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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
Claims 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because claim 15-20 recites: “A computer-readable storage medium…”, however, the ordinary meaning of a computer readable medium known in the art covers forms of non-transitory mediums(CD-ROM, hard drives, etc.) and transitory mediums
(propagating signals, etc.). Therefore claims 15-20 are not statutory for reciting a computer readable
medium which covers both non-statutory subject matter and statutory subject matter. However, claim
…may be amended to narrow the claim to cover only statutory embodiments by amending the claim to
recite “A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium…”. Claims that recite nothing but the
physical characteristics of a form of energy, such as a frequency, voltage, or the strength of a magnetic
field, define energy or magnetism, per se, and as such are non statutory natural phenomena. O’Reilly, 56
U.S. (15 How.) at 112-14. Moreover, it does not appear that a claim reciting a signal encoded with
functional descriptive material falls within any of the categories of patentable subject matter set forth in
§ 101. First, a claimed signal is clearly not a “process” under § 101 because it is not a series of steps. The
other three § 101 classes of machine, compositions of matter and manufactures "relate to structural
entities and can be grouped as ‘product’ claims in order to contrast them with process claims." 1 D.
Chisum, Patents § 1.02 (1994). The three product classes have traditionally required physical structure
or material.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-10, 12-17, 19, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Baszucki (Patent No. US 20200346122 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Baszucki teaches A computer-implemented method for peer-engagement through graphical definition of contact-generating events in a virtualized metaverse, the computer-implemented method comprising: (Baszucki, “[0072] FIG. 2A is a flow diagram illustrating method 200 for establishing friendships on a collaboration platform, in accordance with implementations of the disclosure. Method 200 may be performed by processing logic that includes hardware (e.g., circuitry, dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode), software (e.g., instructions run on a processing device to perform hardware simulation), or a combination thereof. In some implementations, user-generated content friendship module 140 executing at collaboration platform 120 may perform some or all the operations. In other implementations, user-generated content friendship module 140 executing at collaboration platform 120, client device 110A, client device 110B, server 130 or combination thereof may perform some or all the operations. Elements of FIGS. 1 and 4-7 may be used to help illustrate method 200. It may be noted that the in some implementations, method 200 may include the same, different, fewer, or a greater number of operations performed in any order.”)
visually presenting to a user, on an interactive interface by one or more processors, a multi-dimensional scene of a virtual environment; (Baszucki, “[0053] In implementations, collaboration platform 120 executing creator module 126 includes a user-interfacing website or application (e.g., collaboration application 114) where users (also referred to as “creating users,” “creators,” “owners,” or “owning users” herein) may access online computational resources (e.g., cloud resources) hosted by collaboration platform 120 for the purposes of building, administrating, editing, and interacting with personally owned games 122 or gaming environments. For example, creating module may provide a user interface and APIs so that creating users can access game content, game engines, as well as other resources and tools maintained by collaboration platform 120. In implementations, creator module 126 includes tools available to users for creating and instantiating three-dimensional virtual games or environments.”)
receiving input from the user, by the one or more processors, graphically defining one or more contact-generating events within the multi-dimensional scene; (Baszucki, “[0076] Referring to FIG. 5, in some implementations the developer interface (e.g., user interface 500 of FIG. 5) allows a user to specify the social interaction condition 518 from a predetermined selection of criteria or allows the user to create a social interaction condition 518 that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, a creating user may select criteria (e.g., proximity 520) from a predetermined selection of criteria that identifies social interaction criteria for two users (proximity of the characters in the game), the satisfaction of which causes the collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to at least one of the two users. In another example, the creating user may create a customized social interaction condition that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, if the game is a hide and seek game, the custom social interaction criteria may be the amount of time two characters hide together at the same location. Game data may indicate that the two characters are in a same virtual location in the game environment for at least a threshold period of time. The game data also indicates that the two characters are engaged in a hiding activity (e.g., not visible form certain camera angles that correspond to other playing users' perspective). It can be noted that social interaction between two playing users can be represented by game data, as further described below with respect to FIG. 2A and FIG. 5.”)
detecting, by the one or more processors, one or more virtualized avatars in the multi-dimensional scene triggering the one or more contact-generating events; (Baszucki, “[0076] Referring to FIG. 5, in some implementations the developer interface (e.g., user interface 500 of FIG. 5) allows a user to specify the social interaction condition 518 from a predetermined selection of criteria or allows the user to create a social interaction condition 518 that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, a creating user may select criteria (e.g., proximity 520) from a predetermined selection of criteria that identifies social interaction criteria for two users (proximity of the characters in the game), the satisfaction of which causes the collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to at least one of the two users. In another example, the creating user may create a customized social interaction condition that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, if the game is a hide and seek game, the custom social interaction criteria may be the amount of time two characters hide together at the same location. Game data may indicate that the two characters are in a same virtual location in the game environment for at least a threshold period of time. The game data also indicates that the two characters are engaged in a hiding activity (e.g., not visible form certain camera angles that correspond to other playing users' perspective). It can be noted that social interaction between two playing users can be represented by game data, as further described below with respect to FIG. 2A and FIG. 5.”)
and transmitting a contact-initiating prompt, by the one or more processors, to a peer user associated with the one or more virtualized avatars in the multi-dimensional scene (Baszucki, “[0126] In some implementations, a social interaction condition 518 may include a proximity 520 criteria where the proximity of two characters in a game environment during gameplay causes collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to the two users association with the two characters. The proximity 520 criteria may be further refined so the proximity 520 criteria is satisfied responsive to satisfying a distance threshold 522, a time threshold 524, or combination thereof. For example, game data with respect to the proximity 520 criteria may identify the users (e.g., collaboration platform user ID), the characters' locations within the game environment, and timestamps with respect to the locations and may be provided by the game or collaboration platform 120. The game data with respect to proximity criteria 520 may be indicative of an in-game event and be used to calculate relative proximity (e.g., distance within a threshold) of two characters and the amount of time characters spend in relative proximity. The relative proximity and the time spent in relative proximity may be compared to the distance threshold 522 and a time threshold 524 respectively to determine if the proximity 520 criteria are satisfied.”)
according to the detected one or more contact-generating events and predefined contact-engaging criteria. (Baszucki, “[0128] In some implementations, the proximity 520 criteria may be used in conjunction with other criteria of social interaction using logical operators 526, such as logical AND or logical OR. For instance, using the logical AND operator, the creating user may select that the proximity 520 criteria and another criteria such as the messaging 528 criteria so that both criteria must be satisfied before a friend request is sent. In another instance using the logical OR operator, the creating user may select that any one of the proximity 520 criteria or another criteria such as the messaging 528 criteria are to be satisfied before a friend request is sent. It may be noted that all the criteria of the social interaction condition 518 may use logical operators 526.”)
Regarding claim 2, Baszucki teaches The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the multi-dimensional scene comprises: a two-dimensional (2D) map of the virtual environment comprising one or more virtualized objects; or a miniaturized three-dimensional (3D) model of the virtual environment comprising the one or more virtualized objects. (Baszucki, “[0039] It may be noted that 3D environments or 3D worlds use graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data representative of game content (or at least present game content to appear as 3D content whether or not 3D representation of geometric data is used). 2D environments or 2D worlds use graphics that use two-dimensional representation of geometric data representative of game content.”)
Regarding claim 3, Baszucki teaches The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein: a graphically defining of the one or more contact-generating events comprises receiving the input from the user to select an object of the one or more virtualized objects as a location boundary of the one or more contact-generating events; (Baszucki, “[0122] User interface 400 illustrates the placement or insertion of game objects in a game workspace 414. For example, game object 416 (e.g., building) has been retrieved from the search engine portal 410 and inserted into a game workspace 414 to create a game environment of game 122. / [0126] In some implementations, a social interaction condition 518 may include a proximity 520 criteria where the proximity of two characters in a game environment during gameplay causes collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to the two users association with the two characters. The proximity 520 criteria may be further refined so the proximity 520 criteria is satisfied responsive to satisfying a distance threshold 522, a time threshold 524, or combination thereof. For example, game data with respect to the proximity 520 criteria may identify the users (e.g., collaboration platform user ID), the characters' locations within the game environment, and timestamps with respect to the locations and may be provided by the game or collaboration platform 120. The game data with respect to proximity criteria 520 may be indicative of an in-game event and be used to calculate relative proximity (e.g., distance within a threshold) of two characters and the amount of time characters spend in relative proximity. The relative proximity and the time spent in relative proximity may be compared to the distance threshold 522 and a time threshold 524 respectively to determine if the proximity 520 criteria are satisfied.”)
and a triggering of the one or more contact-generating events comprises identifying the peer user associated with the one or more virtualized avatars has viewed the object. (Baszucki, “[0129] In some implementations, a social interaction condition 518 may include a messaging 528 criteria where messaging between two users participating in gameplay causes collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to the two users. The messaging 528 criteria may be further refined so the messaging 528 criteria is satisfied responsive to satisfying a number threshold 530, a time threshold 540, a sub-condition where the two users are concurrently messaging and looking at each other 568, a sub-criteria where the two users are concurrently messaging and may view one another 570 on their respective client device, or a combination thereof.”)
Regarding claim 5, Baszucki teaches The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the one or more virtualized objects are real-world objects represented in the virtual environment; and further comprising automatically identifying a category of the one or more virtualized objects in the virtual environment by known information of the real-world objects, (Baszucki, “[0040] In some implementations, collaboration platform 120 hosts games 122 and allows users to interact with the games 122 using collaboration application 114 of client devices 110. Users of collaboration platform 120 may play, create, interact with, or build games 122, or create and build objects (e.g., also referred to as “item(s)” or “game objects” or “virtual game item(s)” herein) of games 122. For example, in generating user-generated virtual items, users may create characters, decoration for the characters, one or more virtual environments for an interactive game, or build structures used in a game 122, among others. In implementations, users may buy, sell, or trade game virtual game objects, such as in-platform currency (e.g., virtual currency), with other users of the collaboration platform 120. In implementations, collaboration platform 120 may transmit game content to collaboration applications 114. In implementations, game content (also referred to as “content” herein) may refer to any data or software instructions (e.g., game objects, game, user information, video, images, commands, media item, etc.) associated with collaboration platform 120 or collaboration applications 114. In implementations, game objects (e.g., also referred to as “item(s)” or “objects” or “virtual game item(s)” herein) may refer to objects that are used, created, shared or otherwise depicted in games 122 of the collaboration platform 120. For example, game objects may include a part, model, character, tools, weapons, clothing, buildings, vehicles, currency, flora, fauna, components of the aforementioned (e.g., windows of a building), and so forth.”)
wherein the category consists of a portion of the predefined contact-engaging criteria. (Baszucki, “[0068] In some implementations, an additional functionality may include a group functionality that allows user A and user B to join a group hosted by the collaboration platform 120. For example, the additional functionality may allow user A to invite user B to a group where user A is a group member or group creator. Members of a group may participate with each other to compete against a different group in a game 122, may participate with each other in building (e.g., environments, structures, etc.) within a game 122, may participate with each other to create a game 122 (e.g., via creator module 126), etc.”)
Regarding claim 6, Baszucki teaches The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: filtering, by the one or more processors, the one or more virtualized avatars detected as having triggered the one or more contact-generating events (Baszucki, “[0088] At block 230, processing logic determines that a social interaction (determined using game data) between the first playing user and the second playing user satisfies first social interaction criteria of the condition (e.g., social interaction condition) of the game 122. For example, the condition submitted by the creating user may be compared to game data indicative of the social interactions between playing users of the game to determine whether the condition is satisfied.”)
according to the predefined contact-engaging criteria (Baszucki, “[0076] Referring to FIG. 5, in some implementations the developer interface (e.g., user interface 500 of FIG. 5) allows a user to specify the social interaction condition 518 from a predetermined selection of criteria or allows the user to create a social interaction condition 518 that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, a creating user may select criteria (e.g., proximity 520) from a predetermined selection of criteria that identifies social interaction criteria for two users (proximity of the characters in the game), the satisfaction of which causes the collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to at least one of the two users.”)
and visually presenting to the user, by the one or more processors on the interactive interface, a list of filtered one or more virtualized avatars. (Baszucki, “[0107] In some implementations, monitoring for the event identifier indicative of the first social interaction between the first playing user and the second playing user of playing users that are participating in the gameplay of the game includes monitoring a game environment associated with the game for an identifier of an in-game event (e.g., game data) indicative of social interaction between the first playing user and the second playing user within the game environment. In implementations, the game 122 may monitor for the game data generated by the game 122 to identify in-game events in the game environment. In one example, an in-game event includes the proximity of the first character associated with the first playing user and a second character associated with the second playing user within the game environment of the game. / [0109] At block 280, processing logic determines, based on the event identifier that the first social interaction between the first playing user and the second playing user satisfies the first social interaction criteria identified by the condition.”)
Regarding claim 7, Baszucki teaches The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, responsive to accepting the contact-initiating prompt by the peer user associated with the one or more virtualized avatars, connecting the user and the peer user as contacts in the virtualized metaverse. (Baszucki, “[0092] In some implementations, one or more of the playing users that satisfy the condition may be presented with a friend suggestion that includes the other playing user(s) that satisfied the condition. For example, the first playing user may receive a friend suggestion suggesting that the second playing user become a friend. The first playing user may select the second playing user from the friend suggestion, which initiates a friend request to be sent to the second playing user requesting to establish a friendship with the first playing user. / [0093] In some implementations, a friendship may be established via the collaboration platform 120 (or game) between the first playing user based on the friend request (e.g., the first playing user accepts the friend request).”)
Regarding claim 8, Baszucki teaches A system for peer-engagement through graphical definition of contact-generating events in a virtualized metaverse, comprising: one or more processors; and one or more memory storing instructions executed by the one or more processors, the instructions, when executed, causing the one or more processors to: (Baszucki, “[0153] The computer system 800 includes a processing device 802, a main memory 804 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM), etc.), a static memory 806 (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), etc.), and a data storage device 816, which communicate with each other via a bus 808. / [0154] The processing device 802 represents one or more general-purpose processing devices such as a microprocessor, central processing unit, or the like. More particularly, the processing device 802 may be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, or a processing device implementing other instruction sets or processing devices implementing a combination of instruction sets. The processing device 802 may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a digital signal processor (DSP), network processor, or the like. The processing device 802 is configured to execute instructions of the system architecture 100 and the user-generated content friendship module 140 for performing the operations discussed herein.”)
visually presenting to a user, on an interactive interface by one or more processors, a multi-dimensional scene of a virtual environment; (Baszucki, “[0053] In implementations, collaboration platform 120 executing creator module 126 includes a user-interfacing website or application (e.g., collaboration application 114) where users (also referred to as “creating users,” “creators,” “owners,” or “owning users” herein) may access online computational resources (e.g., cloud resources) hosted by collaboration platform 120 for the purposes of building, administrating, editing, and interacting with personally owned games 122 or gaming environments. For example, creating module may provide a user interface and APIs so that creating users can access game content, game engines, as well as other resources and tools maintained by collaboration platform 120. In implementations, creator module 126 includes tools available to users for creating and instantiating three-dimensional virtual games or environments.”)
receiving input from the user, by the one or more processors, graphically defining one or more contact-generating events within the multi-dimensional scene; (Baszucki, “[0076] Referring to FIG. 5, in some implementations the developer interface (e.g., user interface 500 of FIG. 5) allows a user to specify the social interaction condition 518 from a predetermined selection of criteria or allows the user to create a social interaction condition 518 that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, a creating user may select criteria (e.g., proximity 520) from a predetermined selection of criteria that identifies social interaction criteria for two users (proximity of the characters in the game), the satisfaction of which causes the collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to at least one of the two users. In another example, the creating user may create a customized social interaction condition that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, if the game is a hide and seek game, the custom social interaction criteria may be the amount of time two characters hide together at the same location. Game data may indicate that the two characters are in a same virtual location in the game environment for at least a threshold period of time. The game data also indicates that the two characters are engaged in a hiding activity (e.g., not visible form certain camera angles that correspond to other playing users' perspective). It can be noted that social interaction between two playing users can be represented by game data, as further described below with respect to FIG. 2A and FIG. 5.”)
detecting, by the one or more processors, one or more virtualized avatars in the multi-dimensional scene triggering the one or more contact-generating events; (Baszucki, “[0076] Referring to FIG. 5, in some implementations the developer interface (e.g., user interface 500 of FIG. 5) allows a user to specify the social interaction condition 518 from a predetermined selection of criteria or allows the user to create a social interaction condition 518 that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, a creating user may select criteria (e.g., proximity 520) from a predetermined selection of criteria that identifies social interaction criteria for two users (proximity of the characters in the game), the satisfaction of which causes the collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to at least one of the two users. In another example, the creating user may create a customized social interaction condition that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, if the game is a hide and seek game, the custom social interaction criteria may be the amount of time two characters hide together at the same location. Game data may indicate that the two characters are in a same virtual location in the game environment for at least a threshold period of time. The game data also indicates that the two characters are engaged in a hiding activity (e.g., not visible form certain camera angles that correspond to other playing users' perspective). It can be noted that social interaction between two playing users can be represented by game data, as further described below with respect to FIG. 2A and FIG. 5.”)
and transmitting a contact-initiating prompt, by the one or more processors, to a peer user associated with the one or more virtualized avatars in the multi-dimensional scene (Baszucki, “[0126] In some implementations, a social interaction condition 518 may include a proximity 520 criteria where the proximity of two characters in a game environment during gameplay causes collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to the two users association with the two characters. The proximity 520 criteria may be further refined so the proximity 520 criteria is satisfied responsive to satisfying a distance threshold 522, a time threshold 524, or combination thereof. For example, game data with respect to the proximity 520 criteria may identify the users (e.g., collaboration platform user ID), the characters' locations within the game environment, and timestamps with respect to the locations and may be provided by the game or collaboration platform 120. The game data with respect to proximity criteria 520 may be indicative of an in-game event and be used to calculate relative proximity (e.g., distance within a threshold) of two characters and the amount of time characters spend in relative proximity. The relative proximity and the time spent in relative proximity may be compared to the distance threshold 522 and a time threshold 524 respectively to determine if the proximity 520 criteria are satisfied.”)
according to the detected one or more contact-generating events and predefined contact-engaging criteria. (Baszucki, “[0128] In some implementations, the proximity 520 criteria may be used in conjunction with other criteria of social interaction using logical operators 526, such as logical AND or logical OR. For instance, using the logical AND operator, the creating user may select that the proximity 520 criteria and another criteria such as the messaging 528 criteria so that both criteria must be satisfied before a friend request is sent. In another instance using the logical OR operator, the creating user may select that any one of the proximity 520 criteria or another criteria such as the messaging 528 criteria are to be satisfied before a friend request is sent. It may be noted that all the criteria of the social interaction condition 518 may use logical operators 526.”)
Regarding claim 9, Baszucki teaches The system of claim 8, wherein the multi-dimensional scene comprises: a two-dimensional (2D) map of the virtual environment comprising one or more virtualized objects; or a miniaturized three-dimensional (3D) model of the virtual environment comprising the one or more virtualized objects. (Baszucki, “[0039] It may be noted that 3D environments or 3D worlds use graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data representative of game content (or at least present game content to appear as 3D content whether or not 3D representation of geometric data is used). 2D environments or 2D worlds use graphics that use two-dimensional representation of geometric data representative of game content.”)
Regarding claim 10, Baszucki teaches The system of claim 9, wherein: a graphically defining of the one or more contact-generating events comprises receiving the input from the user to select an object of the one or more virtualized objects as a location boundary of the one or more contact-generating events; (Baszucki, “[0122] User interface 400 illustrates the placement or insertion of game objects in a game workspace 414. For example, game object 416 (e.g., building) has been retrieved from the search engine portal 410 and inserted into a game workspace 414 to create a game environment of game 122. / [0126] In some implementations, a social interaction condition 518 may include a proximity 520 criteria where the proximity of two characters in a game environment during gameplay causes collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to the two users association with the two characters. The proximity 520 criteria may be further refined so the proximity 520 criteria is satisfied responsive to satisfying a distance threshold 522, a time threshold 524, or combination thereof. For example, game data with respect to the proximity 520 criteria may identify the users (e.g., collaboration platform user ID), the characters' locations within the game environment, and timestamps with respect to the locations and may be provided by the game or collaboration platform 120. The game data with respect to proximity criteria 520 may be indicative of an in-game event and be used to calculate relative proximity (e.g., distance within a threshold) of two characters and the amount of time characters spend in relative proximity. The relative proximity and the time spent in relative proximity may be compared to the distance threshold 522 and a time threshold 524 respectively to determine if the proximity 520 criteria are satisfied.”)
and a triggering of the one or more contact-generating events comprises identifying the peer user associated with the one or more virtualized avatars has viewed the object. (Baszucki, “[0129] In some implementations, a social interaction condition 518 may include a messaging 528 criteria where messaging between two users participating in gameplay causes collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to the two users. The messaging 528 criteria may be further refined so the messaging 528 criteria is satisfied responsive to satisfying a number threshold 530, a time threshold 540, a sub-condition where the two users are concurrently messaging and looking at each other 568, a sub-criteria where the two users are concurrently messaging and may view one another 570 on their respective client device, or a combination thereof.”)
Regarding claim 12, Baszucki teaches The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more virtualized objects are real-world objects represented in the virtual environment; and wherein, when executed, the instructions further cause the one or more processors to automatically identify a category of the one or more virtualized objects in the virtual environment by known information of the real-world objects, (Baszucki, “[0040] In some implementations, collaboration platform 120 hosts games 122 and allows users to interact with the games 122 using collaboration application 114 of client devices 110. Users of collaboration platform 120 may play, create, interact with, or build games 122, or create and build objects (e.g., also referred to as “item(s)” or “game objects” or “virtual game item(s)” herein) of games 122. For example, in generating user-generated virtual items, users may create characters, decoration for the characters, one or more virtual environments for an interactive game, or build structures used in a game 122, among others. In implementations, users may buy, sell, or trade game virtual game objects, such as in-platform currency (e.g., virtual currency), with other users of the collaboration platform 120. In implementations, collaboration platform 120 may transmit game content to collaboration applications 114. In implementations, game content (also referred to as “content” herein) may refer to any data or software instructions (e.g., game objects, game, user information, video, images, commands, media item, etc.) associated with collaboration platform 120 or collaboration applications 114. In implementations, game objects (e.g., also referred to as “item(s)” or “objects” or “virtual game item(s)” herein) may refer to objects that are used, created, shared or otherwise depicted in games 122 of the collaboration platform 120. For example, game objects may include a part, model, character, tools, weapons, clothing, buildings, vehicles, currency, flora, fauna, components of the aforementioned (e.g., windows of a building), and so forth.”)
wherein the category consists of a portion of the predefined contact-engaging criteria. (Baszucki, “[0068] In some implementations, an additional functionality may include a group functionality that allows user A and user B to join a group hosted by the collaboration platform 120. For example, the additional functionality may allow user A to invite user B to a group where user A is a group member or group creator. Members of a group may participate with each other to compete against a different group in a game 122, may participate with each other in building (e.g., environments, structures, etc.) within a game 122, may participate with each other to create a game 122 (e.g., via creator module 126), etc.”)
Regarding claim 13, Baszucki teaches The system of claim 8, wherein, when executed, the executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to: filter the one or more virtualized avatars detected as having triggered the one or more contact-generating events (Baszucki, “[0088] At block 230, processing logic determines that a social interaction (determined using game data) between the first playing user and the second playing user satisfies first social interaction criteria of the condition (e.g., social interaction condition) of the game 122. For example, the condition submitted by the creating user may be compared to game data indicative of the social interactions between playing users of the game to determine whether the condition is satisfied.”)
according to the predefined contact-engaging criteria (Baszucki, “[0076] Referring to FIG. 5, in some implementations the developer interface (e.g., user interface 500 of FIG. 5) allows a user to specify the social interaction condition 518 from a predetermined selection of criteria or allows the user to create a social interaction condition 518 that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, a creating user may select criteria (e.g., proximity 520) from a predetermined selection of criteria that identifies social interaction criteria for two users (proximity of the characters in the game), the satisfaction of which causes the collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to at least one of the two users.”)
and visually presenting to the user, by the one or more processors on the interactive interface, a list of filtered one or more virtualized avatars. (Baszucki, “[0107] In some implementations, monitoring for the event identifier indicative of the first social interaction between the first playing user and the second playing user of playing users that are participating in the gameplay of the game includes monitoring a game environment associated with the game for an identifier of an in-game event (e.g., game data) indicative of social interaction between the first playing user and the second playing user within the game environment. In implementations, the game 122 may monitor for the game data generated by the game 122 to identify in-game events in the game environment. In one example, an in-game event includes the proximity of the first character associated with the first playing user and a second character associated with the second playing user within the game environment of the game. / [0109] At block 280, processing logic determines, based on the event identifier that the first social interaction between the first playing user and the second playing user satisfies the first social interaction criteria identified by the condition.”)
Regarding claim 14, Baszucki teaches The system of claim 8, wherein, when executed, the executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to, responsive to accepting the contact-initiating prompt by the peer user associated with the one or more virtualized avatars, connect the user and the peer user as contacts in the virtualized metaverse. (Baszucki, “[0092] In some implementations, one or more of the playing users that satisfy the condition may be presented with a friend suggestion that includes the other playing user(s) that satisfied the condition. For example, the first playing user may receive a friend suggestion suggesting that the second playing user become a friend. The first playing user may select the second playing user from the friend suggestion, which initiates a friend request to be sent to the second playing user requesting to establish a friendship with the first playing user. / [0093] In some implementations, a friendship may be established via the collaboration platform 120 (or game) between the first playing user based on the friend request (e.g., the first playing user accepts the friend request).”)
Regarding claim 15, Baszucki teaches A computer program product for peer-engagement through graphical definition of contact-generating events in a virtualized metaverse, the computer program product comprising: one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising: program instructions to (Baszucki, “[0153] The computer system 800 includes a processing device 802, a main memory 804 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random access memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM), etc.), a static memory 806 (e.g., flash memory, static random access memory (SRAM), etc.), and a data storage device 816, which communicate with each other via a bus 808.”)
visually presenting to a user, on an interactive interface by one or more processors, a multi-dimensional scene of a virtual environment; (Baszucki, “[0053] In implementations, collaboration platform 120 executing creator module 126 includes a user-interfacing website or application (e.g., collaboration application 114) where users (also referred to as “creating users,” “creators,” “owners,” or “owning users” herein) may access online computational resources (e.g., cloud resources) hosted by collaboration platform 120 for the purposes of building, administrating, editing, and interacting with personally owned games 122 or gaming environments. For example, creating module may provide a user interface and APIs so that creating users can access game content, game engines, as well as other resources and tools maintained by collaboration platform 120. In implementations, creator module 126 includes tools available to users for creating and instantiating three-dimensional virtual games or environments.”)
receiving input from the user, by the one or more processors, graphically defining one or more contact-generating events within the multi-dimensional scene; (Baszucki, “[0076] Referring to FIG. 5, in some implementations the developer interface (e.g., user interface 500 of FIG. 5) allows a user to specify the social interaction condition 518 from a predetermined selection of criteria or allows the user to create a social interaction condition 518 that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, a creating user may select criteria (e.g., proximity 520) from a predetermined selection of criteria that identifies social interaction criteria for two users (proximity of the characters in the game), the satisfaction of which causes the collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to at least one of the two users. In another example, the creating user may create a customized social interaction condition that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, if the game is a hide and seek game, the custom social interaction criteria may be the amount of time two characters hide together at the same location. Game data may indicate that the two characters are in a same virtual location in the game environment for at least a threshold period of time. The game data also indicates that the two characters are engaged in a hiding activity (e.g., not visible form certain camera angles that correspond to other playing users' perspective). It can be noted that social interaction between two playing users can be represented by game data, as further described below with respect to FIG. 2A and FIG. 5.”)
detecting, by the one or more processors, one or more virtualized avatars in the multi-dimensional scene triggering the one or more contact-generating events; (Baszucki, “[0076] Referring to FIG. 5, in some implementations the developer interface (e.g., user interface 500 of FIG. 5) allows a user to specify the social interaction condition 518 from a predetermined selection of criteria or allows the user to create a social interaction condition 518 that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, a creating user may select criteria (e.g., proximity 520) from a predetermined selection of criteria that identifies social interaction criteria for two users (proximity of the characters in the game), the satisfaction of which causes the collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to at least one of the two users. In another example, the creating user may create a customized social interaction condition that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, if the game is a hide and seek game, the custom social interaction criteria may be the amount of time two characters hide together at the same location. Game data may indicate that the two characters are in a same virtual location in the game environment for at least a threshold period of time. The game data also indicates that the two characters are engaged in a hiding activity (e.g., not visible form certain camera angles that correspond to other playing users' perspective). It can be noted that social interaction between two playing users can be represented by game data, as further described below with respect to FIG. 2A and FIG. 5.”)
and transmitting a contact-initiating prompt, by the one or more processors, to a peer user associated with the one or more virtualized avatars in the multi-dimensional scene (Baszucki, “[0126] In some implementations, a social interaction condition 518 may include a proximity 520 criteria where the proximity of two characters in a game environment during gameplay causes collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to the two users association with the two characters. The proximity 520 criteria may be further refined so the proximity 520 criteria is satisfied responsive to satisfying a distance threshold 522, a time threshold 524, or combination thereof. For example, game data with respect to the proximity 520 criteria may identify the users (e.g., collaboration platform user ID), the characters' locations within the game environment, and timestamps with respect to the locations and may be provided by the game or collaboration platform 120. The game data with respect to proximity criteria 520 may be indicative of an in-game event and be used to calculate relative proximity (e.g., distance within a threshold) of two characters and the amount of time characters spend in relative proximity. The relative proximity and the time spent in relative proximity may be compared to the distance threshold 522 and a time threshold 524 respectively to determine if the proximity 520 criteria are satisfied.”)
according to the detected one or more contact-generating events and predefined contact-engaging criteria. (Baszucki, “[0128] In some implementations, the proximity 520 criteria may be used in conjunction with other criteria of social interaction using logical operators 526, such as logical AND or logical OR. For instance, using the logical AND operator, the creating user may select that the proximity 520 criteria and another criteria such as the messaging 528 criteria so that both criteria must be satisfied before a friend request is sent. In another instance using the logical OR operator, the creating user may select that any one of the proximity 520 criteria or another criteria such as the messaging 528 criteria are to be satisfied before a friend request is sent. It may be noted that all the criteria of the social interaction condition 518 may use logical operators 526.”)
Regarding claim 16, Baszucki teaches The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the multi-dimensional scene comprises: a two-dimensional (2D) map of the virtual environment comprising one or more virtualized objects; or a miniaturized three-dimensional (3D) model of the virtual environment comprising the one or more virtualized objects. (Baszucki, “[0039] It may be noted that 3D environments or 3D worlds use graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data representative of game content (or at least present game content to appear as 3D content whether or not 3D representation of geometric data is used). 2D environments or 2D worlds use graphics that use two-dimensional representation of geometric data representative of game content.”)
Regarding claim 17, Baszucki teaches The computer program product of claim 16, wherein: a graphically defining of the one or more contact-generating events comprises receiving the input from the user to select an object of the one or more virtualized objects as a location boundary of the one or more contact-generating events; (Baszucki, “[0122] User interface 400 illustrates the placement or insertion of game objects in a game workspace 414. For example, game object 416 (e.g., building) has been retrieved from the search engine portal 410 and inserted into a game workspace 414 to create a game environment of game 122. / [0126] In some implementations, a social interaction condition 518 may include a proximity 520 criteria where the proximity of two characters in a game environment during gameplay causes collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to the two users association with the two characters. The proximity 520 criteria may be further refined so the proximity 520 criteria is satisfied responsive to satisfying a distance threshold 522, a time threshold 524, or combination thereof. For example, game data with respect to the proximity 520 criteria may identify the users (e.g., collaboration platform user ID), the characters' locations within the game environment, and timestamps with respect to the locations and may be provided by the game or collaboration platform 120. The game data with respect to proximity criteria 520 may be indicative of an in-game event and be used to calculate relative proximity (e.g., distance within a threshold) of two characters and the amount of time characters spend in relative proximity. The relative proximity and the time spent in relative proximity may be compared to the distance threshold 522 and a time threshold 524 respectively to determine if the proximity 520 criteria are satisfied.”)
and a triggering of the one or more contact-generating events comprises identifying the peer user associated with the one or more virtualized avatars has viewed the object. (Baszucki, “[0129] In some implementations, a social interaction condition 518 may include a messaging 528 criteria where messaging between two users participating in gameplay causes collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to the two users. The messaging 528 criteria may be further refined so the messaging 528 criteria is satisfied responsive to satisfying a number threshold 530, a time threshold 540, a sub-condition where the two users are concurrently messaging and looking at each other 568, a sub-criteria where the two users are concurrently messaging and may view one another 570 on their respective client device, or a combination thereof.”)
Regarding claim 19, Baszucki teaches The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the one or more virtualized objects are real-world objects represented in the virtual environment; and further including program instructions to automatically identify a category of the one or more virtualized objects in the virtual environment by known information of the real-world objects, (Baszucki, “[0040] In some implementations, collaboration platform 120 hosts games 122 and allows users to interact with the games 122 using collaboration application 114 of client devices 110. Users of collaboration platform 120 may play, create, interact with, or build games 122, or create and build objects (e.g., also referred to as “item(s)” or “game objects” or “virtual game item(s)” herein) of games 122. For example, in generating user-generated virtual items, users may create characters, decoration for the characters, one or more virtual environments for an interactive game, or build structures used in a game 122, among others. In implementations, users may buy, sell, or trade game virtual game objects, such as in-platform currency (e.g., virtual currency), with other users of the collaboration platform 120. In implementations, collaboration platform 120 may transmit game content to collaboration applications 114. In implementations, game content (also referred to as “content” herein) may refer to any data or software instructions (e.g., game objects, game, user information, video, images, commands, media item, etc.) associated with collaboration platform 120 or collaboration applications 114. In implementations, game objects (e.g., also referred to as “item(s)” or “objects” or “virtual game item(s)” herein) may refer to objects that are used, created, shared or otherwise depicted in games 122 of the collaboration platform 120. For example, game objects may include a part, model, character, tools, weapons, clothing, buildings, vehicles, currency, flora, fauna, components of the aforementioned (e.g., windows of a building), and so forth.”)
wherein the category consists of a portion of the predefined contact-engaging criteria. (Baszucki, “[0068] In some implementations, an additional functionality may include a group functionality that allows user A and user B to join a group hosted by the collaboration platform 120. For example, the additional functionality may allow user A to invite user B to a group where user A is a group member or group creator. Members of a group may participate with each other to compete against a different group in a game 122, may participate with each other in building (e.g., environments, structures, etc.) within a game 122, may participate with each other to create a game 122 (e.g., via creator module 126), etc.”)
Regarding claim 20, Baszucki teaches The computer program product of claim 15, further including program instructions to: filter the one or more virtualized avatars detected as having triggered the one or more contact-generating events (Baszucki, “[0088] At block 230, processing logic determines that a social interaction (determined using game data) between the first playing user and the second playing user satisfies first social interaction criteria of the condition (e.g., social interaction condition) of the game 122. For example, the condition submitted by the creating user may be compared to game data indicative of the social interactions between playing users of the game to determine whether the condition is satisfied.”)
according to the predefined contact-engaging criteria (Baszucki, “[0076] Referring to FIG. 5, in some implementations the developer interface (e.g., user interface 500 of FIG. 5) allows a user to specify the social interaction condition 518 from a predetermined selection of criteria or allows the user to create a social interaction condition 518 that is specific to the creating user's game. For example, a creating user may select criteria (e.g., proximity 520) from a predetermined selection of criteria that identifies social interaction criteria for two users (proximity of the characters in the game), the satisfaction of which causes the collaboration platform 120 to send a friend request to at least one of the two users.”)
visually present to the user, on the interactive interface, a list of the filtered one or more virtualized avatars; (Baszucki, “[0107] In some implementations, monitoring for the event identifier indicative of the first social interaction between the first playing user and the second playing user of playing users that are participating in the gameplay of the game includes monitoring a game environment associated with the game for an identifier of an in-game event (e.g., game data) indicative of social interaction between the first playing user and the second playing user within the game environment. In implementations, the game 122 may monitor for the game data generated by the game 122 to identify in-game events in the game environment. In one example, an in-game event includes the proximity of the first character associated with the first playing user and a second character associated with the second playing user within the game environment of the game. / [0109] At block 280, processing logic determines, based on the event identifier that the first social interaction between the first playing user and the second playing user satisfies the first social interaction criteria identified by the condition.”)
and responsive to accepting the contact-initiating prompt by the peer user associated with the one or more virtualized avatars, connect the user and the peer user as contacts in the virtualized metaverse. (Baszucki, “[0092] In some implementations, one or more of the playing users that satisfy the condition may be presented with a friend suggestion that includes the other playing user(s) that satisfied the condition. For example, the first playing user may receive a friend suggestion suggesting that the second playing user become a friend. The first playing user may select the second playing user from the friend suggestion, which initiates a friend request to be sent to the second playing user requesting to establish a friendship with the first playing user. / [0093] In some implementations, a friendship may be established via the collaboration platform 120 (or game) between the first playing user based on the friend request (e.g., the first playing user accepts the friend request).”)
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.
Claim(s) 4, 11, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baszucki (Patent No. US 20200346122 A1), in view of Rapaport (Patent No. US 20220231985 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Baszucki teaches and a triggering of the one or more contact-generating events comprises identifying the peer user associated with the one or more virtualized avatars has performed one or more of the plurality of predefined actions. (Baszucki, “[0020] In some implementations, the collaboration platform may host the game to allow playing users to participate in gameplay of the game. The collaboration platform may identify a condition that is specified by a creating user of the game and identifies social interaction criteria for playing users of the game. The satisfaction of the social interaction criteria of the condition qualifies at least one of the playing users to receive a friend request. The collaboration platform or game may monitor the game environment to identify in-game events indicative of social interactions that satisfy the condition of the game. The collaboration platform (or the game) may monitor global events on the collaboration platform to identify events that are outside the game environment but on the collaboration platform and that satisfy the condition of the game. Responsive to identifying that the condition has been satisfied, the collaboration platform or game may send a friend request to a playing user whose social interactions with another playing user satisfied the condition.”)
However, Baszucki is silent about The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein: a graphically defining of the one or more contact-generating events comprises receiving the input from the user to draw one of a plurality of symbols respectively representative of a plurality of predefined actions requisite to initiate the one or more contact-generating events;
Rapaport teaches The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein: a graphically defining of the one or more contact-generating events comprises receiving the input from the user to draw one of a plurality of symbols respectively representative of a plurality of predefined actions requisite to initiate the one or more contact-generating events; (Rapaport, “[0124] FIG. 1N. Moreover, it is to be understood that, although various graphical user interfaces (GUI's) and/or screen touch, swipe click-on, etc. activating actions are described herein as illustrative examples, it is within the contemplation of the disclosure to use user interfaces other than or in addition to GUI's and screen haptic interfacing; these including, but not being limited to; (1) voice only or voice-augmented interfaces (e.g., provided through a user worn head set or earpiece (i.e. a BlueTooth™ compatible earpiece—see FIG. 2); (2) sight-independent touch/tactile interfaces such as those that might be used by visually impaired persons; (3) gesture recognition interfaces such as those where a user's hand gestures and/or other body motions and/or muscle tensioning or relaxations are detected by automated means and converted into computer-usable input signals; and so on; (4) wrist, arm, leg, finger, toe action recognition interfaces such as those where a user wears a wrist-watch like device or an instrumented arm bracelet or an ankle bracelet or an elastic arm band or an instrumented shoe or an instrumented glove or instrumented other garments (or a flexible thin film circuit attached to the user) and the worn device includes acceleration-detecting, location-detecting, temperature-detecting, muscle activation-detecting, perspiration-detecting or like means (e.g., in the form of a MEMs chip) for detecting user body part motions, states, or tensioning or heating/cooling and means for reporting the same to a corresponding user interface module.“, The examiner interpret the symbols as physical gesture as mention in the paragraph [0060] of the specification.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Baszucki’s art by including The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein: a graphically defining of the one or more contact-generating events comprises receiving the input from the user to draw one of a plurality of symbols respectively representative of a plurality of predefined actions requisite to initiate the one or more contact-generating events; as taught by Rapaport and use that with Baszucki’s User-Generated Content System for the Creation of Friends.
The motivation for the combination is to introduce physical gesture as a form of contact-generating events.
Regarding claim 11, Baszucki teaches and a triggering of the one or more contact-generating events comprises identifying the peer user associated with the one or more virtualized avatars has performed one or more of the plurality of predefined actions. (Baszucki, “[0020] In some implementations, the collaboration platform may host the game to allow playing users to participate in gameplay of the game. The collaboration platform may identify a condition that is specified by a creating user of the game and identifies social interaction criteria for playing users of the game. The satisfaction of the social interaction criteria of the condition qualifies at least one of the playing users to receive a friend request. The collaboration platform or game may monitor the game environment to identify in-game events indicative of social interactions that satisfy the condition of the game. The collaboration platform (or the game) may monitor global events on the collaboration platform to identify events that are outside the game environment but on the collaboration platform and that satisfy the condition of the game. Responsive to identifying that the condition has been satisfied, the collaboration platform or game may send a friend request to a playing user whose social interactions with another playing user satisfied the condition.”)
However, Baszucki is silent about The system of claim 9, wherein: a graphically defining of the one or more contact-generating events comprises receiving the input from the user to draw one of a plurality of symbols respectively representative of a plurality of predefined actions requisite to initiate the one or more contact-generating events;
Rapaport teaches The system of claim 9, wherein: a graphically defining of the one or more contact-generating events comprises receiving the input from the user to draw one of a plurality of symbols respectively representative of a plurality of predefined actions requisite to initiate the one or more contact-generating events; (Rapaport, “[0124] FIG. 1N. Moreover, it is to be understood that, although various graphical user interfaces (GUI's) and/or screen touch, swipe click-on, etc. activating actions are described herein as illustrative examples, it is within the contemplation of the disclosure to use user interfaces other than or in addition to GUI's and screen haptic interfacing; these including, but not being limited to; (1) voice only or voice-augmented interfaces (e.g., provided through a user worn head set or earpiece (i.e. a BlueTooth™ compatible earpiece—see FIG. 2); (2) sight-independent touch/tactile interfaces such as those that might be used by visually impaired persons; (3) gesture recognition interfaces such as those where a user's hand gestures and/or other body motions and/or muscle tensioning or relaxations are detected by automated means and converted into computer-usable input signals; and so on; (4) wrist, arm, leg, finger, toe action recognition interfaces such as those where a user wears a wrist-watch like device or an instrumented arm bracelet or an ankle bracelet or an elastic arm band or an instrumented shoe or an instrumented glove or instrumented other garments (or a flexible thin film circuit attached to the user) and the worn device includes acceleration-detecting, location-detecting, temperature-detecting, muscle activation-detecting, perspiration-detecting or like means (e.g., in the form of a MEMs chip) for detecting user body part motions, states, or tensioning or heating/cooling and means for reporting the same to a corresponding user interface module.“, The examiner interpret the symbols as physical gesture as mention in the paragraph [0060] of the specification.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Baszucki’s art by including The system of claim 9, wherein: a graphically defining of the one or more contact-generating events comprises receiving the input from the user to draw one of a plurality of symbols respectively representative of a plurality of predefined actions requisite to initiate the one or more contact-generating events; as taught by Rapaport and use that with Baszucki’s User-Generated Content System for the Creation of Friends.
Regarding claim 18, Baszucki teaches and a triggering of the one or more contact-generating events comprises identifying the peer user associated with the one or more virtualized avatars has performed one or more of the plurality of predefined actions. (Baszucki, “[0020] In some implementations, the collaboration platform may host the game to allow playing users to participate in gameplay of the game. The collaboration platform may identify a condition that is specified by a creating user of the game and identifies social interaction criteria for playing users of the game. The satisfaction of the social interaction criteria of the condition qualifies at least one of the playing users to receive a friend request. The collaboration platform or game may monitor the game environment to identify in-game events indicative of social interactions that satisfy the condition of the game. The collaboration platform (or the game) may monitor global events on the collaboration platform to identify events that are outside the game environment but on the collaboration platform and that satisfy the condition of the game. Responsive to identifying that the condition has been satisfied, the collaboration platform or game may send a friend request to a playing user whose social interactions with another playing user satisfied the condition.”)
However, Baszucki is silent about The computer program product of claim 16, wherein: a graphically defining of the one or more contact-generating events comprises receiving the input from the user to draw one of a plurality of symbols respectively representative of a plurality of predefined actions requisite to initiate the one or more contact-generating events;
Rapaport teaches The computer program product of claim 16, wherein: a graphically defining of the one or more contact-generating events comprises receiving the input from the user to draw one of a plurality of symbols respectively representative of a plurality of predefined actions requisite to initiate the one or more contact-generating events; (Rapaport, “[0124] FIG. 1N. Moreover, it is to be understood that, although various graphical user interfaces (GUI's) and/or screen touch, swipe click-on, etc. activating actions are described herein as illustrative examples, it is within the contemplation of the disclosure to use user interfaces other than or in addition to GUI's and screen haptic interfacing; these including, but not being limited to; (1) voice only or voice-augmented interfaces (e.g., provided through a user worn head set or earpiece (i.e. a BlueTooth™ compatible earpiece—see FIG. 2); (2) sight-independent touch/tactile interfaces such as those that might be used by visually impaired persons; (3) gesture recognition interfaces such as those where a user's hand gestures and/or other body motions and/or muscle tensioning or relaxations are detected by automated means and converted into computer-usable input signals; and so on; (4) wrist, arm, leg, finger, toe action recognition interfaces such as those where a user wears a wrist-watch like device or an instrumented arm bracelet or an ankle bracelet or an elastic arm band or an instrumented shoe or an instrumented glove or instrumented other garments (or a flexible thin film circuit attached to the user) and the worn device includes acceleration-detecting, location-detecting, temperature-detecting, muscle activation-detecting, perspiration-detecting or like means (e.g., in the form of a MEMs chip) for detecting user body part motions, states, or tensioning or heating/cooling and means for reporting the same to a corresponding user interface module.“, The examiner interpret the symbols as physical gesture as mention in the paragraph [0060] of the specification.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Baszucki’s art by including The computer program product of claim 16, wherein: a graphically defining of the one or more contact-generating events comprises receiving the input from the user to draw one of a plurality of symbols respectively representative of a plurality of predefined actions requisite to initiate the one or more contact-generating events; as taught by Rapaport and use that with Baszucki’s User-Generated Content System for the Creation of Friends.
Conclusion
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/C.A.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2612
/Said Broome/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2612
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