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 .
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Poltroak (US 20190247662 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Poltroak teaches a sensory transmission system (“stimulatory system seeks to achieve a mental state, emotion or mood response from the user”, paragraph [0837]) comprising:
A first apparatus configured to detect cerebral activation information (“EEG electrodes for receiving feedback from the user”, paragraph [0837]) on a first subject when the first subject performs perception;
An estimation apparatus (“processor”, paragraph [0858]) configured to estimate reference sensory information that is sensory information that is evoked in response to the perception based on the detected cerebral activation information on the first subject (“processor configured to process the neural correlates of brain state from the first subject (donor) and to produce or define a stimulation pattern for the second subject (recipient)”, paragraph [0858]) and estimate corresponding sensory information that is sensory information corresponding to the reference sensory information on a second subject different from the first subject based on the estimated reference sensory information (“stimulator control will enter a mode corresponding to the actual state of the recipient, and seek to guide the recipient to a desired state from a current state, using the available range and set of stimulation parameters…feedback…used to tune the stimulator, to minimize error from a predicted or desired state of the recipient subject”, paragraph [1047]); and
A second apparatus (“a signal is presented to a second apparatus, configured to stimulate the second subject”, paragraph [0859]), configured to apply a stimulus to the second subject so as to evoke the estimated corresponding sensory information (“second apparatus produces a stimulation intended to induce in the second subject (recipient) the desired brain state”, paragraph [0859]).
Regarding claim 2, Poltroak teaches the second apparatus being configured to detect cerebral activation information on the second subject when a stimulus is applied to the second subject (“second apparatus…stimulate the second subject…receives information from the processor…typically comprising a representation of a portion of a waveform represented in the neural correlates”, paragraph [0979]),
The estimation apparatus (“processor”, paragraph [0908]) being configured to estimate the reference sensory information based on the detected brain activation information on the second subject (“processor…define a neural stimulus pattern representing…a second subject”, paragraph [0908]), and estimate the corresponding sensory information on the first subject based on the estimated reference sensor information (“processor may be configured to define the neural stimulus pattern by analysis of a spatial brain activity pattern over time of the second subject, and translate the determined spatial brain activity pattern over time of the first subject”, paragraph [0912]); and
The first apparatus is configured to apply a stimulus to the first subject so as to evoke the estimated corresponding sensory information (“electrodes used for transcranial stimulation”, paragraph [0872]).
Regarding claim 3, Poltroak teaches wherein the reference sensory information is the sensory information (“stimulators”, paragraph [0974]) that a subject for whom the cerebral activation information is detected between the first subject and the second subject evokes in response to the perception (“first and second subjects may each be subject to stimulators…synchronization of mental state between the two subjects”, paragraph [0974]).
Regarding claim 4, Poltroak teaches wherein the reference sensory information is standard sensory information that is extracted based on the sensory information that correspond to one another among a plurality of subjects (“stimulation pattern for a second subject defined based on the database records of one or more subjects”, paragraph [0986]).
Regarding claim 5, Poltroak teaches the first apparatus including a detection apparatus (“EEG electrodes for receiving feedback from the user”, paragraph [0837]) configured to detect cerebral activation information on a target subject when the target subject performs perception,
The estimation apparatus (“processor”, paragraph [0858]) is configured to estimate reference sensory information that is sensory information that is evoked in response to the perception based on the cerebral activation information on the target subject (“processor configured to process the neural correlates of brain state from the first subject (donor) and to produce or define a stimulation pattern for the second subject (recipient)”, paragraph [0858]) that is detected at a first time point (“the data may be obtained for a sufficiently long period of time and over repeated trials to determine the effect of duration”, paragraph [0887]), and capable of estimating corresponding sensory information that corresponds to the reference sensory information on the target subject at a second time point later than the first time point based on the estimated reference sensory information (“over a period of time, the system will learn to map a desired brain state to…stimulus pattern”, paragraph [1002]), and
The second apparatus includes a stimulus apparatus (“a signal is presented to a second apparatus, configured to stimulate the second subject”, paragraph [0859]), configured to apply a stimulus to the target subject at the second time point so as to evoke the estimated corresponding sensory information (“feedback…used to tune the stimulator, to minimize error from a predicted or desired state of the recipient subject based on the prior and current stimulation”, paragraph [1047]).
Regarding claim 6, Poltroak teaches the reference sensory information being the sensory information that the target subject evokes in response to the perception at the first time point (“stimulator…alters stimulation parameters to optimize the stimulation in dependence on a brain and brain state model applicable to the target”, paragraph [0962]).
Regarding claim 7, Poltroak teaches wherein the reference sensory information is standard sensory information that is extracted based on the sensory information that correspond to one another among a plurality of subjects (“stimulation pattern for a second subject defined based on the database records of one or more subjects”, paragraph [0986]).
Regarding claim 8, Poltroak teaches the standard sensory information being extracted based on the sensory information that are evoked by a plurality of subjects who have brain growth conditions equivalent to a brain growth condition of the target subject (“these signals may then be synthesized or modulated into one or more stimulation signals…corresponding mental state into a recipient, in a manner seeking to achieve a similar brainwave pattern from the source”, paragraph [0835]; recipient being the target subject, and the plurality of subjects being the source).
Regarding claim 9, Poltroak teaches the estimation apparatus including
A storage unit configured to store therein the reference sensory information (“computer apparatus may comprise a non-volatile memory for storing a relational database of brain states and neural correlates of brain activity associated with the brain states”, paragraph [0871]), and
A processing unit configured to estimate the corresponding sensory information based on the reference sensory information that is stored in the storage unit (“processor coupled with the non-volatile memory, and being configured to process relational database queries”, paragraph [0871]).
Regarding claim 10, Poltroak teaches the reference sensory information being the sensory information that a person different from the first subject evokes in response to the perception (“brain state may be different in different subjects…donor’s frequency may be used to start the process of inducing the desired brain state in a recipient”, paragraph [0862]).
Regarding claim 11, Poltroak teaches wherein the reference sensory information is standard sensory information that is extracted based on the sensory information that correspond to one another among a plurality of subjects (“stimulation pattern for a second subject defined based on the database records of one or more subjects”, paragraph [0986]).
Regarding claim 12, Poltroak teaches a sensory transmission method (“method is provided in which a target subject may be immersed in a presentation”, paragraph [0836]) comprising:
Detecting cerebral activation information on a first subject when the first subject performs perception (“EEG electrodes for receiving feedback from the user…achieve a mental state, emotion or mood response from the user”, paragraph [0837]);
Estimating reference sensory information that is sensory information that is evoked in response to the perception based on the detected cerebral activation information on the first subject (“processor configured to process the neural correlates of brain state from the first subject (donor) and to produce or define a stimulation pattern for the second subject (recipient)”, paragraph [0858]);
Estimating corresponding sensory information that is sensory information corresponding to the reference sensory information on a second subject different from the first subject based on the estimated reference sensory information (“modulation pattern of the first subject is imposed as a way of guiding the brain state of the second subject”, paragraph [0855]); and
Applying a stimulus to the second subject so as to evoke the estimated corresponding sensory information (“second subject (recipient) is stimulated with a stimulation signal…correlates of at least one first subject (donor)”, paragraph [0856]).
Regarding claim 13, Poltroak teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (“computer apparatus may comprise a non-volatile memory for storing a relational database of brain states”, paragraph [0871]) storing a sensory transmission program causing a computer to perform:
Detecting cerebral activation information on a first subject when the first subject performs perception (“EEG electrodes for receiving feedback from the user…achieve a mental state, emotion or mood response from the user”, paragraph [0837]);
Estimating reference sensory information that is sensory information that is evoked in response to the perception based on the detected cerebral activation information on the first subject (“processor configured to process the neural correlates of brain state from the first subject (donor) and to produce or define a stimulation pattern for the second subject (recipient)”, paragraph [0858]);
Estimating corresponding sensory information that is sensory information corresponding to the reference sensory information on a second subject different from the first subject based on the estimated reference sensory information (“modulation pattern of the first subject is imposed as a way of guiding the brain state of the second subject”, paragraph [0855]); and
Applying a stimulus to the second subject so as to evoke the estimated corresponding sensory information (“second subject (recipient) is stimulated with a stimulation signal…correlates of at least one first subject (donor)”, paragraph [0856]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LARA LINH TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-3598. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am-5:00pm M-F.
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/L.L.T./Examiner, Art Unit 3791 /ALEX M VALVIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3791
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