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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. Claim 1 recites a method for information display. The limitation of displaying, 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, as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components. That is, other than reciting “virtual,” nothing in the claim element precludes the step from practically being performed in the mind. For example, but for the “virtual” language, “displaying” in the context of this claim encompasses a user mentally thinking about a game task in their mind. Similarly, the limitations of: displaying are processes that, under their broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind. The same interpretation is applied to the remaining steps in claim 1. If a claim limitation, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components, then it falls within the “Mental Processes” grouping of abstract ideas. Accordingly, the claim recites an abstract idea. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the claim only recites one additional element – virtual. The virtual language is recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., as a generic processor implementing a step) such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Accordingly, this additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is directed to an abstract idea. The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of using “virtual” amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. The claim is not patent eligible. Similar reasoning is applied to claims 2-20.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US Publication No. 2023/0297162 A1 to Boudville (hereinafter “Boudville”).
Concerning claim 1, Boudville discloses a method for information display (paragraph [0053]), comprising:
displaying, 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 (paragraphs [0055]-[0060]); and
when a projection display operation is performed on the virtual interactive prop, displaying a virtual projection associated with a second virtual character that is included in the current game task and satisfies a projection condition, the virtual projection comprising at least one of a character model projection of the second virtual character and a game data projection of the second virtual character (paragraphs [0133]-[0143]).
Concerning claim 2, Boudville discloses further comprising: displaying a projection interactive control associated withs 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 displaying 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, displaying the projection interactive control (paragraphs [0055]-[0060], [0068], [0070]).
Concerning claim 4, Boudville discloses wherein the displaying the first virtual character and the virtual interactive prop comprises: displaying 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 displaying the virtual projection comprises: displaying 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 displaying 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, displaying 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 displaying 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 displaying 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: displaying 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, displaying 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 displaying 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 displaying 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is listed in the PTO-892.
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).
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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