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 reply filed 12/17/25. Claims 1, 7, 13, 19, 25, and 31-35 are amended. Claims 1-35 are pending.
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 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 (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 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, predict one or more reactions from the one or more game players to the potentially sensitive content, generate ore or more modified images having the potentially sensitive content removed, prior to any image containing the potentially sensitive content being displayed to the one or more game players; and output, via a display, the one or more modified images to 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 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 (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 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 31-35, Sorey discloses wherein the one or more neural networks are further to modify one or more images rendered in the 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 game players, based, at least in part, on one or more predicted reactions 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.
Response to Arguments
With respect to the 35 USC 103 rejections, Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but are moot based on the new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is listed in the PTO-892.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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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