DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 05/18/26 has been entered.
Election/Restrictions
Restriction to one of the following inventions is required under 35 U.S.C. 121:
I. Claims 432-435 and 442-445 (similar to claims 83, 88, 90 and 95), drawn to a computer system in communication with a display generation component and one or more input devices to emphasize displaying indication, classified in G06F3/04817.
II. Claims 436-441 and 446-451 (similar to claims 103, 105, 107 and 109-111), drawn to a computer system in communication with a display generation component and one or more input devices to detect the attention of the user in different modes, classified in G06T2200/24.
Please see Requirement for Election/Restrictions filed on 12/30/2024.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 76-102 and 117-119 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Walkin et al. (US 2021/0240332) in view of Olwal et al. (US 2023/0086766).
Regarding claims 76, 117 and 118, Walkin discloses a method comprising: at a computer system (100, figs. 1-2, para. 0037) in communication with a display generation component (touch-sensitive display 112, para. 0047) and one or more input devices (touch screen 112, para. 0037):
displaying, via the display generation component, a user interface
including a selectable object (in response to detecting contact 603 on touch-sensitive surface 451, electronic device 500 begins display of cursor 630, paras. 0205-0207);
while displaying the user interface including the selectable object, detecting, via the one or more input devices, an attention of a user of the computer system (paras. 0205-0207 and 0290);
in response to detecting the attention of the user, in accordance with a
determination that the attention of the user is directed to a first position of the selectable object, displaying, via the display generation component, a visual indication (630) in the area of the selectable object that emphasizes the first position of the selectable object (in response to detecting contact 603 on touch-sensitive surface 451, electronic device 500 begins display of cursor 630, paras. 0205-0207);
while displaying the visual indication in the area of the selectable object,
detecting, via the one or more input devices, movement of the attention of the user
(in response to the upward swipe of contact 603, cursor 630 is moved up in the user interface in accordance with the length/direction of movement of contact 603, paras. 0205-0207); and
in response to detecting the movement of the attention of the user, in accordance
with a determination that the attention of the user is directed to a second position of the selectable object, changing an appearance of the visual indication in the area of the selectable object so as to emphasize the second position of the selectable object (a cursor located at a first location in a user interface (704), such as cursor 630 in FIG. 6E (e.g., a pointer that indicates the current position of interest); and a first user interface object located at a second location in the user interface (706), para. 0100 and in response to receiving the first input, the device moves (710) the cursor in accordance with (e.g. in accordance with a path of) the first input from the first location toward the second location in the user interface, paras. 0293 and 0302).
Walkin does not specifically disclose an area and the first position and the second position in the area.
In a similar field of endeavor of a display device, Olwal discloses an area (102a, fig. 1) and the first position (120a) and the second position (122a) in the area (paras. 0043-0044).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the area as taught by Olwal in the system of Walkin in order to track the focus of user efficiently.
Regarding claim 77, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses the visual indication concurrently emphasizes the first position in the area of the selectable object and the second position in the area of the selectable object (paras. 0105-0106 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 78, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses displaying, via the display generation component, the visual indication in the area of the selectable object that emphasizes the first position in the area of the selectable object includes displaying the visual indication emphasizing the first position in the area of the selectable object without emphasizing the second position in the area of the selectable object (paras. 0105-0106 of Olwal); and
changing the appearance of the visual indication in the area of the selectable
object so as to emphasize the second position in the area of the selectable object
includes displaying the visual indication emphasizing the second position in the area of
the selectable object without emphasizing the first position in the area of the selectable
object (paras. 0105-0106 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 79, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses the attention of the user is based on a finger of the user (paras. 0067 and 0147 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 80, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses the attention of the user is based on a gaze of the user (para. 0033 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 81, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses the attention of the user is at least in part detected via input from a touch-sensitive surface in communication with the computer system 9para. 0147 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 82, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses the visual indication in the area of the selectable object has a shape resulting from masking a first shape corresponding to the attention of the user and a second shape of the selectable object (para. 0104 of Olwal).
Regarding claims 83, 432 and 442, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses displaying, via the display generation component, the visual indication in the area of the selectable object that emphasizes the first position in the area of the selectable object includes:
in accordance with a determination that a size of the selectable object is a first
size, the visual indication has a second size based on the first size (paras. 0070-0071,
101 and 117 of Olwal); and
in accordance with a determination that the size of the selectable object is a third
size, different from the first size, the visual indication has a fourth size based on the
third size, wherein the fourth size is different from the second size (paras. 0070-0071,
101 and 117 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 84, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses displaying, via the display generation component, the visual indication in the area of the selectable object that emphasizes the first position in the area of the selectable object includes:
in accordance with a determination that the size of the selectable object is
greater than a threshold size, wherein the first size and the third size are less than the
threshold size, the visual indication has a maximum size that is not based on the size of
the selectable object (paras. 0070-0071, 101 and 117 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 85, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses displaying, via the display generation component, the visual indication in the area of the selectable object that emphasizes the first position in the area of the selectable object includes:
in accordance with a determination that the size of the selectable object is less
than a threshold size, wherein the first size and the third size are greater than the
threshold size, the visual indication has a minimum size that is not based on the size of
the selectable object (paras. 0070-0071, 101 and 117 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 86, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses a size of the visual indication is greater than a size of a smallest dimension of the selectable object (paras. 0070-0071, 101 and 117 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 87, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses the visual indication is partially transparent (paras. 0117-0118 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 88, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses in response to detecting the movement of the attention of the user, in accordance with the determination that the attention of the user is directed to the second position in the area of the selectable object, changing the appearance of the visual indication in the area of the selectable object so as to emphasize the second position in the area of the selectable object includes smoothly moving the visual indication from the first position in the area of the selectable object to the second position in the area of the selectable object, wherein one or more characteristics of the movement of the visual indication from the first position in the area of the selectable object to the second position in the area of the selectable object are different from one or more characteristics of the movement of the attention of the user from the first position to the second position (paras. 0100 and 0104 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 89, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses displaying the visual indication in the area of the selectable object that emphasizes the first position in the area of the selectable object includes displaying the visual indication with a first portion of the visual indication masked by the selectable object, and changing an appearance of the visual indication in the area of the selectable object so as to emphasize the second position in the area of the selectable object includes displaying the visual indication with a second portion of the visual indication masked by the selectable object, different from the first portion of the visual indication (paras. 0100 and 0104 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 90, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses in response to detecting the movement of the attention of the user, and in accordance with a determination that the attention of the user is directed to a third position (e.g., position at 102c, fig. 1 of Olwal) in a second area of a second selectable object, different from the selectable object:
ceasing display of the visual indication in the selectable object; and
displaying, via the display generation component, the visual indication at the third
position in the second area of the second selectable object that emphasizes the third
position in the second area of the second selectable object (paras. 0041-0050 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 91, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses the selectable object is a first selectable object,
displaying the visual indication in the area of the first selectable object that
emphasizes the first position in the area of the first selectable object includes displaying
the visual indication with a first portion of the visual indication masked by the first
selectable object, and
displaying the visual indication at the third position in the second area of the
second selectable object that emphasizes the third position in the second area of the
second selectable object includes displaying the visual indication with a second portion
of the visual indication, different from the first portion of the visual indication, masked by
the second selectable object (paras. 0041-0050 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 92, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses the selectable object is a key on a keyboard in the user interface (para. 0139 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 93, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses the selectable object is a button in the user interface (para. 0105 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 94, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses the selectable object is a selectable platter in the user interface (para. 0144 of Olwal).
Regarding claims 95, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses in response to detecting the attention of the user, and in accordance with the determination that the attention of the user is directed to the first position in the area of the selectable object, changing a visual appearance of the selectable object outside of the area in the selectable object in which the visual indication is displayed (para. 0071 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 96, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses changing the appearance of the selectable object outside of the area in which the visual indication is displayed includes displaying a simulated specular highlight around or on at least one edge of the selectable object (para. 0071 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 97, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses displaying the simulated specular highlight around or on the at least one edge of the selectable object is performed based on physical lighting of a physical environment of the user of the computer system (para. 0028 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 98, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses displaying the simulated specular highlight around the at least one edge of the selectable object is performed based on simulated lighting of a three-dimensional environment displayed by the computer system (para. 0028 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 99, Olwal discloses detecting, via the one or more input devices,
the attention of the user directed to a respective user interface that includes the selectable object and to a portion of the respective user interface that is different from
the selectable object; and
in response to detecting the attention of the user directed to the respective user
interface, in accordance with a determination that the attention of the user is directed to
the portion of the respective user interface, displaying the simulated specular highlight
on the portion of the respective user interface, wherein one or more of characteristics of
the simulated specular highlight on the portion of the respective user interface are the
same as one or more characteristics of the simulated specular highlight on the
selectable object (paras. 0041-0050 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 100, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses changing the appearance of the selectable object outside of the area in which the visual indication is displayed includes highlighting the selectable object (para. 0071 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 101, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses in response to detecting the attention of the user, and in accordance with the determination that the attention of the user is directed to the first position in the area of the selectable object, changing a visual separation of the selectable object from a respective portion of the user interface (paras. 0100 and 0104-0106 of Olwal).
Regarding claim 102, the combination of Walkin and Olwal discloses a visual appearance of the visual indication in the area of the selectable object changes based on distance from a location of the attention of the user (para. 0070 of Olwal).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENNIFER T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-7696. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin C Lee can be reached at 5712722963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JENNIFER T NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629
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