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 Preliminary Amendment
Examiner acknowledges receipt of amendment/arguments filed 05/08/2024. The arguments set forth are addressed herein below. Claims 1-19 remain pending, no Claims have been newly added, and no Claims have been currently canceled. Currently, Claims 16 and 19 have been amended. No new matter appears to have been entered.
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by LEA (US 2022/0379199 A1) (henceforth, “LEA”).
Regarding claims 1, 16, 18, and 19, LEA teaches a handheld video game controller, a kit of parts, a method, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer software, comprising:
one or more user-operable input elements (e.g., buttons 204 in Para. 18 and Fig. 2A);
control circuitry to generate controller data indicative of operation of one or more of the user-operable input elements (e.g., PCB 216 in Para. 19 and Fig. 2B); and
communication circuitry (e.g., communication interface 316 in Fig. 3);
wherein for a first communication mode, the communication circuitry is configured to transmit the controller data directly to a video game console as a destination device for the controller data (e.g., the game controller 200 may be configured to pair with the local gaming system 304 (i.e., a console) using a second communication protocol different than the first communication protocol in Para. 37); and
wherein for a second communication mode, the communication circuitry is configured to transmit the controller data via a plurality of networked devices to a video game processing device as the destination device for the controller data (e.g., the game controller 200 may be configured to pair with the WAP 310 using a third communication protocol, wherein, pairing with the WAP 310 may allow for the game controller to communicate with the remote cloud-based gaming system 312 without requiring an intermediate connection with a local gaming device in Para. 37-38).
Regarding claim 2, LEA teaches for the second communication mode, the communication circuitry is configured to transmit the controller data to a first networked device via a wired connection with the first networked device (e.g., wired connection in Para. 36).
Regarding claims 3 and 17, LEA teaches a receptacle connector to receive a plug connector associated with the first networked device (e.g., the communication interface 316 may further include physical ports (i.e., releasable attachment) to facilitate a wired connection in Para. 36).
Regarding claim 4, LEA teaches the first networked device is a wireless network adapter device comprising a wireless network interface controller for connecting to one or more of a router associated with a wireless local area network and a base station of a cellular network (e.g. WAP in Para. 122-124).
Regarding claim 5, LEA teaches a rechargeable power source, wherein the rechargeable power source is configured to provide power to the first networked device via the receptacle connector (e.g. WAP in Para. 122-124 and power source in Para. 32).
Regarding claim 6, LEA teaches for the second communication mode, the communication circuitry is configured to wirelessly transmit the controller data directly to a first networked device that is one selected from the list consisting of: a mobile device for connecting to at least one of a base station of a cellular network and a router or a local area network; the base station of the cellular network; the router of the wireless local area network; and a display device for connecting to the router of the wireless local area network (e.g., WAP in Para. 122-124 and Para. 57).
Regarding claim 7, LEA teaches the video game processing device is one of a remote server device and a remote video game console (e.g., remote computing system, such as the remote cloud-based gaming system Para. 27 and Para. 30).
Regarding claim 8, LEA teaches the handheld video game controller is configured to store an identifier for identifying the remote video game console, the remote video game console having been previously used with the handheld video game controller (e.g., identifier information and pairing in Para. 41-43).
Regarding claim 9, LEA teaches for the second communication mode, the communication circuitry is configured to transmit the controller data using packets each specifying the identifier for identifying the remote video game console so that the controller data is transmitted via the plurality of networked devices to the remote video game console having been previously used with the handheld video game controller (e.g., identifier information and pairing in Para. 41, Para. 30, Para. 38-40).
Regarding claim 10, LEA teaches for the second communication mode, the communication circuitry is configured to: transmit one or more test signals to a plurality of candidate destination devices for the controller data, each candidate destination device being one of a remote server device and a video game console; and receive one or more response signals from one or more of the plurality of candidate destination devices in response to the test signals, and wherein the control circuitry is configured to select a respective candidate destination device as the destination device for the controller data in dependence on one or more of the response signals (e.g., pairing and determining an error in pairing in Para. 82-83).
Regarding claim 11, LEA teaches the control circuitry is configured to select the respective candidate destination device associated with a response signal having a shortest response time as the destination device for the controller data (e.g., pairing short-cuts in Para. 68).
Regarding claim 12, LEA teaches the handheld video game controller is configured to operate according to the first communication mode in response to a first operation of one or more of the user-operable input elements, and the handheld video game controller is configured to operate according to the second communication mode in response to a second operation of one or more of the user-operable input elements (e.g., pairing in Para. 12-16 and user input in Para. 67).
Regarding claim 13, LEA teaches the handheld video game controller is configured to wirelessly transmit one or more packets for attempting to directly connect the handheld video game controller with a video game console, and the handheld video game controller is configured to operate according to the second communication mode in response to an absence of a response to the one or more packets within a predetermined period of time (e.g., pairing controller between local and remote systems in Figs. 7-10).
Regarding claim 14, LEA teaches for the first communication mode, the communication circuitry is configured to transmit the controller data according to a first wireless communication protocol, and for the second communication mode, the communication circuitry is configured to transmit the controller data according to a second wireless communication protocol, wherein communication according to the first wireless communication protocol has a shorter range than communication according to the second wireless communication protocol (e.g., protocols in Para. 37-38).
Regarding claim 15, LEA teaches for the second communication mode, the communication circuitry is configured to receive one or more of haptic data and audio data from the video game processing device, the handheld video game controller comprising one or more of a haptic interface comprising one or more actuators to provide a haptic interaction in response to the haptic data and an audio output device to output audio in response to the audio data (e.g., haptic and audible in Paras. 47, 54, 82, 91, and 99).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure and is listed on the attached Notice of References Cited.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHASE E LEICHLITER whose telephone number is (571)270-7109. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9-5).
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/CHASE E LEICHLITER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715