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 .
Applicant’s Submission of a Response
Applicant’s submission of a response on 3/26/2026 has been received and considered. In the response, Applicant amended claims 1, 9, 11 and 16; cancelled claims 8 and 9 and added new claims 21 and 22. Therefore, claims 1 – 7 and 10 – 22 are pending.
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 – 6, 11 – 14, 16 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Plavetich et al. (US Pub. No. 2007/0149284 A1) in view of Nelson (US Pub. No. 2015/0307022 A1) and Goldenberg et al. (US Pub. No. 2009/0278819 A1).
As per claim 1, Plavetich et al. discloses a vehicle (in-vehicle gaming system, see Fig. 1 and [0011]) comprising: a steering wheel (see Fig. 1:101) for steering the vehicle in a driving mode (when the user is not playing the game, the steering wheel is used to steer/drive the vehicle, while during game mode the vehicle controls are selectively disengaged, see [0014]–[0015]); a display (the heads up display can project the video of the game, see Fig.1:103 and [0018]); and a controller (see Fig. 4:400) configured to execute a video game and display video game images on the display (the controller can then generate the video output required by the game and display it for the driver on the display, see [0032]), wherein the controller executes the video game using the steering wheel as an input to the video game when the steering wheel is not in the driving mode (a game controller 400 including a game processor for controlling the system; the controlling includes disengaging the vehicle controls, generating the gaming environment to be displayed, providing feedback control to the vehicle controls, and receiving the vehicle control inputs, see Fig. 4 and [0014]–[0016] and [0030]; the steering wheel is used as an input to the video game when not in the driving mode, see [0015]).
Plavetich et al. does not expressly disclose a plurality of haptic feedback devices located on the steering wheel and provides haptic feedback to the steering wheel by activating one or more of the plurality of haptic feedback devices on the steering wheel, and wherein the controller increases vibration of the haptic feedback devices as function of virtual velocity in the video game.
Plavetich et al. teaches the vehicle controls have motors or other feedback devices that allow the gaming system to provide driving feedback to the driver through a respective control. For example, the steering wheel may have a device that provides varying resistance to the turning of the wheel to simulate different track surfaces, water/ice on the track, or foreign objects on the road. Similarly, vibration inducing devices can be used to provide realistic, dynamic feedback to the driver to simulate changing road surfaces or off-road surfaces (see [0014]).
Nelson teaches a haptic steering wheel, wherein a plurality of haptic feedback devices are embedded evenly around the steering wheel and provide vibration feedback (the haptic feedback devices are placed between each sensor (107); Fig. 1 shows more than four sensors and thus more than four haptic feedback devices (108), see Fig. 1 and Fig. 4:108, [0011], [0018]).
Goldenberg teaches a system for controlling haptic sensations of a vibrotactile feedback device used with a host computer running a video game, in which kinesthetic force effects are mapped to vibrotactile (vibration) effects output to the user, and in which the vibrotactile device may take the form of a handheld steering wheel (see [0040]). Goldenberg further teaches that a force may be mapped to a vibration having a magnitude in proportion to the current velocity of the controlled object, such as a vehicle, in the context of a driving/racing game (see [0087] – [0089]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the steering wheel of Plavetich et al. with a plurality of haptic feedback devices around the entire steering wheel in view of Nelson as it would allow the user to receive gaming feedback regardless where their hands are located on the wheel and further configured the controller of Playetich et al. to increase the vibration of the steering wheel haptic feedback as a function of the virtual velocity of the in-game vehicle in view of Goldenberg in order to provide the player with realistic, intuitive feedback reflecting the speed of the simulated vehicle and to create greater sensory immersion within the simulated/virtual environment
As per claims 2 - 4, Plavetich et al. does not expressly disclose the plurality of haptic feedback devices includes at least four haptic feedback devices distributed along the length of the steering wheel and the at least four haptic feedback devices are evenly distributed along the length of the steering wheel and each of the plurality of haptic devices generates a force feedback vibration.
Nelson teaches a haptic steering wheel, wherein the plurality of haptic feedback devices are embedded evenly all around the steering wheel that provide a vibration feedback (the haptic feedback are placed in between each sensor (107), Fig, 1 shows more than 4 sensors, therefore more than 4 haptic feedback devices (108), see Fig.1 and 4:108, [0011], [0018]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the steering wheel of Plavetich et al. with a plurality of haptic feedback devices around the entire steering wheel in view of Nelson as it would allow the user to receive gaming feedback regardless where their hands are located on the wheel.
As per claim 5, Plavetich et al. does not expressly disclose each of the plurality of haptic feedback devices comprises one of an eccentric motor and a voice activated motor.
Nelson teaches a haptic steering wheel, wherein the plurality of haptic feedback devices are embedded evenly all around the steering wheel that provide a vibration feedback (the haptic feedback are placed in between each sensor (107), Fig, 1 shows more than 4 sensors, therefore more than 4 haptic feedback devices (108), see Fig.1 and 4:108, [0011], [0018]). Further, the haptic device includes a vibration motor or the like (e.g., a coil or speaker mechanism) that may be controlled by the controller in order to provide vibrations of a specified strength and/or frequency specified for a haptic alert or message (see [0013]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the steering wheel of Plavetich et al. with a plurality of haptic feedback devices around the entire steering wheel in view of Nelson as it would allow the user to receive gaming feedback regardless where their hands are located on the wheel.
As per claim 6, Plavetich et al. discloses the controller executes the video game using a vehicle infotainment system (the heads-up display is part of the infotainment system that projects the video of the game on the display, see Fig. 1:103 and [0018]).
As per claim 8, Plavetich et al. discloses the steering wheel is used as an input to the video game (see Fig. 1 and [0012] – [0014]).
As per claim 9, Plavetich et al. discloses the steering wheel is used as an input to the video game when the steering wheel is not in the driving mode (see [0015]).
As per claim 11, Plavetich et al. discloses a motor vehicle (in-vehicle gaming system, see Fig. 1 and [0011]) comprising: a steering wheel for steering the motor vehicle in a driving mode (when the user is not playing the game, the steering wheel is used to drive the vehicle, but during game mode, the controls are selectively disengaged from their normal connections in the car, see [0014] – [0015]); an infotainment system configured to operate a video game and having a display (the heads-up display is part of the infotainment system that projects the video of the game on the display, see Fig. 1:103 and [0018]); a controller (see Fig. 4:400) configured to execute the video game and display the video game images on the display (the controller can then generate the video output required by the game and display it for the driver on the display, see [0032]), wherein the controller executes the video game using the steering wheel as an input to the video game when the steering wheel is not in the driving mode (a game controller 400 that includes a game processor for controlling the system. The controlling includes disengaging the vehicle controls, generating the gaming environment to be displayed (both visual and aural response), providing the feedback control to the various vehicle controls, receiving the vehicle control inputs, as well as other game control functions, see Fig. 4 and [0014] – [0016] and [0030]).
Plavetich et al. does not expressly disclose a plurality of haptic feedback devices located on the steering wheel and configured to generate force feedback vibration and provides haptic feedback to the steering wheel by activating one or more of the plurality of haptic feedback devices in the steering wheel and wherein the controller increases vibration of the haptic feedback devices as a function of virtual velocity in the video game. Plavetich et al. teaches the vehicle controls have motors or other feedback devices that allow the gaming system to provide driving feedback to the driver through a respective control. For example, the steering wheel may have a device that provides varying resistance to the turning of the wheel to simulate different track surfaces, water/ice on the track, or foreign objects on the road. Similarly, vibration inducing devices can be used to provide realistic, dynamic feedback to the driver to simulate changing road surfaces or off-road surfaces (see [0014]).
Nelson teaches a haptic steering wheel, wherein a plurality of haptic feedback devices are embedded evenly around the steering wheel and provide vibration feedback (the haptic feedback devices are placed between each sensor (107); Fig. 1 shows more than four sensors and thus more than four haptic feedback devices (108), see Fig. 1 and Fig. 4:108, [0011], [0018]).
Goldenberg teaches a system for controlling haptic sensations of a vibrotactile feedback device used with a host computer running a video game, in which kinesthetic force effects are mapped to vibrotactile (vibration) effects output to the user, and in which the vibrotactile device may take the form of a handheld steering wheel (see [0040]). Goldenberg further teaches that a force may be mapped to a vibration having a magnitude in proportion to the current velocity of the controlled object, such as a vehicle, in the context of a driving/racing game (see [0087] – [0089]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the steering wheel of Plavetich et al. with a plurality of haptic feedback devices around the entire steering wheel in view of Nelson as it would allow the user to receive gaming feedback regardless where their hands are located on the wheel and further configured the controller of Playetich et al. to increase the vibration of the steering wheel haptic feedback as a function of the virtual velocity of the in-game vehicle in view of Goldenberg in order to provide the player with realistic, intuitive feedback reflecting the speed of the simulated vehicle and to create greater sensory immersion within the simulated/virtual environment.
As per claims 12 - 13, Plavetich et al. does not expressly disclose the plurality of haptic feedback devices includes at least four haptic feedback devices distributed along the length of the steering wheel and the at least four haptic feedback devices are evenly distributed along the length of the steering wheel.
Nelson teaches a haptic steering wheel, wherein the plurality of haptic feedback devices are embedded evenly all around the steering wheel that provide a vibration feedback (the haptic feedback are placed in between each sensor (107), Fig, 1 shows more than 4 sensors, therefore more than 4 haptic feedback devices (108), see Fig.1 and 4:108, [0011], [0018]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the steering wheel of Plavetich et al. with a plurality of haptic feedback devices around the entire steering wheel in view of Nelson as it would allow the user to receive gaming feedback regardless where their hands are located on the wheel.
As per claim 14, Plavetich et al. does not expressly disclose each of the plurality of haptic feedback devices comprises one of an eccentric motor and a voice activated motor.
Nelson teaches a haptic steering wheel, wherein the plurality of haptic feedback devices are embedded evenly all around the steering wheel that provide a vibration feedback (the haptic feedback are placed in between each sensor (107), Fig, 1 shows more than 4 sensors, therefore more than 4 haptic feedback devices (108), see Fig.1 and 4:108, [0011], [0018]). Further, the haptic device includes a vibration motor or the like (e.g., a coil or speaker mechanism) that may be controlled by the controller in order to provide vibrations of a specified strength and/or frequency specified for a haptic alert or message (see [0013]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the steering wheel of Plavetich et al. with a plurality of haptic feedback devices around the entire steering wheel in view of Nelson as it would allow the user to receive gaming feedback regardless where their hands are located on the wheel.
As per claims 16 – 19, the instant claims are a method in which corresponds to the vehicle of claims 1 – 6 and the vehicle of claim 11. Therefore, it is rejected for the reasons set forth above.
As per claim 20, Plavetich et al. discloses the video images are displayed on the display mounted in a cabin interior of the motor vehicle (see Fig. 1)
Claims 7 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Plavetich et al. (US Pub. No. 2007/0149284 A1) in view of Nelson (US Pub. No. 2015/0307022 A1) and Goldenberg et al. (US Pub. No. 2009/0278819 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Meroux et al. (US Pub. No. 2023/0112471 A1).
As per claims 7 and 15, Plavetich et al. in view of Nelson and Goldenberg et al. does not expressly disclose an infotainment input for providing a user input to the video game.
Meroux et al. teaches a shared ride hail service platform gaming experience, wherein the automotive computer may connect with the infotainment system. The infotainment system may further include multiple interfaces provided throughout the interior of the vehicle such that the first and second user(s), etc., may interact with the ride hail game system by receiving game messages en route, by receiving user feedback and inputs during the trip, and by providing other infotainment services (see Fig. 1 and [0050]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have implemented various touchscreen infotainment system of Meroux et al. to the in-vehicle gaming system of Plavetich et al. as it would allow the user to provide additional input commands during gameplay.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Plavetich et al. (US Pub. No. 2007/0149284 A1) in view of Nelson (US Pub. No. 2015/0307022 A1) and Goldenberg et al. (US Pub. No. 2009/0278819 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Balcombe (US Pub. No. 2022/0024395 A1).
As per claim 10, Plavetich et al. in view of Nelson and Goldenberg et al. does not expressly disclose a seat having a plurality of seat mounted haptic feedback devices in the seat.
Balcombe teaches an autonomous driving system for a racing car, wherein haptic feedback interfaces are integrated into the seat and seat belts (see [0129]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have implemented haptic feedback devices in the driver seat of Balcombe to the in-vehicle gaming system of Plavetich et al. as it would allow the user to receive realistic driving feedback while playing the game.
Claims 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Plavetich et al. (US Pub. No. 2007/0149284 A1) in view of Nelson (US Pub. No. 2015/0307022 A1) and Goldenberg et al. (US Pub. No. 2009/0278819 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Braun et al. (US Pub. No. 2002/0080112 A1).
As per claims 21 and 22, Plavetich et al. in view of Nelson and Goldenberg et al. does not expressly disclose the controller further determines a video virtual crash and calculates a force and a position of the video virtual crash and provides the haptic feedback to vibrate based on the force and direction of the video virtual crash.
Braun et al. teaches a haptic feedback interface device for a video game having a plurality of actuators, wherein a collision of the user’s controlled vehicle with an object in the game (e.g., a barrier, see [0040]) is determined, and a directional vibration is output that indicates the direction of the collision and whose magnitude corresponds to the severity (force) of the collision (e.g., when the user’s vehicle in the game crashes into a barrier on the left, the left actuator outputs a stronger vibration to indicate the direction of the collision, see [0040]); the division of vibration magnitude between actuators determines the perceived location of the output force, and the magnitude of the output may be based on the severity of the collision (see [0008], [0040], [0041]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have configured the controller of Plavetich et al. in view of Nelson and Goldenberg et al. to determine a virtual crash in the video game and to provide vibration of the steering-wheel haptic feedback devices based on the force and direction of the crash in view of Braun et al. in order to provide the player with a more realistic and informative collision sensation that conveys both the severity and the direction of the in-game crash, thereby enhancing immersion.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 – 7, 10 – 20 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to all of the references being used in the current rejection. Applicant's arguments directed to Plavetich et al. in view of Nelson have been addressed as part of the rejection of the claims. Examiner directs Applicant to the teachings of Goldenberg et al. Goldenberg teaches a system for controlling haptic sensations of a vibrotactile feedback device used with a host computer running a video game, in which kinesthetic force effects are mapped to vibrotactile (vibration) effects output to the user, and in which the vibrotactile device may take the form of a handheld steering wheel and that a force may be mapped to a vibration having a magnitude in proportion to the current velocity of the controlled object, such as a vehicle, in the context of a driving/racing game.
Further, the amendments have overcome the 35 USC 112 rejection and the newly added claims (claim 21 and 22) have been rejected in view of Braun et al. (see new 35 USC 103 rejection above).
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 ANKIT B DOSHI whose telephone number is (571)270-7863. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri. ~8:30 - ~5:30.
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/ANKIT B DOSHI/Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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