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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/14/2023 and 03/06/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 6-7, 10 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Francis et al.
Francis et al. (US Pub. No. 2016/0375354 A1) discloses:
Regarding claim 1, an amusement park attraction design system (i.e. game surface adjustment mechanism; see paragraphs 0016 and 0017), comprising: a display surface (Figure 3, element 250) having a first projection surface (Figure 3, element 303) and a first tracker (Figure 3, element 253) coupled to the first projection surface (Figure 3, element 303); an object token (Figure 3, element 240) having a second projection surface (i.e. projected surface image outside the projected surface image [Figure 3, element 303] in the surface [Figure 3, element 250]) and a second tracker (i.e. object sensors; element 241) coupled to the second projection surface (page 2, paragraph 0021, lines 6-11); an image sensor configured to detect the first tracker and the second tracker, and generate location data based on the detected first tracker and the second tracker (page 4, paragraph 0040, lines 2-8); a controller (Figure 2A, element 100) communicatively coupled to the image sensor (Figure 2A, element 241), wherein the controller (Figure 2A, element 100) is configured to: receive the location data provided by the image sensor (Figure 2A, element 241); identify the object token (Figure 3, element 240) based on the second tracker (i.e. object sensors; element 241); receive image content (Figure 2A, element 221) based on the identified object token (Figure 3, element 240); and send an indication of the image content to be projected onto the second projection surface based on the location data (Figure 2A, element 223); and a projector (element 293) communicatively coupled to the controller (element 100), wherein the projector (element 293) is configured to: receive the indication of the image content from the controller, and project the image content onto the second projection surface (page 5, paragraph 0057, lines 12-19).
Regarding claim 2, the controller (Figure 2A, element 100) is configured to determine a current position and a current orientation of the second projection surface (Figure 2A, element 250) based on the location data (page 2, paragraph 0024, lines 1-7).
Regarding claim 6, the object token (Figure 3, element 240) is disposed on the display surface (Figure 3, element 250).
Regarding claim 7, the object token (Figure 3, element 240) is disposed on the first projection surface (Figure 3, element 303; page 5, paragraph 0057, lines 1-19).
Regarding claim 10, a method (Figure 4C, element 450), comprising: receiving, via processing circuitry (element 430), location data and configuration data associated with a first object token and a second object token located on a display surface (Figure 4C, element 451); identifying, via the processing circuitry (element 430), the first object token and the second object token based on the configuration data (Figure 4C, element 453); receiving, via the processing circuitry (element 430), image content based on the identified first object token (Figure 4C, element 455); generating, via the processing circuitry (element 430), position data associated with the image content based on the location data (Figure 4C, element 457); and generating, via the processing circuitry (element 430), an indication of the image content to be projected on the display surface based on the position data (Figure 4C, element 459).
Regarding claim 15, the first object token corresponds to a projector object token (page 3, paragraph 0031, lines 9-12) and the second object token corresponds to a reflective material object token (page 9, paragraph 0100, lines 3-7).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-5, 8-9 and 11-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 16-20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 3, Francis et al. (US Pub. No. 2016/0375354 A1) discloses an amusement park attraction design system (i.e. game surface adjustment mechanism; see paragraphs 0016 and 0017) having a controller (Figure 2A, element 100). However, Francis et al and the prior art of record neither shows nor suggests a an amusement park attraction design system wherein a controller is configured to: identify the display surface based on the first tracker; receive second image content based on the identified display surface; and generate a second indication of the second image content to be projected onto the first projection surface based on the location data.
Regarding claim 8, Francis et al. (US Pub. No. 2016/0375354 A1) discloses an amusement park attraction design system (i.e. game surface adjustment mechanism; see paragraphs 0016 and 0017) having a (Figure 3, element 253) and a second tracker (i.e. object sensors; element 241). However, Francis et al and the prior art of record neither shows nor suggests a an amusement park attraction design system wherein the first tracker is one of a first set of trackers and the second tracker is one of a second set of trackers, each tracker of the first and second sets of trackers configured to emit an infrared signal.
Regarding claim 11, Francis et al. (US Pub. No. 2016/0375354 A1) discloses a method (Figure 4C, element 450). However, Francis et al. and the prior art of record neither shows nor suggests a method comprising: receiving, via the processing circuitry, updated location data associated with the first object token, the second object token, or both; generating, via the processing circuitry, updated position data associated with the image content based on the updated location data; and generating, via the processing circuitry, a second indication of the image content to be projected on the display surface based on the updated position data.
Regarding claim 12, Francis et al. (US Pub. No. 2016/0375354 A1) discloses a method (Figure 4C, element 450). However, Francis et al. and the prior art of record neither shows nor suggests a method comprising: receiving, via the processing circuitry, updated location data associated with the first object token; generating, via the processing circuitry, second position data associated with the second object token based on the updated location data; and generating, via the processing circuitry, an instruction to actuate the second object token based on the second position data.
Regarding claim 13, Francis et al. (US Pub. No. 2016/0375354 A1) discloses a method (Figure 4C, element 450). However, Francis et al. and the prior art of record neither shows nor suggests a method comprising: receiving second location data and second configuration data associated with a third object token located on the display surface; identifying the third object token based on the second configuration data; receiving second image content based on the identified third object token; and generating a second indication of the second image content to be displayed on an electronic display based on the second location data.
Regarding claim 16, Francis et al. (US Pub. No. 2016/0375354 A1) discloses an amusement park attraction design system (i.e. game surface adjustment mechanism; see paragraphs 0016 and 0017), comprising: an object token (Figure 3, element 240) having a projection surface (Figure 3, element 303) and a set of trackers (elements 253 and 241) and coupled to the projection surface (Figure 3, element 303); a display surface (Figure 3, element 250) configured to receive the object token (Figure 3, element 240). However, Francis et al. and the prior art of record neither shows nor suggests an amusement park attraction design system comprising an image sensor (Figure 2A, element 241) configured to detect the set of trackers (elements 253 and 241) and configured to generate location data and configuration data based on the set of trackers (elements 253 and 241); and a controller (Figure 2A, element 100) communicatively coupled to the image sensor (Figure 2A, element 241), wherein the controller (Figure 2A, element 100) is configured to: receive the location data (Figure 2A, element 223) and the configuration data from the image sensor (Figure 2A, element 241); identify the object token based on the configuration data; receive image content based on the identified object token, wherein the image content corresponds to a feature of an amusement park attraction; and generate an indication of the image content to be projected onto the projection surface based on the location data.
Regarding claims 4-5, 9, 14 and 17-20, the claims are allowable based on their dependence from claims 3, 8, 13 and 16 (respectively).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Crawford et al. (US Patent No. 8,292,733 B2) discloses a system including a projector that projects digital augmentation content or themed images onto the game surface, with the images including static and animated images. The system includes a tracking mechanism that generates tracking data from the game surface and game objects, with the tracking data defining positions of the game objects relative to the game surface. The system includes a controller that processes the tracking data to determine the positions of the game objects. The controller modifies the augmentation images in response to the determined positions of the game objects. The augmentation images include a video stream made up of a base image that is mapped to the game surface and an object enhancing image mapped to one of the game objects and its current position.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAGDA CRUZ whose telephone number is (571)272-2114. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
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, Toan Ton can be reached at 571-272-2303. 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.
/MAGDA CRUZ/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2882
09/13/2026
Prosecution Insights