DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendments filed on August 22 2025 have been entered. Claim 1 has been amended. Claims 1-11 are still pending in this application, with claims 1, 20 and 25 being independent.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 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 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 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.
Claim(s) 1-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KAWAKAMI et al. (US 20230043422 A1), referred herein as KAWAKAMI in view of SHIMIZU (US 20230260235 A1), referred herein as SHIMIZU and SUZUKI et al. (US 20190369713 A1), referred herein as SUZUKI.
Regarding Claim 1, KAWAKAMI in view of SHIMIZU teaches a display control device for performing control on a display configured to display an image of content laid out in a virtual space as viewed from a predetermined position, the display being mounted for direct viewing by a user (KAWAKAMI [0025] The student terminal 30 may be any computer device such as a smartphone or a personal computer, as long as being a terminal with a VR function. The student terminal 30 is connected to an HMD 31 and a camera 32. The camera 32 may be included in the HMD 31 or provided with a fixed orientation at a fixed position in a room in which the student is present; [0026] For viewing a class content, a student wears the HMD 31. The student terminal 30 receives information for forming a virtual space from the correspondence class server 10, forms the virtual space according to the received information, and displays, on the HMD 31, a video that is virtually captured in the virtual space. For rendering the virtual space, the student terminal 30 performs such image composition that fits the video of the top of the desk of the student captured by the camera 32 onto the desk object in the virtual space), the display control device comprising circuitry configured to:
detect KAWAKAMI [0030] The correspondence class server 10 distributes the motion data for the teacher avatar to the student terminal 30, the motion data being generated based on the bones. Instead of generating the motion data for the teacher avatar from the video data capturing the teacher 40, the teacher may operate the teacher avatar by wearing an HMD and using a controller);
KAWAKAMI does not but SUZUKI teaches
detect an orientation who is physically present within a predetermined vicinity of the user in real space (SUZUKI [0117] Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the first display control unit 102 control display of first objects Obj1A to Obj1C corresponding to hands HA to HC of the respective users UA to UC on the basis of viewpoint positions PVA to PVC of the respective users UA to UC and positions of the respective hands HA to HC in the display region 41; [00] the second display control unit 103 performs the display so that the second objects Obj2A to Obj2C are positioned on the extension lines of the extended hands and the extended arms of the users UA to UC on the basis of the viewpoint positions PVA to PVC of the users UA to UC)
KAWAKAMI does not but SHIMIZU teaches
detect an orientation, the orientation being an orientation with respect to the display (SHIMIZU [0055] the information processing apparatus 30 generates a free viewpoint image from the VR content according to a motion of the user, a controller operation, and the like, and outputs the free viewpoint image to the display device 10. The movement of the user is a change in the position and posture (including the orientation of the head) of the user. The display device 10 detects the position and posture of the user and outputs the position and posture to the information processing apparatus 30).
KAWAKAMI in view of SHIMIZU further teaches
determine whether or not a position of the content needs to be changed on the basis of a detection result and the position of the content laid out in the virtual space (KAWAKAMI [0050] The measurement section 303 detects the plane by measuring for the three-dimensional space information from the video. If the measurement section 303 detects out a plane, the measurement section 303 displays a box representing the detected plane in such a way that the box is superposed on the video captured by the camera 32. When the box representing the plane corresponds to the top plate of the desk, the student performs a determination operation such as using the controller; [0070] The teacher avatar 400 is a CG character that reflects the motion of the teacher 40 and proceeds with the class. The student terminal 30 controls the teacher avatar 400 according to the motion data received from the correspondence class server 10); and
set a position change destination of the content in the virtual space on the basis of a distance between the position change destination of the content in the virtual space and a position at a current point in time of the content and change the position of the content when the circuitry determines that the position of the content is to be changed (KAWAKAMI [0051] The adjustment section 304 is configured to adjust the position of the top plate of the desk object in the virtual space on the basis of a positional relationship between the HMD 31 and the top plate of the desk in the real space. The position of the HMD 31 corresponds to the head of the student avatar; [0059] In step S12, the adjustment section 304 adjusts the position and size of a desk object in a virtual space based on the position and size of the desk in the real space. For example, with reference to a distance from the HMD 31 to the top plate of the desk, the adjustment section 304 adjusts a distance from the viewpoint of the student avatar to the top plate of the desk object, and further adjusts the size of the top plate of the desk object).
SHIMIZU discloses a system for performing control to arrange the generated captured image in the virtual space as a virtual object, which is analogous to the present patent application.
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified KAWAKAMI to incorporate the teachings of SHIMIZU, and apply the head orientation detecting process into the student terminal for viewing a class given in a virtual space that is immersive.
Doing so, the user can enjoy the captured photograph while continuing the sense of immersion in the virtual space for the display control device that performs control on a display of a display.
SUZUKI discloses a technique for detecting a position or the like of an operating body such as a hand and controlling an output of information based on an obtained detection result to a screen or a display region, which is analogous to the present patent application.
It would have been obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified KAWAKAMI to incorporate the teachings of SUZUKI, and apply the detecting result of the first and second user’s viewpoint into the student terminal for viewing a class given in a virtual space that is immersive.
Doing so would be capable of easily acquiring an operation feeling of an object corresponding to an operating body for the display control device that performs control on a display of a display.
Regarding Claim 2, KAWAKAMI in view of SHIMIZU and SUZUKI teaches the display control device according to claim 1, and further teaches wherein the circuitry sets the position change destination of the content also on the basis of the detection result (KAWAKAMI [0074] FIG. 8 illustrates one example of such a virtual space obtained by the image composition for fitting a video capturing the desk shown in FIG. 7 onto the virtual space shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 8, the video capturing the area of the top plate 700A in FIG. 7 is fitted onto the top plate 500A of the desk object 500 in the virtual space by the image composition. Moreover, the position of the top plate 500A is raised slightly, and the size of the top plate 500A is adjusted in accordance with the top plate 700A in the real space).
Regarding Claim 3, KAWAKAMI in view of SHIMIZU and SUZUKI teaches the display control device according to claim 1, and further teaches wherein the circuitry sets the position change destination of the content also on the basis of a position of the content other than the content whose position is to be changed in the virtual space (KAWAKAMI [0072] The blackboard object 600 is an object used by the teacher 40 in accordance with the proceeding of the class. The blackboard object 600 is for displaying the information displayed on the classroom display 11 and the information inputted from the teacher terminal 13; [0074] FIG. 8 illustrates one example of such a virtual space obtained by the image composition for fitting a video capturing the desk shown in FIG. 7 onto the virtual space shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 8, the video capturing the area of the top plate 700A in FIG. 7 is fitted onto the top plate 500A of the desk object 500 in the virtual space by the image composition).
Regarding Claim 4, KAWAKAMI in view of SHIMIZU and SUZUKI teaches the display control device according to claim 1, and further teaches
wherein the circuitry continuously detects the orientation of the at least portion of the head portion of the person other than the user, the orientation being an orientation with respect to the display (SHIMIZU [0055] the information processing apparatus 30 generates a free viewpoint image from the VR content according to a motion of the user, a controller operation, and the like, and outputs the free viewpoint image to the display device 10. The movement of the user is a change in the position and posture (including the orientation of the head) of the user. The display device 10 detects the position and posture of the user and outputs the position and posture to the information processing apparatus 30), and
the circuitry determines whether or not the position of the content needs to be changed, on the basis of temporal change in at least portion of the head portion of the person other than the user (KAWAKAMI [0070] The teacher avatar 400 is a CG character that reflects the motion of the teacher 40 and proceeds with the class. The student terminal 30 controls the teacher avatar 400 according to the motion data received from the correspondence class server 10).
Regarding Claim 5, KAWAKAMI in view of SHIMIZU and SUZUKI teaches the display control device according to claim 1, and further teaches wherein the circuitry sets the position change destination of the content and changes the position of the content so that the distance between the position of the content and the predetermined position in the virtual space is kept constant when the circuitry determines that the position of the content is to be changed (SHIMIZU [0108] By continuously performing the above processing, when the user moves back and forth and left and right in the real world (or inputs an operation instructing to move back and forth and left and right by the controller 20) or changes the viewpoint (for example, the orientation of the head), the content viewing control unit 301 can move back and forth and left and right by the same movement amount (or corresponding movement amount at a predetermined ratio) even in the virtual space or change the viewpoint).
Regarding Claims 6-11, KAWAKAMI in view of SHIMIZU and SUZUKI teaches the display control device according to claims 2-4 respectively. The metes and bounds of the limitations of the claims substantially correspond to the elements set forth in claims 2-5; thus they are rejected on similar grounds and rationale as their corresponding limitations.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed August 22 2025 with respect to103 rejection on claim 1 has been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Samantha (Yuehan) Wang whose telephone number is (571)270-5011. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, King Poon can be reached on (571)272-7440. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Samantha (YUEHAN) WANG/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2617
Prosecution Insights