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 .
Response to Amendment
This is in response to the amendments filed on 12/31/25. Claims 1, 6, and 13 have been amended and claims 11, 12, and 15 – 20 have been cancelled. Claims 1 – 10, 13, 14, and 21 – 27 are now pending in the current application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1 – 10, 13, 14, and 21 – 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Step 1: It must be determined whether the invention falls in one of the four statutory categories of invention. Claims 1 – 10 and 21 – 27 are directed towards a method, (process), and claims 13 and 14 are directed towards a device and a medium, (machine), which are statutory categories of invention.
Step 2a:
Prong 1: It must be determined whether the invention is directed to judicially recognized exception. Claim 1 is analyzed below with limitations indicating recitations of an abstract idea.
A method for controlling a game scene, comprising: displaying a game scene global map of a target game, the game scene global map comprising a plurality of scene regional maps, wherein one of the scene regional maps corresponds to a game scene region of the target game, wherein the game scene global map comprises a satellite map of all game scenes of the target game; displaying a target game scene region of one or more target game scene regions of the game scene regions corresponding to a target scene regional map of one or more target scene regional maps of the scene regional maps, in response to an entry trigger operation for the target scene regional map of the scene regional maps, wherein after entering the target scene regional, a current virtual character controlled by a player performs game behaviour in the target scene regional map, and the target game scene region has an entry position after entering the target game scene region, controlling the current virtual character to be located at the entry position of the target game scene region in response to a movement control operation for the current virtual character, controlling the current virtual character to move in the target game scene region from the entry position of the target game scene region; and switching display of the target game scene region to display of the game scene global map, in response to an exit trigger operation for the target game scene region.
The abstract idea is defined by the underlined portions exemplary claim 1, with substantially similar features found in claims 13 and 14. Dependent claims 2 – 10 and 21 – 27 further define the abstract idea or relate to the implementation of the abstract idea. The abstract idea is defined in at least the following grouping below:
Certain methods of organizing human activity (rules for playing a game)
The claims are directed towards an abstract idea of rules for playing a game which fall into the category of organizing human activity, managing personal behavior or relationships between people, (See MPEP 2106.04(a)(2)(II)(C)).
Prong 2: Does the Claim recite additional elements that integrate the exception in to a practical application of the exception?
The claims recite a generic processor and memory that presents a video game to a user, which is viewed as no more than instructions to implement a judicial exception.
These additional limitations do not represent an improvement to the functioning of a computer, or to any other technology or technical field, (MPEP 2106.05(a)). Nor do they apply the exception using a particular machine, (MPEP 2106.05(b)). Furthermore, they do not effect a transformation. (MPEP 2106.05(c)). Rather, these additional limitations amount to an instruction to “apply” the judicial exception using a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea.
Step 2b: It must be determined whether the claimed invention recites additional elements that amount to significantly more than the judicial exception.
The claim language does recite a processor and memory, however, viewed as a whole, these additional elements are indistinguishable from conventional computing elements known in the art. Therefore, the additional elements fail to supply additional elements that yield significantly more than the underlying abstract idea. Viewing the limitations as an ordered combination adds nothing that is not already present when looking at the elements taken individually. There is no indication that the combination of elements improves the functioning of a computer or improves any other technology.
For these reasons, it appears that the claims are not patent-eligible under 35 USC §101 as the claims do not integrate the exceptions into a practical application or add an “inventive concept” beyond well-understood, routine, and conventional computer components and functions.
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 1 – 10, 13, 14, and 21 – 27 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the video game The Division and in further view of the video game Crusader Kings 3.
Regarding claims 1, 13, and 14, The Division, hereinafter Division, discloses a method for controlling a game scene, (2:04:10 – 2:06:50 of Division showing a player controlling a game character), comprising displaying a game scene map of a target game, (2:06:50 of Division), the game scene map comprising a plurality of scene regional maps, wherein one of the scene regional maps corresponds to a game scene region of the target game, (2:06:50 of Division), displaying a target game scene region of one or more target game scene regions of the game scene regions corresponding to a target scene regional map of one or more target scene regional maps of the scene regional maps, in response to an entry trigger operation for the target scene regional map of the scene regional maps, wherein after entering the target scene regional, a current virtual character controlled by a player performs game behavior in the target scene regional map, (2:06:50 – 2:07:35 of Division), and the target game scene region has an entry position, (1:43:01 of Division showing a game character starting a mission at an entry point), after entering the target game scene region, controlling the current virtual character to be located at the entry position of the target game scene region, (1:43:00 – 1:43:19 of Division showing a game character being controlled by a player starting an objective after entering the entry point), in response to a movement control operation for the current virtual character, controlling the current virtual character to move in the target game scene region from the entry position of the target game scene region, (1:43:00 – 1:43:19 of Division showing a game character being controlled by a player starting an objective after entering the entry point).
Division, however, is silent on disclosing a game scene global map comprising a satellite of all game scenes of the target game. In a related art, Crusader Kings 3, hereinafter Crusader, discloses a method for controlling a game scene, (0:00 – 6:29 of Crusader showing a player playing the game), wherein further discloses a game scene global map comprising a satellite map of all game scenes of the game.
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Fig. 1
Wherein Crusader further discloses switching the display of the game scene to display the game scene global map, in response to an exit trigger operation for the game scene region, (0:45 – 0:48 of Crusader showing a player exiting a menu of the game to display the global map view).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to combine the global map satellite view of Crusader into the art disclosed by Division in order to enhance gameplay, spatial awareness, and navigation.
Regarding claim 2, Division discloses wherein the game scene global map further comprises a plurality of entry controls respectively corresponding to the scene regional maps; and the displaying the target game scene region of the one or more target game scene regions of the game scene regions corresponding to the target scene regional map of the one or more target scene regional maps of the scene regional maps in response to the entry trigger operation for the target scene regional map of the scene regional maps, comprises: determining a scene regional map of the scene regional maps corresponding to a target entry control as the target scene regional map, in response to a touch operation on the target entry control of the entry controls; and obtaining the target game scene region corresponding to the target scene regional map, and displaying the target game scene region, (2:06:50 – 2:07:35 of Division).
Regarding claim 3, Division discloses displaying the current virtual character in the game scene global map; and wherein after displaying the target game scene region of the one or more target game scene regions of the game scene regions corresponding to the target scene regional map of the one or more target scene regional maps in response to the entry trigger operation for the target scene regional map of the scene regional maps, the method further comprises: controlling the current virtual character to enter the target game scene region from the game scene global map; and controlling the current virtual character to perform for performing the game behaviour in the target game scene region, (2:06:50 – 2:07:35 of Division).
Regarding claim 4, Division discloses wherein the switching display of the target game scene region to display of the game scene global map in response to the exit trigger operation for the target game scene region, comprises: switching display of the target game scene region to display of the game scene global map, and controlling the current virtual character to leave the target game scene region and return to the game scene global map, in response to the exit trigger operation for the target game scene region, (2:06:50 – 2:07:35 of Division).
Regarding claim 5, Division discloses after controlling the current virtual character to enter the target game scene region from the game scene global map, obtaining a switching position of the current virtual character in the game scene global map when entering the target game scene region from the game scene global map, wherein the controlling the current virtual character to leave the target game scene region and return to the game scene global map comprises: controlling the current virtual character to leave the target game scene region and 21 return to the switching position in the game scene map, (2:06:50 – 2:07:35 of Division).
Regarding claims 6 - 11, wherein the target game scene region has an entry position and an exit position; the method further comprises: after displaying the target game scene region of the one or more target game scene regions of the game scene regions corresponding to the target scene regional map of the one or more target scene regional maps of the scene regional maps in response to the entry trigger operation for the target scene regional map of the scene regional maps, after entering the target game scene region, controlling the current virtual character to be located at the entry position of the target game scene region and, in response to a movement control operation for the current virtual character, controlling the current virtual character to move in the target game scene region from the entry position of the target game scene region; and the switching display of the target game scene region to display of the game scene global map in response to the exit trigger operation for the target game scene region, comprises: in response to the movement control operation for the current virtual character, if the current virtual character moves to the exit position, switching display of the target game scene region to display of the game scene map, (2:06:50 – 2:07:35 of Division).
Regarding claims 21 – 26, Division discloses wherein the game scene global map shows an outline of a virtual object, one or more regions of a virtual scene, a partial region, regional maps, controlling a virtual character to move in the game scene, and a virtual object with a definition greater than a threshold, (2:06:50 – 2:07:35 of Division).
Regarding claim 27, Division discloses displaying the target game scene region of the one or more target game scene regions of the game scene regions corresponding to the target scene regional map of the one or more target scene regional maps of the scene regional maps in response to the entry trigger operation for the target scene regional map of the scene regional maps, after the current virtual character enters the target game scene region, determining whether the current virtual character satisfies a preset game behaviour condition; wherein the switching display of the target game scene region to display of the game scene global map in response to the exit trigger operation for the target game scene region comprises: in response to the current virtual character satisfying the preset game behaviour condition, in response to the exit trigger operation for the target game scene region, switching display of the target game scene region to display of the game scene global map, and controlling the current character to return to the game scene global map, (2:04:10 – 2:07:35 of Division).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 12/31/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Regarding claims 1, 13, and 14, Applicants argue that “Division remains silent about the limitation “the game scene global map comprises a satellite map of all game scenes of the target game”. The Examiner agrees, however, at least this limitation is taught by Crusader as cited above.
Applicants further that “Division fails to teach or suggest the limitations “the target game scene region has an entry position; after entering the target game scene region, controlling the current virtual character to be located at the entry position of the target game scene region; in response to a movement control operation for the current virtual character, controlling the current virtual character to move in the target game scene region from the entry position of the target game scene region””. The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Fig. 2 below shows a player beginning a mission, which is viewed by the Examiner as a target scene region having an entry position.
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Fig. 3 below shows a player character after entering the target game scene region, which is viewed by Examiner as being equivalent to controlling the current virtual character to be located at the entry position of the target game scene region and in response to a movement control operation for the current virtual character, controlling the current virtual character to move in the target game scene region from the entry position of the target game scene region.
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Therefore, the Examiner maintains that Division renders at these limitations obvious as claimed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC M THOMAS whose telephone number is (571)272-1699. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am - 5:00pm.
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/E.M.T/ Examiner, Art Unit 3715
/DMITRY SUHOL/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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