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 . This Office Action is in response to Applicant’s RCE filed 4/23/26. Claims 1, 7, 13, 19-25, 29, and 31-35 are amended. Claims 1-35 are pending.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 4/23/26 has been entered.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Publication No. 2019/0355209 A1 to Sorey et al. (hereinafter “Sorey”) in view of US Publication No. 2021/0097287 A1 to Stelmar Netto et al. (hereinafter “Stelmar Netto”).
Concerning claim 1, Sorey discloses one or more processors [0116], comprising: circuitry to receive, via an input device, information specifying one or more sensitivities of one or more game players; identify potentially sensitive content to be output as one or more images produced as a graphical output during gameplay of a video game based, at least in part on the one or more sensitivities; use one or more neural networks to predict one or more reactions from one or more game players to the content being displayed to the one or more game players; memory for storing network parameters for he one or more neural networks; generate one or more modified images having the potentially sensitive content modified, while maintaining interactive gameplay involving the potentially sensitive content (paragraphs [0058], [0059], [0077]-[0080], [0083], [0085], [0100], [0105], [0106], [0110] – neural networks are used to predict user reactions based on gameplay and the emotional state prediction module may be used to predict a future emotional state of the player based on a future game event which is modified before it is presented for display, modifying the aspect of the game play experience includes modifying a visual image associated with the game play experience, the system can change the game play experience (including showing visual images which are intertwined with the game) to improve a player mood based on using neural networks to predict player reactions and the system receives information specifying one or more sensitivities by capturing biometric feedback of the player).
Sorey lacks specifically disclosing, however, Stelmar Netto discloses receive, via an input device, information specifying one or more sensitivities of one or more users; identify potentially sensitive content to be output as one or more images produced as a graphical output during interaction with a video, at least in part on the one or more sensitivities, predict one or more reactions from the one or more users to the potentially sensitive content, generate one or more modified images having the potentially sensitive content modified, while maintaining interactive video interaction involving the potentially sensitive content, prior to any image containing the potentially sensitive content being displayed to the one or more users; and output, via a display, the one or more modified images to the one or more users (paragraphs [0022]-[0025], [0029], [0030], [0032], [0033] [0050], [0051], [0063], [0067] – sensitivities are input into the user profile from the user identifying sensitive content and sensitivities are dynamically captured based on biometric input, user reactions are predicted, and content of the images are changed/reduced/removed prior to being displayed, changing the content to be output to a user before it is displayed). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the input of the triggers associated with user emotion as disclosed by Stelmar Netto in the system of Sorey in order to provide a more detailed response to a variety of emotions.
Concerning claims 2, 8, 14, 20, and 26, Sorey discloses wherein the one or more neural networks include one or more detection networks to identify one or more objects or actions in the one or more images that have a predicted probability of resulting in the one or more reactions from the one or more game players (paragraphs [0058], [0059], [0077]-[0080], [0110]-[0112] – neural networks can determine actions in the images that have a probability of resulting in a reaction from the player).
Concerning claims 3, 9, 15, 21, and 27, Sorey discloses wherein the one or more neural networks include a decision network to predict the one or more reactions based at least in part upon the one or more objects or actions identified by the one or more detection networks (paragraphs [0058], [0059], [0077]-[0080], [0110]-[0112] – neural networks can determine actions in the images that have a probability of resulting in a reaction from the player).
Concerning claims 4, 10, 16, 22, and 28, Sorey lacks specifically disclosing, however, Stelmar Netto discloses wherein the one or more reactions relate to one or more sensitivities or phobias of the one or more game players (paragraphs [0022]-[0025], [0029], [0030] [0050], [0051], [0063], [0067]– sensitivities are input into the player profile from the player identifying sensitive content, player reactions are predicted, and content of the images are changed/reduced/removed prior to being displayed, changing the content to be output to a user in a game before it is displayed). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the input of the triggers associated with player emotion as disclosed by Stelmar Netto in the system of Sorey in order to provide a more detailed response to a variety of emotions.
Concerning claims 5, 11, and 17, Sorey lacks specifically disclosing, however, Stelmar Netto discloses wherein the one or more circuits are further to modify one or more images rendered in the game to prevent the one or more reactions (paragraphs [0022]-[0025], [0029], [0030] [0050], [0051], [0063], [0067]– sensitivities are input into the player profile from the player identifying sensitive content, player reactions are predicted, and content of the images are changed/reduced/removed prior to being displayed, changing the content to be output to a user in a game before it is displayed). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the input of the triggers associated with player emotion as disclosed by Stelmar Netto in the system of Sorey in order to provide a more detailed response to a variety of emotions.
Concerning claims 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30, Sorey lacks specifically disclosing, however, Stelmar Netto discloses wherein the one or more images are modified by blurring, obscuring, skipping, pausing, or providing a notification for the one or more images (paragraphs [0022]-[0025], [0029], [0030] [0050], [0051], [0063], [0067]– sensitivities are input into the player profile from the player identifying sensitive content, player reactions are predicted, and content of the images are changed/reduced/removed prior to being displayed, changing the content to be output to a user in a game before it is displayed). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the input of the triggers associated with player emotion as disclosed by Stelmar Netto in the system of Sorey in order to provide a more detailed response to a variety of emotions.
Concerning claims 7, 13, 19, and 25, see the rejection of claim 1.
Concerning claims 23 and 29, Sorey discloses wherein the one or more neural networks are further to, the game being a video game (paragraphs [0058], [0059], [0077]-[0080], [0083], [0085], [0100], [0105], [0106], [0110] – neural networks are used to predict user reactions based on gameplay and the emotional state prediction module may be used to predict a future emotional state of the player based on a future game event which is modified before it is presented for display, modifying the aspect of the game play experience includes modifying a visual image associated with the game play experience, the system can change the game play experience (including showing visual images which are intertwined with the game) to improve a player mood based on using neural networks to predict player reactions). Sorey lacks specifically disclosing, however, Stelmar Netto discloses modify the one or more images rendered in the video to prevent the one or more reactions (paragraphs [0022]-[0025], [0029], [0030] [0050], [0051], [0063], [0067]– sensitivities are input into the player profile from the player identifying sensitive content, player reactions are predicted, and content of the images are changed/reduced/removed prior to being displayed, changing the content to be output to a user in a game before it is displayed). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the input of the triggers associated with player emotion as disclosed by Stelmar Netto in the system of Sorey in order to provide a more detailed response to a variety of emotions.
Concerning claims 31-35, Sorey discloses wherein the one or more neural networks are further to modify one or more images rendered in the video game (paragraphs [0058], [0059], [0077]-[0080], [0083], [0085], [0100], [0105], [0106], [0110] – neural networks are used to predict user reactions based on gameplay and the emotional state prediction module may be used to predict a future emotional state of the player based on a future game event which is modified before it is presented for display, modifying the aspect of the game play experience includes modifying a visual image associated with the game play experience, the system can change the game play experience (including showing visual images which are intertwined with the game) to improve a player mood based on using neural networks to predict player reactions). Sorey lacks specifically disclosing, however, Stelmar Netto discloses prior to the one or more images being displayed to the one or more users, based, at least in part, on one or more predicted reactions of the one or more users (paragraphs [0022]-[0025], [0029], [0030] [0050], [0051], [0063], [0067]– sensitivities are input into the player profile from the player identifying sensitive content, player reactions are predicted, and content of the images are changed/reduced/removed prior to being displayed, changing the content to be output to a user in a game before it is displayed). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the input of the triggers associated with player emotion as disclosed by Stelmar Netto in the system of Sorey in order to provide a more detailed response to a variety of emotions.
Response to Arguments
With respect to the 35 USC 103 rejections, Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but are moot based on the newly cited paragraphs and explanations above addressing the claim amendments.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MALINA D BLAISE whose telephone number is (571)270-3398. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Thurs. 7:00 am - 5:00 pm (PT).
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MALINA D. BLAISE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3715
/MALINA D. BLAISE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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