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
Examiner acknowledges receipt of amendment/arguments filed 05/18/2026. The arguments set forth are addressed herein below. Claims 1-20 remain pending, no Claims have been newly added, and no Claims have been canceled. Currently, Claims 1, 9, 11, 13, and 20 have been amended. No new matter appears to have been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by ZHI (CN111803941) (henceforth, “ZHI”).
Regarding claims 1, 13, and 20, ZHI teaches a method and apparatus for processing information, comprising processing circuitry configured to:
generating a virtual environment image for a virtual environment that includes a virtual character carrying out an action in the virtual environment (Para. 4 and Para. 8 of English translation);
determining a perspective angle for displaying a heads-up display (HUD) control with the virtual environment image based on a character state of the virtual character and a region of the virtual environment image for the HUD control, the HUD control providing user interface (UI) information for controlling the virtual character, the perspective angle being an included angle between the HUD control and an imaging plane of the virtual environment image (Para. 8 and Figs. 2, 3a-b, and 5 of English translation); and
displaying the virtual environment image with the HUD control in the region of the virtual environment image according to the perspective angle (Para. 8 and Figs. 2, 3a-b, and 5 of English translation), wherein:
a first HUD control is displayed in a first region of the virtual environment image with a first region-based perspective angle (e.g., display icon in upper left in Para. 59 of English translation), the first region-based perspective angle being determined based on the character state of the virtual character and the first region (e.g., movement and deformation of display icons in Para. 19, Para. 40, and Para. 59 of English translation), and
a second HUD control is displayed in a second region of the virtual environment image with a second region-based perspective angle having a different absolute value from the first region-based perspective angle (e.g., display icon in lower right corner, wherein the perspective distortion direction of the information display icon located in the upper left corner of the game screen is opposite to that of the information display icon located in the lower right corner of the game screen in Para. 59 of English translation), the second region-based perspective angle being determined based on the character state of the virtual character and the second region (e.g., movement and deformation of display icons in Para. 19, Para. 40, and Para. 59 of English translation).
Regarding claims 2 and 14, ZHI teaches changing the perspective angle of the HUD control from a first perspective angle to a second perspective angle when the character state of the virtual character changes from a first state to a second state, the first perspective angle corresponding to the first state, and the second perspective angle corresponding to the second state (e.g., starting state and second position in Para. 51).
Regarding claims 3 and 15, ZHI teaches the first state is a walking state, and the second state is a running state, the changing the perspective angle comprises: changing the perspective angle of the HUD control from the first perspective angle to the second perspective angle when the character state of the virtual character changes from the walking state to the running state, the second perspective angle being greater than the first perspective angle (e.g., movement speed in Para. 8, 10, and 41 and running in Para. 55).
Regarding claims 4 and 16, ZHI teaches the determining the perspective angle comprises: changing the perspective angle of the HUD control when an attribute parameter of the character state of the virtual character changes (e.g. direction and speed in Para. 45-53).
Regarding claims 5 and 17, ZHI teaches the changing the perspective angle of the HUD control comprises: increasing the perspective angle of the HUD control when a speed or an acceleration of the virtual character increases in the virtual environment (Para. 41 and Para. 45-53).
Regarding claims 6 and 18, ZHI teaches the changing the perspective angle comprises: decreasing the perspective angle of the HUD control when a speed or an acceleration of the virtual character decreases in the virtual environment (e.g., decrease in Para. 64-65).
Regarding claims 7 and 19, ZHI teaches varying, when the character state of the virtual character is a third state, a plurality of perspective angles of the HUD control for respectively displaying in a plurality of virtual environment images dynamically in a range (Para. 67).
Regarding claim 8, ZHI teaches the third state is an attacked state, and the method further comprises: displaying, when the character state of the virtual character in the virtual environment is the attacked state, the plurality of virtual environment images with the plurality of perspective angles of the HUD control changing in a periodically shaking manner (Para. 67).
Regarding claim 9, ZHI teaches the determining the perspective angle further comprises: determining the first region-based perspective angle for displaying the first HUD control with the virtual environment image based on the character state of the virtual character and the first region of the virtual environment image for the first HUD control; and determining the second region-based perspective angle for displaying the second HUD control with the virtual environment image based on the character state of the virtual character and the second region of the virtual environment image for the second HUD control (e.g., multiple display icons in Para. 59 and HUD UIs in Para. 34).
Regarding claim 10, ZHI teaches the HUD control comprises an operation control, and the method further comprises: determining, in response to a trigger operation of the operation control, the perspective angle for displaying the HUD control with the virtual environment image according to the operation control (e.g., button movement in Para. 66).
Regarding claim 11, ZHI teaches the operation control comprises a first type of operation control, and the determining the perspective angle further comprises: changing, in response to the trigger operation of the first type of operation control, the perspective angle for displaying the HUD control to a corresponding perspective angle of the first type of operation control (Para. 66).
Regarding claim 12, ZHI teaches the operation control comprises a second type of operation control, and the determining the perspective angle further comprises: varying corresponding perspective angles of the HUD control for displaying with a plurality of virtual environment images dynamically in a range in response to a trigger operation of the second type of operation control (e.g., multiple display icons in Para. 59 and HUD UIs in Para. 34 and button movements in Para. 66).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/18/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In the Remarks, Applicant argues:
Regarding the rejections under 35 USC 102, Applicant states: “Regarding the rejection of Claim 1 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1), it is respectfully submitted that Zhi fails to disclose "a first HUD control is displayed in a first region of the virtual environment image with a first region-based perspective angle, the first region-based perspective angle being determined based on the character state of the virtual character and the first region, and a second HUD control is displayed in a second region of the virtual environment image with a second region-based perspective angle having a different absolute value from the first region-based perspective angle, the second region-based perspective angle being determined based on the character state of the virtual character and the second region," based on the discussion during the interview. Accordingly, it is respectfully submitted that Claim 1 (and all associated dependent claims) patentably defines over Zhi.”
In response, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. During the interview, the Examiner brought up further portions of the English translation of Zhi, including paragraphs 19, 40, and 59. As was discussed during the interview, and now as shown in the rejection of claim 1 above, it appears that Zhi teaches, in addition to the prior limitations, the currently added limitations. Wherein, Zhi discloses multiple HUD controls, for instance, a display icon in the upper left corner, a display icon in lower right corner, and wherein the perspective distortion direction of the information display icon located in the upper left corner of the game screen is opposite to that of the information display icon located in the lower right corner of the game screen (i.e., having a different absolute value). Thus, the rejection of claims 1-20 has been maintained.
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 CHASE E LEICHLITER whose telephone number is (571)270-7109. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (10-6).
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/CHASE E LEICHLITER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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