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 claims filed on 11/06/2023.
Claims 1-11 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/06/2023, 02/19/2026 and 05/15/2026 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 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Muller-Daniels et al. US 2009/0017430 A1, Published: Jan. 15, 2009, (hereafter Muller-Daniels).
Regarding claim 1. Muller-Daniels teaches a computer-implemented method for clinical workplace simulation (Par 13, virtual operating space, simulates a three-dimensional reality) (Par 30, virtual operating space, virtual operating room, virtual object, feature selection window), the method comprising:
receiving a first input from a user indicating an area for a virtual operating room (Fig 7, visibility selection, table);
receiving a second input from the user selecting at least one virtual object (Fig 10, click instrument);
rendering the virtual operating room based on the received input indicating the area for the virtual operating room (Par 48, selectable features, Table button 348, activate to appear or disappear);
rendering the at least one virtual object relative to a virtual surgical table in the virtual operating room (Par 32, virtual object selection) (Par 44, proper selection, user can manipulate the instrument); and
displaying on a display the rendered virtual operating room and the at least one virtual object relative to a virtual surgical table in the virtual operating room (Par 48, interacting with the virtual operating space) (Fig 10-14, display the selected features of the virtual environment).
Regarding claim 2. Muller-Daniels teaches the computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the virtual object includes at least one of a virtual robotic arm, a virtual surgical tower, or a virtual surgical console (Fig 3, Click instrument) (Par 31, C-arm).
Regarding claim 3. Muller-Daniels teaches the computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the display includes a display of at least one of a mobile device, a computer, or a virtual reality headset (Par 30, computer display) (Claim 8, output display devices).
Regarding claim 4. Muller-Daniels teaches the computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the displayed virtual operating room includes a viewpoint (Par 38, perspective of a surgeon), wherein a viewpoint includes at least one of a perspective or a zoom level (Par 39, virtual camera in the virtual room, from top perspective) (Par 42, perform zoom functions).
Regarding claim 5. Muller-Daniels teaches the computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising: receiving a third input indicating a change in the viewpoint (Par 39, FREE CAM button allows it to change the angle of view from different perspective, Fig 3 – view from top perspective); and
displaying the changed viewpoint (Par 39, screen shot of Fig 3, shows a view of the operating room from the top perspective).
Regarding claim 6. Muller-Daniels teaches the computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a fourth input for interacting with the virtual object (Par 50, user is provided with an interactive training experience) (Par 44, user can manipulate the instrument).
Regarding claim 7. Muller-Daniels teaches the computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising: displaying a text window, indicating information relating to the virtual object (Fig 4, wrong instrument) (Par 43, improper selection, alerts the user with a prompt).
Regarding claim 8. Muller-Daniels teaches the computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising: displaying an animation of the virtual object (Par 47, animated representations including audio and video output).
Regarding claim 9. Muller-Daniels teaches the computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: generating a virtual patient including a simulated patient habitus based on at least one of a fifth input or a patient medical record (Par 49, PATIENT button, make the virtual patient) (Par 6, virtual patient, virtual bone forming part of the virtual patient, thus having patient record).
Regarding claim 10. Muller-Daniels teaches the computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a sixth input placing the at least one virtual object at a virtual object placement location (Par 39, virtual camera position allows the user to select views from different angles) (Par 44, selects instrument and advances the instrument towards the femur bone); and
rendering the at least one virtual object at the virtual object placement location (Par 39, view of the operating room from the top perspective) (Par 44, provides feedback as the instrument advances).
Regarding claim 11. Muller-Daniels teaches the computer-implemented method of claim 10, further comprising: receiving an indicated anatomy of the virtual patient (Par 48, FEMUR button) (Par 49, patient femur bone transparent), wherein the virtual object placement location is further based on targeting the indicated anatomy (Par 44, selects instrument and advances the instrument towards the femur bone).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record, listed on PTO-892, and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Johnson Eric Mark, KR 20200012926 A, discloses a virtual reality system that implements a virtual robot on virtual surgical environment and a handheld device communicatively coupled to the virtual reality for manipulation of the virtual robot.
Dorota Kaminska, NPL, “Virtual Reality and Its Applications in Education: Survey”, discloses a virtual reality environment application for teaching. Further discloses a health-related education using Virtual reality.
Eric Mark Johnson, US 11,013,559 B2, discloses a virtual robotic surgical environment for simulating robotic in which user can operate both robotically controlled surgical instrument using handheld controller and manual laparoscopic surgical instrument.
Bernhard Fuerst, US 11,166,767 B1, discloses a virtual surgical robot having a user input to effect movement.
Haoran Yu, US 11,270,601 B2, discloses a virtual surgical system having a virtual robotic component for user to input commands to move the virtual robotic component.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANGEL JAVIER CALLE whose telephone number is (571)272-0463. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m..
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/A.C./ Examiner, Art Unit 2189
/REHANA PERVEEN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2189
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