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 § 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.
Claims 21-24, 26, 29-32, 34, 36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Canose (US 2015/0094127).
Claim 21. Canose discloses an apparatus comprising:
a touch sensitive user interface (104, 106 in Fig. 1); and a processor (inherent in client device 100 in Fig. 1); wherein the processor is configured to:
render a first object in a central area of the user interface (102, 103, 105 in Figs. 1, 3a; game object, i.e. a tank or avatar; paragraphs 23);
detect a first contact with the user interface at a first position (q, q’ or q’’, in Fig. 2c, first position on the tank in Figs. 3a-3f);
record the first position as an X-Y coordinate on the user interface (q, q’ or q’’, in Fig. 2c, first position on the tank in Figs. 3a-3f; The position is in the X-Y coordinate or two dimensional touch screen);
detect a release of the first contact from the user interface (the first touch can be a movement/swipe or tap, and therefore the processor detects a release of the first contact; paragraphs 22, 28, 33 50-51);
determine a distance between the first position and a position of the release of the first contact based on a difference between the X-Y coordinate of the first position and an X-Y coordinate of the position of the release; and move the first object from a first position in the central area to an area near the X-Y coordinate of the position of the release when the distance is less than a pre-determined distance (determine if the touch input is a tap, manipulate the game object to the specific point, state or rotating the object paragraphs 33, 39, 56).
Claim 22. Canose discloses the apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising executing an action on the user interface with the first object other than including a move when the distance is greater than the predetermined distance (Canose discloses the processor repositions of the character or moves the game object when the magnitude is a first range of values or the movement is greater than r’ or r’’. Canose also discloses based on the distance/gestures recognized, the game object my fire/deploy a missile, exchanging greetings, goods, tools, gifts, service, perform interaction with a second object; throw a ball at a second object/net/person, etc.; paragraphs 33, 44).
Claim 23. Canose discloses the apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising generating an indicator in the user interface, the indicator having a direction from the first position of the first object towards a direction associated with the second position (“an indicator on the game object may be used to provide visual indication of manipulation of the game object in response to the touch input; paragraph 38).
Claim 24. Canose discloses the apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the indicator is generated when the distance is greater than the predetermined distance (Canose discloses the distance of the touch is measured and compare to a threshold or thresholds; paragraph 29. For example, when touch input is q” and r” which is greater than q and r, an action is performed; paragraph 29. Canose discloses an indicator on game object may be used to provide visual indication of manipulation of the game object in response to the touch input; paragraph 38.)
Claim 26. Canose discloses the apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the processor is further configured to render a control object on the user interface, the control object being configured to be rotated in one or more of a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction, wherein rotation of the control object is configured to cause a rotation of the indicator in one or more of the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction (Canose discloses rotate to the left or right side, paragraph 39, Fig. 3d. Therefore, when incorporating an indicator, the indicator will also rotate accordingly.).
Claims 29-32, 34. See rejection for claims 21-24, 26 above.
Claim 36. Canose discloses the method according to claim 34, wherein execution of the machine readable instructions by the processor further causes the processor to detect a release of the rotational movement contact on the user interface and further execute an action instruction on at least one other object on the user interface (As indicated above, Canose discloses an indicator on game object may be used to provide visual indication of manipulation of the game object in response to the touch input; paragraph 38. Canose also actions to performed based on the distance/gestures recognized such as firing/deploying a missile, exchanging greetings, goods, tools, gifts, service, perform interaction with a second object; throw a ball at a second object/net/person, etc.; paragraphs 33, 44.).
Claims 25, 27-28, 33, 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Canose (US 2015/0094127) as applied to claims 23, 29 above, and further in view of Carlos (US 2017/0017314).
Claim 25. Canose discloses the claimed invention as discussed above but fails to teach that the indicator is in a form of a sector cone. However, such feature is a well-known feature in the art. In an analogous art to Carlos discloses at touch screen device in which an indicator (“control aim”) is in a form of a sector cone (paragraph 64, Figs. 3a-4e). A cone sector visually specifies the angle and the range in angles in which the user object is facing. This is beneficial to games in which the game heavily incorporates the angle in which the user object is facing is important. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date to modify Canose’s invention and incorporate a sector cone indicator in order improve game play mechanics in which angle of orientation is important for the game. Such modification would yield predictable results of indicating the player the direction in which the object is interacting with or the direction in which the object is moving towards.
Claim 27. Canose discloses the apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the processor is further configured to: detect that a position of the first contact is one of left, right, above or below the first position of the first object; detect that the distance is within a range of values (See claim 21 above. In addition, Canose discloses rotate to the left or right side, paragraph 39, Fig. 3d. Therefore, when incorporating a cone, cone will also rotate accordingly) but fails to teach, generate a sector cone as the indicator on the user interface from the first position of the first object; and detect a rotational movement contact on the user interface and rotate the sector cone corresponding to the detected rotational movement. However, such feature is a well-known feature in the art. In an analogous art to Carlos discloses at touch screen device in which an indicator (“control aim”) is in a form of a sector cone (paragraph 64, Figs. 3a-4e). A cone sector visually specifies the angle and the range in angles in which the user object is facing. This is beneficial to games in which the game heavily incorporates the angle in which the user object is facing is important. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date to modify Canose’s invention and incorporate a sector cone indicator in order improve game play mechanics in which angle of orientation is important for the game. Such modification would yield predictable results of indicating the player the direction in which the object is interacting with or the direction in which the object is moving towards. Canose discloses rotate to the left or right side (paragraph 39, Fig. 3d). Therefore, when incorporating a cone, cone will also rotate accordingly.
Claim 28. Canose in view of Carlos discloses the apparatus as discussed above. Canose in view of Carlos also discloses the apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the processor is further configured to detect a release of the rotational movement contact on the user interface and further execute an action instruction on at least one other object on the user interface (As indicated above, Canose discloses an indicator on game object may be used to provide visual indication of manipulation of the game object in response to the touch input; paragraph 38. Canose also actions to performed based on the distance/gestures recognized such as firing/deploying a missile, exchanging greetings, goods, tools, gifts, service, perform interaction with a second object; throw a ball at a second object/net/person, etc.; paragraphs 33, 44. Therefore when modifying Canose’s invention to incorporate a sector cone indicator, another action would be performed such as firing/deploying a missile, exchanging greetings, goods, tools, gifts, service, performing interactions with a second object; throwing a ball at a second object/net/person, etc.).
Claim 33. See rejection for claim 25 above.
Claim 35. See rejection for claim 27 above.
Response to Arguments
Double Patenting
The terminal disclaimer filed on 3/14/2026 is approved. The double patenting rejection is withdrawn.
Prior Art
Applicant's arguments filed 2/20/26 with respect to the prior art rejection have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Canose teaches that when “q-r” is less thana predetermined threshold distance, that the touch input is “ignored” and therefore fails to teach moving an object when the distance between the first position and a position of the release is less than a pre-determined distance.
Canose discloses multiple touch gestures and game inputs that can occur using various touch gestures. Fig. 2C of Canose is an embodiment of determining a gestures in which a touch distance is greater than a predetermined threshold value. In this embodiment, when the distance, is less than a predetermined threshold value, the touch input is ignored. However, the rejection does not rely on this embodiment of touch gesture.
As indicated in the rejection, Canose discloses that a gesture can be a swipe movement or a tap (paragraphs 22, 28, 33 50-51). The claim does not specify what the predefined determined distance is. Therefore, in the broadest reasonable interpretation, a swipe or at least a tap is considered to be a distance less than a predefined determined distance.
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 Jasson H Yoo whose telephone number is (571)272-5563. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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/JASSON H YOO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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