DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to the Preliminary Amendment filed on 07/12/2024. Claim 9 was amended. Claims 11-20 were canceled. Claims 21-30 were added. Claims 1-10 and 21-30 are pending in the case. Claims 1, 6, and 10 are independent claims.
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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. CN202210033013.3, filed on 01/12/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/13/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Interpretations/Examiner’s Notes
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Further, during examination, the claims must be interpreted as broadly as their terms reasonably allow (see In re American Academy of Science Tech Center, 367 F.3d 1359, 1369, 70 U.S.P.Q.2d 1827, 1834 (Fed. Cir. 2004)). Also, although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims (see In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 U.S.P.Q.2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993)). The following is provided to aid the reader in understanding how at least some claim elements (also commonly referred to as claim limitations), as a whole, have been considered in the rejections below:
“in response to,” “when,” and “if” [e.g. claims 1-9 and 21-30] = Even though the prior art rejection included below does not depend on the following technicality, it is nonetheless respectfully noted that the broadest reasonable interpretation of a method (or process) claim having contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition(s) precedent are not met. Therefore, as currently claimed, functionalities that currently depend on the “in response to,” “when,” and “if” conditions being true may not be narrowing the claims to the extent it may have been intended since, for purposes of prior art analysis, any prior art scenario showing at least one mappable instance wherein each contingency/triggering condition is not met/true (like, for claim 1, any scenario in the prior art wherein a control operation does not occur and/or is not triggered for the control component or, for claim 6, any scenario where there is not a device that has been added matching with the target device) would suffice to anticipate or teach these aspects. See “Contingent Limitations” in MPEP § 2111.04, subsection II and/or MPEP § 2143.03.
Specification
The title of the invention is objected to because it is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. See MPEP § 606.01.
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 8-10, 21, 25, 27, 28, and 30 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2:
Line 1 recites “wherein the in the device control interface,” which appears to have either grammatical errors or missing language.
Line 2 recites “displaying a control component corresponding to at least one target device in the target scenario” where “displaying [[a]]the control component corresponding to the at least one target device in the target scenario” was apparently intended.
Line 4 improperly reintroduces the limitation “a scenario picture” (this same limitation was already recited in line 3 of parent claim 1).
This brings up even further issues when line 6 further recites “the scenario picture.”
Line 6 improperly reintroduces the limitation “a control component” (this same limitation was already recited in line 4 of parent claim 1).
Lines 6-7 improperly reintroduce the limitation “at least one target device” (this same limitation was already recited in lines 4-5 of parent claim 1).
Claim 8:
Lines 4-5 improperly reintroduce the limitation “device positions” (this same limitation was already recited in line 8 of parent claim 7).
Claim 9:
Lines 1-2 recite “wherein the target device in the image is obtained by performing identification.” Further clarification/specificity is warranted for this limitation because there was already precedent for “performing target identification for an image {…} to obtain a target device in the image” in lines 3-4 of parent claim 6, making it unclear whether this single “identification” instance intended to refer back to the aforementioned precedent or instead intended to introduce a new identification instance (in which case, different/unique labeling for the term would be proper).
Line 10 recites “on difference” where “on a difference” was apparently intended.
Claim 10:
Lines 10-11 improperly reintroduce the limitation “a control component” (this same limitation was already recited in line 6 of the same claim).
Line 12 improperly reintroduces the limitation “a target device” (this same limitation was already recited in line 3 of the same claim).
Line 12 also improperly reintroduces the limitation “an image” (this same limitation was already recited in line 2 of the same claim).
Claim 21:
Lines 2 and 3 recite “the at least one target device” where “the ” was apparently intended (in order to properly adhere to the precedent nomenclature choices set forth in parent claim 1).
Claim 25:
Line 3 recites “the at least one target device” where “the ” was apparently intended (in order to properly adhere to the precedent nomenclature choices set forth in parent claim 1).
Claim 27:
Lines 1-2 recite “wherein the performing target identification for an image collected in a target scenario to obtain a target device in the image comprises” where “wherein the performing the target identification for [[an]]the image collected in [[a]]the target scenario to obtain [[a]]the target device in the image comprises” was apparently intended.
Line 4 recites “performing target identification” where “performing the target identification” was apparently intended.
Line 7 improperly reintroduces the limitation “devices” (this same limitation was already recited in line 5 of parent claim 6).
Line 9 improperly reintroduces the limitations “device types” and “device positions” (these same limitations were already recited in line 8 of parent claim 6).
Claim 28:
Line 3 recites “the plurality of target devices,” which lacks proper antecedent basis.
Lines 4 and 5 improperly reintroduce the limitation “a target device” twice (this same limitation was already recited in lines 3-4 of parent claim 6).
Claim 30:
Line 2 recites “the number,” which lacks proper antecedent basis.
Line 4 improperly reintroduces the limitation “devices” (this same limitation was already recited in line 5 of parent claim 6).
Line 7 improperly reintroduces the limitation “a control component” (this same limitation was already recited in line 8 of parent claim 6).
Line 7 also improperly reintroduces the limitation “a device” (this same limitation was already recited in line 7 of parent claim 6).
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10, 24, and 26 have 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. See, for example:
Claim 10:
As indicated above, claim 10 introduces multiple versions of the limitations “a control component” and “a target device” (one corresponding to the server and the other to the terminal). Lines 13-15 recite “the control component” twice and “the target device” without further specificity. These recitations introduce indefiniteness concerns because it is unclear which of the two limitation versions is being referred to in each instance.
Claim 24:
Lines 1-2 recite “wherein the virtual picture is obtained by modeling for the target scenario.” This claim is indefinite because it is unclear what was meant by obtaining a virtual picture by “modeling for” the target scenario. The Office attempted to refer to the Specification to better understand the metes and bounds of this limitation, but only a single sentence appears to even mention this functionality, and even then it appears to merely duplicate the claim language in question by stating that “the virtual picture can be obtained by modeling the for target scenario” (Original Specification: ¶ 38). For purposes of prior art analysis, the Office will interpret this limitation to mean that the virtual picture was computer-generated based at least in part on the target scenario.
Claim 26:
Line 3 recites “reducing a frequency of collecting the image.” This language is relative and/or missing necessary preceding language because there was no established first frequency to be later reduced, nor is there an objective basis against which to compare what a “reduced frequency” looks like in order to sufficiently satisfy this limitation as currently recited.
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 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.
Claims 1-10 and 21-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Pub. No. 2020/0326837 (hereinafter “Ni”).
As to independent claim 1, Ni shows a device control method executed by an electronic device [¶ 02], comprising:
showing a device control interface corresponding to a scenario picture of a target scenario [a device control interface may be shown corresponding to a scenario picture of a target scenario (fig. 2; ¶ 38)];
in the device control interface, displaying a control component corresponding to at least one target device in the target scenario, wherein the control component is bound to a target device identified in an image based on the target scenario [a control component may be displayed in the device control interface corresponding to at least one target device in the target scenario, wherein the control component is bound to a target device identified in an image based on the target scenario (fig. 2; ¶ 38)]; and
in response to a control operation triggered for the control component, sending a corresponding control instruction to the target device corresponding to the control component, so as to control the target device to execute the control instruction [If a control operation were to be triggered for the control component, then a corresponding control instruction may be sent to the target device corresponding to the control component in response to the control operation triggered for the control component which may or may not end up having the intended result “so as to control the target device to execute the control instruction” (fig. 2; ¶¶ 02, 05-07, 20, 23, & 37)].
As to dependent claim 2, Ni further shows:
wherein the in the device control interface, displaying a control component corresponding to at least one target device in the target scenario comprises: displaying a scenario picture corresponding to a real target scenario in the device control interface; and displaying, in the scenario picture, a control component corresponding to at least one target device in the real target scenario [a scenario picture corresponding to a real target scenario in the device control interface and a corresponding control component may be displayed (fig. 2; ¶ 38)].
As to dependent claim 3, Ni further shows:
displaying a device status entrance corresponding to the target device in the control component; and showing current device status information corresponding to the target device in response to a trigger operation for the device status entrance [a device status entrance/appearance and current device status information corresponding to the target device may be displayed in response to a trigger operation for the device status entrance (¶¶ 05-07, 20-21, 50-51, & 55)].
As to dependent claim 4, Ni further shows:
dynamically updating the device status information in the device control interface when identifying that the device status information of the target device generates change based on an image collected in the target scenario [the device status information may be dynamically updated in the device control interface when identifying that the device status information of the target device generates change based on an image collected in the target scenario (¶¶ 05-07, 20-21, 50-51, & 55)].
As to dependent claim 5, Ni further shows:
wherein the device control interface comprises a two-dimensional scenario picture or a three-dimensional scenario picture corresponding to a real target scenario [the device control interface comprises a two-dimensional scenario picture or a three-dimensional scenario picture corresponding to a real target scenario (fig. 2; ¶¶ 38 & 55)].
As to independent claim 6, Ni shows a device control method executed by an electronic device [¶ 02], comprising:
performing target identification for an image collected in a target scenario to obtain a target device in the image [one or more target devices may be identified within an image collected in a target scenario (¶¶ 02-07)];
acquiring devices that have been added in the target scenario and matching the target device in the image with the devices that have been added [devices that have been added in the target scenario may be acquired and compared/matched with the target device in the image (¶¶ 14, 17, 20, 47-48, & 62)]; and
if there is a device that has been added matching with the target device, binding the target device with a control component corresponding to the matching device that has been added in a device control interface corresponding to a scenario picture of the target scenario, wherein the control component is configured to control the target device in the device control interface [In a contingent scenario where there is a device that has been added matching with the target device, the target device may be bound with a control component corresponding to the matching device that has been added in a device control interface corresponding to a scenario picture of the target scenario, wherein the control component is configured to control the target device in the device control interface (fig. 2; ¶¶ 02-07, 17, 20-24, & 38-41)].
As to dependent claim 7, Ni further shows:
wherein the performing target identification for an image collected in a target scenario to obtain a target device in the image comprises: acquiring the image collected in the target scenario; and performing target identification for the image to obtain a device type corresponding to the target device in the image and a device position of the target device in the target scenario [performing target identification for an image collected in a target scenario to obtain a target device in the image comprises acquiring the image collected in the target scenario and obtaining a device type corresponding to the target device in the image and a device position of the target device in the target scenario (fig. 2; ¶¶ 02-09, 20-24, & 38-41)];
the acquiring devices that have been added in the target scenario and matching the target device in the image with the devices that have been added comprises: acquiring device types and device positions of the devices that have been added in the target scenario; and matching the device type and the device position of the target device with the device types and the device positions of the devices that have been added [acquiring devices that have been added in the target scenario and matching the target device in the image with the devices that have been added comprises acquiring device types and device positions of the devices that have been added in the target scenario and matching the device type and the device position of the target device with the device types and the device positions of the devices that have been added (fig. 2; ¶¶ 02-07, 17, 20-24, & 38-41)].
As to dependent claim 8, Ni further shows:
wherein the matching the device type and the device position of the target device with the device types and the device positions of the devices that have been added comprises: in the devices that have been added, determining target added devices of which device positions match with the device position of the target device; and in the target added devices, determining a device of which the device type matches with the device type of the target device as the device that has been added matching with the target device [the matching the device type and the device position of the target device with the device types and the device positions of the devices that have been added comprises determining target added devices of which device positions match with the device position of the target device in the devices that have been added and determining a device of which the device type matches with the device type of the target device as the device that has been added matching with the target device in the target added devices (fig. 2; ¶¶ 02-07, 17, 20-24, & 38-41)].
As to dependent claim 9, Ni further shows:
wherein the target device in the image is obtained by performing identification through a trained deep learning model [¶¶ 14, 24, 39, 45-50, & 62]; the trained deep learning model is obtained through model training steps [¶¶ 14, 19, 39, 45, 50, & 62]; the model training steps comprise:
acquiring sample images collected in multiple kinds of real environments, wherein the sample images include sample labels labeled with positions and types of sample target devices [sample images, which include sample labels labeled with positions and types of sample target devices, collected in multiple kinds of real environments may be acquired (¶¶ 14, 19, 39, 45, 50, & 62)];
performing target identification for the sample images through an initial deep learning model to obtain an identification result of a sample target device in the sample images, wherein the identification result includes a position and a type of the sample target device [target identification may be performed for the sample images through an initial deep learning model to obtain an identification result of a sample target device in the sample images that includes a position and a type of the sample target device (¶¶ 14, 24, 39, 45-50, & 62)]; and
adjusting parameters of the initial deep learning model based on difference between the identification result and the sample labels and continuing to train, and stop training when training conditions are met to obtain the trained deep learning model [parameters of the initial deep learning model may be continuously trained/ adjusted based on a difference between the identification result and the sample labels until a contingent scenario wherein training conditions are met with the intended result of obtaining the trained deep learning model (¶¶ 14, 19, 39, 45, 50, & 62)].
As to independent claim 10, Ni shows a device control system [¶ 02] comprising:
a terminal [¶ 02] and a server [¶¶ 42-43, 47-51, 60, & 69-73];
wherein the server is configured to: perform target identification for an image collected in a target scenario to obtain a target device in the image [one or more target devices may be identified within an image collected in a target scenario (¶¶ 02-07)];
acquire devices that have been added in the target scenario and match the target device in the image with the devices that have been added [devices that have been added in the target scenario may be acquired and compared/matched with the target device in the image (¶¶ 14, 17, 20, 47-48, & 62)];
if there is a device that has been added matching with the target device, bind the target device with a control component corresponding to the matching device that has been added in a device control interface corresponding to a scenario picture of the target scenario, wherein the control component is configured to control the target device in the device control interface [In a contingent scenario where there is a device that has been added matching with the target device, the target device may be bound with a control component corresponding to the matching device that has been added in a device control interface corresponding to a scenario picture of the target scenario, wherein the control component is configured to control the target device in the device control interface (fig. 2; ¶¶ 02-07, 17, 20-24, & 38-41)];
the terminal is configured to: show the device control interface corresponding to the scenario picture of the target scenario [a device control interface may be shown corresponding to a scenario picture of a target scenario (fig. 2; ¶ 38)];
in the device control interface, display a control component corresponding to at least one target device in the target scenario, wherein the control component is bound to a target device identified based on an image in the target scenario [a control component may be displayed in the device control interface corresponding to at least one target device in the target scenario, wherein the control component is bound to a target device identified in an image based on the target scenario (fig. 2; ¶ 38)]; and
in response to a control operation triggered for the control component, send a corresponding control instruction to the target device corresponding to the control component, so as to control the target device to execute the control instruction [If a control operation were to be triggered for the control component, then a corresponding control instruction may be sent to the target device corresponding to the control component in response to the control operation triggered for the control component which may or may not end up having the intended result “so as to control the target device to execute the control instruction” (fig. 2; ¶¶ 02, 05-07, 20, 23, & 37)].
As to dependent claim 21, Ni further shows:
wherein the control component is stacked and displayed on the at least one target device corresponding to the control component, or displayed beside the at least one target device corresponding to the control component [the control component is at least stacked and displayed on the at least one target device corresponding to the control component (fig. 2; ¶ 38)].
As to dependent claim 22, Ni further shows:
wherein the scenario picture comprises a real picture or a virtual picture reflecting the target scenario [the scenario picture comprises a real picture or a virtual picture reflecting the target scenario (fig. 2)].
As to dependent claim 23, Ni further shows:
wherein the real picture is obtained based on images collected by an image collecting module [the real picture is obtained based on images collected by an image collecting module/camera (¶ 02)].
As to dependent claim 24, Ni further shows:
wherein the virtual picture is obtained by modeling for the target scenario [First, this is drawn to an unelected alternative since Ni was explicitly mapped to the “real picture” alternative of parent claim 22. Moreover, this alternative is also shown by Ni in at least the sense that the scenario picture contains “modeled”/computer-generated components (fig. 2).].
As to dependent claim 25, Ni further shows:
wherein the control component comprises at least one of a physical control component and a virtual control component, and is configured to directly implement status display and/or functional control for the at least one target device corresponding to the control component in the device control interface [the control component comprises at least one of a physical control component and a virtual control component, and is configured to directly implement status display and/or functional control for the at least one target device corresponding to the control component in the device control interface (fig. 2; ¶¶ 05-07, 20-21, 50-51, & 55)].
As to dependent claim 26, Ni further shows:
monitoring whether an image picture of the image changes; if the image picture does not change, reducing a frequency of collecting the image [It can be monitored if the picture changes, and since the image picture changes, the contingency is not met (fig. 2; ¶¶ 02-07, 20, 41, 51, & 55).].
As to dependent claim 27, Ni further shows:
wherein the performing target identification for an image collected in a target scenario to obtain a target device in the image comprises: acquiring the image collected in the target scenario; and performing target identification for the image to obtain device types corresponding to a plurality of target devices in the image and device positions of the plurality of target devices in the target scenario [performing target identification for an image collected in a target scenario to obtain a target device in the image comprises acquiring the image collected in the target scenario and obtaining device types corresponding to a plurality of target devices in the image and device positions of the target device in the target scenario (fig. 2; ¶¶ 02-09, 20-24, & 38-41)];
the acquiring devices that have been added in the target scenario and matching the target device in the image with the devices that have been added comprises: acquiring device types and device positions of the devices that have been added in the target scenario; and respectively matching the device types and the device positions of the plurality of target device with the device types and the device positions of the devices that have been added [acquiring devices that have been added in the target scenario and matching the target device in the image with the devices that have been added comprises acquiring device types and device positions of the devices that have been added in the target scenario and matching the device types and the device positions of the devices with the device types and the device positions of the devices that have been added (fig. 2; ¶¶ 02-07, 17, 20-24, & 38-41)].
As to dependent claim 28, Ni further shows:
simultaneously displaying a plurality of control components respectively corresponding to the plurality of target devices in the device control interface, wherein each of the plurality of control components is stacked and displayed on a target device corresponding to the control component, or displayed beside a target device corresponding to the control component [a plurality of control components respectively corresponding to the plurality of target devices may be simultaneously displayed in the device control interface, wherein each of the plurality of control components is stacked and displayed on a target device corresponding to the control component, or displayed beside a target device corresponding to the control component (fig. 2; ¶ 38).].
As to dependent claim 29, Ni further shows:
wherein the control component comprises at least one of a physical control component and a virtual control component, and is configured to directly implement status display and/or functional control for the target device corresponding to the control component in the device control interface [the control component comprises at least one of a physical control component and a virtual control component, and is configured to directly implement status display and/or functional control for the target device corresponding to the control component in the device control interface (fig. 2; ¶¶ 05-07, 20-21, 50-51, & 55)].
As to dependent claim 30, Ni further shows:
acquiring the number of the device that has been added matching with the target device [An amount of devices that have been added matching with the target device may be acquired (¶¶ 04, 09, 40, & 58)];
if the number of the device that has been added matching with the target device is more than one, showing a device selection interface, and displaying devices that have been added matching with the target device in the device selection interface [In a contingent scenario wherein the number of the device that have been added matching with the target device is more than one, a device selection interface may be shown and devices that have been added matching with the target device may be displayed in the device selection interface (¶¶ 02-07, 09, 17-24, 40, & 58)]; and
according to a selection operation received by the device selection interface, binding the target device with a control component corresponding to a device that has been added corresponding to the selection operation [the target device may be bound with a control component corresponding to a device that has been added corresponding to a selection operation received by the device selection interface (¶¶ 02-07, 09, 17-24, 38-42, 45-51, 55, and 62)].
Conclusion
It is noted that any citation to specific pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the references should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. In re Heck, 699 F.2d 1331, 1332-33, 216 U.S.P.Q. 1038, 1039 (Fed. Cir. 1983) (quoting In re Lemelson, 397 F.2d 1006, 1009, 158 U.S.P.Q. 275, 277 (C.C.P.A. 1968)).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALVARO R CALDERON IV whose telephone number is (571) 272-1818. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday (8:30am - 5pm).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kieu Vu can be reached on (571) 272-4057. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALVARO R CALDERON IV/
Examiner, Art Unit 2171
/KIEU D VU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2171
Prosecution Insights