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
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claims 1-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Walsh (US Patent Publication No. 2022/0121284) in view of Keller et al. (US Patent No. 10,310,608; hereinafter Keller) and Goetgeluk et al. (US Patent Publication No. 2016/0296838; hereinafter Goetgeluk).
With reference to claims 1, 14, and 20, Walsh discloses a system, wearable article, and method configured to simulate a physical motion performed by a user via an avatar in a virtual environment (in teaching VR/AR gaming; see paragraphs 39, 62; Fig. 1A-D), the system comprising:
a wearable article (102) comprising a first flexible circuit (126), wherein the first flexible circuit comprises a first trace (131) comprising a deformable conductor, wherein the first flexible circuit is positioned in a first location of interest on the wearable article (see4 paragraphs 30-34; Figs 1D, 1F); and
a computing device (104) comprising a processor (106) and a memory (108) configured to store a visualization engine (see paragraph 39) that, when executed by the processor (106) (see paragraph 37), causes the processor to:
receive a first signal generated by the first flexible circuit (see paragraph 35);
determine a first electrical parameter based on the first signal (see paragraph 38);
scale the first electrical parameter based on a predetermined simulation framework of the visualization engine (154) (see paragraphs 39-41; Fig. 1), wherein scaling the first electrical parameter corresponds to a physical condition of the first flexible circuit (in teaching position calculator (114); see paragraphs 38, 42; Fig. 1);
and generate a simulation of the physical motion performed by a user via the avatar in the virtual environment (see paragraph 41).
While disclosing the system and wearable article, Walsh fails to disclose the deformable conductor and the physical condition as recited.
Keller discloses a wearable article comprising a first flexible circuit (130) comprising a first trace comprising a deformable conductor (140) (see column 2, line 67-column 3, line 34; Fig. 1) and a computing device (132) comprising a processor to determine a first electrical parameter of the deformable conductor based on a first signal generated by the first flexible circuit (see column 4, lines 7-16; column 10, lines 18-23; Fig. 5), wherein the first electrical parameter comprises one of an inductance, a resistance, a voltage drop, a capacitance, or an electromagnetic field (see column 8, line 58-column 9, line 16), wherein the first electrical parameter changes with deformation of the deformable conductor (see column 10, lines 18-23; Fig. 5); scaling the first electrical parameter corresponding to a physical condition of the first circuit, the physical condition comprising a deformation of the deformable conductor (see column 13, line 1-28; Fig. 6).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to allow the usage of a deformable conductor similar to that which is taught by Keller to be carried out in a device similar to that which is taught by Walsh to thereby provide a deformable conductor to thereby measure stress or strain applied to the wearable device to be communicated with an AR/VR environment (see column 1, line 51-column 2, line 23).
While disclosing the system and wearable article as described Walsh fails to disclose comparing previous physical conditions as recited.
Goetgeluk discloses a haptic feedback device installed in a glove (122) wherein the glove comprises a plurality of sensors (102A) capable of tracking user’s movements (see paragraphs 30, 36; Fig. 1), wherein the processor (104) can compare the physical condition of the glove to previously determined physical conditions associated with the glove based on the comparison (see paragraph 36; Fig. 3).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to allow the usage of a comparison similar to that which is taught by Goetgeluk to be carried out in a system similar to that which is taught by Walsh and Keller to thereby efficiently track movements of the user’s glove for interactions with the virtual environment (see Goetgeluk; paragraph 36).
With reference to claims 2 and 15, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 1 or 14, wherein Walsh further discloses that the wearable article further comprises an inertial measurement unit (“IMU”) configured to monitor a position and orientation of the wearable article in three-dimensional space (see paragraph 35), and wherein, when executed by the processor, the visualization engine further causes the computing device to: receive a second signal generated by the IMU (see paragraph 35); and wherein generation of the simulation is further based on the second signal received from the IMU (see paragraph 35).
With reference to claims 3 and 16, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 2 or 15, wherein Walsh further discloses that when executed by the processor, the visualization engine (154) further causes the computing device (100) to: calibrate the second signal generated by the IMU based on the first signal generated by the first flexible circuit (see paragraphs 35, 38-41).
With reference to claim 4, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 1, wherein Walsh further discloses that the computing device (104) is positioned remotely relative to the wearable article (see paragraph 28; Fig. 1D).
With reference to claim 5, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 4, wherein Walsh further discloses that the wearable article (102) further comprises a transceiver (135) configured to transmit signals to and from the computing device (104) (see paragraph 28; Fig. 1D).
With reference to claim 6, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 1, wherein Walsh further discloses that an electronic component (132) comprising a power source (134) configured to provide electrical power to the first flexible circuit, and wherein the wearable article further comprises a mechanical component configured to selectively receive the electronic component (in teaching power module coupled to one or more wearable pieces of material; see paragraphs 27, 44-45; Figs. 1, 2).
With reference to claim 7, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 6, wherein Walsh further discloses that wherein the electronic component further comprises a memory (126) configured to store data associated with the first signal generated by the first flexible circuit (see paragraphs 28-29, 35-36; Figs 1A-E) .
With reference to claims 8 and 17, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 1 or 14, wherein Walsh further discloses that wherein the wearable article (102) further comprises a second flexible circuit, wherein the second flexible circuit comprises a second trace comprising a deformable conductor, and wherein the second flexible circuit is positioned in a second location of interest on the wearable article (in teaching sensors on each finger; see paragraphs 31-32; Fig. 1D).
With reference to claims 9 and 18, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 8 or 17, wherein Walsh further discloses that wherein the wearable article is a glove (see paragraphs 31-32; Fig. 1D), and wherein the first location of interest comprises a most proximal knuckle of a first finger of the glove (in teaching keypoints; see paragraphs 31-32, 38).
With reference to claims 10 and 19, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 9 or 18, wherein Walsh further discloses that the second location of interest comprises an intermediate knuckle of the first finger (in teaching keypoints; see paragraphs 31-32, 38).
With reference to claim 11, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 10, wherein Walsh further discloses the second location of interest further comprises a most distal knuckle of the first finger (in teaching keypoints; see paragraphs 31-32, 38).
With reference to claim 12, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 10, wherein Walsh further discloses wherein the second flexible circuit traverses around the first flexible circuit (in teaching poses of the left and right hand; see paragraphs 38-39; Fig. 1D).
With reference to claim 13, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 9, wherein Walsh further discloses wherein the wearable article further comprises a third flexible circuit, wherein the third flexible circuit comprises a third trace comprising a deformable conductor, wherein the third flexible circuit is positioned in a third location of interest on the wearable article, and wherein the third location of interest comprises a second finger of the glove (in teaching sensors on each finger; see paragraphs 31-32; Fig. 1D).
With reference to claim 21, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk, disclose the system of claim 1, wherein Keller further discloses wherein the deformable conductor (140) comprises a fluid-phase deformable conductor (see column 5, lines 17-32; Figs. 2-3).
Claim 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Walsh in view of Keller and Goetgeluk as applied to claim 17, and further in view of McMillen et al. (US Patent Publication No. 2017/0303853; hereinafter McMillen).
With reference to claim 22, Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk teach a first and second flexible circuit, however fail to disclose the second circuit surrounds the first circuit as recited.
McMillen discloses a sensor system integrated with a wearable glove (300) having a first flexible circuit and a second flexible circuit, wherein the second flexible circuit (S1) surrounds the first flexible circuit (S6) (see paragraphs 47, 52; Figs. 1, 3, 6-7, 10-11).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill art to allow the usage of a flexible circuit configuration similar to that which is taught by McMillen to be carried out in a wearable device similar to that which is taught by Walsh, Keller, and Goetgeluk to provide an alternative configuration for receiving sensor input (see McMillen; paragraph 31).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-22 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
KODEIH et al. (US2022/0155850) discloses an immersive and response reality wherein an avatar may be controlled based on where a second position for the avatar is to move is relative to the current position of the avatar in an enhanced environment (see abstract; paragraphs 77-120; Figs. 1-12).
NIEMAN (US2022/0187918) discloses a virtual reality glove for interacting with a virtual reality environment, wherein the glove comprises sensors to transmit data to one or more remote devices for controlling an avatar in a VR environment (see abstract; paragraphs 49-71; Figs. 1-5).
Conclusion
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/ADE/Examiner, Art Unit 2625 /WILLIAM BODDIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2625
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