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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group I in the reply filed on 06 March 2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claim 19 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 06 March 2026.
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 6, 8… are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2 recites (emphasis added) “ a content server having a content central processor and a content internal memory for providing a human-machine interaction software, which is selectable random contents;” which is grammatically improper. The Examiner presumes this language means the human-interaction software allows selection of various content and in the interests of Compact Prosecution will continue examination under this assumption.
Claim 6 recites: “a role generative adversarial network module, wherein the artificial intelligence training software adopts a generative adversarial network technology for being used in a platform content generation module” which is grammatically improper. The Examiner recommends amending the language to instead recite “for use in a platform content generation module”.
Claim 6 recites: “generating a classification parameter for being used for receiving the sensor signal in an inference stage so as to obtain a behavior classification of the user” which is grammatically improper. The Examiner recommends amending the language to instead recite “for receiving the sensor signal…’
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 6-12 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 6 recites “a video analysis module…convert a sexual activity process into control signals of the vibration motor and the activity structure”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for either of these terms.
Claims 7, 9-12, and 17 are rejected as being dependent on a rejected claim (Claim 6) and failing to cure its deficiencies.
Claim 8, the phrase "such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim 8 recites: “…through controlling the appropriate sensor assembly” which suggests a possible plurality of sensor assemblies. Claim 1, upon which Claim 8 depends, recites a single sensor assembly. As such, it is indefinite what constitutes ‘the appropriate sensor assembly’. Based on the context of the disclosure, the Examiner will presume this limitation is intended to refer to controlling a respective feedback device.
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 1-5, 8, 13, 15, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (CN 203153744 U) (of record, hereinafter Lin, citations made with respect to the machine translations previously submitted ) and Cakmak et al. (US 2018/0147110 A1) (of record, hereinafter Cakmak), and further in view Sloan (US 2020/0253816 A1) (hereinafter Sloan).
Regarding Claim 1, Lin discloses a sexual need interactive platform system, which is characterized by comprising:
a communication device having a central processor and an internal memory for managing and controlling the sexual need interactive platform system; [Figs. 1, 4; 0052-53: terminal module 2 may receive sensed signals from sensors 11 of vehicle 1 to generate an interactive actuation signal 120 for transmission; 0060-61: interactive software may be downloaded and installed to provide the interaction on some computer device (where respective processors and memories would be inherent)]
a human-machine interaction software for providing human and machine interface interaction, when being loaded in the communication device, the central processor is used for executing the human-machine interaction software to allow a user to interact with the human-machine interaction software; [Figs. 1, 4; 0011: problem to be solved is for controlling a sexual desire inducing vehicle; 0052-53: terminal module 2 may receive sensed signals from sensors 11 of vehicle 1 to generate an interactive actuation signal 120 for transmission; 0060-61: interactive software may be downloaded and installed to provide the interaction on some computer device (where respective processors and memories would be inherent)] and
a sensor assembly comprising a sensor and at least one feedback device, which is electrically connected to the communication device, [Figs. 1-2, 4-5; 0052-53: somatosensory device includes vehicle 1 comprising sensors 11 and actuators 12 (i.e., feedback device) in communication with terminal module 2 (i.e., communication device); 0061: interactive unit 3, module 2 and vehicle 1 may be connected by wire or wirelessly] and
transmits the sensor signal to the communication device, a user’s activity is identified and a classification signal is generated through executing the human-machine interaction software, and then the classification signal is converted into a control signal for controlling a content of the human-machine interaction software, [Figs. 1-2, 4-5; 0052-53: sensors 11 acquire various sensing signals 110, including body movements and other actions/conditions of the user 9 which are sent to module 2, where interface 28 receiving the sensing signal 110 and calculates the sensing signal 110 to generate an actuation signal 120 in order to correspond the actions/conditions of the user 9 to drive the actuators of vehicle 1 (where it would be implicitly understood that the underlying software would have to classify certain activities to certain control signals if various actions correspond to various signals. See MPEP 2144.01); 0056-59: somatosensory device may further include speakers 40 and display device 41 which may also receive activation signal 120 to make sounds and communicate or adjust an image posture 410 according to user actions/adjustments, where the user may use other parts of his/her body or other tools to interact and cooperate with the system] and
wherein the communication device and the sensor assembly are connected in a wired or wireless manner. [0061: interactive unit 3, module 2 and vehicle 1 may be connected by wire or wirelessly]
Lin fails to explicitly disclose the sensor having 3 or more axes is worn on an active part of the user for the user to generate a sensor signal.
Cakmak, in analogous art, teaches the sensor having 3 or more axes is worn on an active part of the user for the user to generate a sensor signal. [Figs. 2-3; 0069, 0086: wearable unit that may comprise gyroscopes/magnetometers to capture motion along multiple axes (where it would be implicitly understood such sensors comprise 3 or more axes) for sexual interaction]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention to modify the system of Lin with the teachings of Cakmak to specify the sensors having 3 or more axes worn on the user as it is understood that sensors for use for sexual interactions may include wearable units including gyroscopes which are known in the art. [Cakmak – 0069, 0086]
Lin and Cakmak fail to explicitly disclose a response generated by the content based on the control signal is transmitted to the feedback device for feed-backing a result of the user’s activity.
Sloan, in analogous art, teaches a response generated by the content based on the control signal is transmitted to the feedback device for feed-backing a result of the user’s activity. [Figs. 7-10; 0049, 0057: input video (such as that of Lin and Cakmak) may be analyzed and parsed to determine motions corresponding to activity in the video and provides signals to control a stimulation device (such as the device of Lin and Cakmak) to be synchronized with the activity shown in the video]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention to modify the system of Lin and Cakmak with the teachings of Sloan to generate a response signal by the content to be transmitted back to the feedback device so as to allow synchronization of a sexual stimulation device (such as the device of Lin) with videos of sexual activity in an automated and customized manner. [Sloan – ABST; 0003-4]
Regarding Claim 2, Lin discloses a sexual need interactive platform system, which is characterized by comprising:
a content server having a content central processor and a content internal memory for providing a human-machine interaction software, which is selectable random contents; [0013, 0040, 0060, 0070: interactive software may be downloaded from some online platform and installed to provide the interaction on some computer device (where respective processors and memories would be inherent), and where it would be implicitly understood that online platforms typically comprise servers (see MPEP 2144.01), where the selected content may be interactive information 35 which can be a real or virtual character according to the user’s preferences]
a communication device having a central processor and an internal memory, wherein the central processor is used for executing the human-machine interaction software to allow a user to perform sexual need exercises with executed selectable so as to control the sexual need interactive platform system; [Figs. 1, 4; 0026, 0052-53: terminal module 2 may receive sensed signals from sensors 11 of vehicle 1 to generate an interactive actuation signal 120 for transmission for driving the sexual desire inducing vehicle; 0060-61: interactive software may be downloaded from some online platform and installed to provide the interaction on some computer device (where respective processors and memories would be inherent)] and
a sensor assembly comprising a sensor and at least one feedback device, which is electrically connected to the communication device [Figs. 1-2, 4-5; 0052-53: somatosensory device includes vehicle 1 comprising sensors 11 and actuators 12 (i.e., feedback device) in communication with terminal module 2 (i.e., communication device); 0061: interactive unit 3, module 2 and vehicle 1 may be connected by wire or wirelessly] and
transmits the sensor signal to the communication device, a user’s activity is identified and a classification signal is generated through executing the human-machine interaction software, and then the classification signal is converted into a control signal for controlling a content of the human-machine interaction software, [Figs. 1-2, 4-5; 0052-53: sensors 11 acquire various sensing signals 110, including body movements and other actions/conditions of the user 9 which are sent to module 2, where interface 28 receiving the sensing signal 110 and calculates the sensing signal 110 to generate an actuation signal 120 in order to correspond the actions/conditions of the user 9 to drive the actuators of vehicle 1 (where it would be implicitly understood that the underlying software would have to classify certain activities to certain control signals if various actions correspond to various signals. See MPEP 2144.01); 0056-59: somatosensory device may further include speakers 40 and display device 41 which may also receive activation signal 120 to make sounds and communicate or adjust an image posture 410 according to user actions/adjustments, where the user may use other parts of his/her body or other tools to interact and cooperate with the system]
wherein, the online platform and the communication device are interconnected through an internet network. [0061: interactive unit 3, module 2 and vehicle 1 may be connected by wire or wirelessly]
Lin fails to explicitly disclose wherein the sensor having 3 or more axes is worn on an active part of the user for the user to generate a sensor signal
Cakmak, in analogous art, contents on demand; [0035: systems may and
wherein the sensor having 3 or more axes is worn on an active part of the user for the user to generate a sensor signal. [Figs. 2-3; 0069, 0086: wearable unit that may comprise gyroscopes/magnetometers to capture motion along multiple axes (where it would be implicitly understood such sensors comprise 3 or more axes) for sexual interaction]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention to modify the system of Lin with the teachings of Cakmak to specify the sensors having 3 or more axes worn on the user as it is understood that sensors for use for sexual interactions may include wearable units including gyroscopes which are known in the art. [Cakmak – 0069, 0086]
Lin and Cakmak fail to explicitly disclose contents on demand; or a response generated by the content based on the control signal is transmitted to the feedback device for feed-backing a result of the user's activity.
Sloan, in analogous art, teaches contents on demand; [0042-44: wherein any available video containing sexual content to the system may be used and analyzed in real-time (where on-demand videos, such as YouTube videos, etc.) are ubiquitous and well-known types of available video. See MPEP 2144.01] and
a response generated by the content based on the control signal is transmitted to the feedback device for feed-backing a result of the user's activity. [Figs. 7-10; 0049, 0057: input video (such as that of Lin and Cakmak) may be analyzed and parsed to determine motions corresponding to activity in the video and provides signals to control a stimulation device (such as the device of Lin and Cakmak) to be synchronized with the activity shown in the video ]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention to modify the system of Lin and Cakmak with the teachings of Sloan to specify content on demand and generate a response signal by the content to be transmitted back to the feedback device so as to allow synchronization of a sexual stimulation device (such as the device of Lin) with any available videos of sexual activity in an automated and customized manner. [Sloan – ABST; 0003-4, 0042-44]
Regarding Claim 3, Lin, Cakmak and Sloan disclose all of the limitations of Claims 1 or 2, which are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Furthermore, Lin, Cakmak, and Sloan disclose another software program for connecting the sensor assembly and the human-machine interaction software, wherein the classification signal is converted into a control signal for transmitting the control signal corresponding to a sensor classification result to the human-machine interaction software and for transmitting one feedback signal of the content of the human-machine interaction software to the sensor assembly, so as to be bidirectionally transmitted between the sensor assembly and the human-machine interaction software, thereby assisting the user in achieving a bilateral control effect. [Lin – Figs. 1-2, 4-5; 0052-53: sensors 11 acquire various sensing signals 110, including body movements and other actions/conditions of the user 9 which are sent to module 2, where interface 28 receiving the sensing signal 110 and calculates the sensing signal 110 to generate an actuation signal 120 in order to correspond the actions/conditions of the user 9 to drive the actuators of vehicle 1 (where it would be implicitly understood that the underlying software would have to classify certain activities to certain control signals if various actions correspond to various signals. See MPEP 2144.01); Cakmak – 0007-8, 0057: input device for engaging user; Sloan – Figs. 1-10; 0049, 0057: input video (such as that of Lin and Cakmak) may be analyzed and parsed to determine motions corresponding to activity in the video and provides signals to control a stimulation device (such as the device of Lin and Cakmak) to be synchronized with the activity shown in the video ]
Regarding Claim 4, Lin, Cakmak and Sloan disclose all of the limitations of Claims 1 or 2, which are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Furthermore, Lin, Cakmak, and Sloan disclose wherein the human-machine interaction software comes from a network, a compact disc or a flash drive or other storage devices. [Lin – 0013, 0040, 0060, 0070: interactive software may be downloaded from some online platform and installed to provide the interaction on some computer device or purchased offline; Cakmak – 0097: user may log into some application and purchase/download applications; Sloan – 0088, 0099]
Regarding Claim 5, Lin, Cakmak and Sloan disclose all of the limitations of Claims 1 or 2, which are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Furthermore, Lin, Cakmak, and Sloan disclose wherein the human-machine interaction software is a software that performs exercises simulating real sex. [Lin – 0056: system for simulating sexual movements of a real person; Cakmak – ABST, 0103: interaction devices for virtual reality erotic application; Sloan – ABST, 0005-10: for controlling sexual stimulation devices to synchronize with videos of sexual activity]
Regarding Claim 8, Lin, Cakmak and Sloan disclose all of the limitations of Claims 1 , which are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Furthermore, Sloan discloses a video activity analysis software, wherein after any sexual video such as a film, live streaming is analyzed by the video activity analysis software, all sexual behaviors within the analysis range can be recovered in real time to sexual activities through controlling the appropriate sensor assembly by the video activity analysis software, allowing sexual organs of the user to experience real feeling like a main role in the film. [0042-44: wherein any available video containing sexual content to the system may be used and analyzed in real-time (where live-streams are known types of available video content); 0047-49, 0062-66, 0083-85: where ML systems may be trained to detect particular types of sexual activities and matching device motions corresponding to the activities]
Regarding Claim 13, Lin, Cakmak and Sloan disclose all of the limitations of Claims 1 or 2, which are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Furthermore, Lin, Cakmak, and Sloan disclose an audio-visual playback software for storing audio-visual data and classification parameters on the communication device, wherein when wearing the sensor assembly, hand gesture/control identification is performed by transmitting the sensor signal to the audio-visual playback software to achieve the effect of enhancing interaction with the video. . [Lin – 0056: system for simulating sexual movements of a real person; ); 0056-59: somatosensory device may further include speakers 40 and display device 41 which may also receive activation signal 120 to make sounds and communicate or adjust an image posture 410 according to user actions/adjustments, where the user may use other parts of his/her body or other tools to interact and cooperate with the system; Cakmak – Figs. 1-2, 18-19; 0013: video and audio signals provided within the virtual environment; Sloan – ABST, 0005-10: for controlling sexual stimulation devices to synchronize with videos of sexual activity]
Regarding Claim 15, Lin, Cakmak and Sloan disclose all of the limitations of Claims 1 or 2, which are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Furthermore, Cakmak discloses wherein the sensor assembly is a second sensor assembly serving as a sensor for AR augmented reality, installed with a positioning mark so as to bring the video to a three-dimensional space through the communication device. [Cakmak – 0061, 0080-81: system may comprise an HMD that includes AR markers to project virtual objects into their real world environment, where HMD may be used to control perspective of the user of the three dimensional space]
Regarding Claim 18, Lin, Cakmak and Sloan disclose all of the limitations of Claims 1 or 2, which are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Furthermore, Lin and Sloan disclose when the user wears the sensor assembly, it is electrically connected to a user personal health data server for transmitting the user’s physiological data sensed by the sensor assembly to the user personal health data server. [Lin – 0014, 0054, 0056, 0067: sensors may include temperature or humidity sensors for collecting the status of the user in real time, such as action details and ejaculation time of the user may be recorded and archived and provided to the user and/or medical units as a reference; Sloan – 0027-28, 0033: variety of user biometric data including breathing rate, heart rate, penile stiffness, etc. may be record; 0036-38: biometric information may be stored along with user profile information (where it would be readily understood that such stored information/profiles may be stored on some data server)]
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin, Cakmak, and Sloan as applied to claim 1 or 2 above, and further in view of Zhou et al. (US 2019/0075288 A1) (hereinafter Zhou).
Regarding Claim 14, Lin, Cakmak and Sloan disclose all of the limitations of Claims 1 or 2, which are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Lin, Cakmak and Sloan fail to explicitly disclose wherein the sensor assembly is a first sensor assembly installed with a nine-axis sensor for detecting accelerations, movement trajectories and positions.
Zhou, in analogous art, teaches wherein the sensor assembly is a first sensor assembly installed with a nine-axis sensor for detecting accelerations, movement trajectories and positions. [0045: motion sensors for detecting accelerations and movement/trajectories of a user (such as the sensor assemblies of Lin, Cakmak, and Sloan above) may comprise a 9-axis sensor]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention to modify the system of Lin, Cakmak, and Sloan with the teachings of Zhou to specify use of a 9-axis sensor as it is understood that 9-axis motion sensors may be utilized for use in VR environments (such as the system of Lin, Cakmak, and Sloan above) to accurately detect the movement, and acceleration of the user. [Zhou – 0045]
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin, Cakmak, and Sloan as applied to claim 1 or 2 above, and further in view of Lee et al. (WO 2017/052077 A1) (hereinafter Lee, citations made with respect to the machine translations provided herewith).
Regarding Claim 16, Lin, Cakmak and Sloan disclose all of the limitations of Claims 1 or 2, which are analyzed as previously discussed with respect to those claims.
Lin, Cakmak and Sloan fail to explicitly disclose wherein the sensor assembly is a third sensor assembly, which further comprises an electromyography (EMG) sensor, and an artificial intelligence algorithm is used for analyzing electromyographic signals of the electromyography sensor, so as to realize various hand gestures as fine as finger movements.
Lee, in analogous art, teaches wherein the sensor assembly is a third sensor assembly, which further comprises an electromyography (EMG) sensor, and an artificial intelligence algorithm is used for analyzing electromyographic signals of the electromyography sensor, so as to realize various hand gestures as fine as finger movements. [108-9, 112, 117: worn sensors (such as those of Lin, Cakmak, and Sloan above) may utilize EMG signals (i.e., some EMG sensor) to accurately detect hand gestures including gripping and finger gestures]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the filing date of the invention to modify the system of Lin, Cakmak, and Sloan with the teachings of Lee to specify use of EMG sensors to realize hand gestures as fine as finger movements as it is understood in the art that EMG sensors may sense EMG signals generated by a user’s hands for detecting specific hand and figure gestures of a user’s hand to improve control of remote devices. [Lee – 67, 108-109, 117]
Lin, Cakmak, Sloan and Lee fail to explicitly disclose use of an artificial intelligence algorithm to determine the gestures.
However, the Examiner takes Official Notice that usage of AI algorithms to perform calculations/determinations of various data is well-known and ubiquitous in order to efficiently automate most desired data processing.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM J KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-2767. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30am - 5:30pm.
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/WILLIAM J KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2409
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