Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/473,259

METHODS FOR TIME OF DAY ADJUSTMENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTS AND ENVIRONMENT PRESENTATION DURING COMMUNICATION SESSIONS

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Sep 24, 2023
Priority
Sep 24, 2022 — provisional 63/377,020 +3 more
Examiner
HOANG, PETER
Art Unit
2616
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Apple Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
81%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
93%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 81% — above average
81%
Career Allowance Rate
438 granted / 543 resolved
+18.7% vs TC avg
Moderate +12% lift
Without
With
+12.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
12 currently pending
Career history
557
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.1%
-36.9% vs TC avg
§103
85.8%
+45.8% vs TC avg
§102
1.8%
-38.2% vs TC avg
§112
2.3%
-37.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 543 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Election/Restrictions Applicant elects group II, with traverse. Claims 2-4, 6-8, 13-22, 24 are withdrawn. Therefore, claims 1, 5, 9-12, 23, 25-26 are pending. 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. The factual inquiries 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. Claim(s) 1, 5, 9-12, 25-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mount et al. (US 11017611) in view of Kipman et al. (US 20170236332). Re claim 1, Mount teaches a method comprising: at a computer system in communication with a display generation component and one or more input devices (see col 2, lines 47-57, systems to generate and modify rooms or spaces within virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, and/or extended reality environments) and (see col 7, lines 3-42, virtual reality environments experienced using headset, goggles, or other wearable devices that visually present the virtual reality environment via one or more display devices or presentation devices). while a three-dimensional environment is visible via the display generation component, receiving, via the one or more input devices, a first input corresponding to a request to display a respective virtual environment that represents a simulated physical space (see col 3, lines 1-27, facilitate immersive movement and modification of three-dimensional rooms or spaces substantially in real-time within extended reality environments), (col 3, line 41- col 4, line 6: Further, a user may move a fixture within an extended reality environment, e.g., by selecting and moving the fixture, and/or a user may resize a fixture by modifying one or more portions of the fixture, e.g., using grab points associated with respective portions of the fixture. Upon selecting the fixture, the fixture may be moved relative to portions of the floor, the plurality of walls, or the ceiling, thereby modifying distances between the fixture and portions of the floor, the plurality of walls, or the ceiling. In addition, upon selecting a grab point associated with a portion of a fixture, the portion of the fixture may be resized, e.g., by increasing or decreasing one or more dimensions of the fixture. Moreover, upon selecting a grab point, one or more dimensions related to resizing of the portion of the fixture may be presented, and one or more dimensions related to distances between the portion of the fixture and portions of the floor, the plurality of walls, or the ceiling may be presented, whereas various other dimensions that are not related to resizing of the portion of the fixture may no longer be presented. In this manner, information that may be relevant to resizing of the portion of the fixture may be presented, while other information may be temporarily removed from presentation to facilitate the user interaction. Further, the use of grab points may facilitate simple, intuitive, and immersive movement and modification of fixtures substantially in real-time within three-dimensional rooms or spaces within extended reality environments, in contrast to conventional methods of fixture generation and modification that may require multiple iterations of numerical or textual input, e.g., via text-based menus, of particular dimensions or aspects of fixtures and subsequent compilation or generation of fixtures within three-dimensional rooms or spaces based on the numerical or textual input), (col 17, lines 39-61: For example, the browse fixtures 541 button may present various category or catalog browse or search interfaces for various fixtures or other objects that may be placed in association with one or more environment surfaces within the virtual reality environment. In addition, the wall colors 542 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to wall surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 8. The floor colors 543 button may present various materials, surfaces, finishes, or textures that may be applied to floor surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 9. The baseboard colors 544 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to baseboard surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 10. Further, the outside environment 545 button may present various outdoor environments or scenes that may be applied to environments outside the room or space within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 11. In addition, the close 546 button may cause the example user interface to be closed and no longer presented to a user within the virtual reality environment). And in response to detecting the first input: in accordance with a determination that a respective setting of the computer system has a first value and the respective virtual environment is a first virtual environment, displaying, in the three-dimensional environment, the first virtual environment having a first visual appearance col 3, line 41- col 4, line 6: Further, a user may move a fixture within an extended reality environment, e.g., by selecting and moving the fixture, and/or a user may resize a fixture by modifying one or more portions of the fixture, e.g., using grab points associated with respective portions of the fixture. Upon selecting the fixture, the fixture may be moved relative to portions of the floor, the plurality of walls, or the ceiling, thereby modifying distances between the fixture and portions of the floor, the plurality of walls, or the ceiling. In addition, upon selecting a grab point associated with a portion of a fixture, the portion of the fixture may be resized, e.g., by increasing or decreasing one or more dimensions of the fixture. Moreover, upon selecting a grab point, one or more dimensions related to resizing of the portion of the fixture may be presented, and one or more dimensions related to distances between the portion of the fixture and portions of the floor, the plurality of walls, or the ceiling may be presented, whereas various other dimensions that are not related to resizing of the portion of the fixture may no longer be presented. In this manner, information that may be relevant to resizing of the portion of the fixture may be presented, while other information may be temporarily removed from presentation to facilitate the user interaction. Further, the use of grab points may facilitate simple, intuitive, and immersive movement and modification of fixtures substantially in real-time within three-dimensional rooms or spaces within extended reality environments, in contrast to conventional methods of fixture generation and modification that may require multiple iterations of numerical or textual input, e.g., via text-based menus, of particular dimensions or aspects of fixtures and subsequent compilation or generation of fixtures within three-dimensional rooms or spaces based on the numerical or textual input), (col 17, lines 39-61: For example, the browse fixtures 541 button may present various category or catalog browse or search interfaces for various fixtures or other objects that may be placed in association with one or more environment surfaces within the virtual reality environment. In addition, the wall colors 542 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to wall surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 8. The floor colors 543 button may present various materials, surfaces, finishes, or textures that may be applied to floor surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 9. The baseboard colors 544 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to baseboard surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 10. Further, the outside environment 545 button may present various outdoor environments or scenes that may be applied to environments outside the room or space within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 11. In addition, the close 546 button may cause the example user interface to be closed and no longer presented to a user within the virtual reality environment). in accordance with a determination that the respective setting of the computer system has a second value, different from the first value and the respective virtual environment is the first virtual environment, displaying, in the three-dimensional environment, the first virtual environment having a second visual appearance col 3, line 41- col 4, line 6: Further, a user may move a fixture within an extended reality environment, e.g., by selecting and moving the fixture, and/or a user may resize a fixture by modifying one or more portions of the fixture, e.g., using grab points associated with respective portions of the fixture. Upon selecting the fixture, the fixture may be moved relative to portions of the floor, the plurality of walls, or the ceiling, thereby modifying distances between the fixture and portions of the floor, the plurality of walls, or the ceiling. In addition, upon selecting a grab point associated with a portion of a fixture, the portion of the fixture may be resized, e.g., by increasing or decreasing one or more dimensions of the fixture. Moreover, upon selecting a grab point, one or more dimensions related to resizing of the portion of the fixture may be presented, and one or more dimensions related to distances between the portion of the fixture and portions of the floor, the plurality of walls, or the ceiling may be presented, whereas various other dimensions that are not related to resizing of the portion of the fixture may no longer be presented. In this manner, information that may be relevant to resizing of the portion of the fixture may be presented, while other information may be temporarily removed from presentation to facilitate the user interaction. Further, the use of grab points may facilitate simple, intuitive, and immersive movement and modification of fixtures substantially in real-time within three-dimensional rooms or spaces within extended reality environments, in contrast to conventional methods of fixture generation and modification that may require multiple iterations of numerical or textual input, e.g., via text-based menus, of particular dimensions or aspects of fixtures and subsequent compilation or generation of fixtures within three-dimensional rooms or spaces based on the numerical or textual input), (col 17, lines 39-61: For example, the browse fixtures 541 button may present various category or catalog browse or search interfaces for various fixtures or other objects that may be placed in association with one or more environment surfaces within the virtual reality environment. In addition, the wall colors 542 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to wall surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 8. The floor colors 543 button may present various materials, surfaces, finishes, or textures that may be applied to floor surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 9. The baseboard colors 544 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to baseboard surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 10. Further, the outside environment 545 button may present various outdoor environments or scenes that may be applied to environments outside the room or space within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 11. In addition, the close 546 button may cause the example user interface to be closed and no longer presented to a user within the virtual reality environment). wherein the second visual appearance is different from the first visual appearance (see Fig. 8-11, wherein visual appearances are selectable and causes changes to second visual appearances, such as wall color, to be different from first visual apperances). Mount does not explicitly teach first visual appearance corresponding to a first time of day in the physical space simulated by the first virtual environment; second visual appearance corresponding to a second time of day in the physical space simulated by the first virtual environment, and the second time of day is different from the first time of day. However, Kipman teaches first visual appearance corresponding to a first time of day in the physical space simulated by the first virtual environment; second visual appearance corresponding to a second time of day in the physical space simulated by the first virtual environment, and the second time of day is different from the first time of day ([0019] The MR mixer concept goes well beyond the simple idea of video, audio, and haptic mixing. It extends to dynamic adjustment of complex aesthetic and behavioral parameters of real and virtual objects within an MR environment. Complex aesthetic and behavioral parameters may include, for example, time and place. In one example, the time of day over a selected space may be altered by providing simulated lighting and weather, as well as potential modification of structures and landscape. Further, the immersive nature of an audio experience may be altered, being able to tune in and out particular sounds—e.g., the sound of an entire experience versus just one audio element, such as the wind. Another example is to mix in audio from a different application (e.g., a network audio source) as a sound track of sorts to a selected MR space. Assuming that virtual components—avatars of people, virtual objects, etc.—are built in a progressive way (viz., 3D modeling, texturing, and lighting), the MR mixer may provide the user with the ability to view the construction process as a time-lapse. This aspect becomes clearer when visualizing changes made in a public MR space by multiple users, who then may experience the evolution of the space. In one particular example, the user may image a map-like view of all know digital spaces that one has access to, which data about travelled terrain can be overlaid upon. In this manner, the user can not only understand and recall past experiences, but also explore unseen and available worlds. The ‘time’ component of the mixer applies also to this example). Mount and Kipman teaches claim 1. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Mount’s computer system for generating first and second virtual environments with different visual appearances to explicitly include first visual appearance corresponding to a first time of day in the physical space simulated by the first virtual environment; second visual appearance corresponding to a second time of day in the physical space simulated by the first virtual environment, and the second time of day is different from the first time of day, as taught by Kipman, as the references are in the analogous art of augmented reality systems for displaying different virtual environments to a user. An advantage of the modification is that it achieves the result of allowing for changes to the environment based on time of the day, such that the environments can simulate realistic lighting based on the time of day. Re claim 5, Mount and Kipman teaches claim 1. Furthermore, Mount teaches wherein the respective setting is selected based on user input (col 3, line 41- col 4, line 6: Further, a user may move a fixture within an extended reality environment, e.g., by selecting and moving the fixture, and/or a user may resize a fixture by modifying one or more portions of the fixture, e.g., using grab points associated with respective portions of the fixture. Upon selecting the fixture, the fixture may be moved relative to portions of the floor, the plurality of walls, or the ceiling, thereby modifying distances between the fixture and portions of the floor, the plurality of walls, or the ceiling. In addition, upon selecting a grab point associated with a portion of a fixture, the portion of the fixture may be resized, e.g., by increasing or decreasing one or more dimensions of the fixture. Moreover, upon selecting a grab point, one or more dimensions related to resizing of the portion of the fixture may be presented, and one or more dimensions related to distances between the portion of the fixture and portions of the floor, the plurality of walls, or the ceiling may be presented, whereas various other dimensions that are not related to resizing of the portion of the fixture may no longer be presented. In this manner, information that may be relevant to resizing of the portion of the fixture may be presented, while other information may be temporarily removed from presentation to facilitate the user interaction. Further, the use of grab points may facilitate simple, intuitive, and immersive movement and modification of fixtures substantially in real-time within three-dimensional rooms or spaces within extended reality environments, in contrast to conventional methods of fixture generation and modification that may require multiple iterations of numerical or textual input, e.g., via text-based menus, of particular dimensions or aspects of fixtures and subsequent compilation or generation of fixtures within three-dimensional rooms or spaces based on the numerical or textual input) and (col 17, lines 39-61: For example, the browse fixtures 541 button may present various category or catalog browse or search interfaces for various fixtures or other objects that may be placed in association with one or more environment surfaces within the virtual reality environment. In addition, the wall colors 542 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to wall surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 8. The floor colors 543 button may present various materials, surfaces, finishes, or textures that may be applied to floor surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 9. The baseboard colors 544 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to baseboard surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 10. Further, the outside environment 545 button may present various outdoor environments or scenes that may be applied to environments outside the room or space within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 11. In addition, the close 546 button may cause the example user interface to be closed and no longer presented to a user within the virtual reality environment). Re claim 9, Mount and Kipman teaches claim 1. Furthermore, Mount teaches he method of claim 1, further comprising: before displaying the first virtual environment having the first visual appearance or the second visual appearance, displaying, via the display generation component, a control center user interface for controlling one or more functionalities of the computer system, and including one or more selectable options that are selectable to set the respective setting to the first value or the second value (col 17, lines 39-61: For example, the browse fixtures 541 button may present various category or catalog browse or search interfaces for various fixtures or other objects that may be placed in association with one or more environment surfaces within the virtual reality environment. In addition, the wall colors 542 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to wall surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 8. The floor colors 543 button may present various materials, surfaces, finishes, or textures that may be applied to floor surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 9. The baseboard colors 544 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to baseboard surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 10. Further, the outside environment 545 button may present various outdoor environments or scenes that may be applied to environments outside the room or space within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 11. In addition, the close 546 button may cause the example user interface to be closed and no longer presented to a user within the virtual reality environment). Re claim 10, Mount and Kipman teaches claim 9. Furthermore, Mount teaches while displaying, via the display generation component, the control center user interface, receiving, via the one or more input devices, a second input directed to the one or more selectable options, setting the respective setting to the first value or the second value in accordance with the second input, and ceasing to display the control center user interface col 17, lines 39-61: For example, the browse fixtures 541 button may present various category or catalog browse or search interfaces for various fixtures or other objects that may be placed in association with one or more environment surfaces within the virtual reality environment. In addition, the wall colors 542 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to wall surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 8. The floor colors 543 button may present various materials, surfaces, finishes, or textures that may be applied to floor surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 9. The baseboard colors 544 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to baseboard surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 10. Further, the outside environment 545 button may present various outdoor environments or scenes that may be applied to environments outside the room or space within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 11. In addition, the close 546 button may cause the example user interface to be closed and no longer presented to a user within the virtual reality environment). Re claim 11, Mount and Kipman teaches claim 1. Furthermore, Mount teaches displaying, via the display generation component, a virtual environment selection user interface, wherein the virtual environment selection user interface includes a first selectable option that is selectable to display the first virtual environment, wherein: in accordance with a determination that the respective setting has the first value, the first selectable option is displayed with a visual indication in accordance with a determination that the respective setting has the second value, the first selectable option is displayed with a visual indication (see Fig. 8-11, wherein respective settings have different values such as different colored walls, that are selectable in an interface by a user including first and second selectable options with visual indications). Furthermore, Kipman teaches correspondence to the first time of day; and correspondence to the second time of day ([0019] The MR mixer concept goes well beyond the simple idea of video, audio, and haptic mixing. It extends to dynamic adjustment of complex aesthetic and behavioral parameters of real and virtual objects within an MR environment. Complex aesthetic and behavioral parameters may include, for example, time and place. In one example, the time of day over a selected space may be altered by providing simulated lighting and weather, as well as potential modification of structures and landscape. Further, the immersive nature of an audio experience may be altered, being able to tune in and out particular sounds—e.g., the sound of an entire experience versus just one audio element, such as the wind. Another example is to mix in audio from a different application (e.g., a network audio source) as a sound track of sorts to a selected MR space. Assuming that virtual components—avatars of people, virtual objects, etc.—are built in a progressive way (viz., 3D modeling, texturing, and lighting), the MR mixer may provide the user with the ability to view the construction process as a time-lapse. This aspect becomes clearer when visualizing changes made in a public MR space by multiple users, who then may experience the evolution of the space. In one particular example, the user may image a map-like view of all know digital spaces that one has access to, which data about travelled terrain can be overlaid upon. In this manner, the user can not only understand and recall past experiences, but also explore unseen and available worlds. The ‘time’ component of the mixer applies also to this example). For motivation, see claim 1. Re claim 12, Mount and Kipman teaches claim 11. Furthermore, Mount teaches the visual indication correspondence includes a visual representation of the first visual appearance of the first virtual environment correspondence, and the visual indication correspondence includes a visual representation of the second visual appearance of the first virtual environment correspondence (see Fig. 8-11, wherein visual indication icons indicating to correspondence of visual appearance of the first and second virtual environments are shown, such as correspondence to a first colored wall and a second colored wall are shown as selectable visual indications). Furthermore, Kipman teaches wherein the first correspondence and the second correspondence is a first time of day and a second time of day ([0019] The MR mixer concept goes well beyond the simple idea of video, audio, and haptic mixing. It extends to dynamic adjustment of complex aesthetic and behavioral parameters of real and virtual objects within an MR environment. Complex aesthetic and behavioral parameters may include, for example, time and place. In one example, the time of day over a selected space may be altered by providing simulated lighting and weather, as well as potential modification of structures and landscape. Further, the immersive nature of an audio experience may be altered, being able to tune in and out particular sounds—e.g., the sound of an entire experience versus just one audio element, such as the wind. Another example is to mix in audio from a different application (e.g., a network audio source) as a sound track of sorts to a selected MR space. Assuming that virtual components—avatars of people, virtual objects, etc.—are built in a progressive way (viz., 3D modeling, texturing, and lighting), the MR mixer may provide the user with the ability to view the construction process as a time-lapse. This aspect becomes clearer when visualizing changes made in a public MR space by multiple users, who then may experience the evolution of the space. In one particular example, the user may image a map-like view of all know digital spaces that one has access to, which data about travelled terrain can be overlaid upon. In this manner, the user can not only understand and recall past experiences, but also explore unseen and available worlds. The ‘time’ component of the mixer applies also to this example). For motivation, see claim 1. Claims 25-26 claim limitations in scope to claim 1 and is rejected for at least the reasons above. Claim(s) 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mount et al. (US 11017611) in view of Kipman et al. (US 20170236332) and Baker et al. (US 11204678). Re claim 23, Mount and Kipman teaches claim 1. Furthermore, Mount teaches receiving, via the one or more input devices, a second input corresponding to a request to change the respective setting from having the first value to having the second value; and in response to receiving the second input, changing the respective setting from having the first value to having the second value (col 17, lines 39-61: For example, the browse fixtures 541 button may present various category or catalog browse or search interfaces for various fixtures or other objects that may be placed in association with one or more environment surfaces within the virtual reality environment. In addition, the wall colors 542 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to wall surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 8. The floor colors 543 button may present various materials, surfaces, finishes, or textures that may be applied to floor surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 9. The baseboard colors 544 button may present various paints, colors, materials, or textures that may be applied to baseboard surfaces within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 10. Further, the outside environment 545 button may present various outdoor environments or scenes that may be applied to environments outside the room or space within the virtual reality environment, as described at least with respect to FIG. 11. In addition, the close 546 button may cause the example user interface to be closed and no longer presented to a user within the virtual reality environment). Mount and Kipman do not explicitly teach while the first virtual environment is not visible via the display generation component. However, Baker teaches while the first virtual environment is not visible via the display generation component (col 24, lines 7-30: In the example shown in FIG. 4, upon receiving a selection input with respect to viewing or exploring full details of an object, e.g., a sofa presented within the room or space of the virtual reality environment, the detail page 450 that is presented associated with the selected object may include a plurality of columns 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 457 of detail panels 460 associated with the selected object, and a plurality of selectable options, such as an add to list button 445, an add to shopping cart button 446, a close button 461, and a back button 462. Various other selectable options may also be presented with the detail page, as further described herein. In addition, the detail page including the plurality of detail panels may be presented as overlaying the virtual reality environment, e.g., overlaying a room or space within the virtual reality environment, and the room or space may be presented as darkened, dimmed, or grayed out in order to facilitate user focus and interaction with the detail page. In alternative embodiments, the room or space may not be presented as darkened, dimmed, or grayed out when the detail page is presented as overlaying the virtual reality environment to facilitate viewing and evaluation of changes to objects within the room or space responsive to user interactions with the detail page including the plurality of detail panels) and (col 28, lines 1-15: Furthermore, in some example embodiments as shown in FIG. 6 and as described herein, a dimming effect 650 may be applied or overlaid onto a presentation of the virtual reality environment, e.g., a room or space within the virtual reality environment. The dimming effect 650 may darken, dim, gray out, or otherwise obscure the presentation of the virtual reality environment. In addition, the dimming effect 650 may be applied or overlaid behind the plurality of detail panels of the detail page, such that a user may view and focus on information presented within the plurality of columns of detail panels. Further, as described at least with respect to FIG. 5, an example first zone 570 is illustrated in FIG. 6 from an overhead view to illustrate an example first width of the first zone 570 relative to the plurality of columns of detail panels presented as part of the detail page). Baker teaches while a first virtual environment is not visible via the display generation component (while obscure the presentation of the virtual reality environment). Mount, Kipman, and Baker teaches claim 23. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Mount and Kipman’s computer system for generating first and second virtual environments with different visual appearances to explicitly include while a first virtual environment not visible, as taught by Baker, as the references are in the analogous art of selecting and modifying elements of a virtual environment. An advantage of the modification is that it achieves the result of allowing modifications of the virtual environment from a first non-visible environment to a more visible environment to simulate different lighting conditions of the environment. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Peter Hoang whose telephone number is (571)270-1346. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm PST. 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, Hajnik F. Daniel can be reached at (571) 272-7642. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /PETER HOANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2616
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 24, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 23, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Mar 23, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary
May 06, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
81%
Grant Probability
93%
With Interview (+12.0%)
2y 6m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 543 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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