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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
(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) 1-3, 8-12, 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by VONDERHAAR (US 2017/0021274 A1).
1. VONDERHAAR discloses a virtual item processing method executed by an electronic device, the method comprising:
displaying a processing entrance for a virtual item in a virtual scene (virtual firearm in the game scene), (Fig. 3A-3E), [0140];
displaying a first processing interface in response to a trigger operation for the processing entrance, the first processing interface comprising at least a processing control (entering a dedicated component processing interface with modification/processing controls upon selection), [0018], [0096]-[0099];
in response to a trigger operation for the processing control, updating the virtual item (triggering a processing control to apply a new component/attachment and update the virtual weapon), [0018], [0096]-[0099]; and
in response to an interface jump trigger operation, switching from the first processing interface to a second processing interface different from the first processing interface (jumping/switching between different component processing screens via in-screen selection or navigation), [0139]-[0150], (Fig. 3A-3E).
2. VONDERHAAR discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the first processing interface further comprises a first component of the virtual item; and the updating the virtual item comprises: in response to the trigger operation for the processing control, updating the first component such that components in the updated virtual item other than the first component are, at most, partially displayed (focused component views in each processing interface where non-selected parts are de-emphasized or partially shown), [0018], [0099].
3. VONDERHAAR discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the first processing interface further comprises a second component of the virtual item, and the interface jump trigger operation is a trigger operation for the second component; and the switching from the first processing interface to a second processing interface different from the first processing interface comprises: in response to the trigger operation for the second component in the first processing interface, switching from the first processing interface to the second processing interface different from the first processing interface (tapping/selecting another visible component in the current processing screen to directly jump to its dedicated processing interface), (Fig. 3A-3E), [0139]-[0150].
8. VONDERHAAR discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein before displaying the first processing interface, the method further comprises: displaying a virtual item viewing interface, the virtual item viewing interface comprising a plurality of components of the virtual item; and in response to a selection operation for the first component in the virtual item viewing interface, displaying the first processing interface (displaying whole-weapon overview and selecting specific component to enter its processing interface), (Fig. 3A-3E), [0139]-[0150].
9. VONDERHAAR discloses the method according to claim 1, further comprising: in response to a third component of the virtual item satisfying a processing condition, switching from the second processing interface to a third processing interface different from the second processing interface, the third processing interface comprising the third component and a processing control of the third component (tapping/selecting another visible component in the current processing screen to directly jump to its dedicated processing interface), (Fig. 3A-3E), [0139]-[0150].
10-12, 17-18. VONDERHAAR discloses an electronic device, comprising: a memory, configured to store executable instructions; and a processor, configured to: when executing the executable instructions stored in the memory, cause the electronic device to implement a virtual item processing method including: displaying a processing entrance for a virtual item in a virtual scene; displaying a first processing interface in response to a trigger operation for the processing entrance, the first processing interface comprising at least a processing control; in response to a trigger operation for the processing control, updating the virtual item; and in response to an interface jump trigger operation, switching from the first processing interface to a second processing interface different from the first processing interface as similarly discussed above.
19-20. VONDERHAAR discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having computer-executable instructions stored therein, and the computer-executable instructions, when being executed by a processor of an electronic device, causing the electronic device to perform a virtual item processing method including: displaying a processing entrance for a virtual item in a virtual scene; displaying a first processing interface in response to a trigger operation for the processing entrance, the first processing interface comprising at least a processing control; in response to a trigger operation for the processing control, updating the virtual item; and in response to an interface jump trigger operation, switching from the first processing interface to a second processing interface different from the first processing interface as similarly discussed above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 4-7, 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over VONDERHAAR (US 2017/0021274 A1) as applied above and further in view of “Car Mechanic Simulator 2018”. Aug 1, 2017. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEYhdrIq4CU&list=PLqoVoLidYTf0FlSLsEsUkItZens0Cqed2> Accessed 4/29/2026 (CMS hereinafter).
4, 13. VONDERHAAR discloses the invention as discussed above, VONDERHAAR does not but CMS discloses wherein the first processing interface further comprises at least one browsing control respectively corresponding to at least one direction, and the interface jump trigger operation is a trigger operation for the browsing control; and the switching from the first processing interface to a second processing interface different from the first processing interface comprises: in response to a trigger operation for a browsing control corresponding to a first direction in the first processing interface, switching from the first processing interface to the second processing interface different from the first processing interface, the first processing interface comprising a second component, a distribution direction of the second component relative to the first component being in an opposite direction of the first direction, and the second component being a component closest to the first component in the opposite direction (CMS teaches zoom-into-component and swipe/drag camera navigation technique in a 3D virtual item customization environment wherein players zoom/focus on one modular component for detailed work, then use mouse-drag/swipe-style camera controls to pan/rotate to a difference component for the next customization step, without returning to a full-item overview). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art at the time the application was filed to combine VONDERHAAR’s modular firearm component processing workflow with CMS’s intuitive zoom and swipe navigation to create a more efficient, immersive 3D customization UI.
5, 14. VONDERHAAR discloses the invention as discussed above, VONDERHAAR does not but CMS discloses wherein the interface jump trigger operation is a slide operation; and the switching from the first processing interface to a second processing interface different from the first processing interface comprises: in response to the slide operation of which a slide direction of the slide operation is located in a first direction range of the first component in the first processing interface, switching from the first processing interface to the second processing interface different from the first processing interface, a second component being distributed in an opposite range of the first direction range, and a distance between the second component and the first component being proportional to a slide distance of the slide operation (CMS teaches zoom-into-component and swipe/drag camera navigation technique in a 3D virtual item customization environment wherein players zoom/focus on one modular component for detailed work, then use mouse-drag/swipe-style camera controls to pan/rotate to a difference component for the next customization step, without returning to a full-item overview). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art at the time the application was filed to combine VONDERHAAR’s modular firearm component processing workflow with CMS’s intuitive zoom and swipe navigation to create a more efficient, immersive 3D customization UI.
6, 15. VONDERHAAR discloses the invention as discussed above, VONDERHAAR does not but CMS discloses wherein the interface jump trigger operation is a slide operation; and the switching from the first processing interface to a second processing interface different from the first processing interface comprises: in response to the slide operation of which a slide direction of the slide operation is located in a first direction range of the first component in the first processing interface, switching from the first processing interface to the second processing interface different from the first processing interface, a second component being distributed in a opposite range of the first direction range, and the second component being a component closest to the first component in the opposite range (CMS teaches zoom-into-component and swipe/drag camera navigation technique in a 3D virtual item customization environment wherein players zoom/focus on one modular component for detailed work, then use mouse-drag/swipe-style camera controls to pan/rotate to a difference component for the next customization step, without returning to a full-item overview). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art at the time the application was filed to combine VONDERHAAR’s modular firearm component processing workflow with CMS’s intuitive zoom and swipe navigation to create a more efficient, immersive 3D customization UI.
7, 16. VONDERHAAR discloses the invention as discussed above, VONDERHAAR does not but CMS discloses wherein the first processing interface and the second processing interface are photographed by a virtual camera, and each component of the virtual item is configured with a lens parameter corresponding to the virtual camera; and before the switching from the first processing interface to the second processing interface different from the first processing interface, the method further comprises: obtaining a second lens parameter configured for the second component; adjusting a posture of the virtual camera in the virtual scene based on the second lens parameter, and calling the adjusted virtual camera to photograph the virtual item; and loading the processing control of the second component in a picture obtained through the photographing, to obtain the second processing interface(CMS teaches zoom-into-component and swipe/drag camera navigation technique in a 3D virtual item customization environment wherein players zoom/focus on one modular component for detailed work, then use mouse-drag/swipe-style camera controls to pan/rotate to a difference component for the next customization step, without returning to a full-item overview). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art at the time the application was filed to combine VONDERHAAR’s modular firearm component processing workflow with CMS’s intuitive zoom and swipe navigation to create a more efficient, immersive 3D customization UI.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see attached USPTO form PTO-892.
Filing of New or Amended Claims
The examiner has the initial burden of presenting evidence or reasoning to explain why persons skilled in the art would not recognize in the original disclosure a description of the invention defined by the claims. See Wertheim, 541 F.2d at 263, 191 USPQ at 97 (“[T]he PTO has the initial burden of presenting evidence or reasons why persons skilled in the art would not recognize in the disclosure a description of the invention defined by the claims.”). However, when filing an amendment an applicant should show support in the original disclosure for new or amended claims. See MPEP § 714.02 and § 2163.06 (“Applicant should specifically point out the support for any amendments made to the disclosure.”). Please see MPEP 2163 (II) 3. (b)
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SENG H LIM whose telephone number is (571)270-3301. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9-5).
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, David L. Lewis can be reached at (571) 272-7673. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Seng H Lim/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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