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 .
Response to Amendment
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.
Applicant's submission filed on 09/05/2025 has been entered. Claims 8 and 18 have been canceled. Claims 1-7, 9-17, 19 and 20 are presented for examination.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 11 and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 1, 11 and 20, the phrase, "displaying a region associated with a target skill surrounding the first visual object …" should be rewritten as "displaying a region associated with a target skill, the region surrounding the first visual object …" Other formulations are also possible. Appropriate corrections are required.
Claim Rejections – 35 USC § 112(b)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-7, 9-17, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the phrase, "the target virtual object" e.g., see the last line of the claim. However, the claim recites two instances of "a target virtual object" e.g., see lines 12 and 19 of claim 1. As a result, the antecedent basis for "the target virtual object" is unclear. For the purpose of examination, Examiner interprets the phrase as referring to the target virtual object recited in line 12.
Claims 11 and 20 correspond to claim 1 and are rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 2-7, 9, 10, 12-17 and 19 are rejected for failing to cure the deficiencies of their respective parent claims.
Double Patenting
The non statutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the claims at issue are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969). A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b). The USPTO internet Web site contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit http://www.uspto.gov/forms/. The filing date of the application will determine what form should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
Claims 1-7, 9-17, 19 and 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-10 of U.S. Patent Number 11,893,217 (the ‘217 patent) in view of Tang (US 2017/0340959). Regarding claims 1-10, in the table below, the left side contains claims in the instant application while the right side contains corresponding portions of claims of the '217 patent:
18/398,972 (present application)
11,893,217
Claim 1: A method, performed by a terminal, the method comprising:
Claim 1: A method for aiming at a virtual object, performed by a terminal, the method comprising:
displaying a virtual environment on a user interface (UI), the virtual environment comprising a first virtual object and a plurality of second virtual objects;
displaying a user interface (UI), the UI comprising a picture of a virtual environment, the picture of the virtual environment comprising a first virtual object and second virtual objects located in the virtual environment;
In response to receiving an aiming instruction on a control that is displayed in the virtual environment, displaying a region associated with a target skill surrounding the first virtual object, the target skill being a skill that can be cast on a virtual object at a time;
displaying a dot aiming indicator associated with a single-target skill in the virtual environment in response to an aiming instruction, the dot aiming indicator indicating an aiming point selected by an aiming operation on a ground plane of the virtual environment;
determining a target selection range by using the aiming point as a benchmark, wherein the determined target selection range is displayed within the UI, overlaps with a first sub-set of second virtual objects and indicates a casting range for the single-target skill cast by the first virtual object … controlling the first virtual object to cast the single-target skill toward the target virtual object
determining a target selection range around a target point corresponding to the aiming instruction based on a casting range of the target skill, wherein the target selection range comprises a first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects, and wherein a position of the target point in the virtual environment does not overlap with any of the first sub-set of second virtual objects; and
displaying a dot aiming indicator associated with a single-target skill in the virtual environment in response to an aiming instruction, the dot aiming indicator indicating an aiming point selected by an aiming operation on a ground plane of the virtual environment; determining a target selection range by using the aiming point as a benchmark, wherein the determined target selection range is displayed within the UI, overlaps with a first sub-set of second virtual objects and indicates a casting range for the single-target skill cast by the first virtual object; controlling the first virtual object to aim at a target virtual object for the single-target skill, the target virtual object being a single virtual object selected from the first sub-set of second virtual objects based on the determined target selection range and a distance between the target virtual object and the aiming point in the virtual environment, wherein the UI displays a visual indication indicating the selection of the single virtual object from the first sub-set of second virtual objects and wherein the selection of the single virtual object from the first sub-set of second virtual objects is performed without positioning the aiming point over the single virtual object
automatically selecting a target virtual object from the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects based on the target selection range, the target point, and a position of the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects with respect to the target point and the target selection range, wherein the automatic selection is performed without a user input for selecting the target virtual object, wherein once the target virtual object is automatically selected, a visual indication of the selection of the target virtual object is displayed on the UI prior to a casting of the target skill
controlling the first virtual object to aim at a target virtual object for the single-target skill, the target virtual object being a single virtual object selected from the first sub-set of second virtual objects based on the determined target selection range and a distance between the target virtual object and the aiming point in the virtual environment, wherein the UI displays a visual indication indicating the selection of the single virtual object from the first sub-set of second virtual objects and wherein the selection of the single virtual object from the first sub-set of second virtual objects is performed without positioning the aiming point over the single virtual object; and controlling the first virtual object to cast the single-target skill toward the target virtual object
controlling the first virtual object to cast the target skill at a target virtual object, wherein the target virtual object is a second virtual object among the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects within the target selection range, and wherein the target skill is cast at the target virtual object without positioning the target point over the target virtual object.
the target virtual object being a single virtual object selected from the first sub-set of second virtual objects … and wherein the selection of the single virtual object from the first sub-set of second virtual objects is performed without positioning the aiming point over the single virtual object; and controlling the first virtual object to cast the single-target skill toward the target virtual object.
Claim 2: The method according to claim 1, wherein controlling the first virtual object to cast the target skill comprises: filtering the first sub-set of second virtual objects in the target selection range as candidate virtual objects; selecting the target virtual object from the candidate virtual objects according to a priority principle; and controlling the first virtual object to aim at the target virtual object.
Claim 2: The method according to claim 1, wherein the controlling comprises: filtering the first sub-set of second virtual objects in the target selection range as candidate virtual objects; selecting the target virtual object from the candidate virtual objects according to a priority principle; and controlling the first virtual object to aim at the target virtual object.
Claim 3: The method according to claim 2. wherein the target selection range comprises a first selection range and a second selection range, wherein a priority of the first selection range is greater than that the second selection range; and the filtering comprises: determining a second sub-set of second virtual ohjects present in the first selection range as the candidate virtual objects; and
determining a third sub-set of second virtual objects present in the second selection range as the candidate virtual objects based on determining that none of the first sub-set of second virtual objects exist in the first selection range.
Claim 3: The method according to claim 2, wherein the target selection range comprises a first selection range and a second selection range, a priority of the first selection range is greater than a priority of the second selection range; and the filtering comprises: preferentially filtering, in response to that a second sub-set of second virtual objects exists in the first selection range, the second sub-set of second virtual objects in the first selection range and determining the filtered second sub-set of second virtual objects as the candidate virtual objects; and filtering, in response to that any of the first sub-set of second virtual objects does not exist in the first selection range, a third sub-set of the second virtual objects in the second selection range and determining the filtered third sub-set of second virtual objects as the candidate virtual objects.
Claim 4: The method according to claim 3, wherein the first selection range corresponds to a first priority principle, and the second selection range corresponds to a second priority principle; and the selecting comprises: selecting the target virtual object from the candidate virtual objects according to the first priority principle based on the candidate virtual objects being within the first selection range; and selecting the target virtual object from the candidate virtual objects according to the second priority principle based on the candidate virtual objects being within the second selection range.
Claim 4: The method according to claim 3, wherein the first selection range corresponds to a first priority principle, and the second selection range corresponds to a second priority principle; and the selecting comprises: selecting, in response to that the candidate virtual objects fall within the first selection range, the target virtual object from the candidate virtual objects according to the first priority principle; and selecting, in response to that the candidate virtual objects fall within the second selection range, the target virtual object from the candidate virtual objects according to the second priority principle.
Claim 5: The method according to claim 1, wherein the target selection range is located on a ground plane of the virtual environment.
Claim 5: The method according to claim 1, wherein the target selection range is located on the ground plane of the virtual environment …
Claim 6: The method according to claim 1, wherein the first virtual object comprises a maximum shooting range, and the target selection range comprises a pre-aiming region located outside the maximum shooting range.
Claim 6: The method according to claim 1, wherein the first virtual object comprises a maximum shooting range, and the target selection range comprises a pre-aiming region located outside the maximum shooting range.
Claim 7: The method according to claim 2, wherein the priority principle comprises at least one of: preferentially selecting a candidate virtual object closest to the aiming point; preferentially selecting a candidate virtual object having a lowest health bar; preferentially selecting a candidate virtual object having a smallest health point absolute value; preferentially selecting a candidate virtual object having a highest type priority.
Claim 7: The method according to claim 2, wherein the priority principle comprises at least one of: preferentially selecting a candidate virtual object closest to the aiming point; preferentially selecting a candidate virtual object having a lowest health bar;
preferentially selecting a candidate virtual object having a smallest health point absolute value relative to other candidate virtual objects; and preferentially selecting a candidate virtual object having a highest type priority relative to other candidate virtual objects.
Claim 9: The method according to claim 8, wherein the first virtual object comprises a maximum shooting range, and the target selection range comprises a pre-aiming region located outside the maximum shooting range and an aiming region located within the maximum shooting range; and the displaying a selected special effect on the target virtual object comprises: displaying a first selected special effect based on determining that the target virtual object is located within the pre-aiming region; and displaying a second selected special effect on the target virtual object based on determining that the target virtual object is located within the aiming region, the first selected special effect and the second selected special effect being different.
Claim 9: The method according to claim 8, wherein the first virtual object comprises a maximum shooting range, and the target selection range comprises a pre-aiming region located outside the maximum shooting range and an aiming region located within the maximum shooting range; and the displaying a selected special effect on the target virtual object comprises: displaying a first selected special effect on the target virtual object in response to that the second map point in which the target virtual object is located is located within the pre-aiming region; and
displaying a second selected special effect on the target virtual object in response to that the second map point in which the target virtual object is located is located within the aiming region, the first selected special effect and the second selected special effect being different.
Claim 10: The method according to claim 1, wherein the UI comprises an aiming control, the control comprises a central region and surrounding region that surrounds the central region, wherein the aiming instruction is received on the surrounding region of the control, and wherein the aiming instruction comprises an offset point in the surrounding region that is offset from an activation point at a center point of the central region; and the method further comprises: displaying the region around the target point in the virtual environment.
Claim 10: The method according to claim 1, wherein the UI comprises a wheel aiming control, the wheel aiming control comprises a wheel region and a joystick button; and the aiming instruction carries an offset point of the joystick button offsetting from an activation point in the wheel region, and the activation point is a center point of the wheel region; and the displaying the dot aiming indicator in the virtual environment in response to the aiming instruction comprises: calculating, in response to the aiming instruction, an offset vector pointing from the activation point to the offset point; calculating an aiming vector according to the offset vector, the aiming vector being a vector pointing from a first map point in which the first virtual object is located to the aiming point, a ratio of a length of the offset vector to a wheel radius being equal to a ratio of a length of the aiming vector to an aiming radius, the wheel radius being a radius of the wheel region, and the aiming radius being a maximum aiming distance of the first virtual object during active aiming; calculating the aiming point according to the aiming vector and the first map point in which the first virtual object is located; and displaying the dot aiming indicator on the aiming point in the virtual environment.
Although the claims are not identical, the claims of the ‘217 patent teach the features of corresponding claims in the present application as indicated above. For example, claim 1 recites, "wherein the automatic selection is performed without a user input for selecting the target virtual object." Although claim 1 of the '217 patent does not explicitly refer to automatic selection, it describes a process for selecting a virtual object based on a variety of factors e.g., target selection range, distance between the target virtual object and an aiming point etc., and none of these factors involve direct user involvement. It would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art that such a process is automatically performed, without direct user involvement, based instead on the specified factors and rules.
Regarding claim 1, claim 1 of the ‘217 patent does not expressly disclose the target selection range being around a target point.
In the same field of endeavor, Tang teaches the target selection range being around a target point (Tang Figs. 5, 6, [0052, 0055-0058, 0064, 0067], Tang teaches an effect range 406 i.e., a circle on a game screen that helps define an area of effect and targets for a skill/ability; there is a point at its center that can be considered to be a target point.)
It would have been obvious to incorporate the above feature into the invention claimed in claim 1 of the ‘217 patent. Claim 1 of the ‘217 patent describes an aiming point that uses and is a benchmark for a target selection range, and the target selection range is used to select target virtual objects. Likewise, Tang relates to aiming an effect range to select target virtual objects, where the center of the effect range can serve as a targeting point. It would be desirable to incorporate this feature into the invention of claim 1 of the ‘217 patent to provide a useful means of targeting virtual objects e.g., see Tang Figs. 5, 6, [0052, 0055-0058, 0064, 0067].
Claims 11 and 20 correspond to claim 1 and are rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 12-17 and 19 correspond to claims 2-7 and 9 and are rejected for the same reasons.
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 of this title, 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 1-7, 10-17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang (US 2017/0340959) in view of Liquipedia (Article at the Liquipedia website, “Splash Damage,” dated Aug. 31, 2019, downloaded from https://liquipedia.net/starcraft2/index.php?title=Splash_damage&oldid=1546497) and further in view of Wang (US 2018/0024660).
Tang, Liquipedia and Wang were cited in an IDS filed 12/28/2023.
Regarding claim 1, Tang teaches a method, performed by a terminal, the method comprising:
displaying a virtual environment on a user interface (UI), the virtual environment comprising a first virtual object and a plurality of second virtual objects (Figs. 1, 4, 5, 12, 15, [0004, 0051, 0062] describe a mobile device with a user interface indicating a virtual environment/gameplay screen with a controllable game character and virtual targets/entities; for example, Figs. 4, 5, 12 and 15 illustrate examples where there are multiple virtual objects outside of the game character);
in response to receiving an aiming instruction on a control that is displayed in the virtual environment, displaying a region associated with a target skill surrounding the first virtual object (Fig. 4, [0046, 0051, 0064], in response to a user selecting a skill icon, a candidate effect range is displayed i.e., a region around the player character that defines a maximum range of that skill),
the target skill being a skill that can be cast on a virtual object at a time (Figs. 5, 6 [0059, 0052, 0055-0058, 0064, 0067], the user interface can display an effect range 406 e.g., a circle that defines a target for an operation in the game; the operation can then be applied to the target);
determining a target selection range around a target point corresponding to the aiming instruction based on a casting range of the target skill, wherein the target selection range comprises a first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects (Figs. 5, 6 [0052, 0055-0058, 0064, 0067], the user interface can display an effect range 406 e.g., a circle that defines targets for an operation in the game; as noted in [0056], the location of the effect range can be controlled by a user’s touch point/aiming instruction in an auxiliary control region i.e., a circular control region 404; the effect range has a point its center i.e., location 410 described in Fig. 5 and [0058], which can be used as a centerpoint or benchmark for targeting the effect range i.e., the range is defined by a radius around the center point; see also Fig. 8, [0070], which describes a center point of an effect range and how it used as a guide to define the effect range; as seen in Figs. 5, 12, 14 and 15, the effect range can be moved to cover a sub-set of virtual objects i.e., one or more virtual objects),
controlling the first virtual object to cast the target skill at a target virtual object, wherein the target virtual object is a second virtual object among the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects within the target selection range (Figs. 5, 6 [0059, 0052, 0055-0058, 0064, 0067], the user interface can display an effect range 406 e.g., a circle that defines a target for an operation in the game; the operation can then be applied to the target).
However, Tang does not expressly disclose automatically selecting a target virtual object from the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects based on the target selection range, the target point, and a position of the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects with respect to the target point and the target selection range, wherein the automatic selection is performed without a user input for selecting the target virtual object, wherein once the target virtual object is automatically selected, a visual indication of the selection of the target virtual object is displayed on the UI prior to a casting of the target skill; wherein a position of the target point in the virtual environment does not overlap with any of the first sub-set of second virtual objects; and wherein the target skill is cast at a target virtual object without positioning the target point over the target virtual object.
In the same field of endeavor, Liquipedia teaches
automatically selecting a target virtual object from the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects based on the target selection range, the target point, and a position of the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects with respect to the target point and the target selection range, wherein the automatic selection is performed without a user input for selecting the target virtual object (page 1, Liquipedia teaches the known concept of splash damage; in other words, when an attack with an area of effect/target range is targeted at a particular target/centre point, enemies not located at that point can be damaged, but for lower amounts depending on their proximity to the center target point, as represented by the different colored zones around a center point, as seen in Liquipedia; in other words, Liquipedia contemplates that there may be multiple affected enemies not at the center point of an attack, but rather some distance away from the center point; for example, see the figure in Liquipedia in page 1 of Liquipedia, which illustrates areas of effect/splash damage areas for attacks from a siege tank or a tactical nuke; Liquipedia contemplates target enemies that may be in the orange and yellow zones not overlapping with and distant from the center point of the area of effect; in the context of Tang Figs. 4-5, this means that virtual characters may not overlap with the center of a circle of effect, but nevertheless be affected in accordance with some kind of damage/effect principle; put another way, the player can set a target point, and the system automatically selects enemies for varying levels of damage based on their proximity to the target point and the fact that they are generally within range of the skill; the user does not need to specifically select targets for those levels of damage, rather the system does so according to the rules/policy indicated in Liquipedia);
wherein a position of the target point in the virtual environment does not overlap with any of the first sub-set of second virtual objects; and wherein the target skill is cast at a target virtual object without positioning the target point over the target virtual object (page 1, Liquipedia teaches the known concept of splash damage; in other words, when an attack with an area of effect/target range is targeted at a particular target/centre point, enemies not located at that point can be damaged, but for lower amounts depending on their proximity to the center target point, as represented by the different colored zones around a center point, as seen in Liquipedia; in other words, Liquipedia contemplates that there may be multiple affected enemies not at the center point of an attack, but rather some distance away from the center point; for example, see the figure in Liquipedia in page 1 of Liquipedia, which illustrates areas of effect/splash damage areas for attacks from a siege tank or a tactical nuke; Liquipedia contemplates target enemies that may be in the orange and yellow zones not overlapping with and distant from the center point of the area of effect; in the context of Tang Figs. 4-5, this means that virtual characters may not overlap with the center of a circle of affect, but nevertheless be affected in accordance with some kind of damage/effect principle).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated automatically selecting a target virtual object from the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects based on the target selection range, the target point, and a position of the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects with respect to the target point and the target selection range, wherein the automatic selection is performed without a user input for selecting the target virtual object; wherein a position of the target point in the virtual environment does not overlap with any of the first sub-set of second virtual objects; and wherein the target skill is cast at a target virtual object without positioning the target point over the target virtual object as suggested in Liquipedia into Tang because Tang and Liquipedia pertain to analogous fields of technology. Tang Figs. 4-5 indicate a game in which area of affect for a skill or attack can be positioned over multiple virtual characters. (It should be noted that Tang Fig. 5, 14 also strongly suggest an area of effect 408 where the center point of the area of effect is not on or does not overlap with a plurality of virtual objects). Liquipedia similarly relates to a skill or attack with an area of effect that is placed over multiple virtual characters. Liquipedia further teaches that there may be multiple virtual characters who are not at the center point of the attack, but who are within the area of effect and are affected by the attack in a distinctive manner e.g., depending on their proximity to the center point. It would be desirable to incorporate this feature into Tang to incorporate the concept of graduated splash damage into the game mechanics described in Tang e.g., see Liquipedia page 1.
However, the combination of Tang and Liquipedia does not explicitly disclose wherein once the target virtual object is automatically selected, a visual indication of the selection of the target virtual object is displayed on the UI prior to a casting of the target skill.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches wherein once the target virtual object is automatically selected, a visual indication of the selection of the target virtual object is displayed on the UI prior to a casting of the target skill (Figs. 9-10, [0078, 0084, 0118-0119], in a game, a there are multiple possible targets for a skill cast by a virtual character; depending on user input or movement of a virtual joystick, the selected target for the spell adjusts based on distance to a targeting element i.e., the closest enemy is the selected target; the selected target can be adjusted as the targeting element e.g., a direction line, is adjusted; the selected target is also visually highlighted; the player can then release the skill to affect the currently selected target).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated wherein once the target virtual object is automatically selected, a visual indication of the selection of the target virtual object is displayed on the UI prior to a casting of the target skill as suggested in Wang into Tang and Liquipedia because Tang and Liquipedia pertain to analogous fields of technology. Tang/Liquipedia relates to a game in which a player character can define a targeting area encompassing multiple virtual enemies as potential targets, where a particular virtual enemy can be automatically selected for a special effect based on their proximity to a target point. Wang also pertains to a game in which a virtual enemy is selected for a special effect based on proximity to a target element. In Wang, the selected virtual enemy is graphically highlighted. It would be desirable to incorporate this feature into Tang/Liquipedia so that a player could more easily see the potential effect of a casting of a skill in the game e.g., see Wang Figs. 9-10, [0078, 0084, 0118-0119].
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1. The combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang also teaches wherein controlling the first virtual object to cast the target skill comprises:
filtering the first sub-set of second virtual objects in the target selection range as candidate virtual objects (Tang Fig. 12, [0097, 0121], a user can select targets from multiple possible targets i.e., filter out those targets, by placing them in the effect range);
selecting the target virtual object from the candidate virtual objects according to a priority principle (page 1, Liquipedia relates to a game in which damage is applied to all targets with a given radius/range; it notes that there are two alternative options, one in which damage is applied equally to all targets within the range; the other option is that damage is differentially applied to targets caught within the range, depending on how far the target is situated relative to the center of the range; for example, a particular virtual target may be selected for higher damage, due a principle of prioritizing damage for targets closer to the center of the range); and
controlling the first virtual object to aim at the target virtual object (Tang Figs. 5, 6 [0059, 0052, 0055-0058, 0064, 0067], the user interface can display an effect range 406 e.g., a circle that defines a target for an operation in the game; the operation can then be applied to the target).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 2. The combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang also teaches wherein the target selection range comprises a first selection range and a second selection range, wherein a priority of the first selection range is greater than that the second selection range (Liquipedia, page 1, the range of effect for a damaging ability is divided into multiple regions; each of the regions can be understood as different selection ranges; the priority of inflicting higher damage is greater in some of these regions over others); and
the filtering comprises:
determining a second sub-set of second virtual objects present in the first selection range as the candidate virtual objects (Liquipedia page 1, if an entity is in, for example, the innermost ring of the range, closest to the center, then they are candidates for suffering the highest damage; they would be filtered or separated from other entities in that regard who are in not in that innermost ring; see for example the different damage rings/bands in the chart of Liquipedia page 1); and
determining a third sub-set of second virtual objects present in the second selection range as the candidate virtual objects based on determining that none of the first sub-set of second virtual objects exist in the first selection range (Liquipedia page 1, if no entity is in the innermost ring, but are instead for example in the second innermost ring i.e., second closest to the center, then the candidate for receiving the highest damage would be in that second innermost ring; they would be separated or filtered relative to other entities who are farther from the center; see for example the different damage rings/bands in the chart of Liquipedia page 1; note that the claimed “first sub-set” may be a subset of the claimed “third sub-set”; in other words, naturally, the determination that one or more virtual characters is in a particular ring is based on the determination that each of the virtual characters is not in another, different ring).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 3. The combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang also teaches
wherein the first selection range corresponds to a first priority principle, and the second selection range corresponds to a second priority principle (Liquipedia page 1, within a given range, damage can be applied differentially to entities in the damage radius depending on their proximity to the center of the range i.e., depending on where the entity is situated; this can be understood as each damage zone having a corresponding principle e.g., an entity in an outer ring will suffer more damage than an entity in an outer ring; an enemy in an inner will be prioritized for a particular amount of damage etc.); and
the selecting comprises:
selecting the target virtual object from the candidate virtual objects according to the first priority principle based on the candidate virtual objects being within the first selection range (Liquipedia page 1, within a given range, damage can be applied differentially to entities in the damage radius depending on their proximity to the center of the range i.e., depending on where the entity is situated or what they are in, they can be selected for a particular amount of damage; this can be understood as each damage zone having a corresponding principle e.g., an entity in an outer ring will suffer more damage than an entity in an outer ring; an enemy in an inner will be prioritized for a particular amount of damage etc.); and
selecting the target virtual object from the candidate virtual objects according to the second priority principle based on the candidate virtual objects being within the second selection range (Liquipedia page 1, within a given range, damage can be applied differentially to entities in the damage radius depending on their proximity to the center of the range i.e., depending on where the entity is situated or what range they are, they can be selected for a particular amount of damage; this can be understood as each damage zone having a corresponding principle e.g., an entity in an outer ring will suffer more damage than an entity in an outer ring; an enemy in an inner will be prioritized for a particular amount of damage etc.).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1. The combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang also teaches
wherein the target selection range is located on a ground plane of the virtual environment (Tang Figs. 5, 6, the entire interface can be considered a ground plane of a virtual environment).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1. The combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang also teaches wherein the first virtual object comprises a maximum shooting range, and the target selection range comprises a pre-aiming region located outside the maximum shooting range (Tang Figs. 4, 5, [0046, 0055-0056], there is a candidate effect range region around the player character, which indicates the maximum range of a player ability e.g., the shooting off of a freeze spell; see Tang [0119]; Fig. 16, [0121], a user can drag the effect range to the edge of the candidate effect range region, such that a portion of the effect range is outside the candidate effect range region).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 2. The combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang also teaches wherein the priority principle comprises at least one of:
preferentially selecting a candidate virtual object closest to the aiming point (Liquipedia page 1, an enemy that is at or very close to the center of the range of the damage effect will be selected for the highest level of damage);
preferentially selecting a candidate virtual object having a lowest health bar;
preferentially selecting a candidate virtual object having a smallest health point absolute value;
preferentially selecting a candidate virtual object having a highest type priority (Liquipedia, page 1, an enemy that is at or very close to the center of the range of the damage effect will be selected for the highest level of damage; more generally, both Tang and Liquipedia can be understood as teaching that any entities caught in the effect range are given the highest priority for some form of damage or effect e.g., see Liquipedia page 1; Tang ([0056, 0058-0060, 0097, 0122]).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1. The combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang also teaches wherein the UI comprises an aiming control, the control comprises a central region and surrounding region that surrounds the central region (Tang Fig. 5, [0058], there is a circular auxiliary control region 404, which includes a movable icon that serves as a joystick button, and an outer circular region),
wherein the aiming instruction is received on the surrounding region of the control (Tang Fig. 5, [0058-0060], the user can provide an instruction by dragging an icon to the outer circular region), and
wherein the aiming instruction comprises an offset point in the surrounding region that is offset from an activation point at a center point of the central region (Tang Figs. 9-10, [0076-0083], the user can offset an icon in the control region from a center point; Tang Figs. 9-10, [0076-0083], a vector or distance is determined from the center point of the control region to the icon; Tang Figs. 9-10, [0076-0083], the ratio of the distance between the center of control region to the icon and the control region radius is determined i.e., C1P1l/R1; this is the same ratio as that of the distance between the center of the candidate effect range region to the first effect range; as seen in Fig. 4 and other figures, the player character can be at the center of the candidate effect range region) and
the method further comprises:
displaying the region around the target point in the virtual environment (Tang Figs. 4, 5 [0046, 0051, 0064], in response to a user selecting a skill icon, a candidate effect range is displayed i.e., a region around the player character that defines a maximum range of that skill).
Claim 11 corresponds to claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons. The combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang also teaches an apparatus (Tang Fig. 2, [0040], device) for aiming at a virtual object comprising:
at least one memory configured to store program code (Tang Fig. 2, [0040], memory);
at least one processor configured to access the program code and operate as instructed by the program code (Tang Fig. 2, [0040]).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 11. Claim 12 also corresponds to claim 2 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 12. Claim 13 also corresponds to claim 3 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 13. Claim 14 also corresponds to claim 4 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 11. Claim 15 also corresponds to claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 11. Claim 16 also corresponds to claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 15. Claim 17 also corresponds to claim 7 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Claim 20 corresponds to claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons. The combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang also teaches a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer program code that, when executed by at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations (Tang Fig. 2, [0040], memory).
Claims 9 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang, Liquipedia and Wang, as applied in claims 8 and 18, and further in view of Matsuno (US 6,409,604).
Matsuno is cited in an IDS filed 12/28/2023.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 8. The combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang also teaches
wherein the first virtual object comprises a maximum shooting range, and the target selection range comprises a pre-aiming region located outside the maximum shooting range and an aiming region located within the maximum shooting range (Tang Figs. 4, 5, [0046, 0055-0056], there is a candidate effect range region around the player character, which indicates the maximum range of a player ability e.g., the shooting off of a freeze spell; see Tang [0119]; Fig. 16, [0121], a user can drag the effect range to the edge of the candidate effect range region, such that a portion of the effect range is outside the candidate effect range region and a portion of the effect range is within the candidate effect range region).
However, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang does not expressly disclose the displaying a selected special effect on the target virtual object comprises: displaying a first selected special effect based on determining that the target virtual object is located within the pre-aiming region; and displaying a second selected special effect on the target virtual object based on determining that the target virtual object is located within the aiming region, the first selected special effect and the second selected special effect being different.
In the same field of endeavor, Matsuno teaches
the displaying a selected special effect on the target virtual object comprises:
displaying a first selected special effect based on determining that the target virtual object is located within the pre-aiming region (Figs. 16-22, col. 11, lines 5-20, 38-54; col. 10, lines 44-54, claim 25, an ability has a visible range area; when enemy characters are in that range area, they are highlighted e.g., made to blink, their color is changed etc.; if they are not in that range area, they have a normal appearance without highlighting); and
displaying a second selected special effect on the target virtual object based on determining that the target virtual object is located within the aiming region, the first selected special effect and the second selected special effect being different (Figs. 16-22, col. 11, lines 5-20, 38-54; col. 10, lines 44-54, claim 25, an ability has a visible range area; when enemy characters are in that range area, they are highlighted e.g., made to blink, their color is changed etc.; if they are not in that range area, they have a normal appearance without highlighting).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated the displaying a selected special effect on the target virtual object comprises: displaying a first selected special effect based on determining that the target virtual object is located within the pre-aiming region; and displaying a second selected special effect on the target virtual object based on determining that the target virtual object is located within the aiming region, the first selected special effect and the second selected special effect being different as suggested in Matsuno into Tang, Liquipedia and Wang because Tang and Matsuno pertain to analogous fields of technology. Both Tang and Matsuno pertain to game applications in which a player can perform an ability, skill or spell with a displayed, maximum range that is centered on the player character. In Matsuno, when an enemy entity falls into the maximum range, the enemy entity is highlighted; if an enemy entity does not fall into the maximum range, the enemy entity is not highlighted. It would be desirable to incorporate this feature into Tang, so that enemies who are affected by an ability are easy to discern e.g., see Matsuno col. 13, lines 22-30.
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Tang, Liquipedia and Wang teaches the invention as claimed in claim 18. Claim 19 also corresponds to claim 9 and is rejected for the same reasons.
Response to Arguments
The Examiner acknowledges the Applicant's amendments to claims 1, 9 and 17.
Regarding independent claims 1, 11 and 20, the Applicant alleges that the combination of references does not teach the amended limitation of "automatically selecting a target virtual object from the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects based on the target selection range, the target point, and a position of the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects with respect to the target point and the target selection range, wherein the automatic selection is performed without a user input for selecting the target virtual object, wherein once the target virtual object is automatically selected, a visual indication of the selection of the target virtual object is displayed on the UI prior to a casting of the target skill." Examiner has therefore rejected claims 1, 9 and 17 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Tang, Liquipedia and Wang. Some of Applicant's remarks are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Applicant further asserts the following on pages 13-14 of the reply: "[h]owever, at no point does the Liquipedia disclose automatically selecting a target virtual object - to cast the skill on - based on the target selection range, the target point, and a position of the first sub-set of the plurality of second virtual objects with respect to the target point and the target selection range with the automatic selection being performed without a user input for selecting the target virtual object."
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Liquipedia describes a splash damage effect, where virtual enemies are affected in different ways, depending on their proximity to a target point and whether they are within the overall range of the skill. For example, page 1 of Liquipedia indicates, for a tactical nuke skill, three different levels of game damage for enemies depending on exactly where they fall in a series of concentric ring regions layered around a target point. That is, the system selects one or more enemies for a particular type of damage based on the game policy i.e., the distance from the target point and the location in one of the ring regions. This selection is not explicitly defined by the user i.e., it is not the user who specifically and explicitly designates each enemy for a certain kind of damage, rather it is the game's rules and policies that select each enemy for a particular type of damage.
Applicant further alleges that claims 2-7, 9-10, 12-17 and 19 are allowable in view of their dependency on claims 1 and 11. Claims 2-7, 9-10, 12-17 and 19 are rejected as being taught by Tang, Liquipedia, Wang and/or Matsuno.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Rong (US 2018/0369693) teaches a game, where a virtual character encounters multiple potential virtual targets; the player can define criteria by which a virtual target is selected from the group e.g., closest, lowest health etc.; a target selection indicator can be displayed at the selected target e.g., see Rong Fig. 2, [0038].
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/ERIC J YOON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2118