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 .
Drawings and Specification
Figure 1, shows 4 circles representing communication connections 18. Two of the circles are on the controller and two are just floating. The communication connections 18 are part of the controller-input-generating device 20, not the controller.
In figure 5, item 19 is pointing at trigger button 422. The male plug 19 is in the controller at female connection ports 17. The male plug 19 can also be seen in figure 4 as part of steering wheel 414.
In figures 1, 3, 5 and 6, the communication ports 16 may be female connection ports 17. This is not incorrect, but it is confusing.
A claim recites that the controller-input-generating device includes an analog stick. The only analog stick in the specification and the drawings is item 6 which is on the controller, not the controller-input-generating device.
Paragraph [0021] has trigger buttons 8 and trigger buttons 10. There are no trigger buttons 10 in the figures.
Paragraph [0021] recites a processor 602 (shown in FIG. 7). It is shown in FIG. 6.
The examiner suggests that the applicant review the application for minor errors. For example, claim 10 recites, “a analog stick” not – an analog stick --.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7 recites, “The customizable handheld game controller of claim 2, in combination with a controller generating input device coupled to one of the connection ports.” The terminology and the grammar are not clear. The claim may be clearer if it was recited as
-- The customizable handheld game controller of claim 2, is coupled with one of the controller-input-generating devices via one of the communication ports. –
The suggested language tries to keep the terminology more consistent.
For example,
communication ports (claims 1 & 2)
connection ports (claim 7)
controller-input-generating devices (claims 1 & 2)
a controller generating input device (claim 7)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 1-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miller (US PG pub 2016/0317925) in view of Banks et al. (US patent 10,318,013).
Miller shows all of the limitations of the claims except for specifying a plurality of communication ports, at least three communication ports, and wherein the controller-input-generating device includes a trigger button, an action button, an analog stick, a rumble module, LED, or a steering wheel.
Miller shows,
In regards to claims 1 and 24,
A customizable handheld game controller (figure 1, 100), said game controller comprising:
a body; (114)
at least one analog stick (106), at least two trigger buttons (108), at least one action button (104), and at least one directional pad (110) operatively installed to the body;
one or more processors (101) disposed in the body operatively connected to the at least one analog stick, the at least two trigger buttons, the at least one action button, and the at least one directional pad to receive user input via the at least one analog stick, the at least two trigger buttons; and
a communication port (accessory interface 120) operatively mounted to the body and operatively connected to the one or more processors; wherein the communication port is configured to receive communication connections of controller-input-generating devices; (paragraph [0029], “the accessory interface may include one or more electrically-conductive contacts that align with complimentary electrically-conductive contact(s) of the external accessory to facilitate one-way and/or two-way communication signals to pass between the game controller 100 and the external accessory.” A USB port is given as an example, but “The accessory interface 120 may take any suitable form.”)
and
wherein the one or more processors are configured to program one or more of the plurality of communication ports to mirror a controller input. (paragraph [0035], “In some implementations, an external accessory may include at least one control that corresponds to an additional control signal.” The additional control signal received from the external accessory is considered to mirror a controller input.)
Banks et al. teaches,
In regards to claim 20,
column 1, lines 16-31, “These systems are often “tightly coupled” to a particular set of user interface devices (e.g. mouse & keyboard, button panel, steering wheel & foot pedals, joysticks)—that is, these systems are built to be used with those specific devices or types of devices, and do not naturally offer support for other devices. In some cases, the supported user interfaces may be undesirable or prohibitive for a particular user or use case, and in such cases, it would be beneficial to customize users' interactions with the system. For example, someone with a physical disability affecting hand function may not be able to effectively use a standard game console controller to play a video game, whereas they may be capable of playing the video game using other controls, such as, for example, a combination of head controls and foot controls, or reconfigured existing controls, if only it were possible to control a gaming console using such inputs or in such a method.”
In regards to claims 6-10, 18-19 and 21-23,
column 26, lines 46-52, “The aspect described here has four USB ports and supporting electronics 104 and software 105, allowing the system to support USB HID devices as user interface devices 103 (USB HID devices include mice, keyboards, joysticks, foot pedals, head switches, a variety of assistive devices, and many other specialty devices)”. Head switches can be trigger buttons, joysticks are analog sticks, and keyboards and mice buttons have action buttons.
In regards to claims 11-13 and 15,
column 26, lines 54-58, “The aspect described here has a set of GPIO digital inputs, six of which are connected to physical 3.5 mm jacks to support the use of 3.5 mm switch inputs (such as “buddy buttons” or certain sip-and-puff input devices) as another device type.”
In regards to claims 16 and 17,
column 14, line 63 to column 15, line 7, “The system may provide feedback via one or more of: a visual display, audible, vibrotactile, haptic, or other feedback, which the system may embody, or which the system may connect to remotely via a wired or wireless connection, or via a communications network. The system may, for example, provide feedback to a user reflecting the quality, intensity, or other parameter of the user's interaction with input devices. For example, the system may present an LED, or other light or virtual mark, the color, state, brightness, or other characteristics of which, as the system detects various levels of the parameters, the system may vary according to the detected levels.” The vibrotactile is considered to be the rumble module.
Based on the teaching of Banks et al., it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the Miller invention to incorporate the converting input from alternate input devices system of Banks et al. including a plurality of communication ports, at least three communication ports, and wherein the controller-input-generating device includes a trigger button, an action button, an analog stick, a rumble module, LED, or a steering wheel in order to provide alternate means for a user to provide game inputs.
In regards to claim 2,
wherein the plurality of communication ports include magnets; and
wherein the plurality of communication ports are configured to magnetically couple with the communication connection of the controller-input-generating device. (paragraph [0046], “Non-limiting examples of mating elements may include magnets, mechanical fasteners, aligned electrical contacts, and other mating structures.”)
In regards to claim 3,
wherein the plurality of communication ports include ports disposed on a back of the body. (Figure 1, with no other claimed reference of as to top, back or side of a hand held controller that can be held in many orientations, in this interpretation the accessory interface 120 is considered to be disposed on a back of the body.)
In regards to claim 4,
wherein the plurality of communication ports include ports disposed on a side of the body. (Figure 1, with no other claimed reference of as to top, back or side of a hand held controller that can be held in many orientations, in this interpretation the accessory interface 120 is considered to be disposed on a side of the body.)
In regards to claims 5 and 14,
wherein the plurality of communication ports include ports disposed on a top of the body. (Figure 1, with no other claimed reference of as to top, back or side of a hand held controller that can be held in many orientations, in this interpretation the accessory interface 120 is considered to be disposed on a top of the body.)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL A CUFF whose telephone number is (571)272-6778. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9-5.
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/MICHAEL A CUFF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715