DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
Applicant’s submission of Information Disclosure Statements on 9/26/2024, 12/31/2024, 3/17/2025, 8/14/2025, 12/17/2025, and 3/16/2026 have been received and considered.
Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 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 1, 2, 5, 6, 9-11, and 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0081110 to Houston (Fig. 29A, annotated, shown below for convenience, but entire reference is relied upon as indicated).
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With regard to claim 1, Houston discloses a handheld controller (e.g., see Fig. 29A, game controller 470; see also paragraph 258 for discussion of game controller 470) comprising: a housing (e.g., see Fig. 29A, although shown schematically, the outer portion of game controller 470 defines the housing) comprising: a frame (e.g., see at least Fig. 29A, housing’s structure is inherently supported by some form of frame so the game controller has a defined shape); one or more external surfaces (e.g., see Fig. 29A, wherein the exterior of 470 defines an external surface); and a plurality of vibratory external surfaces (e.g., see at least Fig. 29A, the external surfaces are associated with the housing adjacent the vibration devices); a plurality of vibration sources disposed in the housing (e.g., see Fig. 29A, vibration devices 472 and 474; see also paragraph 258 for discussion of vibration devices), wherein the one or more external surfaces and the plurality of vibration sources are mechanically coupled to the frame (e.g., see Fig. 29A that shows that vibrations devices are supported within game controller 470 by elements that are annotated as structural member); and a plurality of structural members (e.g., see Fig. 29A, annotated by the Examiner with labels for structural members; see also paragraph 258 that states that “vibration devices 472 and 474 mounted in both the right left handles, respectively of housing 476”), wherein each of the plurality of structural members mechanically couple one of the plurality of vibratory external surfaces to one of the plurality of vibration sources (e.g., see Fig. 29A, annotated by the Examiner with labels for structural members; see also paragraph 258 that states that “vibration devices 472 and 474 mounted in both the right left handles, respectively of housing 476”);
[claim 2] further comprising a vibration dampening material disposed between each of the plurality of vibratory external surfaces (e.g., see Fig. 29A annotated by the Examiner with labels for springs that act as vibration dampening materials; see also paragraph 259 that discusses springs);
[claim 5] wherein each of the plurality of vibratory external surfaces comprises an interior surface and the vibration dampening material is disposed on each of the interior surfaces (e.g., see Fig. 29A that shows a spring connected to an interior surface);
[claim 6] wherein each of the plurality of structural members are bonded to one of the plurality of vibratory external surfaces (e.g., see Fig. 29A, annotated by the Examiner with labels for structural members; see also paragraph 258 that states that “vibration devices 472 and 474 mounted in both the right left handles, respectively of housing 476”);
[claim 9] further comprising a controller disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of vibration sources (e.g., see at least Fig. 31 for vibration device controller 502);
[claim 10] wherein the controller is configured to generate, via the plurality of vibration sources, a combined vibration at a predetermined location on the housing (e.g., see at least paragraph 266 that discusses controller specifying a combined vibration output of actuators 506a,b);
[claim 11] wherein the controller is configured to: generate, via a first vibration source of the plurality of vibration sources, first vibratory oscillations characterized by a first phase; generate, via a second vibration source of the plurality of vibration sources, second vibratory oscillations characterized by a second phase; and vary at least one of the first phase or the second phase (e.g., see at least paragraph 264 that discusses different phase/profiles/waveforms of actuators 506a,b);
[claim 13] wherein a first set of the plurality of vibration sources are disposed in a first lateral plane and a second set of the plurality of vibration sources are disposed in a second lateral plane that is parallel to the first lateral plane (e.g., see at least paragraphs 204 and 225 that discusses actuators being along the same plane, which would by definition would be parallel);
[claim 14] wherein the plurality of vibration sources comprises piezoelectric actuators (e.g., see at least paragraphs 160 and 255 that discusses that actuators may be piezoelectric);
[claim 15] wherein the plurality of vibratory external surfaces includes the one or more external surfaces (e.g., see paragraph 9 that discusses the purpose of the device is to cause haptic feedback for the user, and since the user holds the game controller on an external surface, the system necessarily has vibratory external surfaces);
[claim 16] wherein each vibration source of the plurality of vibration sources is mechanically coupled to single vibratory surface of the plurality of vibratory external surfaces thereby providing a plurality of independent vibratory external surfaces (e.g., see Fig. 29A, annotated by the Examiner with labels for structural members; see also paragraph 258 that states that “vibration devices 472 and 474 mounted in both the right left handles, respectively of housing 476”);
[claim 17] wherein the plurality of vibration sources comprises twenty-four independent vibration sources and the plurality of vibratory external surfaces comprises twenty-four independent vibratory external surfaces (e.g., see at least paragraph 508 that discusses that each node has 12 LRAs with six faces of a cube, and two devices equals 24);
[claim 18] wherein four of the vibration sources are disposed in a first lateral plane, eight of the vibration sources are disposed in a second lateral plane parallel to the first lateral plane, eight of the vibration sources are disposed in a third lateral plane parallel to the second lateral plane, and four of the vibration sources are disposed in a fourth lateral plane parallel to the third lateral plane (e.g., see at least paragraph 508 that discusses that each node has 12 LRAs with six faces of a cube, with four lateral planes on the surfaces of the cubes);
[claim 19] wherein the plurality of vibratory external surfaces together form a cubic shape (e.g., see at least Fig. 92i that shows a cubic shape; see also paragraphs 506-508 for discussion of cubic shape); and
[claim 20] wherein the handheld controller is communicatively coupled to an augmented reality system (e.g., see at least paragraphs 12 and 319 for discussion of augmented reality system).
Rejections under 35 U.S.C. 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.
Claims 3, 4, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Houston in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0133221 to Danny.
With regard to claims 3, 4, and 12, Houston discloses a spring damper but fails to disclose the use of an elastic band or surrounding/between surfaces.
In the same field of endeavor, Danny teaches a game controller that utilizes viscoelastic materials as a vibration isolation barrier that surrounds surfaces or is disposed between the vibration source and a surface (e.g., see at least paragraphs 5 and 40 for discussion of vibration isolation barrier made from various materials, including viscoelastic material, 151 as seen in Fig. 9).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify Houston with the elastic materials between surfaces as taught by Danny in order to use a known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way. In this case, elastic material is inexpensive and effective dampening material to help isolate vibrations from undesired locations on the game controller.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Houston in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0188976 to Aleksov.
With regard to claim 7, Houston fails to disclose the use each of the plurality of structural members are bonded to one of the plurality of vibratory external surfaces using epoxy.
In the same field of endeavor, Aleksov teaches using epoxy to adhere elements of electronic devices that include an actuator (e.g., see at least Fig. 1C).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify Houston with the epoxy fastening as taught by Aleksov in order to use a known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way. In this case, adhering elements together with epoxy is an inexpensive an effective manner of connecting elements in an electronic device.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Houston in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0095925 to Xu.
With regard to claim 8, Houston fails to disclose the use plurality of structural members are detachably connected to at least one of the vibration sources and one of the plurality of vibratory external surfaces.
In the same field of endeavor, Xu teaches the use of detaching structural elements in a game controller (e.g., see at least paragraph 12). The Examiner recognizes that Xu’s detachable elements are different elements than claimed, but the Examiner relies upon Xu for a general teaching that making elements in a game controller detachable is well-known.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify Houston with the detachable connectivity as taught by Xu in order to use a known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way. In this case, making elements detachable allows for less expensive repair by replacing just the parts that need to replaced.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0258758 to Houston discusses a haptic system for game controllers (e.g., see at least Figs. 15 and 16).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES S MCCLELLAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7167. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (8:30AM-5:00PM).
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, Kang Hu can be reached at 571-270-1344. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/James S. McClellan/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715