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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
This is in response to applicant’s amendment/response filed on 05/18/2026, which has been entered and made of record. Claims 1, 10, 19 have been amended. Claims 8-9, 17-18 have been cancelled. No claim has been added. Claims 1-7, 10-16, 19 are pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 05/18/2026 regarding claims rejection under 35 U.S.C 103 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant submits “First, Cai fails to disclose the technical means for periodically monitoring the spatial relationship between a user-controlled target control part and a first special effect element serving as a scene element.
Second, Cai does not recite the preset determination conditions requiring the user- controlled target control part to be positioned at a specific orientation of, or in contact with, the first special effect element. Regarding spatial correlation, Cai merely defines that the distance between a virtual object and a pollution source is no greater than a distance threshold. Such distance determination logic is simple and singular, and does not involve the two spatial relationship determination modes of orientation judgment and touch interaction as adopted in the present application, thus providing no relevant technical enlightenment to a person skilled in the art.” (Remarks, Page 9.)
The examiner disagrees with Applicant’s premises and conclusion. Cai teaches (Cai, Fig. 6, ¶0043, “during movement of the virtual object in a target polluted region of the plurality of polluted regions, a region impact value of a position of the virtual object based on a distance between the virtual object and a target pollution source in the target polluted region, the region impact value being configured for representing a degree of pollution caused by the target pollution source to the position of the virtual object.” ¶0045, “During the movement of the virtual object in the target polluted region, the region impact value displayed in the terminal changes with a change of the distance between the virtual object and the target pollution source. ¶0047, “during the movement of the virtual object in the target polluted region, the terminal can display not only the region impact value but also the target object. For example, as the virtual object gradually approaches the target pollution source, the distance between the virtual object and the target pollution source gradually decreases. When the distance between the virtual object and the target pollution source does not exceed the distance threshold, the target pollution source may be converted to the target object.” Cai, ¶0082, “the terminal can display the target pollution source through a special effect. The special effect may be tornado, typhoon, or fog”. Fig. 6, ¶0083, “the terminal uses the tornado effect to present the target pollution source existing when the distance between the virtual object and the target pollution source is greater than the distance threshold.”. Cai shows an orientation toward the polluted region. Cai also shows a region impact value of a position of the virtual object based on a distance between the virtual object and a target pollution source in the target polluted region which can teaches touch interaction when the distance is zero.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2, 7, 10-11, 16, 19 are under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mei et al. (US Pub 2022/0379208 A1) in view of Cai (US Pub 2024/0273823 A1) and Liu (US Pub 2022/0168642 A1).
As to claim 1, Mei discloses an information interaction method, comprising: displaying a preset first special effect element in a virtual reality space (¶0104, “the special effect is divided into a first special effect and a second special effect. The first special effect is a special effect of the first virtual object, that is to say, the first special effect refers to an individual special effect of the first virtual object.”),
wherein the preset first special effect element comprises one or a set of virtual objects (Fig. 19, ¶0104, “the special effect is divided into a first special effect and a second special effect. The first special effect is a special effect of the first virtual object, that is to say, the first special effect refers to an individual special effect of the first virtual object.” ¶0116, “the terminal displays a first special effect 1331 with a “converged” lighting effect on an identity picture of the virtual object 1307, and further displays a second special effect 1332 similar to “galaxy” and with a ribbon lighting effect on a background region of identity pictures of the virtual objects”);
periodically monitoring whether a spatial relationship between a target control part controlled by a user and displayed in the virtual reality space and the preset first special effect element meets a preset condition (¶0105,” if description is made by using an example in which virtual objects are displayed in the object presentation interface in the form of identity pictures, the terminal may generate the first special effect on an identity picture of the first virtual object in the object presentation interface. In this implementation, the terminal can display the special effect on the identity picture of the first virtual object, so that other terminals participating in the target battle can clearly learn that the terminal corresponding to the first virtual object triggers the special effect, and man-machine interaction efficiency is relatively high. In some embodiments, the terminal determines a second virtual object from the plurality of virtual objects, where the second virtual object and the first virtual object belong to the same camp; and generates the second special effect in a background region in which identity pictures of the first virtual object and the second virtual object are located. For example, the first special effect is to display a “converged” lighting effect on a half-length portrait of the first virtual object, the second special effect is to display a ribbon lighting effect similar to “galaxy” on a background region of virtual objects belonging to the camp, and the first special effect and the second special effect may be collectively referred to as a “backdrop” special effect.” ¶0114, “or the target duration is carried in the special effect generating instruction, so that the server may designate a same or different target duration for a special effect triggered each time, and therefore the target duration for which the special effect is continuously being displayed can be dynamically adjusted.” ¶0147, “a target time period may be determined, where the target time period takes a receiving moment of the first special effect triggering request as a start moment and a moment with a target time interval after the start moment as an end moment, and then the at least one special effect triggering request received in the target time period is obtained.” ¶0149-0150. ¶0247, “If a plurality of users click/taps the triggering option 1522 of the backdrop in the same target time period (for example, 0.3 seconds)”); and
in response to determining that the spatial relationship meets the preset condition, displaying a second special effect associated with the preset first special effect element (¶0105, “if description is made by using an example in which virtual objects are displayed in the object presentation interface in the form of identity pictures, the terminal may generate the first special effect on an identity picture of the first virtual object in the object presentation interface. In this implementation, the terminal can display the special effect on the identity picture of the first virtual object, so that other terminals participating in the target battle can clearly learn that the terminal corresponding to the first virtual object triggers the special effect, and man-machine interaction efficiency is relatively high. In some embodiments, the terminal determines a second virtual object from the plurality of virtual objects, where the second virtual object and the first virtual object belong to the same camp; and generates the second special effect in a background region in which identity pictures of the first virtual object and the second virtual object are located. For example, the first special effect is to display a “converged” lighting effect on a half-length portrait of the first virtual object, the second special effect is to display a ribbon lighting effect similar to “galaxy” on a background region of virtual objects belonging to the camp, and the first special effect and the second special effect may be collectively referred to as a “backdrop” special effect.” ¶0106, Fig. 13, ¶0116, ¶0130),
wherein the spatial relationship meets the preset condition comprises at least one of: the target control part controlled by the user is located at a specific Mei, ¶0097, “The terminal generates the special effect in the object presentation interface based on the generating location and the generating time of the special effect and the special effect file corresponding to the special effect.” ¶0098, “The terminal determines a rendering parameter of the special effect based on the file corresponding to the special effect and the generating location of the special effect. The terminal performs rendering in the object presentation interface based on the rendering parameter, to generate the special effect.”)
Mei does not disclose at least one of: the target control part controlled by the user is located at a specific orientation of the first special effect element or the target control part touch the first special effect element.
Cai teaches at least one of: the target control part controlled by the user is located at a specific orientation of the first special effect element or the target control part touch the first special effect element (Cai, Fig. 2-3, ¶0043, “during movement of the virtual object in a target polluted region of the plurality of polluted regions, a region impact value of a position of the virtual object based on a distance between the virtual object and a target pollution source in the target polluted region, the region impact value being configured for representing a degree of pollution caused by the target pollution source to the position of the virtual object.” Cai, ¶0045, “During the movement of the virtual object in the target polluted region, the region impact value displayed in the terminal changes with a change of the distance between the virtual object and the target pollution source. In some embodiments, a smaller distance between the virtual object and the target pollution source leads to a higher degree of pollution caused by the target pollution source to the position of the virtual object, and thereby leads to a larger region impact value. A larger distance between the virtual object and the target pollution source leads to a lower degree of pollution caused by the target pollution source to the position of the virtual object, and thereby leads to a smaller region impact value. [0046] 203: The terminal displays a target object when the distance between the virtual object and the target pollution source is not greater than a distance threshold, the target object being obtained by converting the target pollution source.” ¶0047, “during the movement of the virtual object in the target polluted region, the terminal can display not only the region impact value but also the target object. The target object is obtained by converting the target pollution source. An occasion for converting the target pollution source to the target object is not limited in this embodiment of this application. For example, as the virtual object gradually approaches the target pollution source, the distance between the virtual object and the target pollution source gradually decreases. When the distance between the virtual object and the target pollution source does not exceed the distance threshold, the target pollution source may be converted to the target object.” Cai, ¶0082, “the terminal can display the target pollution source through a special effect. The special effect may be tornado, typhoon, or fog”. Fig. 6, ¶0083, “the terminal uses the tornado effect to present the target pollution source existing when the distance between the virtual object and the target pollution source is greater than the distance threshold.” Fig.9,).
Mei and Cai are considered to be analogous art because all pertain to virtual object. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mei with the features of “at least one of: the target control part controlled by the user is located at a specific orientation of the first special effect element or the target control part touch the first special effect element.” as taught by Cai. All the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
Liu also teaches at least one of: the target control part controlled by the user is located at a specific orientation of the first special effect element or the target control part touch the first special effect element (Liu, ¶0068, “A first client calculates a parabola of the first virtual item after being thrown according to information such as a perspective, a position, and an orientation of the first virtual character in real time, and throws, after the user clicks the firing control, the first virtual item to a landing point according to the parabola. For example, the first client selects several points on the parabola, uses the several points to form a special effect line, and displays the special effect line along which the first virtual item is thrown on the first client.” ¶0137, “The special effect line is a reference line displayed on the UI to improve the accuracy of the first user to control the first virtual character to throw the first virtual item. In a possible implementation, the special effect line is displayed after the first user is equipped with the first virtual item, and the special effect line changes in real time with the operation of the first user. For example, the special effect line changes in real time with the position movement of the first user and the rotation of the perspective.”).
Mei, Cai and Liu are considered to be analogous art because all pertain to virtual object. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mei with the features of “at least one of: the target control part controlled by the user is located at a specific orientation of the first special effect element or the target control part touch the first special effect element.” as taught by Liu. All the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
As to claim 2, claim 1 is incorporated and the combination of Mei, Cai and Liu discloses the displaying the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space, comprises: displaying the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space according to a set first special effect (Mei, ¶0105, “the first special effect is to display a “converged” lighting effect on a half-length portrait of the first virtual object, the second special effect is to display a ribbon lighting effect similar to “galaxy” on a background region of virtual objects belonging to the camp”).
As to claim 7, claim 1 is incorporated and the combination of Mei, Cai and Liu discloses setting an special effect script file for displaying the second special effect in advance for the first special effect element (Mei, ¶0097, “a special effect file corresponding to the special effect based on the special effect generating instruction” “the special effect file corresponding to the special effect is a file made in advance, and by invoking the special effect file, the terminal can generate the corresponding special effect in the interface.” ¶0099, “The terminal loads a special effect file corresponding to the effect ID based on the effect ID of the special effect.”);
the displaying the second special effect associated with the first special effect element comprises: rendering the second special effect in the virtual reality space based on the special effect script file (Mei, ¶0097, “The terminal generates the special effect in the object presentation interface based on the generating location and the generating time of the special effect and the special effect file corresponding to the special effect.” ¶0098, “The terminal determines a rendering parameter of the special effect based on the file corresponding to the special effect and the generating location of the special effect. The terminal performs rendering in the object presentation interface based on the rendering parameter, to generate the special effect.”).
As to claim 10, the combination of Mei, Cai and Liu discloses an electronic device, comprising: at least one memory and at least one processor; wherein the memory is configured to store program code, and the processor is configured to call the program code stored in the memory to cause the electronic device to perform the steps of: displaying a preset first special effect element in a virtual reality space, wherein the preset first special effect element comprises one or a set of virtual objects; periodically monitoring whether a spatial relationship between a target control part controlled by a user and displayed in the virtual reality space and the preset first special effect element meets a preset condition, wherein the spatial relationship meets the preset condition comprises at least one of: the target control part controlled by the user is located at a specific orientation of the first special effect element or the target control part touch the first special effect element; and in response to determining that the spatial relationship meets the preset condition, displaying a second special effect associated with the preset first special effect element (See claim 1 for detailed analysis.).
As to claim 11, claim 10 is incorporated and the combination of Mei, Cai and Liu discloses the step of displaying the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space, comprises: displaying the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space according to a set first special effect (See claim 2 for detailed analysis.).
As to claim 16, claim 10 is incorporated and the combination of Mei, Cai and Liu discloses comprising the step of: setting an special effect script file for displaying the second special effect in advance for the preset first special effect element; the step of displaying the second special effect associated with the preset first special effect element comprises: rendering the second special effect in the virtual reality space based on the special effect script file (See claim 7 for detailed analysis.).
As to claim 19, the combination of Mei, Cai and Liu discloses a non-transitory computer storage medium, storing program code, which, when executed by a computer device, causes the computer device to perform the steps of: displaying a preset first special effect element in a virtual reality space, wherein the preset first special effect element comprises one or a set of virtual objects; periodically monitoring whether a spatial relationship between a target control part controlled by a user and displayed in the virtual reality space and the preset first special effect element meets a preset condition, wherein the spatial relationship meets the preset condition comprises at least one of: the target control part controlled by the user is located at a specific orientation of the first special effect element or the target control part touch the first special effect element; and in response to determining that the spatial relationship meets the preset condition, displaying a second special effect associated with the preset first special effect element (See claim 1 for detailed analysis.).
Claims 3-4, 6, 12-13, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mei et al. (US Pub 2022/0379208 A1) in view of Cai (US Pub 2024/0273823 A1), Liu (US Pub 2022/0168642 A1) and Hou et al. (US Pub 2021/0110617 A1).
As to claim 3, claim 1 is incorporated and Mei does not disclose moving the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space along a preset path.
Hou teaches moving the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space along a preset path (Hou, ¶0075, “The AR device or the server may set a path planning algorithm to generate the moving path of the virtual object based on the movement position of the virtual object and the position data of the AR device. Then, the AR device, after acquiring the locally generated moving path of the virtual object or acquiring the moving path, generated by the server, of the virtual object, may fuse the special effect data of the virtual object in the three-dimensional scene model matched with the reality scene and the acquired moving path to determine the presentation data including the moving state of the virtual object.”).
Mei and Hou are considered to be analogous art because all pertain to virtual object. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mei with the features of “moving the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space along a preset path” as taught by Hou. All the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
As to claim 4, claim 1 is incorporated and Mei does not disclose determining a position of an avatar corresponding to the user in the virtual reality space; and moving the preset first special effect element towards the position of the avatar.
Hou teaches determining a position of an avatar corresponding to the user in the virtual reality space; and moving the preset first special effect element towards the position of the avatar (Hou, ¶0075, “The AR device or the server may set a path planning algorithm to generate the moving path of the virtual object based on the movement position of the virtual object and the position data of the AR device. Then, the AR device, after acquiring the locally generated moving path of the virtual object or acquiring the moving path, generated by the server, of the virtual object, may fuse the special effect data of the virtual object in the three-dimensional scene model matched with the reality scene and the acquired moving path to determine the presentation data including the moving state of the virtual object.” ¶0084, “movement positions of different virtual objects may be the same or may be different, and the movement position of the virtual object may be set according to a practical requirement. After the matched virtual object is determined based on the attribute information of the user associated with the AR device, the movement position of the virtual object matched with the attribute information is acquired, then a moving path of the virtual object matched with the attribute information is generated based on the acquired movement position of the virtual object and the position data of the AR device, and finally, the presentation data including the moving state of the virtual object matched with the attribute information is determined based on the moving path and special effect data of the virtual object matched with the attribute information in the three-dimensional scene model matched with the reality scene.”).
Mei and Hou are considered to be analogous art because all pertain to virtual object. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mei with the features of “determining a position of an avatar corresponding to the user in the virtual reality space; and moving the preset first special effect element towards the position of the avatar” as taught by Hou. All the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
As to claim 6, claim 3 is incorporated and the combination of Mei and Hou disclose different special effect elements are associated with different preset paths (Hou, ¶0074, “the presentation data including the moving state of the virtual object is determined based on the moving path and special effect data of the virtual object in a three-dimensional scene model matched with a reality scene.”. ¶0084, “movement positions of different virtual objects may be the same or may be different, and the movement position of the virtual object may be set according to a practical requirement.” ¶0088, “special effect of the virtual object 33 at the position point 31 is different from special effect data at the position point 32” Different objects may have different path and different positions have different effects. Thus, it is obvious to teach the claim.).
As to claim 12, claim 10 is incorporated and the combination of Mei and Hou disclose the step of displaying the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space, comprises: moving the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space along a preset path (See claim 3 for detailed analysis.).
As to claim 13, claim 10 is incorporated and the combination of Mei and Hou disclose the step of displaying the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space, comprises: determining a position of an avatar corresponding to the user in the virtual reality space; and moving the preset first special effect element towards the position of the avatar (See claim 4 for detailed analysis.).
As to claim 15, claim 12 is incorporated and the combination of Mei and Hou disclose different special effect elements are associated with different preset paths (See claim 6 for detailed analysis.).
Claims 5 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mei et al. (US Pub 2022/0379208 A1) in view of Hou et al. (US Pub 2021/0110617 A1), Cai (US Pub 2024/0273823 A1), Liu (US Pub 2022/0168642 A1) and Maejima et al. (US Pub 2017/0072311 A1).
As to claim 5, claim 1 is incorporated and Mei does not disclose randomly determining a movement end point of the first special effect element in the virtual reality space; and moving the preset first special effect element towards the movement end point.
Hou teaches determining a movement end point of the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space; and moving the first special effect element towards the movement end point (Hou, ¶0054, “FIG. 2A includes a preset initial position 21 of the virtual object and a preset end position 22 of the virtual object. In response to detecting that the AR device meets the preset presentation condition for triggering virtual object presentation, the new moving path of the virtual object may be generated based on the position data of the AR device. There are multiple situations for the new moving path of the virtual object. Exemplarily, FIG. 2B shows one situation. It can be seen from FIG. 2B that the new moving path of the virtual object includes the preset initial position 21, the preset end position 22 of the virtual object and a position 23 of the AR device.” ¶0057, “a moving path that starts from the present real-time position or preset initial position of the virtual object, passes by the position of the AR device and ends at the preset end position of the virtual object is generated” ¶0084, “the presentation data including the moving state of the virtual object matched with the attribute information is determined based on the moving path and special effect data of the virtual object matched with the attribute information in the three-dimensional scene model matched with the reality scene.”).
Mei and Hou are considered to be analogous art because all pertain to virtual object. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mei with the features of “determining a movement end point of the first special effect element in the virtual reality space; and moving the preset first special effect element towards the movement end point” as taught by Hou. All the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
The combination of Mei and Hou does not disclose randomly determining.
Maejima teaches randomly determining (Maejima, ¶0199, “a position determined at random”).
Mei and Hou are considered to be analogous art because all pertain to virtual object. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mei with the features of “randomly determining” as taught by Maejima. The claim would have been obvious because “a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely the product not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense.”
As to claim 14, claim 10 is incorporated and the combination of Mei, Hou and Maejima disclose the step of displaying the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space, comprises: randomly determining a movement end point of the preset first special effect element in the virtual reality space; and moving the preset first special effect element towards the movement end point (See claim 5 for detailed analysis.).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YU CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7951. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8-5 PST Mid-day flex.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Xiao Wu can be reached on 571-272-7761. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YU CHEN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2613
Prosecution Insights