Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/715,056

INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM AND INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD

Final Rejection §112
Filed
May 30, 2024
Examiner
ALATA, YASSIN
Art Unit
2426
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
OA Round
2 (Final)
66%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
2y 9m
To Grant
81%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 66% — above average
66%
Career Allow Rate
545 granted / 820 resolved
+8.5% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+14.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
45 currently pending
Career history
865
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
6.7%
-33.3% vs TC avg
§103
55.0%
+15.0% vs TC avg
§102
21.3%
-18.7% vs TC avg
§112
6.6%
-33.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 820 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
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 Arguments Applicant’s arguments, filed 10/09/2025, with respect to claims 1-13 and 15-21 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The previous rejection has been withdrawn. Claims 1-13 have been amended, claim 14 has been canceled and claims 15-21 have been newly added. Allowable Subject Matter The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art fails to neither disclose nor sufficiently suggest the combination of features as claimed and arranged by applicant. Specifically, the prior art does not disclose “in response to determining that the predetermined content is ready to play, rendering, on the display of the electronic device, the first avatar from the first virtual space into a second virtual space while the predetermined content is played; and in response to determining that the predetermined content is finished playing in the second virtual space, rendering, on the display of the electronic device, the first avatar from the second virtual space into a third virtual space after the predetermined content is played, wherein the first virtual space, the second virtual space, and the third virtual space are different from each other” as required by the independent claims. Claims 13-21 are allowed. 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. Claims 1 and 5 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 1 recites “in response to determining that the predetermined content is ready to play, rendering, on the display of the information processing system, the first avatar from the first virtual space into a second virtual space while the predetermined content is played while the predetermined content is played”. The last sentence is a duplicate. Claim 5 recites “the information processing system of claim 1, further comprising executing, by the information processing system, a first action that by the first avatar in the third virtual space only where the first avatar performed a second action performed in the second virtual space”. The highlighted portion is not clear. Conclusion THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 YASSIN ALATA whose telephone number is (571)270-5683. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7-4 ET. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nasser Goodarzi can be reached at 571-272-4195. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /YASSIN ALATA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2426
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

May 30, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 11, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §112
Sep 30, 2025
Examiner Interview Summary
Sep 30, 2025
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Oct 09, 2025
Response Filed
Jan 23, 2026
Final Rejection — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12604052
METHODS AND APPARATUS TO ASSOCIATE AUDIENCE MEMBERS WITH OVER-THE-TOP DEVICE MEDIA IMPRESSIONS
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12593016
ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE TONE MAPPING FOR A TELEVISION DISPLAY
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12581143
VIDEO STREAM DATA ACQUISITION METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 17, 2026
Patent 12574533
PROCESSING SENSOR DATA IN A CONTROL DEVICE BY MEANS OF LOSSY COMPRESSION
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 10, 2026
Patent 12568267
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE DATA FILE PLAYBACK
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 03, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
66%
Grant Probability
81%
With Interview (+14.5%)
2y 9m
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 820 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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