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 Objections
Claim 9 is objected to because of the following informalities: the claim recites “being presented being presented” which should be “being presented . Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8, 17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The claims recite “presenting the other artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment using the first presentation state includes presenting a miniaturized representation of a portion of the secondary metaverse environment; presenting the other artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment using the second presentation state includes presenting a volumetric presentation object, wherein the volumetric presentation object is different than the miniaturized representation of the portion of secondary metaverse environment; and presenting the other artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment using the third presentation state includes presenting a two-dimensional virtual display that is configured to display a field of view within the secondary metaverse environment” where there the secondary environment within the primary environment is switched by a user between miniaturized presentation, a volumetric presentation and a two-dimensional presentation. These limitations in combination with the other limitations were not found in the prior art.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 5, 9-12, 16, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Krenn U.S. Patent/PG Publication 20230419618.
Regarding claim 1 (independent):
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: (Krenn [0043] The processors 110 can have access to a memory 150, which can be contained on one of the computing devices of computing system 100 or can be distributed across of the multiple computing devices of computing system 100 or other external devices. A memory includes one or more hardware devices for volatile or non-volatile storage, and can include both read-only and writable memory.)
present to a user, via an artificial-reality system, a primary metaverse environment and a secondary metaverse environment corresponding to different artificial-reality content than the primary metaverse environment, (Krenn [0095] As another example 1250, FIG. 12B is an exemplary diagram illustrating a personal interface 1252 providing a window 1254 into a virtual world “Clubhouse” that is other than the world currently being traveled of “Car Exhibition” 1256.) wherein the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment is presented using a first presentation state within the primary metaverse environment (Krenn [0095] Similar to FIG. 12A in that the generated 3D content can correspond to a virtual world for an item corresponding to a 3D content trigger action, the personal interface 1252 can here present that content in a window 1254 where the other virtual world is depicted as being viewed through the personal interface 1252. Here, such other virtual world corresponds to a portion of the Clubhouse depicted for FIG. 11.)
while the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment is presented, using the first presentation state, within the primary metaverse environment: detect an input requesting a modification to the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment (Krenn [0096] As yet another example 1275, FIG. 12C is an exemplary diagram illustrating a personal interface 1277 providing a portal into a 3D volume 1280, separate from the world currently traveled by a user (“Clubhouse” 1279). In particular, the personal interface 1277 can provide the volume 1280 as a space within the personal interface 1277, through which a user can view and, in some implementations, interact with 3D content presented in the 3D volume in a runtime separate from the current virtual world (as shown here with the user's hand 1282 reaching into the volume 1280 to interact with the content item 1281).).
in response to detecting the input, adjust the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment to reflect the requested modification (Krenn [0005] In some systems, user hand gestures can perform “interactions” with virtual objects that can include selecting, moving, rotating, resizing, actuating controls, changing colors or skins, defining interactions between real or virtual objects, setting virtual forces to act on virtual objects, or any other action on or change to an object that a user can imagine.).
and after adjusting the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment to reflect the requested modification: in accordance with detecting a request to present the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment using a second presentation state instead of the first presentation state: (Krenn [0062] In some implementations, travel execution module 438 can execute travel to a particular destination (e.g., a place, event, or one or more individuals) within a virtual world. For example, the travel can be executed according to a user's selection of a travel card presented by a XR application corresponding to a virtual world in response to the user's selection of that application on the personal interface. Additional details on the types of travel that can be executed by this module are provided in relation to block 608 in FIG. 6.)
cease to present the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment using the first presentation state and cause presentation of the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment within the primary metaverse environment such that the different artificial-reality content is presented using the second presentation state and continues to reflect the modification caused by the input (Krenn Fig. 12B-12C)(Krenn [0069] This separation between the virtual world and the personal interface provides an ability for an active application to output a 3D world while the user has access to features of other XR applications, such as travel cards to teleport directly into another virtual world.)
Krenn discloses the above elements in several embodiments. With the embodiments being disclosed in a single reference, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention being aware of one embodiment would also have been aware of the others, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to have combined these elements from two or more embodiments into a single arrangement for the benefit of enjoying the advantages of all the embodiments disclosed combined into a single arrangement.
Regarding claim 5:
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, has all of its limitations taught by Krenn. Krenn further teaches further including instructions to:
while the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment is presented using the second presentation state, detect a second input requesting another modification to the secondary metaverse environment; in response to detecting the second input, adjust the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment to reflect the modification and the other modification to the other artificial-reality content (Krenn [0096] As yet another example 1275, FIG. 12C is an exemplary diagram illustrating a personal interface 1277 providing a portal into a 3D volume 1280, separate from the world currently traveled by a user (“Clubhouse” 1279). In particular, the personal interface 1277 can provide the volume 1280 as a space within the personal interface 1277, through which a user can view and, in some implementations, interact with 3D content presented in the 3D volume in a runtime separate from the current virtual world (as shown here with the user's hand 1282 reaching into the volume 1280 to interact with the content item 1281).) (Krenn [0005] In some systems, user hand gestures can perform “interactions” with virtual objects that can include selecting, moving, rotating, resizing, actuating controls, changing colors or skins, defining interactions between real or virtual objects, setting virtual forces to act on virtual objects, or any other action on or change to an object that a user can imagine.).
and in accordance with detecting a request to present the artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment using a third presentation state instead of the second presentation state: cease to present the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment using the second presentation state and cause presentation of the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment within the primary metaverse environment such that the different artificial-reality content is presented using the third presentation state and continues to reflect the modification and the other modification caused by the respective inputs requesting the modification and the other modification (Krenn [0030] In response to receiving the 3D content trigger action, the personal interface can display corresponding 3D item content in a vicinity of the personal interface, the personal interface can become a window into another virtual world, or the personal interface can provide portal for a volume extending through the personal interface and enabling the user to see and interact with 3D content provided in the volume but may not be under the control of the application corresponding to the current virtual world.)(Krenn [0085] The display options that can be executed by the personal interface can include displaying the generated content in a vicinity of the personal interface, through the personal interface acting as a window to another virtual world, or through a portal (e.g., a volume) extending through the personal interface and through which the item can be accessed by a user. For example, where the content is a 3D model of below a certain size, the portal display option may be used, where the content is a 3D model of above the certain size, the vicinity display option may be used, and where the content is a link to another virtual world the window display option may be used.).
Regarding claim 9:
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, has all of its limitations taught by Krenn. Krenn further teaches further including instructions to:
present a metaverse-adjustment user interface element, wherein the metaverse-adjustment user interface element is responsive to selection of: (Krenn [0094] For example, FIG. 12A is an exemplary diagram 1200 illustrating the personal interface 1202 providing 3D content 1204 separate from a world currently traveled by a user. The 3D content 1204 is in a vicinity of the personal interface (i.e., in a volume under control of the personal interface). In particular, the generated 3D content 1204 can relate to a world corresponding to an item to which a 3D content trigger action was directed (as discussed above in relation to FIG. 8).).
a first set of user inputs for toggling between respective presentation states of a respective secondary metaverse environment that is currently being presented being presented, (Krenn [0093] For instance, in a case in which a user selects an XR application corresponding to the virtual world 1104 of “Clubhouse,” personal interface 1102 can present a 2D interface for that XR application, which in this example includes user listings of destinations 1106 that a user can travel to within that world.)
and a second set of user inputs replacing the respective secondary metaverse environment being presented with artificial-reality content of a different respective secondary metaverse environment (Krenn [0096] As yet another example 1275, FIG. 12C is an exemplary diagram illustrating a personal interface 1277 providing a portal into a 3D volume 1280, separate from the world currently traveled by a user (“Clubhouse” 1279). In particular, the personal interface 1277 can provide the volume 1280 as a space within the personal interface 1277, through which a user can view and, in some implementations, interact with 3D content presented in the 3D volume in a runtime separate from the current virtual world (as shown here with the user's hand 1282 reaching into the volume 1280 to interact with the content item 1281).)
Regarding claim 10:
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, has all of its limitations taught by Krenn. Krenn further teaches further including instructions to:
in response to detecting an adjustment input directed to a respective second user input of the second set of user inputs of the metaverse-adjustment user interface element: present a different secondary metaverse environment, distinct from the secondary metaverse environment, the different secondary metaverse environment presented in a same presentation state being used to display the secondary metaverse environment (Krenn [0093] For instance, in a case in which a user selects an XR application corresponding to the virtual world 1104 of “Clubhouse,” personal interface 1102 can present a 2D interface for that XR application, which in this example includes user listings of destinations 1106 that a user can travel to within that world.)
Regarding claim 11:
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, has all of its limitations taught by Krenn. Krenn further teaches wherein:
the artificial-reality content of the primary metaverse environment is a first portion of a first metaverse world associated with a first set of users such that the first set of users, including the user, can interact within the primary metaverse environment and the other artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment is a second portion of a second metaverse world associated with a second set of users, distinct from a first set of users and including the user, such that the second set of user can interact within the secondary metaverse environment (Krenn [0075] In some implementations, the content corresponding to the selected application that is displayed can include, for example, information regarding the source of the selected application (e.g., its origin), the type of virtual world that such application corresponds to, a listing of travel cards that can enable a user's travel to a particular destination within a corresponding virtual world, a listing of occupants for the corresponding virtual world, avatars that will be made available to the user upon arrival in the virtual world, etc.).
Regarding claim 12 (independent):
The claim is a/an parallel version of claim 1. As such it is rejected under the same teachings.
Regarding claim 16:
The claim is a/an parallel version of claim 5. As such it is rejected under the same teachings.
Regarding claim 18 (independent):
The claim is a/an parallel version of claim 1. As such it is rejected under the same teachings.
Claim(s) 2-4, 13-15, 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Krenn U.S. Patent/PG Publication 20230419618 in view of Wang U.S. Patent/PG Publication 8595299.
Regarding claim 2:
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, has all of its limitations taught by Krenn. Krenn further teaches further including instructions to:
at a first time, while another user of a different artificial-reality system, distinct from the artificial-reality system, is interacting with the primary metaverse environment in conjunction with the user, present a first representation of the other user to the user within the primary metaverse environment (Krenn [0070] F or example, a 3D world can include a number of 3D models (e.g., trees, buildings, etc.) which can be manipulated by multiple users in that 3D world. These 3D models can be stored locally or retrieved from a server while the representations of the other users and their states can be synchronized with such a server.)(Krenn [0092] As shown, such controls can include avatar controls 1006 enabling a user to control, for instance, motions of an avatar representing the user or other entity in a virtual world. In addition, such controls can include selections for content items 1008 (e.g., avatar apparel, avatar accessories, collectibles, etc.) that the user may desire to include within a virtual world, payment methods/accounts access 1010 as means to purchases goods and/or services, as well as navigational tools 1012 (e.g., a list of places in the current world the user may want to travel to, events occurring, bookmarked locations, etc.) enabling a user to maneuver and record experiences within a virtual world.).
and at a second time different than the first time, in response to receiving an indication that the other user of the different artificial-reality system has moved from the primary metaverse environment to the secondary metaverse environment: (Krenn [0076] In some implementations, particular aspects that can be included in a travel card can include one or more of an avatar selection that a user will be provided upon arrival in a subsequent virtual world, a description for a particular event and its start time, for instance, activities for a subsequent virtual world, people that a user can join in such a world, etc.)(Krenn [0093] Exemplary destinations can correspond to locations within the world (e.g., places, events, such as Locations 1 and 2), and people or groups within the world (e.g., Group 1), such that a user can travel to join those people and share in the experience of a particular event (e.g., a concert). Additionally, in this example the 2D interface for the Clubhouse XR application includes occupants 1108 of the Clubhouse virtual world, which the user can select to, for instance, review a current location for an occupant, corresponding social media presence, and other types of public postings.)
Krenn does not teach a trailing indicator. In a related field of endeavor, Wang teaches:
and at a second time different than the first time, in response to receiving an indication that the other user of the different artificial-reality system has moved from the primary metaverse environment to the secondary metaverse environment: (Wang C11 L45-55 Certain objects, herein called portal objects, function as portals between virtual environments. For example, a particular portal object may function as a portal from a first virtual environment to a second virtual environment. Portal objects enable a user's avatar to move from one virtual environment to another.)
present a second representation, distinct from the first representation, of the other user, the second representation including a trailing indicator associated with the other user in the primary metaverse environment, the trailing indicator indicating to other users in the primary metaverse environment that the other user is interacting with the secondary metaverse environment (Wang C7 L45-60 The user interface 208 displays a view of the virtual environment, and the information regarding the user's avatar (e.g., commands for changing the avatar's position, or for invoking actions by the avatar) are sent back to the virtual environment server system 120 so that the virtual environment downloaded to each user (i.e., to the client used by each current participant of the virtual environment) can be updated with information about the location and movement of each user's avatar. In this way, users are kept current with the state of each user's avatar. Also, any user activities which affect the virtual environment from more than a local perspective are sent to the virtual environment server system 120. Changes in presence, location, and actions of the user's avatars and other user activities affecting the virtual environment are referred to as virtual environment updates 240 and are communicated to the virtual environment server system 120.)(Wang C9 L35-45 In some embodiments, the client 104 receives a text description of avatar objects present in a virtual environment, which may optionally include the location and/or orientation of the avatar objects, from the virtual environment server system 120, as described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 9.) since the text description provides a trail of the user.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a trailing indicator as taught by Wang. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide users with additional information so they can keep track of other users (Wang C7 L45-60). Therefore it would have been obvious to combine Wang with Krenn to obtain the invention.
Regarding claim 3:
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, has all of its limitations taught by Krenn in view of Wang. Wang further teaches further including instructions to:
after the other user has moved from the primary metaverse environment to the secondary metaverse environment: based on an interaction that the other user is engaged in within the secondary metaverse environment, present a perceptible indicator as part of the second representation of the other user within the primary metaverse environment (Wang C7 L45-60 The user interface 208 displays a view of the virtual environment, and the information regarding the user's avatar (e.g., commands for changing the avatar's position, or for invoking actions by the avatar) are sent back to the virtual environment server system 120 so that the virtual environment downloaded to each user (i.e., to the client used by each current participant of the virtual environment) can be updated with information about the location and movement of each user's avatar. In this way, users are kept current with the state of each user's avatar. Also, any user activities which affect the virtual environment from more than a local perspective are sent to the virtual environment server system 120. Changes in presence, location, and actions of the user's avatars and other user activities affecting the virtual environment are referred to as virtual environment updates 240 and are communicated to the virtual environment server system 120.)(Wang C9 L35-45 In some embodiments, the client 104 receives a text description of avatar objects present in a virtual environment, which may optionally include the location and/or orientation of the avatar objects, from the virtual environment server system 120, as described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 9.) since the text description provides a trail of the user.
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use an indicator as taught by Wang. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide users with additional information so they can keep track of other users (Wang C7 L45-60). Therefore it would have been obvious to combine Wang with Krenn to obtain the invention.
Regarding claim 4:
The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 2, has all of its limitations taught by Krenn in view of Wang. Krenn further teaches further including instructions to:
after the other user has moved from the primary metaverse environment to the secondary metaverse environment:
in response to an additional input from a user of the artificial-reality system to cause another modification to the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment, cause a change within the different artificial-reality content such that the other modification is viewable by the other user (Krenn [0096] As yet another example 1275, FIG. 12C is an exemplary diagram illustrating a personal interface 1277 providing a portal into a 3D volume 1280, separate from the world currently traveled by a user (“Clubhouse” 1279). In particular, the personal interface 1277 can provide the volume 1280 as a space within the personal interface 1277, through which a user can view and, in some implementations, interact with 3D content presented in the 3D volume in a runtime separate from the current virtual world (as shown here with the user's hand 1282 reaching into the volume 1280 to interact with the content item 1281).)(Krenn [0070] For example, a 3D world can include a number of 3D models (e.g., trees, buildings, etc.) which can be manipulated by multiple users in that 3D world. These 3D models can be stored locally or retrieved from a server while the representations of the other users and their states can be synchronized with such a server.).
Krenn discloses the modification describe above. However, for the purposes of compact prosecution and for further clarity, in a related field of endeavor, Wang teaches:
in response to an additional input from a user of the artificial-reality system to cause another modification to the different artificial-reality content of the secondary metaverse environment, cause a change within the different artificial-reality content such that the other modification is viewable by the other user (Wang C15 L50-60 Alternately, whenever the metadata associated with any object in a virtual environment is modified, the updated metadata is transmitted to the clients of the current participants of the virtual environment (or at least to those clients that have the 3D client application).).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to share modifications as taught by Wang. The motivation for doing so would have been to maintain consistency and coherency by having the environment synchronized. Therefore it would have been obvious to combine Wang with Krenn to obtain the invention.
Regarding claim 13:
The claim is a/an parallel version of claim 2. As such it is rejected under the same teachings.
Regarding claim 14:
The claim is a/an parallel version of claim 3. As such it is rejected under the same teachings.
Regarding claim 15:
The claim is a/an parallel version of claim 4. As such it is rejected under the same teachings.
Regarding claim 19:
The claim is a/an parallel version of claim 2. As such it is rejected under the same teachings.
Regarding claim 20:
The claim is a/an parallel version of claim 3. As such it is rejected under the same teachings.
Conclusion
For the prior art referenced and the prior art considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure but not relied upon, see PTO-892 “Notice of References Cited”.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON PRINGLE-PARKER whose telephone number is (571) 272-5690 and e-mail is jason.pringle-parker@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30am-5:00pm est Monday-Friday. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, King Poon can be reached on (571) 270-0728. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON A PRINGLE-PARKER/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2617