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 . This Office Action is in response to Applicant’s reply filed 4/28/26. Claims 1-5, 7, 9-13, 19 and 20 are amended. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Publication No. 2023/0297162 A1 to Boudville (hereinafter “Boudville”) in view of US Publication No. 2024/0286041 A1 to Jaing (hereinafter “Jaing”).
Concerning claim 1, Boudville discloses a method for information display (paragraph [0053]), comprising:
outputting, by a processor and during a process of a current game task that includes a first virtual character, the first virtual character and a virtual interactive prop in the current game task for display on a display of an electronic device, the virtual interactive prop having a projection function; detecting, by the processor, a projection display operation performed on the virtual interactive prop (paragraphs [0055]-[0060], [0133]-[0143]).
Boudville lacks specifically disclosing, however, Jaing discloses based on the a projection display operation being performed on the virtual interactive prop, determining, by the processor, a second virtual character that is included in the current game task and satisfies a projection condition; and outputting, by the processor, a virtual projection corresponding to the second virtual character for display on the display of the electronic device, the virtual projection including a character model projection of the second virtual character and a game data projection of the second virtual character (Figs. 2, 4, 5, paragraphs [0075], [0090]-[0100]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the use of the second character projection as disclosed by Jiang in the system of Boudville in order to provide additional information to players in a game.
Concerning claim 2, Boudville discloses further comprising: outputting for display a projection interactive control associated with the virtual interactive prop; detecting a triggered projection operation performed on the projection interactive control; and determining the projection display operation based on the triggered projection operation (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 3, Boudville discloses wherein the outputting for display the projection interactive control comprises: when a distance between the first virtual character and the virtual interactive prop is less than or equal to a first threshold, outputting for display the projection interactive control (paragraphs [0055]-[0060], [0068], [0070]).
Concerning claim 4, Boudville discloses wherein the outputting for display the first virtual character and the virtual interactive prop comprises: outputting for display the first virtual character and the virtual interactive prop located in a virtual safety scene with a safety value greater than or equal to a second threshold in the current game task (paragraphs [0102]-[0114]).
Concerning claim 5, Boudville discloses wherein the outputting for display the virtual projection comprises: outputting for display the virtual projection on a first client associated with the first virtual character, the virtual projection is prohibited from being displayed on a second client associated with another virtual character in the current game task that is other than the first virtual character (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 6, Boudville discloses further comprising: when a display duration of the virtual projection is greater than or equal to a preset threshold: stop the virtual projection from display; and deleting, from the first client, display data of the virtual projection (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 7, Boudville discloses wherein the projection display operation is a first projection display operation, the method further comprises: obtaining the display data when a second projection display operation is performed on the virtual interactive prop; and outputting for display the virtual projection on the first client based on the display data (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 8, Boudville discloses further comprising: when a prop pickup operation is performed on the virtual interactive prop, placing the virtual interactive prop in a virtual storage space associated with the first virtual character (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 9, Boudville discloses further comprising: when a usage operation is performed on the virtual interactive prop that is placed in the virtual storage space, outputting for display the virtual projection (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 10, Boudville discloses further comprising: when a holding triggering operation is performed on the virtual interactive prop that is placed in the virtual storage space, adjusting the virtual interactive prop from a storage state to a holding state, the storage state indicating the virtual interactive prop being placed in the virtual storage space, the holding state indicating the virtual interactive prop being held by the first virtual character; and outputting for display the virtual projection when a usage operation is performed on the virtual interactive prop in the holding state (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 11, Boudville discloses further comprising: when a triggering of a drop operation is performed on the virtual interactive prop that is placed in the virtual storage space, adjusting the virtual interactive prop from a storage state to an unowned state, the storage state indicating the virtual interactive prop being placed in the virtual storage space, the unowned state indicating the virtual interactive prop not being owned by the first virtual character; and outputting for display the virtual projection in response to a usage operation performed on the virtual interactive prop in the unowned state (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 12, Boudville discloses further comprising: outputting for display a first projection configuration interface that includes a plurality of projection character templates with respective projection materials; when a selection operation is performed on a target projection template in the plurality of projection character templates, outputting for display a second projection configuration interface associated with the target projection template; and when a configuration operation is triggered on the second projection configuration interface, configuring a display parameter of the target projection template, the display parameter indicating a display location of a projection element on a subsequent virtual projection using the target projection template (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 13, Boudville discloses wherein the outputting for display the virtual projection comprises: obtaining N virtual characters that are included in the current game task, N being a natural number greater than or equal to 2; obtaining target game data associated with each of the N virtual characters; determining, from the N virtual characters, the second virtual character whose target game data satisfies the projection condition; and outputting for display the virtual projection associated with the second virtual character (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 14, Boudville discloses wherein the obtaining the target game data comprises: obtaining real-time game data associated with each of the N virtual characters in the current game task.
Concerning claim 15, Boudville discloses wherein the obtaining the target game data comprises: obtaining the target game data associated with each of the N virtual characters in a single game task of a target virtual game (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 16, Boudville discloses wherein the obtaining the target game data comprises: obtaining the target game data associated with each of the N virtual characters in a plurality of game tasks in a target virtual game (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 17, Boudville discloses further comprising: when the first virtual character is located in a collision area associated with the virtual interactive prop; determining that the first virtual character collides with the virtual interactive prop; and obtaining the projection display operation (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 18, Boudville discloses wherein the second virtual character is in a same camp as the first virtual character in the current game task, and satisfies the projection condition (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claims 19 and 20, see the rejection of claim 1.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot based on the new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is listed in the PTO-892.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MALINA D BLAISE whose telephone number is (571)270-3398. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Thurs. 7:00 am - 5:00 pm (PT).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Xuan Thai can be reached at 571-272-7147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MALINA D. BLAISE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3715
/MALINA D. BLAISE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
Prosecution Insights