DETAILED ACTION
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 1, 5-8, 12-15, 19-22, and 26-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over evidence of computer program “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” (Nintendo) hereinafter “BotW” in view of gamerant.com webpage “What is Light Radius in Diablo 2: Resurrected?” hereinafter (Diablo 2). The evidence constituting Minecraft consists of 1) Wikipedia.org webpage “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” which teaches functionality of the BotW software and which teaches a public release data of March 3, 2017 for the software (BotW Wikipedia), and 2) Youtube.com video “Zelda Breath of the Wild How to Unlock Map (The Entire Map)” by Mystrix which describes functionality of the BotW software (BotW Mystrix).
In Reference to Claims 1, 8, 15 and 22
BotW teaches an information processing system, information processing device, computer-implement method, and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having stored thereon instructions that when executed, cause one or more processors to execute information processing (BotW Wikipedia Page 1 “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild[b] is a 2017 action-adventure game developed by Nintendo EPD for the Wii U and Nintendo Switch” and “Platforms Wii U Nintendo Switch”); executing a game process of controlling a player character in a virtual space based on an operation input (Page 2 “Gameplay” See “As Link, players can perform actions such as running, climbing, swimming, and gliding with a paraglider,” See also ); when a predetermined event occurs based on the game process, transitioning a location from among a plurality of locations that are set in the virtual space, from a first state to a second state, the location associated with the predetermined event having occurred (BotW Wikipedia page 3 “Activating towers also reveals territories on the Sheikah Slate's map,” BotW Mystrix 1:14 which shows there are multiple towers in the game environment, BotW Mystrix from about 2:10-3:10 which shows the process of activating a Sheikah Tower in the virtual space of the game), identifying an area at least including a location that is in the second state from among the plurality of locations (See BotW Mystrix at 3:04 which shows that after activating the tower a new associated area on the map is revealed); displaying a map image showing field information of the virtual space (See BotW Mystrix at, for example, times 0:38 and 3:04 which show a map image of the game environment), wherein the map image includes field information of terrain based on whether the terrain is included within an area with a location in the second state or a location in the first state (See BotW Mystrix 3:00-3:05 which show an area on the game map being revealed based on activation of that particular tower), wherein when the terrain is within the area with the location in the first state and is rendered to be visible within the range of the player character, the map image does not include corresponding field information of terrain that is rendered to be visible (See BotW Mystrix 0:36-0:38 which shows the player in a visible location in the environment and then activating their map which displays “Current Location” and where the current location of the player is in a portion of the map where field information of the terrain is darkened and not displayed), wherein previously hidden field information is revealed within the map image based on the location transitioning to the second state after being in the first state (BotW Mystrix 3:00-3:05).
Further, see BotW Mystrix at 3:10 which shows a rendering process of rendering at least some terrain objects in the virtual space while the player standing in a portion of the game world that includes at least a part of the area in the second state. However, BotW does not explicitly teach rendering a portion of at least some terrain objects in the virtual space that are outside of a target range in a predetermined color as to be darker as compared with terrain inside the target range; wherein terrain objects within a range of the player character are rendered so as to be visible.
Diablo 2 teaches rendering a portion of at least some terrain objects in the virtual space that are outside of a target range in a predetermined color as to be darker as compared with terrain inside the target range; wherein terrain objects within a range of the player character are rendered so as to be visible (See Diablo 2 page 2 “The only thing that Light Radius effects in Diablo 2: Resurrected is the amount of light that surrounds a character in dark areas.” And which shows a screenshot of a rendered virtual space where objects outside of a target range, the light radius, are rendered darker on screen compared to terrain inside the light radius and where terrain objects within a range of the player character, i.e. within the light radius, are visible. See for example the floor and the stalagmite being the character).
It would be desirable to modify the system, device, method, and medium of BotW to include rendering at least some objects outside of a range darker which still making objects in range of a player character visible as taught by Diablo 2, in order to increase the enjoyment of the player character by having the virtual world simulate the danger and challenge of dark environments such as night or a cave, which still providing enough light around the characters immediate region to allow them to play the game at a reduced level.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to desirable to modify the system, device, method, and medium of BotW to include rendering at least some objects outside of a range darker which still making objects in range of a player character visible as taught by Diablo 2.
In Reference to Claim 5, 12, 19, and 26
BotW teaches the event occurs in response to a predetermined operation input performed when the player character is located at an event occurring position set in association with the location in the virtual space (See BotW Mystrix 2:10 where the player walks to a particular tower location to activate the tower); a plurality of predetermined objects are arranged at positions corresponding to the plurality of locations in the virtual space (See BotW Mystrix 1:14 which teaches multiple towers arranged in the game environment); and the information processing comprises rendering the each corresponding predetermined object of the plurality of predetermined objects so that the corresponding predetermined object is displayed distinguished from at least some objects not included in the target range, irrespective of whether the corresponding predetermined object is included in the target range (See BotW Mystrix 1:14-1:16 which shows towers lit up with red and blue light and the voiceover from 2:47 – 2:52 which states “The blue towers are the ones you have currently active and the red towers are the ones you need to go to.”).
In Reference to Claims 6, 13, 20, and 27
BotW and Diablo 2 teach at least a light source for which a predetermined brightness is set irrespective of a position of the light source in the virtual space is set in the virtual space; and the information processing comprises in the rendering process, rendering a portion of the some terrain objects included in the target range while reflecting the light source (Diablo 2 page 2 where the screenshot shows the stalagmites and floor in the game environment reflecting the players light).
In Reference to Claims 7, 14, 21, and 28
BotW teaches setting a point light source in the virtual space in response to occurrence of the predetermined event (See BotW Mystrix which teaches that an object in the game world becomes lit up in response to the predetermined event). However, BotW does not explicitly teach rendering a portion of the some terrain objects included in the target range while further reflecting the point light source.
Diablo 2 teaches rendering a portion of the some terrain objects included in the target range while further reflecting a point light source (Diablo 2 page 2 where the screenshot shows the stalagmites and floor in the game environment reflecting the players light source).
It would be desirable to modify the system, device, method, and medium of BotW to allow the illumination of objects in response to the predetermined event to reflect light off the surrounding area as taught by Diablo 2 in order to create greater verisimilitude for the game environment where illuminated or glowing objects cast dynamic light on their environment.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to modify the system, device, method, and medium of BotW to allow the illumination of objects in response to the predetermined event to reflect light off the surrounding area as taught by Diablo 2.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 9-11, 16-18 and 23-25 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/27/2026 have been fully considered. Examiner acknowledges the Terminal Disclaimer filed 01/27/2026, therefore rejection under non-statutory double patenting have been withdrawn. Further in light of applicant’s amendments to the claims the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 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 CARL V LARSEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3219. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday; 10:00 am - 6:30 pm.
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/CARL V LARSEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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