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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 8/11/2026 has been entered.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hayashida U.S. Pub. No. 2017/0103564 in view of Shimomura et al. U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0375358 A1 and Yoo et al. U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0174602.
Re: claims 1 and 7 (which are rejected under the same rationale), Hayashida teaches
Claim 1. (Currently Amended) A display control apparatus comprising: processing circuitry configured to generate a virtual object to be placed in a first virtual space visually recognized by a user who is a sender of a message, the virtual object being related to the message; (“... the wearable type display device includes a head-mounted display (HMD) 123, and displays an image of the VR space to the user”; Hayashida, [0097], Fig. 1)
The HMD 123 displays an image of the VR space to the user (first virtual space visually recognized by a user).
(“The client device 120 receives VR space information which has been transmitted from the server apparatus 110. The client device 120 generates an image of the VR space when viewed from the user 140 (below referred to as “a visual field image”), based on the received VR space information and the acquired sensor data. The client device 120 transmits the generated visual field image... to the HMD 123.”; Hayashida, [0100])
The client device receives VR space information from the server and generates the VR space image when viewed from the user 140.
(“In step S905, the visual field image generation unit 704 generates a visual field image of the user 140 for an image of the VR space, which is included in the updated VR space information...”; Hayashida, [0176], Figs. 1 and 9)
A visual field image of the user 140 (virtual object) is generated for an image of the VR space (generate a virtual object to be placed in a first virtual space visually recognized by a user), which is included in the VR space information that is displayed on HMD 123 (first virtual space visually recognized by a user).
(“The VR space information generation portion 1002 generates VR space information which includes the generated image of the avatar.”; Hayashida, [0183], Fig. 10)
The generated VR space information includes the generated image of the avatar (generate a virtual object to be placed in a first virtual space).
(“The VR space information transmission portion 1003 transmits the VR space information generated by the VR space information generation portion 1002, to a client device except for the client device which is the transmission source and has transmitted the sensor data used for updating the VR space information.”; Hayashida, [0184])
The VR space information, which includes the avatar (virtual object) is transmitted to another client device. Hayashida is silent regarding a user who is a sender of a message, the virtual object being related to the message, however, Shimomura teaches this limitation.
(“The class system illustrated in Fig. 1 includes a communication class server 10 and a plurality of student terminals 30.”; Shimomura, [0023])
Fig. 1 illustrates a class system that includes a class server 10 and plural student terminals 30.
(“Any computer having a VR function can be used as the student terminal 30. The student terminal 30 is connected to a head-mounted display (HMD) that is worn by the student to view the inside of the virtual space...”; Shimomura, [0024])
Each student terminal is connected to an HMD that is worn by the student, to view the virtual space.
(“The student terminal 30 receives information for viewing the class in the virtual space from the communication class server 10 and displays the information on the HMD.”; Shimomura, [0026])
The student terminal receives information for viewing the class in the virtual space and displays the information on the HMD.
(“A classroom display 11, a broadcast camera 12, a teacher terminal 13, a microphone 14, and a speaker 15 are connected to the communication class server 10... The communication class server 10 creates class content of the class conducted in the virtual space on the basis of the information received from the connected device and distributes the class content to the student terminal 30.”; Shimomura, [0027])
The teacher terminal 13 and the classroom display 11 are connected to the class server 10. The server creates class content (message) conducted in the virtual space based on information received from a connected device, such as the teacher terminal (user who is a sender of the message). The server then distributes the class content (message) to the student terminal 30 (second virtual space).
(“For example, the teacher 40 explains the structure of the earth in the class and then operates the teacher terminal 13 to issue an instruction to display a teaching material object simulating the earth in front of the student avatar. The teacher terminal 13 transmits the instruction to display the teaching material object to the communication class server 10.”; Shimomura, [0031], Fig. 2)
For example, the teacher explains the structure of the earth by using the teacher terminal issue an instruction to display a teaching material object simulating the earth (virtual object being related to the message).
(“FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an aspect in which the teaching material object 500 is displayed. The HMD 31 displays an image obtained by combining the teaching material object 500 with the panoramic video... When it is time to freely observe the teaching material object 500 in the class, the communication class server 10 transmits an operation permission signal to the student terminal 30 in Step S14 ”; Shimomura, [0060], [0061], Fig. 7)
Fig. 7 illustrates the teaching material object, which simulates the earth, that is displayed on the student terminal.
Hayashida is silent regarding acquire address information indicative of an address for the message; acquire virtual space information indicating reality space by referring to a registration information database using the address information, the registration information database storing information indicating that the second virtual space is a virtual reality space, an augmented reality space, or a mixed reality space, the user corresponding to the address information being a recipient of the message; prohibit a change in an appearance of the virtual object when the virtual space information indicates that the second virtual space is a virtual reality space and permit a change in the appearance of the virtual object when the virtual space information indicates that the second virtual space is an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space, however, Yoo teaches
acquire address information indicative of an address for the message; (“Referring to FIG. 1, the extended reality providing system according to the present example includes user terminals 10 and an extended reality server 20. The extended reality server 20 stores, to a storage (not illustrated) thereof, an extended reality scene (XR-scene) content representing an extended reality image and including at least one virtual object content representing a virtual object included in the extended reality image, and an extended reality application interpreting the XR-scene content, and transmits the stored XR-scene content and extended reality application to the user terminal 10 via a network.”; Yoo, [0028], Fig. 1)
Fig. 1 illustrates an extended reality providing system which includes an extended reality server 20 that stores extended reality scene content (message) and an extended reality application (message) at a memory address (acquire address information indicative of an address for the message).
acquire virtual space information indicating whether a second virtual space visually recognized by a user corresponding to the address information is a virtual reality space, an augmented reality space, or a mixed reality space by referring to a registration information database using the address information,(“... the user terminal 10 receives the extended reality application and the XR-scene content from the extended reality server 20. The user terminal 10 interprets the received XR-scene content with the received extended reality application. The extended reality application generates the extended reality image data representing the extended reality by rendering the received XR-scene content, and provides the user with the extended reality image data generated via the display unit 106.”; Yoo, [0030], Fig. 1)
Fig. 1 illustrates a user terminal 10 and an extended reality server 20, where the user terminal receives (acquires) receives the extended reality application and the XR scene content (virtual space information) from the extended reality server.
(“The rendering option conversion unit 103 converts the rendering option of virtual object content included in the XR-scene content received from the extended reality server 20 according to the selected extended reality mode. As described above, the virtual reality and the augmented reality provide the user with screens different from each other. The rendering option conversion unit 103 converts the rendering option of virtual object content included in the XR-scene content to generate the extended reality image data according to the extended reality mode selected by the user of the user terminal 10.”; Yoo, [0034], Fig. 2)
Fig. 2 illustrates the user terminal 10, which receives the XR scene content. The XR scene content includes the rendering option (indicator) of the of the virtual object included in the XR scene content. The rendering option conversion unit converts the rendering option of the virtual object content included in the XR scene content to generate the extended reality image data according to the extended reality mode selected by the user of the user terminal 10 (indicating whether a second virtual space visually recognized by a user corresponding to the address information is a virtual reality space, an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space by referring to a registration information database using the address information). The rendering option is included in the XR scene content which is stored at the server (by referring to a registration information database using the address information) before being transmitted to the user device.
(“More specifically, when the user selects the virtual reality mode, the extended reality application converts the XR-scene content to generate the virtual reality image data representing the virtual reality, and renders the converted the XR-scene content to generate the virtual reality image data. The user terminal 10 provides the user with the generated virtual reality image data via the display unit 106, so that the user can experience the virtual reality environment.”; Yoo, [0031])
For example, when the user selects the virtual reality mode, the extended reality application converts XR scene content to generate virtual reality image data.
(“When the user selects the augmented reality mode, the extended reality application converts the XR-scene content to generate the augmented reality image data representing the augmented reality, and renders the converted XR-scene content to generate the augmented reality image data. The user terminal 10 provides the user with the generated augmented reality image data via the display unit 106, so that the user can experience the augmented reality environment.”; Yoo, [0031])
For example, when the user selects the augmented reality mode, the extended reality application converts XR scene content to generate augmented reality image data.
the registration information database storing information indicating that the second virtual space is a virtual reality space, an augmented reality space, or a mixed reality space, the user corresponding to the address information being a recipient of the message; (“Referring to FIG. 1, the extended reality providing system according to the present example includes user terminals 10 and an extended reality server 20. The extended reality server 20 stores, to a storage (not illustrated) thereof, an extended reality scene (XR-scene) content representing an extended reality image and including at least one virtual object content representing a virtual object included in the extended reality image, and an extended reality application interpreting the XR-scene content, and transmits the stored XR-scene content and extended reality application to the user terminal 10 via a network.”; Yoo, [0028], Fig. 1)
The extended reality server stores to a storage (registration information database) XR scene content including and an extended reality application .
(“The rendering option conversion unit 103 converts the rendering option of virtual object content included in the XR-scene content received from the extended reality server 20 according to the selected extended reality mode. As described above, the virtual reality and the augmented reality provide the user with screens different from each other. The rendering option conversion unit 103 converts the rendering option of virtual object content included in the XR-scene content to generate the extended reality image data according to the extended reality mode selected by the user of the user terminal 10”; Yoo, [0034], Fig. 2)
The XR scene content includes the rendering option (information indicating that the second virtual space is a virtual reality space, an augmented reality space, or a mixed reality space) of the of the virtual object included in the XR scene content. The rendering option conversion unit converts the rendering option (information indicating that) of the virtual object content included in the XR scene content to generate the extended reality image data according to the extended reality mode selected by the user of the user terminal 10 (the second virtual is a virtual reality space, an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space). The rendering option is included in the XR scene content which is stored at the server before being transmitted to the user device (the user corresponding to the address information being a recipient of the message).
prohibit a change in an appearance of the virtual object when the virtual space information indicates that the second virtual space is a virtual reality space ; (“For example, when the virtual reality mode is selected, the rendering option conversion unit 103 maintains the ground color option of the XR-scene content in white, and when the augmented reality mode is selected, the rendering option conversion unit 103 converts the ground color option of the XR-scene content to transparent.”; Yoo, [0035])
When the virtual reality mode is selected (when the virtual space information indicates that the second virtual space is a virtual reality space), the rendering option conversion units maintains the ground color option of the XR scene content in white (prohibit a change in the appearance of the virtual object).
and permit a change in the appearance of the virtual object when the virtual space information indicates that the second virtual space is an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space. (“For example, when the virtual reality mode is selected, the rendering option conversion unit 103 maintains the ground color option of the XR-scene content in white, and when the augmented reality mode is selected, the rendering option conversion unit 103 converts the ground color option of the XR-scene content to transparent.”; Yoo, [0035])
When the augmented reality mode is selected (when the virtual space information indicates that the second virtual space is an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space), the rendering option conversion unit converts the ground color option of the XR scene content to transparent (permit a change in the appearance of the virtual object). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date, to modify the system of Hayashida by adding the feature of acquire address information indicative of an address for the message; acquire virtual space information indicating information database using the address information, the registration information database storing information indicating that the second virtual space is a virtual reality space, an augmented reality space, or a mixed reality space, the user corresponding to the address information being a recipient of the message; prohibit a change in an appearance of the virtual object when the virtual space information indicates that the second virtual space is a virtual reality space and permit a change in the appearance of the virtual object when the virtual space information indicates that the second virtual space is an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space, in order to reduce the amount of data required to provide the extended reality thereby saving storage space, as taught by Yoo ([0018]).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hayashida, Shimomura and Yoo as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Miller, IV et al. U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0188895
Re: claim 4, Shimomura and Yoo are silent regarding , however, Hayashida and Miller teach
Claim 4. (Previously Presented) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the change in the appearance is permitted, the processing circuitry is configured to further: set whether a change is permitted only in part of the appearance of the virtual object. (“The teacher 40 may operate the teacher terminal 13 to change the orientation of the teaching material object displayed on the student terminal 30, to change the size of the teaching material object, or to deform the teaching material object... Further, the teacher 40 may operate the teacher terminal 13 to give permission to operate the teaching material object to the student or to prohibit the operation of the teaching material object.”; Shimomura, [0032])
The teacher may operate, i.e., change the orientation, size or to deform (change the appearance of the virtual object) the teaching material object. The teacher operates the teacher terminal to prohibit or to give permission to the student to operate (set whether a change is permitted only in part of the appearance of the virtual object) the teaching material (virtual object). For example, when the teacher gives permission to the student to, for example, deform the teaching material object (virtual object), this changes a portion of the appearance of the virtual object. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date, to modify the system of Hayashida by adding the feature of wherein when the change in the appearance is permitted, the processing circuitry is configured to further: set whether a change is permitted only in part of the appearance of the virtual object, in order to promote the understanding of students in a class conducted in an immersive virtual space, as taught by Shimomura ([0009]).
Claim(s) 3 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hayashida, Shimomura and Yoo as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Miller and Wyble et al. U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0237913.
Re: claim 3, Hayashida, Shimomura and Yoo teach
Claim 3. (Previously Presented) The display control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to acquire illumination information indicative of illuminance in a real space in which the recipient of the message is present, and wherein when the second virtual space is an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space and the processing circuitry permits the change in the appearance, the processing circuitry is configured to change, based on the illuminance information, at least one of brightness, saturation, and hue of a color of the virtual object in the second virtual space. (“The teacher 40 may operate the teacher terminal 13 to change the orientation of the teaching material object displayed on the student terminal 30, to change the size of the teaching material object, or to deform the teaching material object... Further, the teacher 40 may operate the teacher terminal 13 to give permission to operate the teaching material object to the student or to prohibit the operation of the teaching material object.”; Shimomura, [0032])
The teacher may operate, i.e., to change the orientation, size or to deform (change the appearance of the virtual object) the teaching material object, at the teacher terminal (first virtual space). The teacher operates the teacher terminal to prohibit or to give permission to the student to operate, at the student terminal (second virtual space), the teaching material object. If the teacher operates the teacher terminal to permit the student to operate the teaching material object, then the processing circuitry does allow the student to operate (change the appearance of the virtual object) at the student terminal (when the virtual space indicates that the second virtual space is being used). Hayashida, Shimomura and Yoo are silent regarding the second virtual space is an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space, however, Miller teaches this limitation.
(“An avatar can be animated based on its human counterpart, where a human’s interaction is mapped to its avatar. A one-to-one mapping between a user and an avatar can be employed in an AR/VR/MR environment, such that the avatar’s action is a direct mapping to a user’s action... This one-to-one mapping may work in a VR environment because the participants of the VR environment (including the user’s virtual avatar) are seeing the same shared virtual content. However, in an AR/MR environment, each user’s physical environment and the way the other user’s avatar appears within it might be different, because the two (or more) users may be in very different environments. For example, Bob might be in a living room in a house, and Alice might be in a room in an office building... As another example, since avatars are virtual objects and can be resizable, Bob can shrink the size of Alice’s avatar and place it on a table in his living room, whereas Alice might be in a large office room and may choose to have Bob’s avatar stand in the corner and be life-sized.”; Miller, [0055])
The system determines that a one-to-one mapping between a user and an avatar may work in a VR environment, but does not work in an AR or MR environment. When the user is in an AR/MR environment, the avatar (virtual object) is resizable. For example, in Bob’s AR/MR environment (second virtual space), the size of Alice’s avatar is reduced in size and placed on a table (Fig. 13B) (when the second virtual space is an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space and the processing circuitry permits the change in the appearance). Hayashida, Shimomura, Yoo and Miller are silent regarding the processing circuitry is configured to acquire illumination information indicative of illuminance in a real space in which the recipient of the message is present,... the processing circuitry is configured to change based on the illuminance information, at least one of brightness, saturation, and hue of a color of the virtual object in the second virtual space, however, Wyble teaches this limitation.
(“The head-mounted display of FIG. 8 includes a forward-facing camera 810 that operates to assist in tracking the current orientation of the users head... the forward-facing camera is also used to measure the optical properties (e.g. the illuminance) of the current real-world scene... one or more separate illuminance sensors are used to measure optical properties of the scene. A control module 812 controls the display 802. The control module 812 may use information on the illuminance... of the scene to control the brightness of the virtual content displayed on the LCD. ”; Wyble, [0107], Fig. 8)
Fig. 8 illustrates a head-mounted display that measures the illuminance of the current real-world scene (acquire illumination information indicative of illuminance in a real space in which the recipient of the message is present). The control module uses the illuminance information (based on the illuminance information) of the scene to control (change) the brightness of the virtual content (change... at least one of brightness, saturation, and hue of a color of the virtual object) displayed on the LCD. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date, to modify the system of Hayashida by adding the feature of the processing circuitry is configured to acquire illumination information indicative of illuminance in a real space in which the recipient of the message is present, and wherein when the second virtual space is an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space and the processing circuitry permits the change in the appearance, the processing circuitry is configured to change, based on the illuminance information, at least one of brightness, saturation, and hue of a color of the virtual object in the second virtual space, in order to promote the understanding of students in a class conducted in an immersive virtual space, as taught by Shimomura ([0009]) and in order to automatically scale the avatar in a manner that increases or maximizes direct eye contact based on the contextual information to facilitate avatar-human communication, as taught by Miller ([0054]) and in order to modify or enhance content seen on an external display for compatibility with the virtual content to be displayed in the AR/MR display, as taught by Wyble ([0066]).
Re: claim 6, Hayashida, Shimomura, Yoo, Miller and Wyble teach
Claim 6. (Previously Presented) The display control apparatus according to claim 3 wherein: when the change in the appearance is permitted, the processing circuitry (“The teacher 40 may operate the teacher terminal 13 to change the orientation of the teaching material object displayed on the student terminal 30, to change the size of the teaching material object, or to deform the teaching material object... Further, the teacher 40 may operate the teacher terminal 13 to give permission to operate the teaching material object to the student or to prohibit the operation of the teaching material object.”; Shimomura, [0032])
The teacher may operate, i.e., to deform (change the appearance of the virtual object) the teaching material object. The teacher operates the teacher terminal to prohibit or to give permission to the student to operate (set whether a change is permitted only in part of the appearance of the virtual object) the teaching material (virtual object). For example, deforming the teaching material object (virtual object) changes the appearance of a portion of the virtual object. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date, to modify the system of Hayashida by adding the feature of when the change in the appearance is permitted, the processing circuitry is configured to further: set whether a change is permitted only in part of the appearance of the virtual object, in order to promote the understanding of students in a class conducted in an immersive virtual space, as taught by Shimomura ([0009]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues:
“Turning to the applied art, Applicant submits that none of the applied art references discloses or suggests the feature of "acquire address information indicative of an address for the message." Furthermore, none of the applied art references discloses or suggests the feature of "acquire virtual space information indicating whether a second virtual space visually recognized by a user corresponding to the address information is a virtual reality space, an augmented reality space, or a mixed reality space by referring to a registration information database using the address information, the registration information database storing information indicating that the second virtual space is a virtual reality space, an augmented reality space, or a mixed reality space, the user corresponding to the address information being a recipient of the message." ”
Examiner disagrees. Yoo teaches these limitations. Yoo illustrates, in Fig. 1, an extended reality providing system which includes an extended reality server 20 that stores extended reality scene content (message) and an extended reality application (message) at a memory address (acquire address information indicative of an address for the message). (Yoo, [0028], Fig. 1). Fig. 1 also illustrates a user terminal 10 and an extended reality server 20, where the user terminal receives (acquires) receives the extended reality application and the XR scene content (virtual space information) from the extended reality server. (Yoo, [0030], Fig. 1). Fig. 2 illustrates the user terminal 10, which receives the XR scene content. The XR scene content includes the rendering option (indicator) of the of the virtual object included in the XR scene content. The rendering option conversion unit converts the rendering option of the virtual object content included in the XR scene content to generate the extended reality image data according to the extended reality mode selected by the user of the user terminal 10 (indicating whether a second virtual space visually recognized by a user corresponding to the address information is a virtual reality space, an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space by referring to a registration information database using the address information). The rendering option is included in the XR scene content which is stored at the server (by referring to a registration information database using the address information) before being transmitted to the user device. (Yoo, [0034], Fig. 2). For example, when the user selects the virtual reality mode, the extended reality application converts XR scene content to generate virtual reality image data. (Yoo, [0031]). For example, when the user selects the augmented reality mode, the extended reality application converts XR scene content to generate augmented reality image data. (Yoo, [0031]). The extended reality server stores to a storage (registration information database) XR scene content including and an extended reality application. (Yoo, [0028], Fig. 1). The XR scene content includes the rendering option (information indicating that the second virtual space is a virtual reality space, an augmented reality space, or a mixed reality space) of the of the virtual object included in the XR scene content. The rendering option conversion unit converts the rendering option (information indicating that) of the virtual object content included in the XR scene content to generate the extended reality image data according to the extended reality mode selected by the user of the user terminal 10 (the second virtual is a virtual reality space, an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space). The rendering option is included in the XR scene content which is stored at the server before being transmitted to the user device (the user corresponding to the address information being a recipient of the message). (Yoo, [0034], Fig. 2).
Applicant's arguments filed 8/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues:
“In addition, none of Hayashida, Shimomura, Miller, or Wyble discloses or suggests the feature of "prohibit a change in an appearance of the virtual object when the virtual space information indicates that the second virtual space is a virtual reality space, and permit a change in the appearance of the virtual object when the virtual space information indicates that the second virtual space is an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space." ”
Examiner disagrees. When the virtual reality mode is selected (when the virtual space information indicates that the second virtual space is a virtual reality space), the rendering option conversion units maintains the ground color option of the XR scene content in white (prohibit a change in the appearance of the virtual object). (Yoo, [0035]). And, when the augmented reality mode is selected (when the virtual space information indicates that the second virtual space is an augmented reality space or a mixed reality space), the rendering option conversion unit converts the ground color option of the XR scene content to transparent (permit a change in the appearance of the virtual object). (Yoo, [0035]).
Applicant's arguments filed 8/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues:
“Moreover, the cited references do not teach or suggest acquiring address information for a message, using the address information to access a registration information database, determining the type of a recipient's virtual space based on the retrieved information, and controlling whether a change in the appearance of the virtual object is permitted in accordance with the determined virtual space type. Amended Claim 7 recites features analogous to those of amended Claim 1. Therefore, Applicant respectfully submits that Claims 1 and 7 (and all associated dependent claims) patentably distinguish over Hayashida, Shimomura, Miller, or Wyble, either alone or in proper combination.”
Examiner disagrees. As explained above, Yoo teaches these limitations. Claims 1 and 7 have been rejected. Please see the corresponding rejections.
Conclusion
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/Donna J. Ricks/Examiner, Art Unit 2618
/DEVONA E FAULK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2618
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