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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/26/2026 has been considered by the examiner.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Walsh (US Patent Publication No. 2022/0121284) in view of 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/18/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. With reference to claims 1, 14, and 20, the applicant argues that Walsh and Geotgeluk fails to teach a flexible circuit wherein a deformable conductor acts as the primary sensing element, wherein the system measures a raw electrical parameter (e.g. resistance, impedance) of the conductor, and then scaling the measurement to determine the physical condition (e.g. strain, stretch) of the circuit itself to be used to simulate motion. However, the examiner fails to find the argued features recited in the claim language as argued by the applicant. It is the applicant’s position that the Walsh fails to teach a flexible circuit with a deformable conductor for sensing. The claim fail to recite a deformable conductor for sensing as argued. The claims recited a “flexible circuit comprising a first trace comprising a deformable conductor”, which is not the same as what is argued by the applicant. The examiner finds that Walsh disclose a flexible circuit comprising a first trace comprising a deformable conductor in teaching a wearable article including a plurality of sensor and feedback units connected to a controller on a printed circuit board (see paragraphs 27-30, 46; Figs. 1, 3). The applicant equates the position sensors of Walsh with the deformable conductors as recited. However, the examiner explains in the office action “a first trace (131) comprising a deformable conductor” in teaching communication lines (131) which is a wired conductive communication line (see paragraphs 29, 33; Figs. 1D-E). The applicant also argues that the controller (126) as taught by Walsh, does not read on the flexible circuit as recited in the claims. The examiner disagrees and finds that the controller circuit connected to a plurality of sensor and feedback units which are embedded into an article of clothing. For these reasons the examiner finds that Walsh teaches the subject matter as recited. The applicant also argues that Walsh does not teach scaling an electrical parameter of the circuit to determine the circuits physical condition. The applicant further states that the applicant’s system measures a raw electrical parameter (e.g. resistance) of the deformable conductor and scales this value to determine the psychical condition (e.g. strain) of the circuit itself. The examiner finds that the applicant’s arguments are not directed to the subject matter recited. The claims fail to recite the deformable conductor as a primary sensing element measuring resistance or impedance and scaled to determine a strain value of the circuit as argued by the applicant. Therefore the examiner finds that the teaching of the position calculator configured to calculate a position using positional data and kinematic structure data from the sensor and feedback units (see paragraphs 37-38, 41; Figs. 1-3). For these reasons the examiner finds that Walsh discloses the invention as recited. Walsh also discloses that the wearable article may track the motion of the user and provide haptic feedback as the user interacts within a VR/AR environment, however fails to teach tacking by comparing previous positions as recited. The examiner relies upon additional teachings of Goetgeluk for this feature in teaching that based on sensor data the system can determine movement for a first position to a second position and translate the movements to a user’s avatar within a virtual environment (see paragraphs 30-36; Figs. 1-3).
Therefore the arguments presented by the applicant have been found to be non-persuasive, as they argue features that are not recited in the claim language.
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
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 ALECIA DIANE ENGLISH whose telephone number is (571)270-1595. The examiner can normally be reached M0n.-Fri. 7:00am-3:00am.
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/ADE/Examiner, Art Unit 2625
/WILLIAM BODDIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2625