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 statements (IDS) submitted on 11/14/2024, 12/27/2024, 04/04/2025, 07/03/2025, 11/10/2025, and 02/04/2026 have all been considered and made of record with the exception of lined-through references for which a copy of the foreign patent documents with drawings were not filed, a translation of a foreign language references were not provided, or the citations were incorrect (note the attached copies of form PTO-1449).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Claim 19 specifies a computer-readable storage medium. Given the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the specification and state-of-the-art at the time of invention, the full scope of “computer readable storage medium” covers both non-transitory tangible media (e.g., RAM, ROM, hard drive) and transitory propagating signals (e.g., carrier waves, signals) per se. Transitory propagating signals do not fall within the definition of a process, machine, manufacture or composition of matter and therefore must be rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as covering non-statutory subject matter (See In re Nuijten, 500 F.3d 1346, 1356-57 (Fed. Cir. 2007) (transitory embodiments are not directed to statutory subject matter) and Interim Examination Instructions for Evaluating Subject Matter Eligibility Under 35 U.S.C. § 101, Aug. 24, 2009; p. 2.). The examiner suggests amending the claim to exclude transitory propagating signals, by adding a modifier, such as non-transitory to the claimed medium.
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 1-7 and 10-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. 2015/0189266 to Zhou in view of U.S. PGPubs 2013/0050070 to Lewis et al..
PNG
media_image1.png
205
361
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding Claim 1, Zhou discloses a display system configured to project light to an eye of a user (abstract, project image upon the retina of a human eye; Figs 12A-12D, par 0095-0096, par 0110-0114, “an optical emitter 124 is used to project an directional probing light 1241 upon the cornea and an optical detector 125 is used to detect the reflection light 1251 from the cornea” ….This new scheme can also be integrated into head-mounted supporting structures, for example in the form of eye-glasses) to display virtual image content in a vision field of the user (par 0005, For a 3D viewing experience of the viewer to better simulate a real-life three-dimensional visualization of objects within the viewing space of the viewer... human vision re-focus event without viewer's active effort to change the focus depth of the shown images. Thus a reality viewing experience can be achieved [therefore virtual reality], Figs 5-6 and 27-33, par 0012, par 0086-0090, par 0161-0164, par 0181-0201, display a AR stereo image in a HMD display), the eye having a cornea, an iris, a pupil, a lens, a retina, and an optical axis extending through the lens, pupil, and cornea (Figs 9-12d, par 0095-0118, a human eye inherently comprises a cornea, iris, pupil, lens, retina, and an optical axis there through), the display system (par 0012, displaying images, Figs 5-6 and 27-33, par 0012, par 0086-0090, par 0161-0164, par 0181-0201, display a AR stereo image in a HMD display) comprising:
a head-mounted display (Figs 27-33, par 0095, par 0181-0201, See-through substrate 93 can be any type of substrate that allows visible light to pass through. Please note that in the specifications of various embodiments of the current invention, the word "glass" is sometimes used as one type of, or an implementation of, or interchangeably as, a "see-through substrate". See through substrate 93 provides a supporting frame for the transmitter 95 and the detector 94 and allow viewer's eye 90 to see through. Light from images that are displayed to the viewer can pass through see-through substrate 93 and forms optical projection on the retina 92. See-through substrate 93 can serve as part of the stereo vision system that helps images taken from same scene at different viewing angles being shown to each eye 90 of the viewer separately, so that viewer has a stereo vision impression; therefore a display; paragraph 113,This new scheme can also be integrated into head-mounted supporting structures, for example in the form of eye-glasses, therefore a head mounted display disposed on the frame) configured to project light into the eye to present virtual image content to the vision field of the user (Figs 12A-12D, par 0095-0096, par 0110-0114, Light from images that are displayed to the viewer can pass through see-through substrate 93 and forms optical projection on the retina... the stereo vision system that helps images taken from same scene at different viewing angles being shown to each eye 90 of the viewer separately, so that viewer has a stereo vision impression) at different amounts of at least one of divergence and collimation such that the displayed virtual image content appears to originate from different depths at different periods of time (par 0217, For typical LED or OLEO device 3702, due to the light beam 3703 being mostly diverging when directly coming out of the LED or OLEO device 3702; paragraph 227, OLEO devices being used to project images on the retina of the eye at different focus depth of the eye-lens with changing the curvature of the flexible substrate, during the event of the eye-lens focus depth change by the viewer intention; therefore controlling the OLEO diverging light will therefore control the depth in each eye; abstract, real time therefore over time);
one or more eye tracking cameras configured to image the eye (Figs 12A-12D, par 097-0101, par 0110-0118, Detector 94 detects the reflected probing light (Reflection light) 97 from the retina 92; paragraph 99, Reflection light 97 received by detector 94 is used to calculate the eye-information; see paragraph 101, camera as an optical detector, therefore imaging; paragraph 115, The eye-information detection scheme...eye-tracking); and
processing electronics in communication with the display and the one or more eye tracking cameras (Figs 18-25, par 0113-0115, par 0123-0124, par 0162-0161, an image processor, that has at least one input parameter that controls the focus depth during image generation process of a scene; (Step 402) Active sensing the re-focus intention of viewer by monitoring the physiological change of viewer's vision related body function including viewer's eyelens change (therefore connected to the camera above], without viewer's active participation or physical action, and generating such physiological change information; (Step 403) Calculating intended focus depth and/or intended in-focus objects in the scene from the physiological change information from Step 402; (Step 404) Adjusting the input parameter in Step 401 to reach intended focus depth of the scene generated by the image generation device in Step 401; and (Step 405) Generating a scene by the generation device in Step 401 and displaying the image of the generated scene to the viewer's eyes), the processing electronics configured to: determine a position estimate of a center of perspective of the eye based on images of the eye obtained with the one or more eye tracking cameras (par 0162, physiological change of viewer's vision related body function can also include the rotational position of the viewer's eye pupil; par 0171, the active sensing of the re-focus intention of viewer can be any of: (1) by monitoring the change of shape or curvature of... eyeball rotation, therefore by monitoring the change of eyeball rotation shape, monitoring center of rotation change), cause the display to camera present to the eye the virtual image content that is rendered based on a render camera located at a render camera position that is determined based on the position estimate of the center of perspective (par 0111, When viewer's intention of re-focus happens, the eye-lens 121 of the viewer eye 120 can change in shape and curvature; therefore the mapping of the eye and curvature would also determine the location of the center of curvature, as monitoring corneal shape 123, see paragraph 111, At different corneal shape 123 caused by the different eye-lens shape change 122, the reflection light 1251 as received by the optical detector 125, par 0198, The real object 3221, 3222 or 3223 in focus to viewer 270 will be identified as being at correct position and distance that matches the viewer 270's intended focus depth and focus point along the eye-sight 324 direction. Then an imaginary object 3232 [virtual object] associated to that real object 3222 being in-focus is also brought into focus in viewer 270's view [therefore rendering it in a render space] and at position in proximity to the real object 322).
But Zhou keep silent for teaching the center of perspective being estimated to be proximal the pupil of the eye or between the cornea and the pupil of the eye.
PNG
media_image2.png
294
402
media_image2.png
Greyscale
In related endeavor, Lewis et al. teach the processing electronics configured to: determine a position estimate of a center of perspective of the eye based on images of the eye obtained with the one or more eye tracking cameras(par 0042, “Geometry of one or more gaze detection elements with respect to the visible portion of a human eye forms a basis for various embodiments of gaze determination. In some embodiments, data from only glints may be used to track changing intensities due to different reflectivities on parts of the eye like the sclera, sometimes referred to as the white section of the eye, the pupil and the iris. A glint is a very small and often very bright reflection of light from a light source off of a surface of the cornea of an eye. The glint is an image of the light source, typically a narrow beam source focused on the eye“, par 0102-0106, par 0134, “FIG. 5 is a top view illustrating examples of gaze vectors intersecting at a point of gaze where a user's eyes are focused. A model of the eye 160l, 160r is illustrated for each eye based on the Gullstrand schematic eye model. For each eye, an eyeball 160 is modeled as a sphere with a center of rotation 166 and includes a cornea 168 modeled as a sphere too and having a center 164. The cornea rotates with the eyeball, and the center 166 of rotation of the eyeball may be treated as a fixed point. The cornea covers an iris 170 with a pupil 162 at its center ….For a see-through mixed reality display device, the gaze vectors are determined to identify a point of gaze in a three-dimensional (3D) user field of view which includes both real objects, typically not under computer control, and virtual objects generated by an application. The gaze vectors may intersect at an object 10 feet away or at a distance effectively at infinity. The following figures briefly discuss embodiments for determining a 3D user field of view”), the center of perspective being estimated to be proximal the pupil of the eye or between the cornea and the pupil of the eye (par 0043-0044, “Other embodiments use both image data of the eye and data representing glints in the context of a geometry of the illuminators and at least one image sensor to determine boundaries of a three-dimensional (3D) spatial relationship between positions of parts of the eye and a respective system of gaze detection elements. Examples of such parts of the eye are a center of a cornea determined based on glint data, a center of a pupil determined from image data of an eye, and a center of rotation of the eye a position of which is estimated based on the position of the cornea center”, par 0102-0106, ““FIG. 5 is a top view illustrating examples of gaze vectors intersecting at a point of gaze where a user's eyes are focused. A model of the eye 160l, 160r is illustrated for each eye based on the Gullstrand schematic eye model. For each eye, an eyeball 160 is modeled as a sphere with a center of rotation 166 and includes a cornea 168 modeled as a sphere too and having a center 164. The cornea rotates with the eyeball, and the center 166 of rotation of the eyeball may be treated as a fixed point. The cornea covers an iris 170 with a pupil 162 at its center”, par 0120, par 0140-0143, “Based on image data provided by the at least one sensor, in step 614, the one or more processors determine a pupil center of each eye. In step 616, the position of the center of eyeball rotation, which may be treated as fixed, is determined relative to the cornea and pupil centers. For example, based on the pupil center, a ray can be extended back through the determined cornea center 164 to the fixed center 166 of eyeball rotation. Additionally, distance or length approximations are used for approximating the length on the optical axis between the pupil and the cornea, for example about 3 mm, and the length on the optical axis between the center of curvature of cornea and the center of eyeball rotation, about 6 mm. These values have been determined from population studies of human eye parameters such as those compiled by Gullstrand”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to modified Zhou to include the center of perspective being estimated to be proximal the pupil of the eye or between the cornea and the pupil of the eye as taught by Lewis et al. to provide details analysis of eye from the sensor to determine an accurate center position of eye to further determine the gaze direction from left and right eyes to improve 3D rendering.
Regarding Claim 2, Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. teaches all the limitation of claim 1, and Zhou further teaches wherein the render camera position is the position estimate of the center of perspective (par 0157, “The image display device 226 displays the updated image sent from recording devices 223 with desired focus depth of the viewer”, par 0212, “The computing device 359 calculates the desired focus depth from the sensed eye-information and produced updated version of the image 356 to be projected on retina 352, which reflects the desired focus depth of the viewer. The updated image is sent from computer device 359 to the mirror array 354 controller as shown by 3592. The mirror array 354 then changes accordingly to project updated image with any change of: image shape, size, form, color, contrast, brightness or other optical properties to produce an effective change of viewer's perception that follows the focus depth change of the eye-lens of the viewer's eye”).
Regarding Claim 3, Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. teaches all the limitation of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the render camera position is closer to the center of perspective than the retina (Zhou: Fig. 35, par 0212, Lewis et al.: Fig. 5, par 0102-0105).
Regarding Claim 4, Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. teaches all the limitation of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the render camera position is closer to the center of perspective than a center of rotation of the eye (Zhou: Fig. 35, par 0212, Lewis et al.: Fig. 5, par 0102-0105).
Regarding Claim 5, Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. teaches all the limitation of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the center of perspective is not located at the pupil of the eye (Zhou: Fig. 35, par 0212, “FIG. 35 shows additional components including optical emitter 357 and optical detector 358, which are used to detect the eye-lens change and pupil position change as described in FIG. 12A through FIG. 12H. The optical signal containing eye-information change regarding eye-lens and pupil is sent to a computing device 359 as shown by 3591. The computing device 359 calculates the desired focus depth from the sensed eye-information and produced updated version of the image 356 to be projected on retina 352, which reflects the desired focus depth of the viewer”, Lewis et al.: Fig. 5, par 0102-0105, “The axis 178 formed from the center of rotation 166 through the cornea center 164 to the pupil 162 is the optical axis of the eye. A gaze vector 180 is sometimes referred to as the line of sight or visual axis which extends from the fovea through the center of the pupil 162. The fovea is a small area of about 1.2 degrees located in the retina. The angular offset between the optical axis computed in the embodiment of FIG. 9 and the visual axes has horizontal and vertical components. The horizontal component is up to 5 degrees from the optical axis, and the vertical component is between 2 and 3 degrees”, par 0120-0122, “Based on image data provided by the at least one sensor, in step 614, the one or more processors determine a pupil center of each eye. In step 616, the position of the center of eyeball rotation, which may be treated as fixed, is determined relative to the cornea and pupil centers. For example, based on the pupil center, a ray can be extended back through the determined cornea center 164 to the fixed center 166 of eyeball rotation ….the one or more processors in step 618 determines a position of the fixed center of eyeball rotation with respect to the illuminators and the at least one sensor for the respective eye. This position determined in step 618 provides a depth distance between a fixed point, or one that can be approximated as fixed for accuracy considerations of gaze detection, and the display optical system”).
Regarding Claim 6, Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. teaches all the limitation of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the processing electronics are further configured to: determine an eye pose of the eye over time (Zhou: par 0071-0072, “the active sensing of the re-focus intention of viewer can be any of: (1) by monitoring the change of shape or curvature of any of: the viewer's eye-lens, cornea, and eyeball rotation by an optical method involving at least an optical emitter and an optical detector; (2) by monitoring the change of the projected image on the retina of the viewer's eye, where the projected image can be special patterns that are designed for sensing of re-focus intention, or the objects in the projected image that are focused clearer than other objects in the image, where these said clearer objects in the actual view that viewer is seeing are used to indicate viewer's focus depth and focusing point; (3) by monitoring the change of shape or curvature of any of: the viewer's eye-lens, cornea, and eyeball rotation, by an electrical method without using optical emitter or optical detector; and (4) by monitoring the brain wave pattern change of the viewer.", par 0162, physiological change of viewer's vision related body function can also include the rotational position of the viewer's eye pupil; par 0171, the active sensing of the re-focus intention of viewer can be any of: (1) by monitoring the change of shape or curvature of... eyeball rotation, therefore by monitoring the change of eyeball rotation shape, monitoring center of rotation change, Lewis et al.: par 0043-0044, “Other embodiments use both image data of the eye and data representing glints in the context of a geometry of the illuminators and at least one image sensor to determine boundaries of a three-dimensional (3D) spatial relationship between positions of parts of the eye and a respective system of gaze detection elements. Examples of such parts of the eye are a center of a cornea determined based on glint data, a center of a pupil determined from image data of an eye, and a center of rotation of the eye a position of which is estimated based on the position of the cornea center”, par 0102-0106, ““FIG. 5 is a top view illustrating examples of gaze vectors intersecting at a point of gaze where a user's eyes are focused. A model of the eye 160l, 160r is illustrated for each eye based on the Gullstrand schematic eye model. For each eye, an eyeball 160 is modeled as a sphere with a center of rotation 166 and includes a cornea 168 modeled as a sphere too and having a center 164. The cornea rotates with the eyeball, and the center 166 of rotation of the eyeball may be treated as a fixed point. The cornea covers an iris 170 with a pupil 162 at its center”, par 0120, par 0140-0143, “Based on image data provided by the at least one sensor, in step 614, the one or more processors determine a pupil center of each eye. In step 616, the position of the center of eyeball rotation, which may be treated as fixed, is determined relative to the cornea and pupil centers); and adjust the render camera position based at least in part on the eye pose (Zhou: par 0071-0072, “par 0111, When viewer's intention of re-focus happens, the eye-lens 121 of the viewer eye 120 can change in shape and curvature; therefore the mapping of the eye and curvature would also determine the location of the center of curvature, as monitoring corneal shape 123, see paragraph 111, At different corneal shape 123 caused by the different eye-lens shape change 122, the reflection light 1251 as received by the optical detector 125, par 0198, The real object 3221, 3222 or 3223 in focus to viewer 270 will be identified as being at correct position and distance that matches the viewer 270's intended focus depth and focus point along the eye-sight 324 direction. Then an imaginary object 3232 [virtual object] associated to that real object 3222 being in-focus is also brought into focus in viewer 270's view [therefore rendering it in a render space] and at position in proximity to the real object 322”,).
Regarding Claim 7, Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. teaches all the limitation of claim 1, and further teaches wherein determining the eye pose includes one or more of estimating the eye pose or tracking the eye pose (Zhou: par 0071-0072, “the active sensing of the re-focus intention of viewer can be any of: (1) by monitoring the change of shape or curvature of any of: the viewer's eye-lens, cornea, and eyeball rotation by an optical method involving at least an optical emitter and an optical detector; (2) by monitoring the change of the projected image on the retina of the viewer's eye, where the projected image can be special patterns that are designed for sensing of re-focus intention, or the objects in the projected image that are focused clearer than other objects in the image, where these said clearer objects in the actual view that viewer is seeing are used to indicate viewer's focus depth and focusing point; (3) by monitoring the change of shape or curvature of any of: the viewer's eye-lens, cornea, and eyeball rotation, by an electrical method without using optical emitter or optical detector; and (4) by monitoring the brain wave pattern change of the viewer.", par 0162, physiological change of viewer's vision related body function can also include the rotational position of the viewer's eye pupil; par 0171, the active sensing of the re-focus intention of viewer can be any of: (1) by monitoring the change of shape or curvature of... eyeball rotation, therefore by monitoring the change of eyeball rotation shape, monitoring center of rotation change, Lewis et al.: par 0043-0044, “Other embodiments use both image data of the eye and data representing glints in the context of a geometry of the illuminators and at least one image sensor to determine boundaries of a three-dimensional (3D) spatial relationship between positions of parts of the eye and a respective system of gaze detection elements. Examples of such parts of the eye are a center of a cornea determined based on glint data, a center of a pupil determined from image data of an eye, and a center of rotation of the eye a position of which is estimated based on the position of the cornea center”, par 0102-0106, ““FIG. 5 is a top view illustrating examples of gaze vectors intersecting at a point of gaze where a user's eyes are focused. A model of the eye 160l, 160r is illustrated for each eye based on the Gullstrand schematic eye model. For each eye, an eyeball 160 is modeled as a sphere with a center of rotation 166 and includes a cornea 168 modeled as a sphere too and having a center 164. The cornea rotates with the eyeball, and the center 166 of rotation of the eyeball may be treated as a fixed point. The cornea covers an iris 170 with a pupil 162 at its center”, par 0120, par 0140-0143, “Based on image data provided by the at least one sensor, in step 614, the one or more processors determine a pupil center of each eye. In step 616, the position of the center of eyeball rotation, which may be treated as fixed, is determined relative to the cornea and pupil centers)
Regarding Claim 10, Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. teaches all the limitation of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the center of perspective is within the anterior chamber of the eye (Zhou: Fig. 35, par 0212, Lewis et al.: Fig. 5, par 0102-0105).
Regarding Claim 11, Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. teaches all the limitation of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the center of perspective is in front of the pupil of the eye (Zhou: Fig. 36B, par 0214-0215).
Regarding Claim 12, Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. teaches all the limitation of claim 1, and Lewis et al. further teach wherein the center of perspective is at a position on the optical axis of the eye and wherein the processing electronics are further configured to determine the position estimate of the center of perspective by determining a position estimate of the optical axis of the eye (Fig 5, par 0043-0044, par 0102-0103, par 0120, par 0140-0143, “Based on image data provided by the at least one sensor, in step 614, the one or more processors determine a pupil center of each eye. In step 616, the position of the center of eyeball rotation, which may be treated as fixed, is determined relative to the cornea and pupil centers. For example, based on the pupil center, a ray can be extended back through the determined cornea center 164 to the fixed center 166 of eyeball rotation. Additionally, distance or length approximations are used for approximating the length on the optical axis between the pupil and the cornea, for example about 3 mm, and the length on the optical axis between the center of curvature of cornea and the center of eyeball rotation, about 6 mm. These values have been determined from population studies of human eye parameters such as those compiled by Gullstrand”). This would be obvious for the same reason given in the rejection for claim 1.
.
Regarding Claim 13, Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. teaches all the limitation of claim 1, and further teaches wherein the center of perspective is between an outer surface of the cornea and the pupil of the eye (Zhou: Fig. 36B, par 0214-0215).
Regarding claims 14-18, the method claims 14-18 are similar in scope to claims 1-5 and are rejected under the same rational.
Regarding Claim 19, Zhou teaches a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed, instruct one or more processors to perform operations for using a head-mounted display to project light to an eye of a user of the head-mounted display to present virtual image content in a vision field of the user, the eye having a cornea, an iris, a pupil, a lens, a retina, and an optical axis extending through the lens, pupil, and cornea (Figs 9-12d, abstract, par 0095-0118, par 0181). The remaining limitations of the claim are similar in scope to claim 1 and rejected under the same rationale.
Claims 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. 2015/0189266 to Zhou in view of U.S. PGPubs 2013/0050070 to Lewis et al., further in view of U.S. Patent 9652031 to Savastinuk et al..
Regarding Claim 8, Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. teaches all the limitation of claim 1, but keeps silent for teaching wherein determining the position estimate of the center of perspective includes filtering a plurality of position estimates of the center of perspective.
In related endeavor, Savastinuk et al. teach wherein determining the position estimate of the center of perspective includes filtering a plurality of position estimates of the center of perspective (col 3:39-41, “ The probabilistic system can define as inputs probability estimates of user position and/or orientation from the camera(s) of the device, probability estimates of device position and/or orientation from the inertial sensor(s) of the device, and/or other probability estimates. The probabilistic system can define the position and/or orientation of the user with respect to the computing device as the output based on a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) approach. Sensor fusion techniques and probabilistic approaches can include Kalman filtering, extended Kalman filtering, unscented Kalman filtering, particle filtering, among others”, col 4:36-52, “ vector 112 can be used by the device to smoothly animate content displayed on the screen 108 to compensate for a change in perspective of the user with respect to the screen. In other embodiments, multiple vectors can be determined between the computing device and various features of the user, such as the user's eyebrows, eyes, irises, pupils, or mouth”, col 19:42-67 and col 20:1-10, “both eyes of the user might be able to be located in the captured image information. At least some algorithms are able to determine an approximate location or region 722, 724 for each eye, or at least an approximate location 728 of the user's head, where at least one of those locations or regions is used for point of view determinations. Depending on factors such as the desired level of sensitivity and distance between the user and the device, however, such information can impact the accuracy of the point of view determinations”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to modified Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. to include wherein determining the position estimate of the center of perspective includes filtering a plurality of position estimates of the center of perspective as taught by Savastinuk et al. to render scene base on user's perspective through image-based tracking with probability estimates of user position and/or orientation.
Claims 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. 2015/0189266 to Zhou in view of U.S. PGPubs 2013/0050070 to Lewis et al., further in view of U.S. PGPubs 2002/0181115 to Massof et al..
Regarding Claim 9, Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. teaches all the limitation of claim 1, but keeps silent for teaching wherein determining the position estimate of the center of perspective includes at least one of averaging a plurality of position estimates of the center of perspective or applying a Kalman filter to a plurality of position estimates of the center of perspective.
In related endeavor, Massof et al. teach wherein determining the position estimate of the center of perspective includes at least one of averaging a plurality of position estimates of the center of perspective or applying a Kalman filter to a plurality of position estimates of the center of perspective (par 0021, “The center of the sphere is located at an approximation of the "center of rotation" of a user's eye. Although there is no true center of eye rotation, one can be approximated. Vertical eye movements rotate about a point approximately 12 mm posterior to the cornea and horizontal eye movements rotate about a point approximately 15 mm posterior to the cornea. Thus, the average center of rotation is 13.5 mm posterior to the cornea”, par 0102, “The EPIC boards digitize the video images of the pupil from the CCD cameras 116, threshold the images, use fuzz logic algorithms to identify the pupil borders, and locate the pupil centers with an algorithm that calculates the center of gravity (average x and y values of all pixels within the pupil)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Zhou as modified by Lewis et al. with the teaching of Massof for the purpose of decreasing distortion in the image (Massof, paragraph 77).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jin Ge whose telephone number is (571)272-5556. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 to 5:00.
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, Jason Chan can be reached at (571)272-3022. 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.
JIN . GE
Examiner
Art Unit 2619
/JIN GE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2619
Prosecution Insights