DETAILED ACTION
Applicant's Submission of a Response
Applicant’s submission of a response on 4/29/2026 has been received and fully considered. In the response, claims 1, 15, and 20 have been amended. Therefore, claims 1-20 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.
Claims is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Honor of Kings video game (NPL cited in 2/12/2024 IDS, citation No. 3, English language translation, dated 9/20/2021)(NPL English language translation paragraph provided below for convenience) in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0310610 to Yamamoto.
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As an initial matter, this rejection is based on the Honor of Kings video game that was published on or before September 20, 2021 (date of published online article that provides evidence of Honor of Kings game features, including small window video functionality).
With regard to claim 1, Honor of Kings discloses a video playing method, performed by a terminal, the method comprising: displaying a windowed playing control in an out-battle scene interface (e.g., see English translation, “optimization of the video player is disclosed” and “small window video content, which can be used in multiple scenarios including the waiting scene in the team room”, wherein the waiting scene is equivalent to an out-battle scene), the out-battle scene interface being a scene interface of a game other than a battle interface of the game (e.g., see English translation that distinguished between “main process of the game” which is the battle scene, as compared to the “waiting scene in the team room” which is the out-battle scene”); displaying, in response to a trigger operation on the windowed playing control in the out-battle scene interface (e.g., see English translation that discusses “King’s small window video is native to the game” and “Small window playback is a common way for various applications to deliver lightweight content”), a video playing window on an upper layer of the out-battle scene interface (e.g., see English translation that discusses “it will not appear on the upper layer of other applications”, which implies that the video playing window appears on the upper layer of the waiting scene in the team room; additionally, the window viewer would not serve its intended purposes if it is not viewable on the upper layer), a first video being played in the video playing window; and closing the video playing window when switching from the out-battle scene interface to the battle interface (e.g., see English translation that discloses “the small window video…will automatically closed when entering the matching page or watching the game”);
[claim 2] wherein the closing the video playing window when switching from the out-battle scene interface to the battle interface comprises: in response to that a battle instruction is received, displaying a battle participating interface and closing the video playing window (e.g., see English translation that discloses “the small window video…will automatically closed when entering the matching page or watching the game”);
[claim 3] further comprising: obtaining a playing progress of the first video in the video playing window in response to that the battle instruction is received; and in response to that a battle exit instruction is received, opening the video playing window, and playing the first video in the video playing window according to the playing progress (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the ability to play videos in small windows”);
[claim 4] wherein the closing the video playing window when switching from the out-battle scene interface to the battle interface comprises: in response to that a battle spectating instruction is received, displaying a battle spectating interface, and closing the video playing window (e.g., see English translation that discloses “the small window video…will automatically closed when entering the matching page or watching the game”, wherein watching the game appears to be battle spectating);
[claim 5] further comprising: obtaining a playing progress of the first video in the video playing window in response to that the battle spectating instruction is received; and in response to that a battle spectating exit instruction is received, opening the video playing window, and playing the first video in the video playing window according to the playing progress (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the ability to play videos in small windows”);
[claim 6] wherein the displaying, in response to a trigger operation on the windowed playing control in the out-battle scene interface, a video playing window on an upper layer of the out-battle scene interface comprises: obtaining, in response to the trigger operation on the windowed playing control in the out-battle scene interface, through a video calling interface, a first video stream and first video related information corresponding to the first video (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the ability to play videos in small windows”); and playing the first video in the video playing window based on the first video stream and the first video related information (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the event TV station” that appears to be a video stream”);
[claim 7] further comprising: in response to a trigger operation in the video playing window, displaying a video switching control; and switching and playing a second video in the video playing window in response to a trigger operation on the video switching control (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the video title and control buttons for pausing and switching videos can also be displayed in the small window video”);
[claim 8] wherein the switching and playing a second video in the video playing window in response to a trigger operation on the video switching control comprises: transmitting, in response to the trigger operation on the video switching control, a video switching instruction through a video calling interface (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the video title and control buttons for pausing and switching videos can also be displayed in the small window video”), the video switching instruction being used for obtaining a second video stream and second video related information corresponding to the second video (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the video title and control buttons for pausing and switching videos can also be displayed in the small window video”); obtaining the second video stream and the second video related information through the video calling interface (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the video title and control buttons for pausing and switching videos can also be displayed in the small window video”); and playing the second video in the video playing window based on the second video stream and the second video related information (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the ability to play videos in small windows”);
[claim 9] wherein the displaying, in response to a trigger operation on the windowed playing control in the out-battle scene interface (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the video title and control buttons for pausing and switching videos can also be displayed in the small window video”), a video playing window on an upper layer of the out-battle scene interface comprises: determining, in response to the trigger operation on the windowed playing control in the out-battle scene interface, a first window size and a first window position of the video playing window, different display screen sizes corresponding to different first window sizes, and the first window size being smaller than the display screen size (e.g., see English translation that discusses “The position of the small window supports one-finger dragging and the four corners of the position are absorbed, and the size supports two-finger zooming to adjust the size”); and displaying the video playing window on the upper layer of the out-battle scene interface based on the first window size and the first window position (e.g., see English translation that discusses “it will not appear on the upper layer of other applications”, which implies that the video playing window appears on the upper layer of the waiting scene in the team room; additionally, the window viewer would not serve its intended purposes if it is not viewable on the upper layer);
[claim 10] further comprising: determining, in response to a gesture operation for the video playing window, a window scaling ratio based on the gesture operation (e.g., see English translation that discusses “The position of the small window supports one-finger dragging and the four corners of the position are absorbed, and the size supports two-finger zooming to adjust the size”); determining a second window size based on the first window size and the window scaling ratio (e.g., see English translation that discusses “The position of the small window supports one-finger dragging and the four corners of the position are absorbed, and the size supports two-finger zooming to adjust the size”); and displaying the video playing window on the upper layer of the out-battle scene interface based on the second window size and the first window position (e.g., see English translation that discusses “it will not appear on the upper layer of other applications”, which implies that the video playing window appears on the upper layer of the waiting scene in the team room; additionally, the window viewer would not serve its intended purposes if it is not viewable on the upper layer);
[claim 11] wherein at least one function control corresponding to the first video is displayed in the video playing window (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the video title and control buttons for pausing and switching videos can also be displayed in the small window video”); and the method further comprises: determining a control size of a function control based on the second window size, the control size being positively correlated with the second window size; and displaying, in response to a trigger operation in the video playing window, the function control in the video playing window based on the control size (e.g., see English translation that discusses “The position of the small window supports one-finger dragging and the four corners of the position are absorbed, and the size supports two-finger zooming to adjust the size”);
[claim 12] further comprising: determining, in response to a dragging operation for the video playing window, a second window position of the video playing window based on the dragging operation (e.g., see English translation that discusses “The position of the small window supports one-finger dragging and the four corners of the position are absorbed, and the size supports two-finger zooming to adjust the size”); and displaying the video playing window on the upper layer of the out-battle scene interface based on the second window position and the first window size (e.g., see English translation that discusses “it will not appear on the upper layer of other applications”, which implies that the video playing window appears on the upper layer of the waiting scene in the team room; additionally, the window viewer would not serve its intended purposes if it is not viewable on the upper layer);
[claim 13] wherein the determining, in response to a dragging operation for the video playing window, a second window position of the video playing window based on the dragging operation comprises: determining, in response to the dragging operation for the video playing window, central position coordinates of the video playing window in response to that the dragging operation stops, the video playing window moving with the dragging operation (e.g., see English translation that discusses “The position of the small window supports one-finger dragging and the four corners of the position are absorbed, and the size supports two-finger zooming to adjust the size”); and determining, based on a display area at the central position coordinates, the second window position corresponding to the video playing window, the second window position being located at a screen corner position corresponding to the display area (e.g., see English translation that discusses “The position of the small window supports one-finger dragging and the four corners of the position are absorbed, and the size supports two-finger zooming to adjust the size”; the website that is provided in the NPL shows the small window in the corner of the GUI, as shown below for convenience); and
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[claim 14] further comprising: stopping displaying the video playing window in response to that a target application switches from a foreground running state to a background running state, the target application being a program that displays the out-battle scene interface (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the video title and control buttons for pausing and switching videos can also be displayed in the small window video”); and continuing to play the first video through the video playing window, in response to that the target application switches from the background running state to the foreground running state (e.g., see English translation that discusses “the ability to play videos in small windows”).
With regard to claim 1, Honor of Kings discloses all of the recited features but the cited evidence is silent regarding determining a position of a main control in the out-battle scene interface that is not blocked by the video playing window.
In the same field of endeavor, Yamamoto teaches a video game interface that includes a main control (e.g., see Fig. 1, Static Menu Area 140, that includes Icon’s 142A-L) that does not block windows (e.g., see Fig. 1, Windows 132A-132K; see also at least paragraphs 28 and 29 that discuss a graphical user interface that includes menus 120, 140 and windows 132A-132K)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify ABC with the windows positioned to not block a main control as taught by Yamamoto in order to use a known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way. In this case, positioning a window to not block graphical control functions would be advantageous to allow a user to control functions while also viewing the contents of the window.
Claims 15-19 are made obvious by Honor of Kings in view of Yamamoto based on the analysis set forth above for claims 1-5, which are similar in claim scope. Likewise, claim 20 is made obvious by Honor of Kings in view of Yamamoto based on the analysis set forth above for claims 1, which is similar in claim scope.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 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.
Conclusion
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 JAMES S MCCLELLAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7167. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (8:30AM-5:00PM).
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/James S. McClellan/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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