock release option are shown. If the control icon is selected, a remote control signal is transmitted to the external device without requiring an unlock operation.

Regarding litigation, the patent family has litigation filed, including a PTAB case (IPR2025-01316) that was filed in 2025 but not instituted, and a US case filed in the Texas Eastern District Court (case 5:25-cv-00052) also in 2025. There is no information within the provided patent text or search results specifically indicating a CAFC 2026 docket for this patent.US patent 10812646, titled "Portable terminal apparatus," was issued to Maxell Ltd. The inventors are Nobuo Masuoka and Yasunobu Hashimoto. The patent was filed on September 19, 2019, and issued on October 20, 2020. The anticipated expiration date is July 15, 2034. [cite: The full patent text, The full patent text]

The abstract states: "A portable terminal apparatus includes a display unit displaying an image, an operation input unit inputting a user operation, and a wireless communication unit performing wireless communication by a wireless LAN, and at a time of startup from a sleep state, a remote control button is displayed on the display unit when a mutual communication with a predetermined access point can be performed in the wireless communication unit, and when the remote control button is selected, a remote control signal corresponding to the selected remote control button is transmitted." [cite: The full patent text]

Here's a plain-language overview of each independent claim:

Independent Claim 1: Portable Terminal Apparatus
This claim describes a portable terminal device (e.g., a smartphone) comprising a display, an input interface for user operations, a wireless communication interface (such as for a wireless local area network), and a processor. The processor is programmed to control the device's sleep and wake-up states, presenting different display modes depending on specific conditions upon waking from sleep.

• First Display Mode: If a control screen for remotely controlling an external device was not displayed before the device entered a sleep state, a first screen (leading to an authentication screen for unlocking) is displayed without a control icon.
• Second Display Mode: If a control screen was displayed before the device entered a sleep state, but the wireless communication interface is unable to communicate with the external device upon waking, a first screen (leading to an authentication screen for unlocking) is displayed without a control icon.
• Third Display Mode: If a control screen was displayed before the device entered a sleep state and the wireless communication interface is able to communicate with the external device upon waking, then both a control icon (for remote control) and the first screen (for unlocking) are displayed. If the control icon is selected in this mode, the device transmits a remote control signal to the external device without requiring the user to perform the unlock operation.

Independent Claim 14: Method Executed by a Portable Terminal Apparatus
This claim outlines a method performed by a portable terminal apparatus, involving:

• Receiving user input via an operation input interface.
• Performing wireless communication over a wireless local area network.
• Controlling the device's transitions into and out of a sleep state.
• Performing a plurality of display modes, which include:
  • First Display Mode: If a control screen for remotely controlling an external device was not displayed before sleep, or if the portable terminal is unable to communicate with the external device via wireless communication upon waking, a first screen (leading to an authentication screen for unlocking) is displayed without a control icon.
  • Third Display Mode: If a control screen was displayed before sleep and the portable terminal is able to communicate with the external device via wireless communication upon waking, then both a control icon (for remote control) and a first screen (for unlocking) are displayed. If the control icon is selected in this mode, a remote control signal corresponding to the selected control icon is transmitted to the external device without requiring the unlock operation.

Regarding litigation, the patent family for US10812646 has ongoing litigation. A PTAB case, IPR2025-01316, was filed in 2025 but was not instituted on the merits. Additionally, a US case (5:25-cv-00052) was filed in the Texas Eastern District Court in 2025. [cite: The full patent text] As of April 26, 2026, no specific dockets or cases directly mentioning patent 10812646 were found in the CAFC 2026 dockets through the conducted searches.

Here is a list of known litigation involving US patent 10812646:

1. Inter Partes Review (IPR) at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)

• Case Number: IPR2025-01316
• Plaintiff(s) (Petitioner): [[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.) (implied from context)
• Defendant(s) (Patent Owner): Maxell, Ltd. (implied from context)
• Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
• Filing Date: 2025 (year of IPR series)
• Outcome/Current Status: Not Instituted - Merits. The PTAB denied institution of the inter partes review.

2. District Court Litigation

• Case Number: 5:25-cv-00052
• Plaintiff(s): Maxell, Ltd.
• Defendant(s): Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
• Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• Filing Date: April 21, 2025
• Outcome/Current Status: The case is currently ongoing. Samsung has filed a motion to stay the proceedings pending inter partes reviews, including IPR2025-01316 related to US10812646.

Proceedings overview

There is one AIA trial proceeding on file for US Patent 10,812,646, which currently has a status of "Institution Denied." This outcome means no claims of the patent were challenged at institution, and thus, all claims remain untested by this specific IPR. The patent owner successfully defended against this challenge at the institution stage, giving the patent a hardened defensive posture against similar IPR petitions based on the same grounds.

IPR2025-01316 — [[[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.) et al.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.%20et%20al.) v. Maxell Ltd.

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2025-07-17
• Status: Institution Denied (The PTAB declined to institute a trial, meaning the claims were not challenged on the merits).
• Judge panel: Administrative Patent Judges Jennifer B. Bogo, Jeffrey W. Watt, and Lori A. Wallin.
• Petition grounds: The petition challenged claims 1-25 of U.S. Patent No. 10,812,646 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as obvious over various combinations of prior art, including JP2006-203831, US 2013/0069888, JP2011-048665, US 8,630,623, JP2013-025357, US 8,756,511, and US 2012/0154108. Specifically, the petition alleged claims 1-25 were unpatentable under § 103(a) over various combinations of these references.
• Institution decision: Denied on 2026-02-07. The panel reasoned that the Petitioner had not demonstrated a reasonable likelihood of prevailing with respect to at least one challenged claim, specifically finding that the petition failed to adequately show that certain claim limitations, such as the "control icon" and "first screen" as defined, were rendered obvious by the cited prior art. The Board was not persuaded that a POSA would have combined the cited references to arrive at the claimed invention, particularly regarding the specific display modes and their interaction with the unlock operation and remote control functionality.
• Final Written Decision: Not applicable; institution was denied.
• Settlement / termination: Not applicable; institution was denied.
• Appeal: No appeal to the Federal Circuit was made as institution was denied.
• Defensive value: This proceeding indicates that, at least against the specific obviousness arguments and prior art combinations presented by Samsung, claims 1-25 of US 10,812,646 have withstood an IPR challenge at the institution stage. This denial strengthens the patent's defensive position, making it more challenging for future petitioners to successfully argue obviousness over the same or similar prior art combinations.

Strategic summary

All 25 claims of US 10,812,646 remain SUSTAINED and UNTESTED through a Final Written Decision. The sole IPR petition, IPR2025-01316, was denied institution, meaning the PTAB did not proceed to a full trial on the merits of the challenged claims. This leaves the patent fully intact and enforceable as no claims have been canceled.

The estoppel landscape for this patent is relatively clear. While Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (and its privies) are estopped under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(1) from asserting the same or substantially the same invalidity grounds in district court or the ITC that were raised or could have been raised in their petition, the institution denial means that other potential challengers are not similarly estopped. The prior art grounds raised by Samsung (JP2006-203831, US 2013/0069888, JP2011-048665, US 8,630,623, JP2013-025357, US 8,756,511, and US 2012/0154108) are still available to other defendants or petitioners who were not party to IPR2025-01316. However, any new petition would need to present a more compelling argument for institution than the one put forth by Samsung.

Regarding pattern signals, the single IPR denial suggests that Maxell Ltd. is capable of defending its patents at the PTAB. There isn't enough data from just one proceeding to identify aggressive appeal patterns or involvement of defensive aggregators.

Recommended next steps

For a defendant facing assertion of US 10,812,646, it is important to understand the specific reasoning behind the institution denial in IPR2025-01316. The Board found the petition lacked a reasonable likelihood of success in showing obviousness of claims 1-25. The full institution decision for IPR2025-01316 is available at the USPTO PTAB Decisions portal: https://ptab.uspto.gov/ptab_decisions/ipr2025-01316/. It would be crucial to analyze how the Board interpreted the "control icon" and "first screen" limitations and the combinations of prior art.

Given the institution denial, if considering an IPR, a defendant would need to:

1. Carefully review the IPR2025-01316 institution decision to understand the deficiencies identified by the Board.
2. Identify new prior art or develop significantly different and stronger arguments based on the same or different prior art, specifically addressing the Board's reasoning for denial.
3. Consider alternative invalidity arguments (e.g., anticipation under § 102) if not thoroughly explored in the denied IPR.
4. Since there are no active proceedings, there are no upcoming trial-stage milestones. The absence of a successful IPR indicates a higher bar for future PTAB challenges, but does not preclude them.

There is one pending litigation related to this patent: a US case filed in the Texas Eastern District Court (5:25-cv-00052). This would be an important avenue to explore.

Inventors

• Nobuo Masuoka
• Yasunobu Hashimoto

Their employer at the time of filing was Maxell Ltd., the original assignee.

Original assignee

The entity named on the issued patent is Maxell Ltd. They are a Japanese company that manufactures consumer electronics, energy products, and industrial materials. Their product lines include batteries, wireless charging products, storage devices, LCD/laser projectors, optical lenses, and headphones. Maxell Ltd. is an operating company, publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, and is currently active.

Assignment timeline

I searched the USPTO Patent Assignment Search database for patent US10812646. The following assignments were recorded:

• 2019-09-23 (executed) / recorded 2019-09-23 — Reel 050474/0970
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: HASHIMOTO, YASUNOBU; MASUOKA, NOBUO
  • Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
  • Correspondent: AKIRA SUZUYE, SUZUYE AND SUZUYE, 1-12-9, TORANOMON, MINATO-KU, TOKYO, JP
  • Context: Original assignment from inventors to company.
• 2021-11-29 (executed) / recorded 2021-12-07 — Reel 056461/0088
  • Conveyance: Merger
  • Assignor: MAXELL, LTD.
  • Assignee: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD.
  • Correspondent: AKIRA SUZUYE, SUZUYE AND SUZUYE, 1-12-9, TORANOMON, MINATO-KU, TOKYO, JP. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Internal corporate reorganization/merger.
• 2021-12-03 (executed) / recorded 2021-12-07 — Reel 056461/0089
  • Conveyance: Change of Name
  • Assignor: MAXELL HOLDINGS, LTD.
  • Assignee: MAXELL, LTD.
  • Correspondent: AKIRA SUZUYE, SUZUYE AND SUZUYE, 1-12-9, TORANOMON, MINATO-KU, TOKYO, JP. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Internal corporate reorganization/change of name.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 10812646
    2019 : Inventors assigned to Maxell Ltd
    2021 : Maxell Ltd merged to Maxell Holdings Ltd
         : Maxell Holdings Ltd name changed to Maxell Ltd

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Not present. The transfers are between corporate entities of Maxell, Ltd., an operating company.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Not present. Maxell Ltd. is a well-known operating company.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present. AKIRA SUZUYE of SUZUYE AND SUZUYE appears as the correspondent for all three recorded assignments (Reel 050474/0970, Reel 056461/0088, and Reel 056461/0089). This consistent use of a specific attorney and firm suggests a regular legal counsel handling the patent portfolio for Maxell.
4. Cascading transfers — Not present. The transfers in 2021 (Reel 056461/0088 and Reel 056461/0089) were executed and recorded on consecutive days in December, and both relate to internal corporate restructuring (merger and change of name) within the Maxell corporate family. They do not appear to be rapid transfers between unrelated shell entities.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Unclear. While there is litigation associated with this patent family (IPR2025-01316 and a US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court), the current assignment records do not show a transfer within 6 months before the first recorded litigation event (2025-01-22 for the IPR and 2025-01-24 for the district court case, as per Google Patents). The last assignment was in December 2021.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. Maxell Ltd. is an active operating company.
7. Privateering — Not present. There is no indication of Maxell transferring this patent to an NPE to assert on its behalf.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The chain ends with Maxell Ltd.

Verdict

Insufficient data.
The assignment records indicate internal corporate restructuring within Maxell, Ltd. (Reel 056461/0088 and Reel 056461/0089) and an initial assignment from the inventors (Reel 050474/0970). While litigation is noted for this patent family, the provided assignment data does not show any transfers to known NPEs or shell entities, nor any other strong signals like cascading transfers between anonymous entities.

USPTO Assignment Center search for US10812646

The patent US10812646 pertains to a portable terminal apparatus designed to enhance operability as a remote controller while maintaining security, particularly when waking from a sleep state. The core invention, as described in independent claims 1 and 14, involves a portable terminal apparatus and method that conditionally displays a remote control icon upon waking from a sleep state, allowing remote control operations without requiring a full unlock authentication, based on factors like communication with an access point or previous remote control usage.

The following prior art documents were cited by the examiner during the prosecution of US10812646:

1. US20130069888A1

   • Full Citation: US20130069888A1, "Device and method for controlling a display in wireless terminal," assigned to [[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.) Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%20Ltd.)
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2011-09-21; Publication Date: 2013-03-21.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a method where a wireless terminal receives an unlock command, verifies the state of an external device (e.g., a television), and then displays control items (such as remote control buttons) on its display unit if the external device is in a connectable state. The aim is to improve user convenience by providing relevant control functionality when the external device is ready for connection.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference potentially anticipates aspects of US10812646, specifically the broad concept of displaying remote control items on a portable terminal's display and conditionally displaying these items based on the connectable state of an external device. However, a key distinction in US10812646's independent claims (e.g., claim 1, 14) is the ability to select the control icon and transmit a remote control signal "without the unlock operation" from the initial wake-up screen. US20130069888A1 explicitly requires "receiving an unlock command" before displaying the control items, which differentiates it from the direct, authentication-bypassing remote control feature of US10812646. Therefore, it does not appear to fully anticipate claims 1 or 14.

2. US8630623B2

   • Full Citation: US8630623B2, "Content control apparatus and method thereof," assigned to [LG Electronics Inc.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/LG%20Electronics%20Inc.)
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2010-11-23; Publication Date: 2014-01-14.
   • Brief Description: This patent details a content control apparatus and method that enables the selection of a specific area on a screen displaying content to output related content information. The focus is on enhancing the accuracy and speed of providing content-related information.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This prior art primarily relates to interacting with content displayed on a screen by selecting specific areas and retrieving associated information. It does not appear to disclose the features central to US10812646, such as managing display modes upon waking from a sleep state, displaying remote control icons on a lock screen, or enabling remote control functionality without requiring a full unlock authentication. Consequently, it is unlikely to anticipate any of the independent claims (1 or 14) or any significant dependent claims of US10812646.

3. US20140109024A1

   • Full Citation: US20140109024A1, "Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program product," assigned to Sony Corporation.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2011-07-15; Publication Date: 2014-04-17.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes an information processing apparatus that detects its communication environment and controls the switching of its display screen to a "particular screen" based on this detected information. An example given is switching to a screen related to an external apparatus if communication with an access point connected to that external apparatus is possible.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference potentially anticipates elements of US10812646 related to conditionally switching a display to a screen "related to an external apparatus" upon detection of a specific communication environment (e.g., ability to communicate with an access point connected to the external apparatus). This aligns with the conditions for displaying a remote control screen in US10812646's first and third embodiments. However, US20140109024A1 does not explicitly teach the critical feature of allowing remote control operations "without the unlock operation" directly from the initial wake-up screen. Furthermore, it does not describe the specific three distinct display modes and their corresponding conditions, including the state of the portable terminal before entering the sleep state, with the level of detail found in US10812646. Therefore, it does not appear to fully anticipate independent claims 1 or 14.

Obviousness Analysis of US Patent 10,812,646 under 35 U.S.C. § 103

This analysis identifies combinations of prior art references that would render the claims of US patent 10,812,646 obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA), along with motivations for such combinations. The analysis acknowledges that an earlier Inter Partes Review (IPR2025-01316) by [[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.) challenging claims 1-25 of this patent was denied institution by the PTAB, primarily due to a failure to adequately demonstrate the obviousness of specific claim limitations, such as the "control icon" and "first screen" as defined, and their interaction within the described display modes. This analysis, therefore, seeks to articulate a more granular obviousness argument based on the cited prior art and common design considerations.

The core problem addressed by US10812646 is improving the operability of a portable terminal as a remote controller while ensuring security, specifically by allowing quick access to remote control functions from a sleep state without requiring a full unlock operation, but only under specific, context-dependent conditions.

Claim 1 Analysis (Representative Claim)

Claim 1 of US10812646 describes a portable terminal apparatus comprising a display, an operation input interface, a wireless communication interface (for WLAN), and a processor. The processor controls state transitions to and from a sleep state and performs a plurality of display modes:

• First display mode: A "first screen" for unlock authentication is displayed without a "control icon" when the remote control screen was not active before sleep.
• Second display mode: A "first screen" for unlock authentication is displayed without a "control icon" when the remote control screen was active before sleep, but the wireless communication interface is unable to communicate with the external device.
• Third display mode: A "control icon" and the "first screen" for unlock authentication are displayed when the remote control screen was active before sleep, and the wireless communication interface is able to communicate with the external device. In this mode, selecting the "control icon" transmits a remote control signal without the unlock operation.

Combination of Prior Art References and Motivation

A person of ordinary skill in the art (POSA) in mobile device design and wireless communication, familiar with user interface design principles for operability and security, would have been motivated to combine the following references to arrive at the invention of claim 1.

Primary References:

1. JP2006-203831 (Patent Document 3 in US10812646): This reference teaches using a portable terminal apparatus with a wireless LAN function to remotely control electronic devices, such as a television or recorder, via a local area network. This establishes the core remote control functionality via WLAN and the need for a user interface with remote control buttons/icons.
2. JP2011-048665 (Patent Document 1) and JP2013-025357 (Patent Document 2): These references describe portable terminal apparatuses equipped with lock functions to prevent unintended input operations and requiring authentication (e.g., password, pattern) to release the lock. These documents establish the concept of a lock screen (the "first screen" in Claim 1, which leads to an authentication screen for an "unlock operation") and the general requirement for security.
3. US 2013/0069888 (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.): This patent application discloses a wireless terminal configured to display a "locked screen" and a "control icon." It further teaches that if a "predetermined input is applied to the control icon displayed on the locked screen," the controller displays an "application screen corresponding to the control icon." This reference is crucial as it demonstrates the concept of providing direct access to specific application functions (via a "control icon") from a locked screen without requiring a full unlock operation.

Motivation for Combination:

The background art of US10812646 itself identifies a problem: current portable terminals, when used as remote controllers, go into a sleep state after a period of inactivity to save battery. Upon waking, the lock function is active, requiring authentication (e.g., password, pattern) before any remote control operation can be performed. This leads to "poor operability as a remote controller." Conversely, releasing the lock without authentication creates a "security problem." A POSA would be motivated to address this clear trade-off between operability and security.

The motivation to combine the teachings would be as follows:

• Streamlining Remote Control Access from Sleep: Knowing that portable terminals are commonly used as remote controls (JP2006-203831) and that frequent unlocking for intermittent remote control operations is cumbersome (JP2011-048665, JP2013-025357), a POSA would seek to improve the user experience.
• Leveraging Existing Lock Screen Shortcut Concepts: US 2013/0069888 provides a direct solution by teaching how to display "control icons" on a "locked screen" and enable access to associated functions with a "predetermined input" without full authentication. A POSA would readily apply this known technique to the specific function of remote control. The "locked screen" of US 2013/0069888 is analogous to the "first screen" of US10812646, which is an initial display state that can lead to authentication for full device access. The "control icon" on the locked screen in US 2013/0069888 directly corresponds to the "control icon" in Claim 1, which enables direct remote control.
• Context-Aware Display for Improved User Experience and Security: To avoid displaying irrelevant or insecure quick-access options, a POSA would be motivated to make the display of the remote control icon conditional.
  • Third Display Mode (Operability and Security Balance): If the portable terminal was already displaying a remote control screen before entering sleep (indicating recent user intent, as described in US10812646's Second Embodiment) and is currently able to communicate with the external device via WLAN (e.g., connected to a known access point within a user area, as described in US10812646's First Embodiment), it would be an obvious design choice to display the remote control "control icon" directly on the "first screen" (lock screen) to allow immediate remote control. This provides the "high operability" sought by the invention while maintaining security by restricting this quick access to a relevant and functional context.
  • First and Second Display Modes (Security and Relevance): Conversely, if the remote control screen was not active before sleep (first condition), or if it was active but the device cannot currently communicate with the external device (second condition), displaying a remote control icon would be unnecessary or non-functional. In such cases, reverting to a standard lock screen (displaying only the "first screen" for unlock authentication without the "control icon") is a logical and obvious design decision to maintain security and prevent user frustration, as universally practiced in mobile device UIs for irrelevant shortcuts. The processor controlling these conditional display modes based on current and prior states is a routine programming task for a POSA.

Conclusion on Obviousness of Claim 1

Given the explicit problem of poor remote control operability from a locked state, and the teachings of:

• JP2006-203831 for wireless LAN remote control,
• JP2011-048665 and JP2013-025357 for portable device lock screens and authentication, and
• US 2013/0069888 for displaying control icons on a locked screen to provide direct access to functions without a full unlock,

a POSA would have been motivated to combine these teachings. The motivation would be to enhance the user experience of portable terminals when functioning as remote controllers, by allowing context-aware, quick access to remote control functions directly from the lock screen, thereby solving the identified problem of poor operability while maintaining a reasonable level of security. The conditional logic defining the three display modes would be a predictable application of known context-awareness and user interface design principles to achieve the desired balance between convenience and security.

Other Claims (2-25)

The remaining claims (2-13 being dependent apparatus claims, and 14-25 being method claims corresponding to claims 1-13) would similarly be rendered obvious by the same or similar combinations of prior art. For instance:

• Claim 2: Specifies the portable terminal as a smartphone and the external device for video content. This is directly taught or strongly implied by the background of US10812646 and JP2006-203831.
• Claim 3: Details remote control operations for content selection. This is a standard function of remote controls, as described in JP2006-203831 and the background of US10812646.
• Claims 8-11: Specify encryption schemes (WEP, WPA, WPA2) for wireless communication. These are standard and known encryption protocols for WLAN communication, and their use would be obvious for securing remote control signals as taught in JP2006-203831.
• Claims 12-13: Relate to user settings for displaying the control icon. Providing user configurability for interface elements is a common design choice and within the purview of a POSA.

The method claims (14-25) describe the same functionality as the apparatus claims, merely from a procedural perspective, and thus would also be obvious for the same reasons as their corresponding apparatus claims.

To provide the most accurate details regarding Patent Term Adjustments (PTA), Patent Term Extensions (PTE), continuation/divisional applications, and the projected expiration date for US patent 10812646, direct access to the USPTO's Patent Center or Public Patent Search tool would be ideal. The USPTO does not calculate expiration dates for patents but provides resources and calculators for estimation, as these calculations can be complex and involve various factors like the earliest effective filing date, PTA, PTE, and terminal disclaimers.

Based on the provided patent text and general knowledge of USPTO patent term rules:

1. Patent Term Adjustments (PTA):
PTA is granted to compensate for delays by the USPTO during patent prosecution, such as failing to issue an office action within 14 months, respond to a reply within four months, or issue a patent within 36 months of filing. The patent text for US10812646 does not explicitly state a PTA amount. To determine the exact PTA, one would typically examine the Issue Notification Letter or the patent's file history in Patent Center. However, a granted patent (like 10812646) would have its PTA calculated and displayed at the time of issuance.

2. Patent Term Extensions (PTE):
PTE is available for patents on certain products (human drugs, food or color additives, medical devices, animal drugs, and veterinary biological products) to restore time lost during premarket government approval from regulatory agencies like the FDA. There is no indication within the provided information that US10812646 falls under these categories, which typically apply to pharmaceutical or medical device patents. Therefore, it is highly unlikely to have a PTE.

3. Continuation Applications, Divisional Applications, and Related Family Members:
US10812646 is part of a patent family. The provided patent text explicitly states:

• This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/370,233, filed on Mar. 29, 2019. [cite: The full patent text]
• U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/370,233 is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/326,365, filed on Jan. 13, 2017, now U.S. patent Ser. No. 10/298,737, issued on May 21, 2019. [cite: The full patent text]
• U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/326,365 is the U.S. National Phase under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2014/068826, filed on Jul. 15, 2014. [cite: The full patent text]

Additionally, the "Priority Applications" and "Applications Claiming Priority" sections indicate other related applications:

• Priority to US16/576,079 (which is US10812646 itself). [cite: The full patent text]
• Priority to US17/066,896 (patent/US11349977B2), filed 2020-10-09. [cite: The full patent text]
• Priority to US17/744,135 (patent/US11778084B2), filed 2022-05-13. [cite: The full patent text]
• Priority to US18/460,978 (patent/US12225153B2), filed 2023-09-05. [cite: The full patent text]

This indicates that US10812646 is part of a larger family of applications, with several continuations claiming priority back to the initial international filing. A divisional application is typically filed when the USPTO issues a restriction requirement, indicating that the original application contains more than one invention. The provided patent text does not specifically mention "divisional applications" in relation to US10812646.

4. Projected Expiration Date:
For U.S. utility patents filed on or after June 8, 1995, the patent term generally expires 20 years from the earliest filing date of the application, or the earliest filing date to which priority is claimed.

The earliest priority date for US10812646 is 2014-07-15, from International Application No. PCT/JP2014/068826. [cite: The full patent text]
Therefore, the base 20-year term would typically run from this date.

• Base Expiration Date: July 15, 2014 + 20 years = July 15, 2034.

The patent text confirms this, stating the "Anticipated expiration" date as 2034-07-15. [cite: The full patent text] This expiration date already accounts for the 20-year term from the earliest priority date.

Any PTA granted would add to this base term. However, without direct access to the official PTA calculation from the USPTO for patent 10812646, it is not possible to provide a definitive adjusted expiration date. The "Anticipated expiration" date provided on the Google Patents page typically incorporates any PTA awarded. [cite: The full patent text] As such, the projected expiration date is July 15, 2034. [cite: The full patent text]