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 Objections
Claims 17-18 and 20-21 are objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) as being in improper form because a multiple dependent claim should refer to other claims in the alternative only. See MPEP § 608.01(n). Accordingly, the claims have not been further treated on the merits.
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 1-18, 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Step 1 (What is the statutory category?):
Claims 1-18, 20-21 are drawn to at least one of the four statutory categories of invention (ie: process, machine, manufacture, or composition).
Step 2A; Prong I (Does the claim recite an abstract idea?):
Claim 1 recites: A method for displaying a game scene, comprising:
acquiring weather configuration information for the game scene, and setting a target weather for the game scene according to the weather configuration information;
acquiring a deformation parameter of a target virtual object in the game scene under the target weather; and
adjusting a rendering parameter of the target virtual object according to the deformation parameter, thereby controlling the target virtual object to deform in the game scene.Claim 20 recites:
An electronic device, comprising:
a processor,
a storage medium, and
a bus, wherein the storage medium stores program instructions executable by the processor; and
when the electronic device is running, the processor and the storage medium communicate through the bus, and the processor executes the program instructions to perform steps of a method for displaying a game scene, comprising:
acquiring weather configuration information for the game scene, and setting a target weather for the game scene according to the weather configuration information;
acquiring a deformation parameter of a target virtual object in the game scene under the target weather; and
adjusting a rendering parameter of the target virtual object according to the deformation parameter, thereby controlling the target virtual object to deform in the game scene.
Claim 21 recites:
A computer-readable storage medium, wherein a computer program is stored on the storage medium, and when run by a processor, the computer program performs steps of a method for displaying a game scene, comprising:
acquiring weather configuration information for the game scene, and setting a target weather for the game scene according to the weather configuration information;
acquiring a deformation parameter of a target virtual object in the game scene under the target weather; and
adjusting a rendering parameter of the target virtual object according to the deformation parameter, thereby controlling the target virtual object to deform in the game scene.
[the Examiner submits that the foregoing underlined elements recite certain method of organizing human activity because they describe “managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people (including social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions)”]
According to the 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Guidelines, Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity, Managing Personal Behavior or Relationships or Interactions Between People (e.g. social activities, teaching, and following rules or instructions) "encompasses both activity of a single person (for example a person following a set of instructions) and activity that involves multiple people (such as a commercial or legal interaction). Thus, some interactions between a person and a computer (for example a method of anonymous loan shopping that a person conducts using a mobile phone) may fall within this grouping." (Emphasis added)
To further elaborate on the Examiner’s interpretation regarding the claimed invention being directed towards certain methods of organizing human activity, the Examiner believes the invention describe managing interactions between people and machine (ie: a gaming machine) in which rules or instructions for the gaming machine is being implemented (ie: acquiring weather configuration information for the game scene, and setting a target weather for the game scene according to the weather configuration information; acquiring a deformation parameter of a target virtual object in the game scene under the target weather; and adjusting a rendering parameter of the target virtual object according to the deformation parameter, thereby controlling the target virtual object to deform in the game scene.)
Step 2A; Prong II (Does the claim recite a practical application?):
The Examiner submits that the additional elements do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea for the same reasons discussed above with respect to the conclusion that the additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application.
The dependent claims merely include limitations that either further define the abstract idea (and thus don’t make the abstract idea any less abstract) or amount to no more than instructions to implement the abstract idea on a computer, or use a computer as tool to perform the abstract idea.
Taken alone, the additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. Looking at the limitations as an ordered combination adds nothing that is not already present when looking at the elements taken individually. For example, there is no indication that the combination of elements improves the functioning of a computer or improves any other technology.
The abstract idea is not integrated into a practical application for the following reasons. The claim elements of claims 1 and 20-21 above that are not underlined constitute additional limitations.
The Examiner submits that the following additional limitation merely uses a computer as a tool to perform the abstract idea: processor, storage medium, bus, and electronic device.
The Examiner finds that there are concepts regarding the application that simply appends well-understood, routine, conventional activities previously known to the industry, specified at a high level of generality. For example:
Fujimaki et al., US 20140114890 discloses that it is well known to one of ordinary skill in the art that a computer includes an input device, a central processing unit (CPU), a storage device (for example, a RAM) for storing data, a program memory (for example, a ROM) for storing a program, and an output device (paragraph 50);
Cockrell, Jr., US 20070057464, discloses that computer systems for implementing games can be suitable general-purpose computers having a processor and memory and are well known to one of ordinary skill in the art (paragraph 69);
Geisner, US 20080242421, discloses processors can be general purpose processor for implementing online games and are well known to one of ordinary skill in the art (paragraph 24, 34, 52).
The above helps to suggest that the claimed components are no more than generic well-known components.
Thus, taken alone, the additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. Looking at the limitations as an ordered combination adds nothing that is not already present when looking at the elements taken individually.
For example, there is no indication that the combination of elements improves the functioning of a computer or improves any other technology; there is no additional element that applies or uses the judicial exception in some other meaningful way beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment, such that the claim as a whole is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception; the additional elements merely recite the words ‘‘apply it’’ (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception, or merely includes instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea; the additional elements do no more than generally link the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use.
Step 2B (Are there additional elements that are “something more” than an abstract idea?):
Dependent Claims 2-18 do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the abstract idea for the same reasons discussed above with respect to the conclusion that the additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. Looking at 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.
In addition, with regards to dependent claims, the courts have recognized the computer functions as well-understood, routine, and conventional activities when they are claimed in a merely generic manner (ie: at a high level of generality) or as insignificant extra-solution activity because each claim describes physical or software elements that provide a generic environment in which to carry out the abstract idea, which is similar to the conventional activity or as insignificant extra-solution activity of selecting information, based on types of information, for collection, analysis and display in EPG, gathering, receiving and transmitting data in Symantec, TLI, OIP Techs., buySAFE, and performing repetitive calculation in Flook, Bancorp.
Therefore, the dependent claims are not drawn to eligible subject matter as they are directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 18, 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ma et al., US 20230039131 (Ma).
Regarding Claim 1. Ma discloses a method for displaying a game scene, comprising:
acquiring weather configuration information for the game scene, and setting a target weather for the game scene according to the weather configuration information (Abstract, para 55-56, 69-70, 72, 74, 79. Weather information is sent to a client game application where it is simulated in the game.);
acquiring a deformation parameter of a target virtual object in the game scene under the target weather (para 47, 57, 71, 148, 91, 111, 113-114, 125, 145. Deformation parameter is interpreted as how rain drops will appear on a target virtual object such as virtual character interacting with a game scene in a virtual world.); and
adjusting a rendering parameter of the target virtual object according to the deformation parameter, thereby controlling the target virtual object to deform in the game scene (para 14, 8, 52, 94, 99, 107, 110-111, 126, 158-160).
Regarding Claim 2. Ma discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein said acquiring the deformation parameter of the target virtual object in the game scene under the target weather comprises:
acquiring a weather parameter of the target weather para 47, 57, 71, 148, 91, 111, 113-114, 125, 145); and
determining the deformation parameter according to the weather parameter, wherein the deformation parameter comprises a unit movement distance (Fig 8-10; par 47, 57, 59, 85, 104, 107, 109, 114, 122-123, 244. As a virtual character moves, how the rain being rendered according to the virtual character’s point of view is determined and implemented.).
Regarding Claim 3. Ma discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the weather parameter comprises: a weather duration and/or a weather measurement value (para 51, 71, 99, 101-102, 203-204, 208-212).
4. (Original) The method according to claim 2, wherein said adjusting the rendering parameter of the target virtual object according to the deformation parameter, thereby controlling the target virtual object to deform in the game scene, comprises:
determining, according to the unit movement distance, a rendering period and a variation of the rendering parameter in each rendering period (Fig 8-10; par 47,51, 57, 59, 71, 85, 99, 101-104, 107, 109, 114, 122-123, 203-204, 208-212, 244); and
ultilizing, according to the rendering period, the variation of the rendering parameter in the rendering period to control the target virtual object to deform in the game scene (para 14, 8, 52, 94, 99, 107, 110-111, 126, 158-160).
Regarding Claim 18. Ma discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:
determining weather prompt information according to the weather configuration information (para 69-70, 77, 82, 94, 99, 104); and
displaying the weather prompt information in a current interface of the game scene, wherein the weather prompt information is used for indicating a current weather for a scene displayed in the current interface of the game scene (para 14, 8, 52, 94, 99, 107, 110-111, 126, 158-160).
Regarding Claim 20. Ma discloses an electronic device, comprising:
a processor, a storage medium, and a bus, wherein the storage medium stores program instructions executable by the processor; and
when the electronic device is running, the processor and the storage medium communicate through the bus, and the processor executes the program instructions to perform steps of a method for displaying a game scene, comprising: acquiring weather configuration information for the game scene, and setting a target weather for the game scene according to the weather configuration information (Abstract, para 55-56, 69-70, 72, 74, 79);
acquiring a deformation parameter of a target virtual object in the game scene under the target weather (para 47, 57, 71, 148, 91, 111, 113-114, 125, 145); and
adjusting a rendering parameter of the target virtual object according to the deformation parameter, thereby controlling the target virtual object to deform in the game scene (para 14, 8, 52, 94, 99, 107, 110-111, 126, 158-160).
Regarding Claim 21. Ma discloses a computer-readable storage medium, wherein a computer program is stored on the storage medium, and when run by a processor, the computer program performs steps of a method for displaying a game scene, comprising:
acquiring weather configuration information for the game scene, and setting a target weather for the game scene according to the weather configuration information (Abstract, para 55-56, 69-70, 72, 74, 79);
acquiring a deformation parameter of a target virtual object in the game scene under the target weather (para 47, 57, 71, 148, 91, 111, 113-114, 125, 145); and
adjusting a rendering parameter of the target virtual object according to the deformation parameter, thereby controlling the target virtual object to deform in the game scene (para 14, 8, 52, 94, 99, 107, 110-111, 126, 158-160).
Examiner’s Notes
Claims had been submitted on 10/18/2023 as well as on 3/12/2025. In this case, three sets of claims had been submitted on 10/18/2023 while one set of claims had been submitted on 3/12/2025. It appears as if one of the three sets of claims that had been submitted at an earlier date had amendments to the claim language as well as the statement “Please amend the claims as indicated below. This listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listings of claims in the application”. In this case, the Examiner believes that the later-submitted claims (filed on 3/12/2025) were submitted in error as they appear to be exactly the same as the pre-amended claims that had also been submitted on 10/18/2023 and had proceeded to examine the claims accordingly.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEFFREY WONG whose telephone number is (571)270-3003. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9-5pm.
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, Kang Hu can be reached at (571) 270-1344. 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.
/JEFFREY K WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
Prosecution Insights