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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This non-final office action is in response to the Application filed on 04/24/2024, which is a 371 of PCT/JP2021/040589 Filing Date 11/04/2021.
Claim(s) 1-8 are pending for examination. Claim(s) 1, 7, 8 is/are independent claim(s).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Schwesig; Carsten et al. US Pub. No. 2008/0303799 (Schwesig).
Claim 1:
Schwesig teaches:
A pseudo haptic sense presentation apparatus comprising:
a visual object update processing circuitry that visually changes a visual object by a magnitude of visual change of the visual object according to a manipulation based on a motion of a body part on the basis of manipulation information indicating the manipulation and information indicating a relationship between the magnitude of visual change and a manipulation amount based on the manipulation [¶ 0089-99] (FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B, and FIG. 7C are diagrams for explaining the change in the size of the virtual button caused in response to applied pressure or a finger); and
an output processing circuitry that outputs information for presenting the visually changed visual object [¶ 0084] (Fig. 5C, softbutton K1 in the center, has a slightly larger size than the other soft buttons 31 to be highlighted. Note that highlight displaying can be realized, instead of changing the size of a softbutton, by displaying the softbutton inverted, raising the luminance to display the softbutton brighter, or when the display screen displays color, by changing the color of the softbutton),
wherein the relationship is defined at least according to a degree of a pseudo haptic sense to be presented [¶ 0100-104] (in FIG. 8, the intensity of pressure is divided into three regions, and in respective regions, how to change the size of a virtual button is set) [¶ 0106-107] (FIG. 9, the size of the virtual button linearly changes from the initial value as the intensity of the pressure increases) [¶ 0108-111] (FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, the size of a virtual button gradually changes in a curved line).
Claim 2:
Schwesig teaches:
The pseudo haptic sense presentation apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein
the magnitude of visual change of the visual object corresponds to a magnitude of change of at least one of a size, a shape, a luminance, a color, or a pattern of the visual object [¶ 0089-99] (FIG. 7A, FIG. 7B, and FIG. 7C are diagrams for explaining the change in the size of the virtual button caused in response to applied pressure or a finger), and
the visual object update processing circuitry changes at least one of a size, a shape, a luminance, a color, or a pattern of the visual object [¶ 0084] (Fig. 5C, softbutton K1 in the center, has a slightly larger size than the other soft buttons 31 to be highlighted. Note that highlight displaying can be realized, instead of changing the size of a softbutton, by displaying the softbutton inverted, raising the luminance to display the softbutton brighter, or when the display screen displays color, by changing the color of the softbutton).
Claim 3:
Schwesig teaches:
The pseudo haptic sense presentation apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein
the relationship is a ratio of a change in the magnitude of change to a change in the manipulation amount [¶ 0109-110] (FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, the size of a virtual button gradually changes in a curved line, the change in the size of the virtual button is relatively small while the pressure is relatively small, and the change ratio of the size of the virtual button gradually increases),
the ratio in a case where an index representing the degree of the pseudo haptic sense is a first index value is a first value [¶ 0100-104] (in FIG. 8, the intensity of pressure is divided into three regions, and in respective regions, how to change the size of a virtual button is set), and
the ratio in a case where the index is a second index value different from the first index value is a second value different from the first value [¶ 0100-104] (in FIG. 8, the intensity of pressure is divided into three regions, and in respective regions, how to change the size of a virtual button is set).
Claim 4:
Schwesig teaches:
The pseudo haptic sense presentation apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein
a degree of the pseudo haptic sense represented by the first index value is greater than a degree of the pseudo haptic sense represented by the second index value [¶ 0109-110] (FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, the size of a virtual button gradually changes in a curved line, the change in the size of the virtual button is relatively small while the pressure is relatively small, and the change ratio of the size of the virtual button gradually increases), and
the first value is smaller than the second value [¶ 0100-104] (in FIG. 8, the intensity of pressure is divided into three regions, and in respective regions, how to change the size of a virtual button is set).
Claim 5:
Schwesig teaches:
The pseudo haptic sense presentation apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein
the manipulation amount changes from a first manipulation amount to a second manipulation amount and/or the manipulation amount changes from the second manipulation amount to the first manipulation amount according to the manipulation [¶ 0100-104] (in FIG. 8, the intensity of pressure is divided into three regions, and in respective regions, how to change the size of a virtual button is set),
the first manipulation amount is different from the second manipulation amount,
the ratio when the manipulation amount is the first manipulation amount is a third value [¶ 0109-110] (FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, the size of a virtual button gradually changes in a curved line, the change in the size of the virtual button is relatively small while the pressure is relatively small, and the change ratio of the size of the virtual button gradually increases), and
the ratio when the manipulation amount is the second manipulation amount is a fourth value different from the third value [¶ 0100-104] (in FIG. 8, the intensity of pressure is divided into three regions, and in respective regions, how to change the size of a virtual button is set) [¶ 0106-107] (FIG. 9, the size of the virtual button linearly changes from the initial value as the intensity of the pressure increases) [¶ 0108-111] (FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, the size of a virtual button gradually changes in a curved line).
Claim 6:
Schwesig teaches:
The pseudo haptic sense presentation apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
the first manipulation amount is greater than the second manipulation amount [¶ 0109-110] (FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, the size of a virtual button gradually changes in a curved line, the change in the size of the virtual button is relatively small while the pressure is relatively small, and the change ratio of the size of the virtual button gradually increases), and
the third value is smaller than the fourth value, or the third value is greater than the fourth value [¶ 0100-104] (in FIG. 8, the intensity of pressure is divided into three regions, and in respective regions, how to change the size of a virtual button is set) [¶ 0106-107] (FIG. 9, the size of the virtual button linearly changes from the initial value as the intensity of the pressure increases) [¶ 0108-111] (FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, the size of a virtual button gradually changes in a curved line).
Claim(s) 7-8:
Claim(s) 7 and 8 is/are substantially similar to claim 1 and is/are rejected using the same prior art and the same reason, rationale and/or motivation as used above.
Claim 1 is a “apparatus” claim, claim 7 is a “method” claim, and claim 8 is a “medium” claim, but the steps or elements of each claim are essentially the same.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Please See PTO-892: Notice of References Cited.
Evidence of the level skill of an ordinary person in the art for Claim 1:
FLEUREAU; Julien et al. US 20170076489 teaches: Pseudo-haptics, distortion; In steady state or for a constant pressure P.sub.z[x,y,t]=P.sub.0, the displacement E.sub.z[x,y,t], converges to the value P.sub.0/K that is proportional to the force.
Chen; Pohung et al. US 20150227210 teaches: pseudo-haptic feedback, a haptic-like feedback or perception of different physical properties of the virtual objects using one or more of the human senses (e.g., visual or aural); virtual object 302 directly or inversely proportionates a physical attribute of the feeler proximity-pressure indicator 202 such as its color, shape, size, or opacity.
Wilson; Andrew D. US 20110261083 teaches: deform; ; deformation could be triggered by users digging their fingers into the terrain, using their whole hands to form valleys, or using a cupping gesture to create elevations; the forces are proportional to the displacement.
DANIEAU FABIEN et al. EP 3495922 teaches: graphical object might vibrate according to roughness, or may be deformed according to stickiness. elasticity, stiffness, softness, i.e. the relationship between pressure and deformation
Huang; Da-Yuan et al. US 20220269404teaches: haptic illusion, value of the generated force data may be proportional to the magnitude of the applied force.
Domenikos; Steven D. et al. US 20190171291 teaches: pseudo-haptic effects that may include sound and heat, when appropriate, and visual feedback, such as object deformation when touched.
Dellon; Brian et al. US 20110043537 teaches: pseudo-haptic where a color of the final target changes from red to green and then to blue, to give the subject a sense of velocity feedback.
Citations to Prior Art
A reference to specific paragraphs, columns, pages, or figures in a cited prior art reference is not limited to preferred embodiments or any specific examples. It is well settled that a prior art reference, in its entirety, must be considered for all that it expressly teaches and fairly suggests to one having ordinary skill in the art. Stated differently, a prior art disclosure reading on a limitation of Applicant's claim cannot be ignored on the ground that other embodiments disclosed were instead cited. Therefore, the Examiner's citation to a specific portion of a single prior art reference is not intended to exclusively dictate, but rather, to demonstrate an exemplary disclosure commensurate with the specific limitations being addressed. In re Heck, 699 F.2d 1331, 1332-33,216 USPQ 1038, 1039 (Fed. Cir. 1983) (quoting In re Lemelson, 397 F.2d 1006, 1009, 158 USPQ 275, 277 (CCPA 1968". In re: Upsher-Smith Labs. v. Pamlab, LLC, 412 F.3d 1319, 1323,75 USPQ2d 1213,1215 (Fed. Cir. 2005); In re Fritch, 972 F.2d 1260, 1264,23 USPQ2d 1780, 1782 (Fed. Cir. 1992); Merck & Co. v. Biocraft Labs., Inc., 874 F.2d 804, 807,10 USPQ2d 1843, 1846 (Fed. Cir. 1989); In re Fracalossi, 681 F.2d 792,794 n.1, 215 USPQ 569, 570 n.1 (CCPA 1982); In re Lamberti, 545 F.2d 747, 750, 192 USPQ 278, 280 (CCPA 1976); In re Bozek, 416 F.2d 1385,1390,163 USPQ 545, 549 (CCPA 1969).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN J SMITH whose telephone number is (571)270-3825. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 11:00 - 7:30 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ADAM QUELER can be reached at (571) 272-4140. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Benjamin Smith/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2172 Direct Phone: 571-270-3825
Direct Fax: 571-270-4825
Email: benjamin.smith@uspto.gov
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