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 .
1. This communication is responsive to the Amendment filed 8/28/2025.
2. Claims 1-21 are pending in this application. Claims 1, 10 and 17 are independent claims. This action is made Final.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
4. Claim(s) 1-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cadavenue (Cadavenue: "How to Export and Create 3D PDFs That Are Interactive", 4 March 2014 (2014-03-04), Retrieved from the Internet: URL:https:/Awww. youtube.com/watch?v=ESrP3qSjifE).
Regarding claim 1, Cadavenue discloses a user interface for a lightweight viewer comprising (0:08-0:13 Acrobat Adobe Reader):
a viewing window operable to display geometry established by one or more geometric objects of a tessellated model (0:08-1:00 Main window), the one or more geometric objects (0:12 Model Tree) including one or more visual attributes that depict the respective geometry (0:14-0:49 Cross-section properties; 0:50-1:00 Lights, transparency, colors); and
a palette menu established by a plurality of menu objects of the tessellated model (0:08-1:00 Model Tree on the left), wherein the menu objects are assigned respective visual attribute settings , the menu objects are associated with the one or more geometric objects such that selection of the respective menu object causes at least one of the one or more visual attributes of the associated one or more geometric objects to update in the viewing window according to the respective visual attribute setting (0:08-1:00 Model Tree on the left; 0:14-0:49 Cross-section properties; 0:50-1:00 Lights, transparency, colors).
Regarding claim 2, Cadavenue discloses wherein one or more of the menu objects are operable to toggle between activation of at least two of the visual attribute settings in response to user interaction with the palette menu (0:14-0:49 Cross-section properties; 0:50-1:00 Lights, transparency, colors).
Regarding claim 3, Cadavenue discloses wherein the menu objects include a first set of menu objects assigned different visual attribute settings associated with a common visual attribute type (0:14-0:49 Cross-section properties; 0:50-1:00 Lights, transparency, colors).
Regarding claim 4, Cadavenue discloses wherein the visual attributes are associated with a color attribute type associated with a set of colors and a transparency attribute type associated with a set of transparency levels (0:14-0:49 Cross-section properties; 0:50-1:00 Lights, transparency, colors).
Regarding claim 5, Cadavenue discloses wherein the palette menu is selectively displayed in a portion of a display region common with the viewing window in response to user interaction with a control object of the tessellated model (0:08-1:00 Model Tree on the left).
Regarding claim 6, Cadavenue discloses wherein the visual attributes are associated with a first mode and a second mode of the tessellated model associated with different depictions of the geometry, the menu objects include a first menu object and a second menu object, the first menu object is operable to cause all of the one or more geometric objects to be displayed in the viewing window according to the first mode, and the second menu object is operable to cause all of the one or more geometric objects to be displayed in the viewing window according to the second mode (0:14-0:49 Cross-section properties).
Regarding claim 7, Cadavenue discloses wherein the visual attribute settings include a first set of attribute settings and a second set of attribute settings, and the menu objects include an invert menu object operable to toggle between applying the first and second sets of attribute settings to the one or more menu objects (0:53-0:58 Toggling the color from red to white).
Regarding claim 8, Cadavenue discloses wherein the menu objects are established according to a hierarchy such that selection of one of the menu objects at a relatively higher level of the hierarchy causes the respective one or more geometric objects to be displayed in the viewing window according to the respective visual attribute setting and blocks activation of the visual attribute setting associated with any menu object at a relatively lower level of the hierarchy when the menu object at the relatively higher level is active (0:47-0:55 Toggling the color from various colored subcomponents of Assembly 1 to all subcomponents in req).
Regarding claim 9, Cadavenue discloses wherein the tessellated model excludes any CAD model associated with the geometry (0:02-0:08 - Translation from .dwg file, i.e. CAD model, to lightweight tessellated 3D pdf model).
Regarding claim 10, Cadavenue discloses a system for generating a tessellated model comprising:
a computing device including one or more processors coupled to memory; wherein the computing device is operable to execute a modeling environment, and the modeling environment is operable to (0:00-1:00 AViCAD software, Adobe Acrobat Reader):
access a computer-aided design (CAD) model associated with geometry (0:02-0:08 - Export 3D pdf model starting from a .dwg file);
generate one or more geometric objects that establish a tessellation of the geometry (0:08-0:12 Main window),
the one or more geometric objects including one or more visual attributes that depict the respective geometry (0:14-0:49 Cross-section properties; 0:50-1:00 Lights, transparency, colors);
generate a plurality of menu objects associated with the one or more geometric objects (0:12 Model Tree);
assign respective visual attribute settings to the menu objects (0:14-0:49 Cross-section properties; 0:50-1:00 Lights, transparency, colors);
generate a tessellated model including the one or more geometric objects and the menu objects; wherein the one or more geometric objects are operable to display the tessellation of the geometry in a viewing window of a user interface (0:08-0:12 Main window, model tree); and
wherein the menu objects are operable to establish a palette menu in the user interface (0:08-1:00 Model Tree on the left), and the menu objects are operable to cause the viewing window to depict the respective one or more geometric objects according to the respective visual attribute settings in response to user interaction (0:14-0:49 Cross- section properties; 0:50-1:00 Lights, transparency, colors).
Regarding claim 11, Cadavenue discloses wherein the menu objects include a first set of menu objects assigned different visual attribute settings associated with a common one of the visual attributes (0:14-0:49 Cross-section properties; 0:50-1:00 Lights, transparency, colors; 0:53-0:58 Toggling the color from red to white; 0:47-0:55 Toggling the color from various colored subcomponents of Assembly 1 to all subcomponents in red).
Regarding claim 12, Cadavenue discloses wherein the menu objects include a first menu object and a second menu object, the first menu object is operable to apply one or more respective visual attribute settings to all the one or more geometric objects, and the second menu object is operable to apply one or more different visual attribute settings to all the one or more geometric objects (0:02-0:08 - Translation from .dwg file, i.e. CAD model, to lightweight tessellated 3D pdf model).
Regarding claim 13, Cadavenue discloses wherein the visual attribute settings include a first set of attribute settings and a second set of attribute settings, and the menu objects include an invert menu object operable to toggle between applying the first and second sets of attribute settings to the one or more geometric objects (0:53-0:58 Toggling the color from red to white).
Regarding claim 14, Cadavenue discloses wherein the menu objects are established according to a hierarchy such that selection of one of the menu objects at a relatively higher level of the hierarchy causes the respective one or more geometric objects to be displayed in the viewing window according to the respective visual attribute setting and blocks activation of the visual attribute setting associated with any menu object at a relatively lower level of the hierarchy when the menu object at the relatively higher level is active (0:50-1:00 Lights, transparency, colors; 0:47-0:55 Toggling the color from various colored subcomponents of Assembly 1 to all subcomponents in red).
Regarding claim 15, Cadavenue discloses wherein the modeling environment is operable to:
store the tessellated model in a file readable by a lightweight viewer, the file excluding the CAD model (0:02-0:08 - Translation from .dwg file, i.e. CAD model, to lightweight tessellated 3D pdf model).
Regarding claim 16, Cadavenue discloses wherein the modeling environment is operable to:
store code in the file that is operable to cause one or more functions associated with the tessellated model to execute in the lightweight viewer (inherent feature).
Claim 17 is similar in scope to 10 and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Regarding claim 18, Cadavenue discloses wherein: the visual attributes are associated with a color attribute type associated with a set of colors and a transparency attribute type associated with a set of transparency levels (0:14-0:49 Cross-section properties; 0:50-1:00 Lights, transparency, colors); and
the step of generating the menu objects occurs such that the palette menu displays a set of menu items associated with the set of colors and the set of transparency levels (0:08-1:00 Model Tree on the left).
Regarding claim 19, Cadavenue discloses wherein the menu objects are established according to a hierarchy such that selection of a menu object relatively higher in the hierarchy blocks activation of the visual attribute setting associated with any lesser menu object in the hierarchy to the respective one or more geometric objects prior to deactivation of the higher menu object, but permits activation of the visual attribute setting associated with the lesser menu object subsequent to deactivation of the higher menu object (0:50-1:00 Lights, transparency, colors; 0:47-0:55 Toggling the color from various colored subcomponents of Assembly 1 to all subcomponents in red).
Regarding claim 20, Cadavenue discloses storing the tessellated model in a file that excludes the CAD model (0:02-0:08 - Translation from .dwg file, i.e. CAD model, to lightweight tessellated 3D pdf model).
Claim 21 is similar in scope to 1 and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Response to Arguments
5. Applicant's arguments filed 8/28/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding Applicant’s arguments concerning Cadavenue failing to disclose a tessellated model and a palette menu, the Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Examiner notes that a “tessellated” model is merely a 3D representation of geometric shapes. Cadavenue clearly discloses a 3D representation composed of connected objects (see the main window).
Examiner notes that a “palette menu” is merely a collection of menu objects. Cadavenue clearly discloses a plurality of menu objects (see the tree menu).
Therefore, the rejection is maintained.
Conclusion
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Rankin, II et al (US 2002/0169586).
7. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RASHAWN N TILLERY whose telephone number is (571)272-6480. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00a - 5:30p.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William L Bashore can be reached at (571) 272-4088. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RASHAWN N TILLERY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2174