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 § 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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Final Fantasy XIV (Square Enix) as evidenced by YouTube Video (“FFXIV Shorts – How To Move Your Tool Tips” Published by Hinamori found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3PYEUcDHkg (Nov. 25, 2021) in view of League of Legends (Riot Games) as evidenced by Fandom: League of Legends Wiki (“Hotkeys and Commands” found at: https://web.archive.org/web/20220102074215/https://leagueoflegends.fandom.com/wiki/Hotkeys_and_commands) and YouTube Video (“League of Legends Walkthrough: Episode 1|Season 2021|Tutorial for Beginners” published by Randomonium found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9Ry-guh5Vc (11/22/2020); hereinafter Randomonium)
Regarding claim 1, FFXIV discloses a system comprising: a display; and one or more memories configured to store instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform operations comprising (a person having ordinary skill in the art would know to run a game like FFXIV it would require a display, one or more memories to store the game’s instructions that the one or more processors process): obtaining a direction in which a controller is present with respect to the display, showing on the display an image comprising a first object and a second object, the second object presenting information about a user who operates the controller and/or the first object (FFXIV teaches that a direction of the character is present with respect to the display wherein the first object is the character and the second object are the tooltips that have information about the user who is operating the game (shown in the attached NPL FIG. 1)), and responsive to the direction in which the controller is present with respect to the display moving from a first direction to a second direction, changing a display position and/or an orientation of the second object in the image in accordance with the move from the first direction to the second direction, without also moving the first object in the image (FFXIV teaches that responsive to the direction in which the controller is present (the mouse) they are able to move the second object in accordance to the display without moving the first object (shown in the attached NPL YouTube screengrabs FIGs 3-5)).
FFXIV does not explicitly disclose the first object being movable within the image in accordance with user input to the controller.
League of Legends teaches the first object being movable within the image in accordance with user input to the controller (a user is able to use the mouse to move the first object (the character in the image) with the user input to the controller (the mouse) (shown in attached NPL pgs. 1-7).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have added a first object being movable with user input as taught by League of Legends into the game of FFXIV for the added benefit of users being able to play the game with the first and second object without having multiple controllers.
Regarding claim 2, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and League of Legends further teaches wherein responsive to the detected change to the direction in which the controller is present with respect to the display, a correspondence between the user input to the controller and an aspect of an operation applicable to the first object is changed (Randomonium shows that in the game you are able to use the controller and move the first object and have an aspect of an operation applicable changed because of the progression of the movement (shown in attached NPL FIGs 1-3).
Regarding claim 3, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and League of Legends further teaches herein: the controller comprises a direction input portion, and the correspondence that is changed is a correspondence between a direction inputted to the direction input portion and a direction of movement of the first object on the display (the primary keys in the game are controlled by mouse input and allow the user to control the first object in the display (see attached NPL pgs. 1-7)).
Regarding claim 4, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and League of Legends further suggests wherein the controller comprises a sensor configured to detect motion of the controller, and the correspondence that is changed is the correspondence between a direction of the detected motion and a direction of movement of the first object on the display (it is obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to know that a mouse used for gameplay would have a sensor and when motion is detected (the mouse is moving) then the first object is also moving as shown in FIGs 1-2 of Randomonium).
Regarding claim 5, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and League of Legends further suggests wherein the display is rectangular (a person having ordinary skill in the art would know that computer displays are rectangular), the correspondence is maintained so long as the controller is determined to be present in an area corresponding to one side of the display, and the correspondence is changed when the controller is determined to be present in another area corresponding to another side of the display (a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would know that as long as a mouse is within an area corresponding to the display, if connected through wireless, it will stay and move accordingly on the display as it is moved).
Regarding claim 6, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and FFXIV further suggests wherein the correspondence is changed after the changing of the display position of the second object (when the second object is moved/changed the tooltips show the information on the screen accordingly (shown in attached NPL FIGs 3-5)).
Regarding claim 7, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and FFXIV further suggests wherein a display position of the second object is selected from among a plurality of predefined display positions for the second object in accordance with the direction after the detected change (the display positions of the second object can be moved within a plurality of predefined display positions that a user can pick (shown in attached NPL FIG. 5)).
Regarding claim 8, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and FFXIV further suggests wherein each of a plurality of second objects is associated with a respective user using the system (each user using the system will have their own plurality of second objects within the game as taught by FFXIV), each display position for each second objects being selected from the plurality of predefined display positions in accordance with a direction of a controller of the associated user (each user playing the game can edit where the plurality of second objects are as shown in the attached NPL in FIGs 3-5).
Regarding claim 9, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and League of Legends further suggests wherein when the selected display position of the second object is different from a current display position of the second object, the display position of the second object is changed from the current display position to the selected display position after a condition is satisfied (FIG 3-5 show that a user uses a second object where the positions changed (objects similar to the tooltips of FFIXV) and when a user selects the ability the condition is met and is shown to the user).
Regarding claim 10, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and League of Legends further suggests wherein the condition is satisfied when a predetermined time period elapses (shown in FIGs 4-5 of the attached NPL where there is a 7 second time period).
Regarding claim 11, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and League of Legends further suggests wherein when second objects are shown for three or more users, display positions of the second objects are rearrangeable from current positions to newly selected positions in accordance with the obtained directions such that second objects adjacent to one in their current positions will not necessarily be adjacent to one another in their newly selected positions. A person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have known to try to add multiplayer mode on one screen for a game that can already be played with others for the added benefit of users being able to share one device when devices are limited.
Regarding claim 12, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and League of Legends further suggests wherein the first object does not change orientation based on the detected change to the direction in which the controller is present with respect to the display (the first object is not changing unless the character moves the first object and does not change orientation, the first object only moves according to the exact movement request of the user (shown in attached NPL first object moving to where the user requests in FIGs 1-2)).
Regarding claim 13, FFXIV discloses a processing method comprising: obtaining a direction in which a controller is present with respect to a display; showing on the display an image comprising a first object and a second object, the second object presenting information about a user who operates the controller and/or the first object (FFXIV teaches that a direction of the character is present with respect to the display wherein the first object is the character and the second object are the tooltips that have information about the user who is operating the game (shown in the attached NPL FIG. 1)); and responsive to the direction in which the controller is present with respect to the display moving from a first direction to a second direction, changing a display position and/or an orientation of the second object in accordance with the move from the first direction to the second direction, without also moving the first object in the image (FFXIV teaches that responsive to the direction in which the controller is present (the mouse) they are able to move the second object in accordance to the display without moving the first object (shown in the attached NPL YouTube screengrabs FIGs 3-5)).
FFXIV does not explicitly disclose the first object being movable within the image in accordance with user input to the controller.
League of Legends teaches the first object being movable within the image in accordance with user input to the controller (a user is able to use the mouse to move the first object (the character in the image) with the user input to the controller (the mouse) (shown in attached NPL pgs. 1-7).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have added a first object being movable with user input as taught by League of Legends into the game of FFXIV for the added benefit of users being able to play the game with the first and second object without having multiple controllers.
Regarding claim 14, and similarly claim 18, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and League of Legends further teaches further comprising changing a correspondence between the user input to the controller and an aspect of an operation applicable to the first object, responsive to the detected change to the direction in which the controller is present with respect to the display (Randomonium shows that in the game you are able to use the controller and move the first object and have an aspect of an operation applicable changed because of the progression of the movement (shown in attached NPL FIGs 1-3), wherein the controller comprises a direction input portion, and wherein the correspondence that is changed is a correspondence between a direction inputted to the direction input portion and a direction of movement of the first object on the display (the primary keys in the game are controlled by mouse input and allow the user to control the first object in the display (see attached NPL pgs. 1-7)).
Regarding claim 15, and similarly claim 19, T FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and League of Legends further suggests a sensor configured to detect motion of the controller, and wherein the correspondence that is changed is the correspondence between a direction of the detected motion and a direction of movement of the first object on the display (it is obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to know that a mouse used for gameplay would have a sensor and when motion is detected (the mouse is moving) then the first object is also moving as shown in FIGs 1-2 of Randomonium).
Regarding claim 16, and similarly claim 20, FFXIV in view of League of Legends teaches the claimed matter as stated above; and League of Legends further suggests further comprising changing a correspondence between the user input to the controller and an aspect of an operation applicable to the first object (it is obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to know that a mouse used for gameplay would have a sensor and when motion is detected (the mouse is moving) then the first object is also moving as shown in FIGs 1-2 of Randomonium), responsive to the detected change to the direction in which the controller is present with respect to the display, wherein the display is rectangular (a person having ordinary skill in the art would know that computer displays are rectangular), the correspondence is maintained so long as the controller is determined to be present in an area corresponding to one side of the display, and wherein the correspondence is changed when the controller is determined to be present in another area corresponding to another side of the display (a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would know that as long as a mouse is within an area corresponding to the display, if connected through wireless, it will stay and move accordingly on the display as it is moved).
Regarding claim 17, FFXIV suggests a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed, cause one or more processors to perform operations (a person having ordinary skill in the art would know that a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions that when executed, cause the processor to play the game could be used to run FFXIV) comprising: steps similar in scope to independent claim 1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SELWA A ALSOMAIRY whose telephone number is (703)756-5323. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30AM to 5PM EST.
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, Peter Vasat can be reached at (571) 270-7625. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SELWA A ALSOMAIRY/Examiner, Art Unit 3715
/Jay Trent Liddle/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715