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 Amendment
The objections to the claims have been withdrawn in view of the applicants amendments filed on 08/04/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robinson (U.S. Pub. No. 20190170510) in view of Dryer et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 20240011764) and Terui et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 20030037455).
Regarding claim 1, Robinson discloses a method for measuring a dimension by using an augmented reality space generated by superimposing a virtual space on a real space (para 1, “Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) visualization systems are starting to enter the mainstream consumer electronics marketplace. AR Head-Mounted Display (HMD) devices are one promising use of such technology. These devices may include transparent display elements that enable a user to see virtual content transposed over the user's view of the real-world. Virtual content that appears to be superimposed over the user's real-world view is commonly referred to as AR content. Displayed AR objects are often referred to as "holographic" objects.”; also, para 2, “AR systems may be used for measuring real-world structures, however, improvements in AR measurement systems may be desired.”; also, para 26, “The present disclosure relates to using fiducial markers on a measurement tool to directly identify a measurement, and/or to validate and/or improve an accuracy of a dimension of a real-world object measured by an AR system, such as an HMD device.”), the augmented reality space being generated by processing a video taken by a camera by a processing unit and displaying the video on a transparent screen (para 29, “In this example, the HMD device 20 includes a headband 21, by which the HMD device 20 can be worn on a user's head. Attached to the headband 21 (directly or indirectly) is a transparent protective visor 22 that encloses one or more transparent AR display devices 23, each of which can overlay holographic images on the user's view of his real-world environment, for one or both eyes (e.g., by projecting light into the user's eyes).”; also, para 30, “one or more visible spectrum video cameras 30 for use in capturing standard video of what the user sees.”; also, para 78, “the functional components of the HMD device 20 include one or more instance of each of the following: a main processor 121, memory 122, transparent display device 123, depth camera controller 124, head tracking cameras controller 125, video camera controller 126, communication device 127, and audio subsystem 128, all coupled together (directly or indirectly) by an interconnect 129.”), the dimension being measured by measuring a distance between one real measurement point and another real measurement point by using a gauge including a first probe that is brought into abutment against the one real measurement point and a second probe that is brought into abutment against another real measurement point (para 26, “The measurement tool may include a first tool member having a first plurality of fiducial markers that indicate a position of a first point in space relative to the first tool member, and a second tool member movable relative to the first tool member and having a second plurality of fiducial markers. Each of the second plurality of fiducial markers indicates a respective position of one of a plurality of second points in space relative to the second tool member.”; also, para 36, “Additionally, each measurement tool 100 and 101 may include a corner or point 306. The point 306 is used to identify particular position or location to generate a particular vertex in the digital space. When the point 306 is placed on a real-world location, the HMD device 20 includes programming to generate a digital vertex (e.g., a vertex of a holographic image) at that location.”; also, para 59, “the user may place the first tool member 102 along the step 904, and align the tip or point 306 of the first tool member 102 with a top surface 910 of the step 904 to measure the height 908 of the step 806. Specifically, the coordinates of the vertex identified by the point 306 of the first tool member 102, as determined based on identification of one or more of the first set of fiducial markers 108, may be used to calculate the height 908, e.g., relative to a corresponding point on the top of the step 902 and/or relative to a line or plane corresponding to the top of the step 902.”), first marker portion included in the first gauge portion (para 28, “In particular, each of the first and second tool members 102 and 104 includes a respective set of fiducial markers 108 and 110, where combinations of fiducial markers or individual fiducial markers correspond to one or more points or edges each having a known position on the first and second tool members 102 and 104.”; also, para 34, “Notably, each measurement tool 100 and 101 includes first tool member 102 having the first set of fiducial markers 108 for determining a position used in a measurement, and relatively movable second tool member 104 having the second set of fiducial markers 110, one or more of which correspond to a known measurement value (e.g., a distance or angle) relative to a point or edge of the second tool member 104, for validating or modifying the position as determined using first tool member 102.”), second marker portion included in the second gauge portion (para 28, “In particular, each of the first and second tool members 102 and 104 includes a respective set of fiducial markers 108 and 110, where combinations of fiducial markers or individual fiducial markers correspond to one or more points or edges each having a known position on the first and second tool members 102 and 104.”; also, para 34, “Notably, each measurement tool 100 and 101 includes first tool member 102 having the first set of fiducial markers 108 for determining a position used in a measurement, and relatively movable second tool member 104 having the second set of fiducial markers 110, one or more of which correspond to a known measurement value (e.g., a distance or angle) relative to a point or edge of the second tool member 104, for validating or modifying the position as determined using first tool member 102.”; also, para 42, “Further, for instance, the second tool member 104 includes the second set of fiducial markers 110, each of which may be unique and may indicate a measurement value, such as a distance from point 306 (or edge 308) on the second tool member 104.”), in the virtual space, one virtual measurement point corresponding to the real measurement point, another virtual measurement point corresponding to the other real measurement point, a virtual first probe corresponding to the first probe in the real space, and (para 70, “Referring to FIG. 13, an image 1300 represents at least a portion of a holographic schematic 114 is overlaid on the real-world structure 106. In this case, the real-world structure 106 is a staircase. Overlaid on top of the staircase is a holographic schematic 114 including a number of virtual vertices 40, virtual edges 42 connecting virtual vertices 40, and virtual surfaces 44 bounded by the virtual edges 42.”; also, para 36, “When the point 306 is placed on a real-world location, the HMD device 20 includes programming to generate a digital vertex (e.g., a vertex of a holographic image) at that location.”), gauge including a cylindrical first gauge portion including the first probe disposed on a distal end of the first gauge portion, a cylindrical second gauge portion including the second probe disposed a distal end of the second gauge portion that is opposite the distal end of the first gauge portion, a virtual second probe corresponding to the second probe in the real space, the method comprising: a first step of determine whether the virtual first probe is in contact with the one virtual measurement point; and a second step of determine whether the virtual second probe is in contact with the other virtual measurement point.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Dryer discloses a virtual second probe corresponding to the second probe in the real space (para 236, “User interface 5006 includes a live preview of the field of view of at least one of one or more cameras of device 100”; also, para 236, “At least one camera continuously provides a live preview of contents that are within the field of view the camera, which may include one or more physical objects in physical space 5000 (e.g., table 5002).”; also, para 237, “In some embodiments, user interface 5006 includes one or more user interface elements for user interaction with the augmented reality environment. For example, in FIG. 5A, user interface 5006 includes reticle 5010 that indicates an area for user interaction with the augmented reality environment. In some embodiments, reticle 5010 includes focus point 5012 that indicates a particular point for user interaction. In some embodiments, user interface 5006 includes measurement addition button 5014 that is used for adding new measurements (e.g., new measurement points, new measurement segments, and/or new measurement regions) to user interface 5006 (e.g., as described in more detail herein). In some embodiments, reticle 5010 and focus point 5012 together form a measurement-point-creation indicator that indicates a location at which a new measurement will be added in response to activation of measurement addition button 5014.”), the method comprising: a first step of determine whether the virtual first probe is in contact with the one virtual measurement point (para 380, “While displaying the representation of the field of view (806), the electronic device determines (808) an anchor point at a location in the representation of the field of view that corresponds to a first location in the three-dimensional space. In some embodiments, the electronic device determines a plurality of anchor points that correspond to a plurality of locations in the three-dimensional space, such as a corner of a physical object in the three-dimensional space, points along an edge of a physical object in the three-dimensional space, or the like.”; also, para 381, “While displaying the representation of the field of view (806), as at least one of the one or more cameras move, and while the measurement-point-creation indicator (or at least a portion thereof) is over (or proximate to) the anchor point, the electronic device changes (810) a visual appearance of the measurement-point-creation indicator to indicate that a (virtual) measurement point will be added at the anchor point if a touch input meets first criteria”); and a second step of determine whether the virtual second probe is in contact with the other virtual measurement point (para 250, “In response to the movement of device 100 such that reticle 5010 and focus point 5012 are positioned over a different location in physical space 5000, measurement segment 5048 is displayed between measurement point 5042 (the most-recently-added measurement point) and focus point 5012. Measurement segment 5048 is displayed with label 5049 that indicates a distance between the point in physical space 5000 corresponding to measurement point 5042 and the point in physical space 5000 corresponding to focus point 5012 (e.g., "3 ft")”; also, para 251, “In response to the activation of measurement addition button 5014, device 100 adds and displays (virtual) measurement point 5054 in user interface 5006 at a current location of focus point 5012 and as the second endpoint of measurement segment 5048.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Robinson's invention of a method for measuring a dimension by using an augmented reality space generated by superimposing a virtual space on a real space, the augmented reality space being generated by processing a video taken by a camera by a processing unit and displaying the video on a transparent screen, the dimension being measured by measuring a distance between one real measurement point and another real measurement point by using a gauge including a first probe brought into abutment against the one real measurement point and a second probe brought into abutment against another real measurement point, with a first marker portion and a second marker portion included in the gauge portions, and in the virtual space one virtual measurement point, another virtual measurement point, and a virtual first probe being displayed, with the features of Dryer's invention of a virtual second probe corresponding to the second probe in the real space, a first step of determining whether the virtual first probe is in contact with the one virtual measurement point, and a second step of determining whether the virtual second probe is in contact with the another virtual measurement point. The combination would have been obvious because Robinson registers a vertex when the point 306 of a tool member is placed on a real-world location, but shows the user no virtual element that confirms which real point the head-mounted display has registered as a virtual measurement point, and Dryer supplies exactly that confirmation in the same augmented reality measurement field: Dryer's measurement-point-creation indicator displayed over the live preview of the field of view indicates a location at which a new measurement will be added, and while that indicator is over or proximate to the anchor point the electronic device changes its visual appearance to indicate that a virtual measurement point will be added at the anchor point, which is an in-augmented-reality cue that the contact between the virtual probe and the virtual measurement point has been recognized by the system and which reduces user input errors when placing measurement vertices on Robinson's holographic schematic. Dryer further teaches a two-endpoint workflow in which a first measurement point and a second measurement point are placed sequentially and measurement segment 5048 is displayed connecting them with a label indicating the distance between the corresponding points in physical space, which matches the dimension-between-two-probes measurement model already used by Robinson's measurement tool 100 with first tool member 102 and second tool member 104, so that applying Dryer's indicator-over-anchor determination to each of Robinson's two probe contacts in turn yields the predictable result of a displayed virtual second probe and a per-probe determination of contact with the corresponding virtual measurement point.
Terui discloses the gauge including a cylindrical first gauge portion including the first probe disposed on a distal end of the first gauge portion (para 63, “The first spindle 11 has a first spindle sheath 12 having external thread 13 substantially on the entire outer circumference thereof and a probe 15 integrally formed on the tip end on the first end side of the first spindle sheath 12. The diameter of the probe 15 is smaller than the diameter of the first spindle sheath 12.”; also, para 66, “The thimble 20 is of cylindrical shape having a through-hole 21 parallel to the cylinder axis thereof, which has a thin first cylinder 22 covering a part of the cylinder 2 from the first end side to the second end side and having an inner diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of the cylinder 2, and a thick second cylinder 24 covering the probe 15 of the first spindle 11 from the first end side of the cylinder 2 and having an inner diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the probe 15.”; also, para 60, “As shown in FIG. 2, the inside micrometer body 1 has a cylinder 2 having a through-hole 3 with an internal thread 4 being formed on the inner circumference thereof, a first spindle 11 screwed to the internal thread 4 of the cylinder 2 to be axially advanceable and retractable from a first end side of the through-hole 3 of the cylinder 2, and a thimble 20 integrally rotatable with the first spindle 11 and provided on the outside of the cylinder 2.”), a cylindrical second gauge portion including the second probe disposed a distal end of the second gauge portion that is opposite the distal end of the first gauge portion (para 60, “As shown in FIG. 2, the inside micrometer body 1 has a cylinder 2 having a through-hole 3 with an internal thread 4 being formed on the inner circumference thereof, a first spindle 11 screwed to the internal thread 4 of the cylinder 2 to be axially advanceable and retractable from a first end side of the through-hole 3 of the cylinder 2, and a thimble 20 integrally rotatable with the first spindle 11 and provided on the outside of the cylinder 2.”; also, para 61, “A setscrew 5 having a knob at the top thereof and a support knob 6 having holding portion on the circumference thereof are screwed on the outer circumference of a second end (opposite to the first end) side of the cylinder 2.”; also, para 68, “The anvil 30 has a long stick-shaped body of which diameter on the first end side has the same diameter as the opening 3C on the second end side of the through-hole 3 of the cylinder 2, where a step 31 which increases diameter is formed on the halfway from the first end side to the second end side of the anvil 30 and a probe 32 is provided at the tip end of the second end side.”; also, para 81, “Initially, when the anvil 30 is attached to the inside micrometer body 1 in measurement, the setscrew 5 of the cylinder 2 is loosened to insert an end of the anvil 30 from the opening 3C of the cylinder 2 until it is stopped by the step 31, which is thereafter fixed by screwing the setscrew 5.”; also, para 84, “By bringing an end of the second spindle 58 and the probe 32 of the anvil 30 into contact with the workpiece, the dimension of the target portion of the workpiece can be measured.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Robinson in view of Dryer, in which a head-mounted display measures a distance between two real measurement points using a two-member fiducial-marker gauge whose first tool member and second tool member each carry a set of fiducial markers and a point 306 that is placed on a real-world location, and in which virtual measurement points and virtual probes are displayed and the contact of each virtual probe with its virtual measurement point is determined, with the features of Terui's invention of a cylindrical first gauge portion including the first probe disposed on a distal end of the first gauge portion and a cylindrical second gauge portion including the second probe disposed on a distal end of the second gauge portion that is opposite the distal end of the first gauge portion. The combination would have been obvious because Robinson measures a linear distance 320 between point 322 and point 324 by placing the end 306 of the first tool member at one point after the position of the other point was previously determined by the same tool, so that the two real measurement points of one dimension are contacted in separate placements, whereas Terui's inside micrometer, a dimension-measuring hand gauge in the same field of measuring a dimension of a real-world object, carries its two contact elements on opposite ends of one instrument, at one end the probe 15 integrally formed on the tip end on the first end side of the first spindle 11, which is covered by the thimble 20 of cylindrical shape that rotates integrally with the spindle, and at the other end the probe 32 provided at the tip end of the second end side of the anvil 30, which is inserted into the opening 3C at the second end of the cylinder 2, opposite to the first end, and fixed there by the setscrew 5, and Terui measures the dimension of the target portion of the workpiece by bringing the spindle-side end and the probe 32 of the anvil into contact with the workpiece at once. Robinson expressly leaves the connector between its tool members and their relative movement open, stating that the connector may be a pin, a rivet, a hinge, or a screw and nut and that the geometric reference by which the head-mounted display identifies the relative positioning of the two members may include any other structure or marking identifiable by the head-mounted display, and Terui's first spindle is screwed into the internal thread of the cylinder, which is that screw-and-nut form of relative movement, so giving Robinson's first and second tool members the cylindrical, oppositely-probed form of Terui's thimble-and-spindle unit screwed into one end of the cylinder 2 and Terui's cylinder 2 with the anvil 30 clamped in its opposite end is a substitution of one known gauge geometry for another within the range Robinson itself contemplates. Because Robinson identifies the position of a point of each tool member from the set of fiducial markers carried on that member, which have a known position on the member, placing Robinson's first set of fiducial markers on Terui's cylindrical first gauge portion and Robinson's second set of fiducial markers on the cylindrical second gauge portion lets the head-mounted display locate each of the two opposed probes from the marker set on its own portion, and the predictable result is that a dimension between two facing real measurement points is measured in a single placement of the gauge with both probe positions read by the head-mounted display, which is a direct improvement of Robinson's stated purpose of measuring dimensions of real-world structures with a fiducial-marker tool.
Regarding claim 2, Robinson as modified by Dryer and Terui discloses the method for measuring a dimension by using an augmented reality space according to claim 1, wherein in the virtual space, the virtual first probe is displayed based on information on the first marker portion, and the virtual second probe is displayed based on information on the second marker portion (Robinson: para 35, “Further common features may include, for example, each measurement tool 100 or 101 having a number of fiducial markers 302. Each of the fiducial markers 302 may be unique such that the HMD device 20 is able to identify an orientation and/or a position of the respective first or second tool member 102 and 104 of the respective measurement tool 100 or 101 from recognition of relatively few (e.g., 5) or even a single one of the fiducial markers 302.”; also, para 36, “When the point 306 is placed on a real-world location, the HMD device 20 includes programming to generate a digital vertex (e.g., a vertex of a holographic image) at that location.”; also, para 70, “Referring to FIG. 13, an image 1300 represents at least a portion of a holographic schematic 114 is overlaid on the real-world structure 106. In this case, the real-world structure 106 is a staircase. Overlaid on top of the staircase is a holographic schematic 114 including a number of virtual vertices 40, virtual edges 42 connecting virtual vertices 40, and virtual surfaces 44 bounded by the virtual edges 42.”).
Regarding claim 3, Robinson as modified by Dryer and Terui discloses the method for measuring a dimension by using an augmented reality space according to claim 1, one virtual measurement point is in contact with the virtual first probe, a size of the one virtual measurement point displayed is gradually reduced in the virtual space.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Dryer discloses wherein, when the one virtual measurement point is in contact with the virtual first probe, a size of the one virtual measurement point displayed is gradually reduced in the virtual space (para 245, “the visual appearances of reticle 5010 and focus point 5012 are changed. In particular, focus point 5012 has been moved (e.g., vertically downward) to, or "snapped" to, a point along edge 5030. In addition, a size of reticle 5010 is reduced to indicate that focus point 5012 has snapped to a detected feature in the live preview. In some embodiments, reticle 5010 is displayed at the size shown in FIG. 5H whenever focus point 5012 is snapped to a detected feature in the live preview. In some embodiments, the visual appearances of reticle 5010 and focus point 5012 are changed when focus point 5012 snaps to a detected feature in the live preview that corresponds to an edge or a corner of a physical object in the field of view of the camera.”; also, para 247, “The size of reticle 5010 is decreased to indicate the snapping behavior (e.g., to the same size shown in and described above with reference to FIG. 5H).”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Robinson in view of Dryer and Terui, in which a head-mounted display measures a distance between two real measurement points with a fiducial-marker gauge having a cylindrical first gauge portion and a cylindrical second gauge portion whose probes sit on opposite distal ends, displays the virtual measurement points and the virtual first and second probes, and determines whether each virtual probe is in contact with its virtual measurement point, with the features of Dryer's invention of reducing the displayed size of an augmented reality element when the measurement-point-creation indicator has snapped to a detected feature in the live preview. The combination would have been obvious because Dryer expressly teaches that a size of reticle 5010 is reduced to indicate that focus point 5012 has snapped to a detected feature in the live preview, which is a known visual-feedback mechanism for confirming, in real time, that the system has recognized contact between an indicator and a target point in an augmented reality measurement interface, and because Dryer teaches that the size at which the reticle is displayed is based on the distance between the device and the location over which the reticle is displayed, subject to a predefined minimum size and a predefined maximum size, so that applying this distance-dependent sizing during the approach of the virtual probe to the virtual measurement point produces a gradually decreasing displayed size as the contact condition is met rather than an abrupt change. Providing this gradual size-reduction feedback at the virtual measurement point side of the contact pair, rather than at the indicator side as in Dryer, is the predictable design choice that signals to the user which measurement point is being engaged, which is particularly useful in Robinson's workflow where the user is placing successive vertices at distinct real-world locations on a structure.
Regarding claim 4, Robinson as modified by Dryer and Terui discloses the method for measuring a dimension by using an augmented reality space according to claim 3, first step includes determining, when the one virtual measurement point reduced in size to a predetermined size is in contact with the virtual first probe, that contact between the virtual first probe and the one virtual measurement point is complete.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Dryer discloses wherein the first step includes determining, when the one virtual measurement point reduced in size to a predetermined size is in contact with the virtual first probe, that contact between the virtual first probe and the one virtual measurement point is complete (para 9, “in accordance with a determination that a first distance between the electronic device and the physical object is less than a first threshold distance, the first label is displayed at a first threshold size; in accordance with a determination that the first distance between the electronic device and the physical object is greater than a second threshold distance that is greater than the first threshold distance, the first label is displayed at a second threshold size that is smaller than the first threshold size; and in accordance with a determination that the first distance between the electronic device and the physical object is between the first threshold distance and the second threshold distance, the first label is displayed at a size, between the first threshold size and the second threshold size, that depends on the first distance between the electronic device and the physical object.”; also, para “In response to the activation of measurement addition button 5014, device 100 adds and displays (virtual) measurement point 5042 to user interface 5006 at a current location of focus point 5012.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Robinson in view of Dryer and Terui, in which a head-mounted display measures a distance between two real measurement points with a fiducial-marker gauge having a cylindrical first gauge portion and a cylindrical second gauge portion whose probes sit on opposite distal ends, displays the virtual measurement points and the virtual first and second probes, determines whether each virtual probe is in contact with its virtual measurement point, and gradually reduces the displayed size of the virtual measurement point that is in contact, with the features of Dryer's invention of using a threshold-based size criterion to gate a measurement-point-related state determination in an augmented reality measurement interface. The combination would have been obvious because Dryer expressly teaches that the displayed size of an augmented reality overlay element is set in accordance with a determination that a first distance between the electronic device and the physical object is less than a first threshold distance, demonstrating that distance-driven threshold size criteria are an accepted control mechanism in augmented reality measurement interfaces, and substituting that threshold size as the gating condition for declaring the contact complete in the first step of the modified system is no more than the predictable application of a known control technique. Gating the completion determination on a reduced-to-predetermined-size criterion implements a dwell-style confirmation that the user has held the virtual first probe over the one virtual measurement point long enough for the gradual size reduction of the virtual measurement point to reach the predetermined size, which prevents an accidental commit when the user only momentarily passes the virtual first probe over the virtual measurement point, and it provides an explicit, deterministic completion condition that Robinson's system would otherwise lack, because Robinson's existing workflow registers a vertex on real-probe contact alone and does not inform the user when an augmented reality contact between the virtual probe and the virtual measurement point should be treated as complete.
Regarding claim 5, Robinson as modified by Dryer and Terui the method for measuring a dimension by using an augment reality space according to claim 1, another virtual measurement point is in contact with the virtual second probe, a size of another virtual measurement point displayed is gradually reduced in the virtual space.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Dryer discloses wherein, when another virtual measurement point is in contact with the virtual second probe, a size of another virtual measurement point displayed is gradually reduced in the virtual space (para 245, “the visual appearances of reticle 5010 and focus point 5012 are changed. In particular, focus point 5012 has been moved (e.g., vertically downward) to, or "snapped" to, a point along edge 5030. In addition, a size of reticle 5010 is reduced to indicate that focus point 5012 has snapped to a detected feature in the live preview.”, also, para 251, “In response to the activation of measurement addition button 5014, device 100 adds and displays (virtual) measurement point 5054 in user interface 5006 at a current location of focus point 5012 and as the second endpoint of measurement segment 5048.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Robinson in view of Dryer and Terui, in which a head-mounted display measures a distance between two real measurement points with a fiducial-marker gauge having a cylindrical first gauge portion and a cylindrical second gauge portion whose probes sit on opposite distal ends, displays the virtual measurement points and the virtual first and second probes, and determines whether each virtual probe is in contact with its virtual measurement point, with the features of Dryer's invention of reducing the displayed size of an augmented reality overlay element when the measurement-point-creation indicator snaps to a detected feature, applied symmetrically to the second endpoint of the two-endpoint measurement workflow. The combination would have been obvious because Dryer expressly teaches that the same indicator-over-anchor visual feedback behavior governs the placement of both the first and second endpoints, as confirmed by Dryer's recital that device 100 adds and displays a virtual measurement point 5054 in user interface 5006 at a current location of focus point 5012 and as the second endpoint of measurement segment 5048, so that applying the same size-reduction feedback to the second virtual measurement point is the natural and symmetric extension of the same technique applied to the first virtual measurement point. Providing symmetric feedback at both endpoints means the user does not have to switch between two different mental models for confirming each endpoint, which directly addresses Dryer's express concern that conventional augmented reality measurement methods are cumbersome, inefficient, and limited, and the size-reduction operation is a standard graphics-pipeline operation already supported by the holographic rendering pipeline that Robinson's head-mounted display uses to draw virtual vertices 40 onto the holographic schematic 114, so applying it to the second virtual measurement point requires no architectural change.
Regarding claim 6, Robinson as modified by Dryer and Terui discloses the method for measuring a dimension by using an augmented reality space according to claim 5, second step includes determining, when another virtual measurement point reduced in size to a predetermined size is in contact with the virtual second probe, that contact between the virtual second probe and the other virtual measurement point is complete.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Dryer discloses wherein the second step includes determining, when another virtual measurement point reduced in size to a predetermined size is in contact with the virtual second probe, that contact between the virtual second probe and the other virtual measurement point is complete (para 9, “in accordance with a determination that a first distance between the electronic device and the physical object is less than a first threshold distance, the first label is displayed at a first threshold size.”; also, para 251, “In response to the activation of measurement addition button 5014, device 100 adds and displays (virtual) measurement point 5054 in user interface 5006 at a current location of focus point 5012 and as the second endpoint of measurement segment 5048.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Robinson in view of Dryer and Terui, in which a head-mounted display measures a distance between two real measurement points with a fiducial-marker gauge having a cylindrical first gauge portion and a cylindrical second gauge portion whose probes sit on opposite distal ends, displays the virtual measurement points and the virtual first and second probes, determines whether each virtual probe is in contact with its virtual measurement point, and gradually reduces the displayed size of the virtual measurement point that is in contact, with the features of Dryer's invention of using a threshold-based size criterion to gate a measurement-point-related state determination, applied symmetrically to the second endpoint of the two-endpoint measurement workflow. The combination would have been obvious because Dryer expressly teaches the threshold-size control of an augmented reality overlay element, the first label being displayed at a first threshold size when the distance is less than a first threshold distance, and applying that threshold criterion to the second-step completion determination yields a deterministic, symmetric confirmation mechanism for the second endpoint that matches the same threshold-size completion mechanism applied at the first endpoint. Symmetric dwell-style confirmation at the second endpoint prevents the same kind of accidental commit at the second virtual measurement point that the threshold criterion prevents at the first virtual measurement point, which is necessary because Dryer's workflow places the first and second endpoints sequentially using the same user-input mechanism, and Robinson's head-mounted display device 20 already maintains the holographic schematic 114 over the real-world structure 106 and updates the virtual vertices 40 in real time, so adding a per-vertex completion determination based on a size threshold is consistent with the existing rendering and tracking architecture.
Claim(s) 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Robinson (U.S. Pub. No. 20190170510) as modified by Dryer et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 20240011764) and Terui et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 20030037455), further in view of Seibold et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 20130014579).
Regarding claim 7, Robinson as modified by Dryer and Terui discloses the method for measuring a dimension by using an augmented reality space according to claim 1, wherein gauge includes a display unit configured to display a dimension between the first probe and the second probe, the method further comprising: a third step of acquiring dimension data obtained by the gauge from the display unit through the camera, after it has been determined in the first step that the contact between the virtual first probe and the one virtual measurement point is complete and it has been determined in the second step that the contact between the virtual second probe and another virtual measurement point is complete.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Seibold discloses the gauge includes a display unit configured to display a dimension between the first probe and the second probe (para 2, “The measuring arrangement may include a display or another indicating device on which the measured value corresponding to the measuring signal may be provided for the operator.”; also, para 19, “the measuring circuit is connected to the display device 15 via a communication interface 18. The display device 15 is, for example, a monochromatic liquid crystal display (LCD), in particular a so-called TN-LCD, i.e., twisted nematic LCD or HTN-LCD, i.e., high twisted nematic LCD.”; also, para 21, “The measuring arrangement 10 maybe different from the sensor shown herein--and be in the form of a measuring slide, such as a caliper, or a measuring screw, such as a micrometer”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Robinson in view of Dryer and Terui, in which an augmented reality dimension-measurement workflow registers virtual measurement points upon contact determination for each of two opposed probes of a cylindrical fiducial-marker gauge, with the features of Seibold's invention of a caliper-form or micrometer-form measurement gauge having a liquid crystal display device showing the measured value. The combination would have been obvious because Seibold expressly teaches that the measuring arrangement may include a display or another indicating device on which the measured value corresponding to the measuring signal may be provided for the operator, and a display-equipped caliper or micrometer of the kind Seibold describes is exactly the form factor that the cylindrical opposed-probe gauge of the modified Robinson system is most naturally extended into when the dimension itself is to be read off the gauge rather than reconstructed solely from fiducial-marker positions, which gives the operator a directly readable dimension value in addition to the augmented reality confirmation of probe contact.
Dryer discloses the method further comprising: a third step of acquiring dimension data obtained by the gauge from the display unit through the camera, after it has been determined in the first step that the contact between the virtual first probe and another virtual measurement point is complete and it has been determined in the second step that the contact between the virtual second probe and the other virtual measurement point is complete (para 381, “While displaying the representation of the field of view (806), as at least one of the one or more cameras move, and while the measurement-point-creation indicator (or at least a portion thereof) is over (or proximate to) the anchor point, the electronic device changes (810) a visual appearance of the measurement-point-creation indicator to indicate that a (virtual) measurement point will be added at the anchor point if a touch input meets first criteria.”; also, para 251, “In response to the activation of measurement addition button 5014, device 100 adds and displays (virtual) measurement point 5054 in user interface 5006 at a current location of focus point 5012 and as the second endpoint of measurement segment 5048.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Robinson in view of Dryer, Terui, and Seibold, in which the cylindrical opposed-probe fiducial-marker gauge carries a display device showing the measured value, with the features of Dryer's invention of a third step of acquiring the dimension data obtained by the gauge from the display unit through the camera after it has been determined in the first step and in the second step that the contact between each virtual probe and its virtual measurement point is complete. The combination would have been obvious because Robinson already uses the head-mounted display's video cameras 30 to read information in the user's real-world field of view, capturing standard video of what the user sees, and Robinson further demonstrates that the head-mounted display captures images of a window region in the measurement tool, identifies fiducial markers within that window, and calculates a numerical dimension value from the captured image, so extending those same video cameras to read the numerical dimension shown on Seibold's display is a natural use of an already-available imaging capability, and because Dryer expressly teaches gating the commit of a measurement point on the indicator-over-anchor determination, so that gating the camera-based read of the display until after both augmented reality contact determinations between each virtual probe and its corresponding virtual measurement point have completed prevents the modified system from recording a dimension value before the user has finished positioning both probes, which directly addresses Dryer's expressly identified concern that conventional augmented reality measurement methods are cumbersome, inefficient, and limited.
Regarding claim 8, Robinson as modified by Dryer, Terui and Seibold discloses the method for measuring a dimension by using an augmented reality space according to claim 7, further comprising a fourth step of performing image processing and storing a resultant in a recording unit as a measurement value after the dimension data displayed on the display unit has been acquired by the camera in the third step (Robinson: para 30, “The HMD device 20 also includes circuitry (not shown), which may be contained within the visor 22, to control at least some of the aforementioned elements and perform associated data processing functions (e.g., speech and gesture recognition and display generation).”; also, para 78, “the functional components of the HMD device 20 include one or more instance of each of the following: a main processor 121, memory 122, transparent display device 123, depth camera controller 124, head tracking cameras controller 125, video camera controller 126, communication device 127, and audio subsystem 128, all coupled together (directly or indirectly) by an interconnect 129.”, also, para 80, “Data and instructions (code) 130 that configure the processor(s) 121 to execute aspects of the technique introduced here can be stored in the one or more memories 122. Each memory 122 can be or include one or more physical storage devices, which may be in the form of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM) (which may be erasable and programmable), flash memory, miniature hard disk drive, conventional hard disk drive, or other suitable type of storage device, or a combination of such devices.”).
Regard claim 9, Robinson as modified by Dryer, Terui and Seibold discloses the method for measuring a dimension by using an augmented reality space according to claim 1, method further comprising: a gauge includes a transmission unit configured to transmit a measurement result of a dimension between the first probe and the second probe, and the method further comprising: a third step of acquiring dimension data that is obtained by the gauge and is transmitted by the transmission unit, after it has been determined in the first step that the contact between the virtual first probe and the one virtual measurement point is complete and it has been determined in the second step that the contact between the virtual second probe and another virtual measurement point is complete.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Seibold discloses wherein the gauge includes a transmission unit configured to transmit a measurement result of a dimension between the first probe and the second probe (para 22, “the measuring circuit 14 is electrically connected to a transmission circuit 19. The communication interface 18 provides for a transmission of the measuring signal M from the measuring circuit 14 to the transmission circuit 19 (FIG. 2). The transmission circuit 19 serves as wireless interface of the measuring arrangement 10 to a central unit 20. The transmission circuit 19 generates on the basis of the measuring signal M, a transmission signal 11, which is transmitted to the central unit 20 in a wireless way.”; also, para 11, “The transmission circuit transmits preferably at a frequency of 2.4 GHz which makes a license-free operating of the measuring arrangement possible.”; also, para 39, “Via a measuring value sensor 12 at the housing 11 a measurement value is detected, is converted by the measurement circuit 14 to an electrical measurement signal M and is transmitted wirelessly via the transmission circuit 19 to an external central unit 20.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Robinson in view of Dryer and Terui, in which an augmented reality dimension-measurement workflow registers virtual measurement points upon contact determination for each of two opposed probes of a cylindrical fiducial-marker gauge, with the features of Seibold's invention of a measurement arrangement whose housing contains a transmission circuit that wirelessly transmits the measurement signal to an external central unit. The combination would have been obvious because Seibold expressly teaches that the measurement value is transmitted wirelessly via the transmission circuit 19 to an external central unit 20, and Robinson's head-mounted display device 20 already includes a communication device 127 capable of receiving wireless data, so configuring Robinson's head-mounted display as the receiving central unit for Seibold's transmission circuit is a direct and predictable application of two already-paired wireless capabilities, and because Seibold expressly teaches that the wireless transmission operates at a frequency of 2.4 GHz which makes a license-free operating of the measuring arrangement possible, which means the wireless path does not require additional spectrum licensing or specialized hardware, making it readily integrable into the head-mounted display and gauge workflow without regulatory or cost burden.
Dryer discloses the method further comprising: a third step of acquiring dimension data that is obtained by the gauge and is transmitted by the transmission unit, after it has been determined in the first step that the contact between the virtual first probe and the one virtual measurement point is complete and it has been determined in the second step that the contact between the virtual second probe and the other virtual measurement point is complete (para 381, “While displaying the representation of the field of view (806), as at least one of the one or more cameras move, and while the measurement-point-creation indicator (or at least a portion thereof) is over (or proximate to) the anchor point, the electronic device changes (810) a visual appearance of the measurement-point-creation indicator to indicate that a (virtual) measurement point will be added at the anchor point if a touch input meets first criteria.”, also, para 251, “In response to the activation of measurement addition button 5014, device 100 adds and displays (virtual) measurement point 5054 in user interface 5006 at a current location of focus point 5012 and as the second endpoint of measurement segment 5048.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Robinson in view of Dryer, Terui, and Seibold, in which the cylindrical opposed-probe fiducial-marker gauge wirelessly transmits its measurement result to the head-mounted display, with the features of Dryer's invention of a third step of acquiring the dimension data obtained by the gauge and transmitted by the transmission unit after it has been determined in the first step and in the second step that the contact between each virtual probe and its virtual measurement point is complete. The combination would have been obvious because Dryer expressly teaches gating the commit of a measurement point on the indicator-over-anchor determination, and gating the wireless acquisition on the augmented reality contact determinations between each virtual probe and its corresponding virtual measurement point ensures that the head-mounted display only records measurements that the user has confirmed via the augmented reality contact workflow, which directly addresses Dryer's expressly identified concern that conventional augmented reality measurement methods are cumbersome, inefficient, and limited, and which also avoids the alternative situation in which the gauge's wireless transmission would constantly stream dimension values that the head-mounted display has no way to associate with a particular user-confirmed measurement event.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 08/04/2026 have been fully considered.
On pages 10 and 11 of the Applicant's Remarks, with respect to the rejection of claim 1, the Applicant argues that Robinson does not disclose the limitation "the gauge including a cylindrical first gauge portion including the first probe disposed on a distal end of the first gauge portion, a first marker portion included in the first gauge portion, a cylindrical second gauge portion including the second probe disposed a distal end of the second gauge portion that is opposite the distal end of the first gauge portion, and a second marker portion included in the second gauge portion" of claim 1, and on page 11 that "resort to Dryer does not cure the deficiencies in Robinson." This argument has been considered but is moot because it does not apply to the new combination of references being used in the current rejection. Upon further consideration and as necessitated by Applicant's amendment, a new ground of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Robinson in view of Dryer, further in view of Terui is made as set forth above. Terui is relied upon for the cylindrical first gauge portion including the first probe disposed on a distal end of the first gauge portion and for the cylindrical second gauge portion including the second probe disposed a distal end of the second gauge portion that is opposite the distal end of the first gauge portion. As shown in the citations, Terui discloses "The first spindle 11 has a first spindle sheath 12 having external thread 13 substantially on the entire outer circumference thereof and a probe 15 integrally formed on the tip end on the first end side of the first spindle sheath 12" (Terui, paragraph [0063]), that "The thimble 20 is of cylindrical shape" (Terui, paragraph [0066]) and is "integrally rotatable with the first spindle 11" (Terui, paragraph [0060]) while its second cylinder 24 covers the probe 15, that the setscrew 5 is on "a second end (opposite to the first end) side of the cylinder 2" (Terui, paragraph [0061]), that the anvil 30 is inserted "from the opening 3C of the cylinder 2 until it is stopped by the step 31, which is thereafter fixed by screwing the setscrew 5" (Terui, paragraph [0081]), and that on that anvil "a probe 32 is provided at the tip end of the second end side" (Terui, paragraph [0068]), so that the gauge has a cylindrical thimble-and-spindle portion carrying the probe 15 at its first-end tip and a cylinder-and-anvil portion carrying the probe 32 at its second-end tip, the two probes sitting on opposite distal ends. To the extent the argument is directed to "a first marker portion included in the first gauge portion" and "a second marker portion included in the second gauge portion," those limitations were presented in original claim 2 and remain mapped to Robinson. As shown in the citations, Robinson discloses that "each of the first and second tool members 102 and 104 includes a respective set of fiducial markers 108 and 110, where combinations of fiducial markers or individual fiducial markers correspond to one or more points or edges each having a known position on the first and second tool members 102 and 104" (Robinson, paragraph [0028]), which the Applicant's own characterization of Robinson on page 10 of the Remarks quotes without contending that the fiducial marker sets are not marker portions included in the respective tool members.
On page 9 of the Applicant's Remarks, with respect to the rejection of claim 1, the Applicant argues that "The AR measurement system of Robinson has a different structural configuration and operates differently than the method for measuring a dimension by using an augmented reality space set forth in claim 1." The rejection is not over Robinson alone but over the combination of Robinson, Dryer, and Terui, and nonobviousness cannot be established by attacking references individually where the rejection is based on a combination of references; the test is what the combined teachings would have suggested to one of ordinary skill in the art, and the combination does not require that Robinson's measurement tool 100 be used unmodified or that Terui's inside micrometer be bodily incorporated into it. As shown in the citations, Robinson discloses that the fiducial markers on each tool member "correspond to one or more points or edges each having a known position on the first and second tool members 102 and 104" (Robinson, paragraph [0028]) and that "When the point 306 is placed on a real-world location, the HMD device 20 includes programming to generate a digital vertex (e.g., a vertex of a holographic image) at that location" (Robinson, paragraph [0036]), which is the operation the combination retains: each of the two cylindrical, oppositely-probed gauge portions of the combined gauge carries its own set of fiducial markers, and the head-mounted display locates the probe on that portion from those markers exactly as Robinson locates the point 306 of each tool member from the markers on that member.
On pages 11 and 12 of the Applicant's Remarks, with respect to the rejections of claims 2 to 9, the Applicant argues that "The presently pending dependent claims are also allowable over the cited combination of documents at least due to the dependency of these claims from an allowable base claim, as well as for the additional features that each recites." This argument is not persuasive. Claim 1 is not allowable over Robinson in view of Dryer and Terui, so the dependency of claims 2 to 9 from claim 1 does not make them allowable, and no additional feature of any of claims 2 to 9 is identified as missing from the applied references; each of claims 2 to 9 is mapped in full above with the reference and paragraph that teaches each additional feature.
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.
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/JAI W LI/Junior Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2613
/XIAO M WU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2613
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