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 .
Response to Amendment
This is in response to Applicant’s request for continued examination which was filed on 12/11/2025 and has been entered. Claims 1, 6, 9-11, 19, 27 and 29 have been amended. Claims 5, 8, 16, 17, 22, 24, and 25 have been cancelled. Claims 33-37 have been added. Claims 1-4, 6, 7, 9-15, 18-21, 23 and 26-37 are pending in this application, with claims 1, 19, 27 and 29 being independent.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 1-4, 6, 7, 9-15, 18-21, 23 and 26-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Publication No. 2015/0199025 (“Holz”) in view of U.S. Publication No. 2018/0074694 (“Lehmann et al.”).
Regarding claim 1, Holz discloses a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication (Fig. 1, 100), comprising:
a memory (fig. 2, 204); and
one or more processors coupled to the memory (fig. 2, 202) and configured to cause the UE to:
determine an occurrence of a trigger condition (fig. 8, at action 810 a virtual device is projected onto at least a portion of a surface, such as an image or other visual representation, Examiner interprets the projection of the virtual device as a trigger condition);
obtain, via at least one vibration sensor of the UE and based on determining the occurrence of the trigger condition, at least one vibration measurement corresponding to an input location of a mapped region associated with the UE (fig. 8, at action 820, location information of a user contact with the surface is detected based at least in part upon vibrations produced by the contact detected via sensors 108, 110 and 120; [0073] At action 830, control information can be communicated to a system based in part on a combination of the location on the surface portion of the virtual device and the detected location information of the user contact ),
wherein the mapped region comprises a set of partitions (fig. 7, mapped region corresponding to a virtual device experience 701 onto a surface of medium 116 and partitions include areas within experience 701), and
output, based on the at least one vibration measurement, control information configured to cause the UE to perform an operation (fig. 8, at action 830 control information can be communicated to a system based in part on a combination of the location on the surface portion of the virtual device and the detected location information of the user contact).
Holz does not specify wherein the at least one vibration measurement indicates at least one vibration characteristic, the mapped region including a set of partitions and being based on one or more capabilities of the UE associated with the at least one vibration measurement.
In a similar field of endeavor, Lehmann et al. discloses an input device corresponding to the claimed user endpoint. Lehmann et al. operates similarly to Holz with mapped regions including a set of partitions and being based on one or more capabilities of the UE. The input device of Lehman includes a touch sensing system configured to determine which input region from a first group of differentiated input regions corresponds to the first force input and to determine which input region from a second group of the differentiated input regions corresponds to the second force input ([0061], Figs. 10A-10C). Additionally, one or more accelerometers, and associated processors, may detect vibration or motion signatures that are indicative of an input from a particular finger or at a particular location on the input surface of the keyboard 100. Together, a touch sensing system and a global force sensing system (and, optionally, accelerometers) may be used to determine when and where a user is attempting to apply an input on the surface of the keyboard 100 [0095]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include force sensing in the Holz as disclosed by Lehmann et al. in order for force inputs from individual fingers or locations be distinguished from one another.
Regarding claim 2, Holz discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the at least one vibration sensor comprises at least one of a sound sensor or a motion sensor (fig. 1, 110, microphone 110 sound sensor).
Regarding claim 3, Holz discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to determine location information associated with the at least one vibration measurement, wherein the control information is based on the location information ([0071] At action 820, location information of a user contact with the surface is detected based at least in part upon vibrations produced by the contact).
Regarding claim 4, Holz discloses the UE of claim 3, wherein the location information indicates at least one of a distance from the at least one vibration sensor or a position relative to the at least one vibration sensor ([0060] Inset 518 illustrates use of time difference of arrival information, in one implementation, to determine distance information for the event 505).
Regarding claim 6, Holz discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the at least one vibration characteristic comprises at least one of a type of a vibration, a quantity of vibrations, a frequency of a vibration, or an amplitude of a vibration (Lehmann, [0012] characteristics include quantity of vibrations, The keyboard may further include a force sensing system within the enclosure and configured to detect the successive force inputs on the input regions).
Regarding claim 7, Holz discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the mapped region comprises at least one of a spatial area adjacent to the UE or a spatial volume adjacent to the UE ([0036] The sensors 108, 110 are positioned for contact with surface 116 for capturing audio signals propagating there through).
Regarding claim 9, Holz discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein each partition of the set of partitions corresponds to a respective vibration sensor of the at least one vibration sensor ([0055] In sensor 300A, microphones 108, 110 are located on the side wall 310).
Regarding 10, Holz discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein each partition of the set of partitions corresponds to a respective combination of vibration sensors of the at least one vibration sensor ([0043] The user is instructed to perform this gesture when the system is first used on a particular surface, and the response characteristics are detected by sensory processing system 106 (via sensors 108, 110).
Regarding 11, Holz discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein each partition of the set of partitions corresponds to at least one user input, and wherein the one or more processors, to cause the UE to output the control information, are configured to cause the UE to provide the at least one user input to a component of the UE configured to perform the operation ([0043] response characteristics--produced by a specific gesture (e.g., a finger swipe) performed on various surfaces. The user is instructed to perform this gesture when the system is first used on a particular surface, and the response characteristics are detected by sensory processing system 106 (via sensors 108, 110).
Regarding 12, Holz discloses the UE of claim 11, wherein a combination of at least two partitions of the set of partitions corresponds to a user input of the at least one user input (Fig. 3A-3C, [0036] The sensors 108, 110 are positioned for contact with surface 116 for capturing audio signals propagating there through).
Regarding 13, Holz discloses the UE of claim 11, wherein a first partition corresponds to a first user input of the at least one user input and a second partition corresponds to a second user input of the at least one user input (fig. 3B, first location 108 and second location 110; [0036] The sensors 108, 110 are positioned for contact with surface 116 for capturing audio signals propagating there through)
Regarding 14, Holz discloses the UE of claim 11, wherein a partition of the set of partitions includes a first input location corresponding to a first user input of the at least one user input and a second input location corresponding to a second user input of the at least one user input (fig. 3B, first location 108 and second location 110).
Regarding 15, Holz discloses the UE of claim 11, wherein the at least one user input corresponds to at least one of a device command, a graphical user interface input, or a keyboard keystroke ([0043] response characteristics--produced by a specific gesture (e.g., a finger swipe) performed on various surfaces. The user is instructed to perform this gesture when the system is first used on a particular surface, and the response characteristics are detected by sensory processing system 106 (via sensors 108, 110).
Regarding claim 18, Holz discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the UE comprises an extended reality device ([0067] a virtual device experience).
Regarding claim 19, Holz discloses a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
determine an occurrence of a trigger condition (fig. 8, at action 810 a virtual device is projected onto at least a portion of a surface, such as an image or other visual representation, Examiner interprets the projection of the virtual device as a trigger condition);
obtain, via at least one vibration sensor of the UE and based on determining the occurrence of the trigger condition, at least one vibration measurement corresponding to an input location of a mapped region associated with the UE (fig. 8, at action 820, location information of a user contact with the surface is detected based at least in part upon vibrations produced by the contact detected via sensors 108, 110 and 120; [0073] At action 830, control information can be communicated to a system based in part on a combination of the location on the surface portion of the virtual device and the detected location information of the user contact ),
wherein the mapped region comprises a set of partitions (fig. 7, mapped region corresponding to a virtual device experience 701 onto a surface of medium 116 and partitions include areas within experience 701), and
output, based on the at least one vibration measurement, control information configured to cause the UE to perform an operation (fig. 8, at action 830 control information can be communicated to a system based in part on a combination of the location on the surface portion of the virtual device and the detected location information of the user contact).
Holz does not specify wherein the at least one vibration measurement indicates at least one vibration characteristic, the mapped region including a set of partitions and being based on one or more capabilities of the UE associated with the at least one vibration measurement.
In a similar field of endeavor, Lehmann et al. discloses an input device corresponding to the claimed user endpoint. Lehmann et al. operates similarly to Holz with mapped regions including a set of partitions and being based on one or more capabilities of the UE. The input device of Lehman includes a touch sensing system configured to determine which input region from a first group of differentiated input regions corresponds to the first force input and to determine which input region from a second group of the differentiated input regions corresponds to the second force input ([0061], Figs. 10A-10C). Additionally, one or more accelerometers, and associated processors, may detect vibration or motion signatures that are indicative of an input from a particular finger or at a particular location on the input surface of the keyboard 100. Together, a touch sensing system and a global force sensing system (and, optionally, accelerometers) may be used to determine when and where a user is attempting to apply an input on the surface of the keyboard 100 [0095]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include force sensing in the Holz as disclosed by Lehmann et al. in order for force inputs from individual fingers or locations be distinguished from one another.
Regarding claim 20, Holz discloses the method of claim 19, wherein the at least one vibration sensor comprises at least one of a sound sensor or a motion sensor (fig. 1, 110, microphone 110 sound sensor).
Regarding 21, Holz discloses the method of claim 19, further comprising determining location information associated with the at least one vibration measurement, wherein the control information is based on the location information ([0071] At action 820, location information of a user contact with the surface is detected based at least in part upon vibrations produced by the contact).
Regarding 23, Holz discloses the method of claim 19, wherein the mapped region comprises at least one of a spatial area adjacent to the UE or a spatial volume adjacent to the UE ([0036] The sensors 108, 110 are positioned for contact with surface 116 for capturing audio signals propagating there through).
Regarding claim 26, Holz discloses the method of claim 19, wherein the UE comprises an extended reality device ([0067] a virtual device experience).
Regarding claim 31, Holz discloses the method of claim 19, wherein determining the occurrence of the trigger condition comprises: determining that the UE is laying on a solid surface, or determining that an application configured to receive vibration-based input is activated (fig. 8, at action 810 a virtual device is projected onto at least a portion of a surface, such as an image or other visual representation, Examiner interprets the projection of the virtual device as an application activation).
Regarding claim 27, Holz discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing ([0115] computer readable storage media) a set of instructions for wireless communication, the set of instructions comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE) (fig. 2, 202), cause the UE to:
obtain, via at least one vibration sensor of the UE, at least one vibration measurement corresponding to an input location of a mapped region associated with the UE (Fig. 1, 118, [0033] vibrational sensors 108, 110 and 120 capture the audio signals as they propagate) (fig. 8, at action 820, location information of a user contact with the surface is detected based at least in part upon vibrations produced by the contact detected via sensors 108, 110 and 120; [0073] At action 830, control information can be communicated to a system based in part on a combination of the location on the surface portion of the virtual device and the detected location information of the user contact ), wherein the mapped region comprises a set of partitions (fig. 7, mapped region corresponding to a virtual device experience 701 onto a surface of medium 116 and partitions include areas within experience 701); and
output, based on the at least one vibration measurement, control information configured to cause the UE to perform an operation (fig. 8, at action 830 control information can be communicated to a system based in part on a combination of the location on the surface portion of the virtual device and the detected location information of the user contact).
Holz does not specify wherein the at least one vibration measurement indicates at least one vibration characteristic, the mapped region including a set of partitions and being based on one or more capabilities of the UE associated with the at least one vibration measurement.
In a similar field of endeavor, Lehmann et al. discloses an input device corresponding to the claimed user endpoint. Lehmann et al. operates similarly to Holz with mapped regions including a set of partitions and being based on one or more capabilities of the UE. The input device of Lehman includes a touch sensing system configured to determine which input region from a first group of differentiated input regions corresponds to the first force input and to determine which input region from a second group of the differentiated input regions corresponds to the second force input ([0061], Figs. 10A-10C). Additionally, one or more accelerometers, and associated processors, may detect vibration or motion signatures that are indicative of an input from a particular finger or at a particular location on the input surface of the keyboard 100. Together, a touch sensing system and a global force sensing system (and, optionally, accelerometers) may be used to determine when and where a user is attempting to apply an input on the surface of the keyboard 100 [0095]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include force sensing in the Holz as disclosed by Lehmann et al. in order for force inputs from individual fingers or locations be distinguished from one another.
Regarding claim 28, Holz discloses the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the at least one vibration sensor comprises at least one of a sound sensor or a motion sensor (fig. 1, 110, microphone 110 sound sensor).
Regarding claim 29, Holz discloses an apparatus for wireless communication (Fig. 1, 100), comprising:
means for determining an occurrence of a trigger condition (fig. 8, at action 810 a virtual device is projected onto at least a portion of a surface, such as an image or other visual representation, Examiner interprets the projection of the virtual device as a trigger condition);
means for obtaining, via at least one vibration sensor of the UE and based on determining the occurrence of the trigger condition, at least one vibration measurement corresponding to an input location of a mapped region associated with the UE (fig. 8, at action 820, location information of a user contact with the surface is detected based at least in part upon vibrations produced by the contact detected via sensors 108, 110 and 120; [0073] At action 830, control information can be communicated to a system based in part on a combination of the location on the surface portion of the virtual device and the detected location information of the user contact ), wherein the mapped region comprises a set of partitions (fig. 7, mapped region corresponding to a virtual device experience 701 onto a surface of medium 116 and partitions include areas within experience 701), and
means for outputting, based on the at least one vibration measurement, control information configured to cause the UE to perform an operation (fig. 8, at action 830 control information can be communicated to a system based in part on a combination of the location on the surface portion of the virtual device and the detected location information of the user contact).
Holz does not specify wherein the at least one vibration measurement indicates at least one vibration characteristic, the mapped region including a set of partitions and being based on one or more capabilities of the UE associated with the at least one vibration measurement.
In a similar field of endeavor, Lehmann et al. discloses an input device corresponding to the claimed user endpoint. Lehmann et al. operates similarly to Holz with mapped regions including a set of partitions and being based on one or more capabilities of the UE. The input device of Lehman includes a touch sensing system configured to determine which input region from a first group of differentiated input regions corresponds to the first force input and to determine which input region from a second group of the differentiated input regions corresponds to the second force input ([0061], Figs. 10A-10C). Additionally, one or more accelerometers, and associated processors, may detect vibration or motion signatures that are indicative of an input from a particular finger or at a particular location on the input surface of the keyboard 100. Together, a touch sensing system and a global force sensing system (and, optionally, accelerometers) may be used to determine when and where a user is attempting to apply an input on the surface of the keyboard 100 [0095]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include force sensing in the Holz as disclosed by Lehmann et al. in order for force inputs from individual fingers or locations be distinguished from one another.
Regarding claim 30, Holz discloses The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one vibration sensor comprises at least one of a sound sensor or a motion sensor (fig. 1, 110, microphone 110 sound sensor).
Regarding claim 32, Holz discloses the apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one vibration measurement comprises a quantity of vibrations within a defined time interval, and the control information is based on the quantity of vibrations (Lehmann, [0012] characteristics include quantity of vibrations, The keyboard may further include a force sensing system within the enclosure and configured to detect the successive force inputs on the input regions).
Regarding claim 33, Holz discloses the method of claim 19, wherein each partition of the set of partitions corresponds to a respective vibration sensor of the at least one vibration sensor ([0055] In sensor 300A, microphones 108, 110 are located on the side wall 310).
Regarding claim 34, Holz discloses the method of claim 19, wherein each partition of the set of partitions corresponds to a respective combination of vibration sensors of the at least one vibration sensor ([0043] The user is instructed to perform this gesture when the system is first used on a particular surface, and the response characteristics are detected by sensory processing system 106 (via sensors 108, 110).
Regarding claim 35, Holz discloses the method of claim 19, wherein each partition of the set of partitions corresponds to at least one user input, and wherein outputting the control information comprises causing the UE to provide the at least one user input to a component of the UE configured to perform the operation ([0043] response characteristics--produced by a specific gesture (e.g., a finger swipe) performed on various surfaces. The user is instructed to perform this gesture when the system is first used on a particular surface, and the response characteristics are detected by sensory processing system 106 (via sensors 108, 110).
Regarding claim 36, Holz discloses the method of claim 35, wherein a combination of at least two partitions of the set of partitions corresponds to a user input of the at least one user input (Fig. 3A-3C, [0036] The sensors 108, 110 are positioned for contact with surface 116 for capturing audio signals propagating there through).
Regarding claim 37, Holz discloses the method of claim 35, wherein a first partition corresponds to a first user input of the at least one user input and a second partition corresponds to a second user input of the at least one user input (fig. 3B, first location 108 and second location 110; [0036] The sensors 108, 110 are positioned for contact with surface 116 for capturing audio signals propagating there through).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIRAPON TULOP whose telephone number is (571)270-7491. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday, 10:00AM-6:00PM.
Examiner interviews 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 Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ahmad Matar can be reached at 571-272-7488. 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 Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JIRAPON TULOP/Examiner, Art Unit 2693