DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 14-15, 21-22, and 28-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (2) as being anticipated by Chang et al (“Chang”, US 20220374136).
Regarding Claim 14, Chang teaches a video live streaming method, comprising: determining first virtual picture data rendered by a first device end (Fig. 6A, elements {600, 608, 609, 610}, par 216-225; par 333; The first device end is the device of another participant. The second device end is the device 600 of the participant.);
obtaining a corresponding first device end video stream by encoding the first virtual picture data (Fig. 6A, elements {600, 608, 609, 610}, par 216-225; par 333; The first device end is the device of another participant. The second device end is the device 600 of the participant.);
and pushing the first device end video stream to a second device end, to cause the first device end video stream, during the second device end performing video playback, being fused and displayed with second virtual picture data rendered by the second device end (Fig. 6A, elements {600, 608, 609, 610}, par 216-225; par 333; The first device end is the device of another participant. The second device end is the device 600 of the participant.).
Regarding Claim 15, Chang teaches the method of claim 14.
Chang further teaches wherein determining the first virtual picture data rendered by the first device end comprises: performing action data capture and audio data collection on a first real object of the first device end (Fig. 6A, elements {600, 608, 609, 610}, par 216-225; par 333; The first device end is the device of another participant. The second device end is the device 600 of the participant. The first real object is the person in the camera feed.);
and performing virtual picture rendering processing on the captured action data and the collected audio data, to obtain the first virtual picture data rendered by the first device side (Fig. 6A, elements {600, 608, 609, 610}, par 216-225; par 333; The first device end is the device of another participant. The second device end is the device 600 of the participant. The first real object is the person in the camera feed.);
wherein a picture rendering performance of the first device end is higher than that of the second device end (Fig. 6A, elements {600, 604, 606, 608, 609, 610}, par 216-225; par 333; The first device end is the device of another participant. The second device end is the device 600 of the participant. The first real object is the person in the camera feed. The display of tiles in main region 604 is updated at a higher rate than display of tiles in roster 606. The user’s feed 608 (second device end) is in region 606, and therefore has a lower rendering performance than the feed of the first device end, which is in region 604.).
Regarding Claim 21, Claim 21 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 14.
Regarding Claim 22, Claim 22 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 15.
Regarding Claim 28, Claim 28 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 14.
Regarding Claim 29, Claim 29 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 15.
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.
The test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference; nor is it that the claimed invention must be expressly suggested in any one or all of the references. Rather, the test is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981).
Claims 16-17, 23-24, and 30-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang in view of Anand et al (“Anand”, US 20110279639).
Regarding Claim 16, Chang teaches the method of claim 15.
Chang does not explicitly teach wherein performing the virtual picture rendering processing on the captured action data and the collected audio data comprises: generating a first virtual object of the first real object based on the captured action data; generating first virtual animation data comprising the first virtual object based on the first virtual object and a virtual picture background to be used for the first virtual object; and performing virtual picture rendering processing on the first virtual animation data and the collected audio data.
Anand teaches wherein performing the virtual picture rendering processing on the captured action data and the collected audio data comprises: generating a first virtual object of the first real object based on the captured action data (par 172-176);
generating first virtual animation data comprising the first virtual object based on the first virtual object and a virtual picture background to be used for the first virtual object (par 172-176);
and performing virtual picture rendering processing on the first virtual animation data and the collected audio data (par 172-176).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chang with the VR animations of Anand because it allows for the ability to transform the input video and audio streams from different participants in customizable ways to achieve different user experiences (Anand; par 176), thereby making virtual meetings more interesting and engaging.
Regarding Claim 17, Chang teaches the method of claim 14.
Chang does not explicitly teach wherein determining the first virtual picture data rendered by the first device end comprises: collecting first virtual picture data of at least one visual angle through a virtual reality engine of the first device end; and wherein obtaining the corresponding first device end video stream by encoding the first virtual picture data comprises: obtaining a first device end video stream of the at least one visual angle by encoding the first virtual picture data of the at least one visual angle.
Anand teaches wherein determining the first virtual picture data rendered by the first device end comprises: collecting first virtual picture data of at least one visual angle through a virtual reality engine of the first device end (par 172-176; Different views (angles) from different participant cameras are composited together.);
and wherein obtaining the corresponding first device end video stream by encoding the first virtual picture data comprises (par 172-176; Different views (angles) from different participant cameras are composited together.):
obtaining a first device end video stream of the at least one visual angle by encoding the first virtual picture data of the at least one visual angle (par 172-176; Different views (angles) from different participant cameras are composited together.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chang with the VR animations of Anand because it allows for the ability to transform the input video and audio streams from different participants in customizable ways to achieve different user experiences (Anand; par 176), thereby making virtual meetings more interesting and engaging.
Regarding Claim 23, Claim 23 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 16.
Regarding Claim 24, Claim 24 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 17.
Regarding Claim 30, Claim 30 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 16.
Regarding Claim 31, Claim 31 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 17.
Claims 18, 25, and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang in view of Privat (“Privat”, US 20140040360 ) in further view of Miao et al (“Miao”, US 20070038778).
Regarding Claim 18, Chang teaches the method of claim 14.
Chang does not explicitly teach wherein pushing the first device end video stream to the second device end comprises: converting the first device end video stream to a first device end video stream in a real-time messaging protocol format; and pushing the format-converted first device end video stream to a corresponding video stream server, to cause the second device end to pull the format-converted first device end video stream from the video stream server for playback.
Privat teaches wherein pushing the first device end video stream to the second device end comprises: converting the first device end video stream to a first device end video stream in a real-time messaging protocol format (par 24; par 35).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chang with the Real Time Messaging Protocol of Privat because it allows for persistent connections and low-latency communication, thereby improving performance.
Chang and Privat do not explicitly teach pushing the format-converted first device end video stream to a corresponding video stream server, to cause the second device end to pull the format-converted first device end video stream from the video stream server for playback.
Miao teaches pushing the format-converted first device end video stream to a corresponding video stream server, to cause the second device end to pull the format-converted first device end video stream from the video stream server for playback (par 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chang and Privat with the media conversion of Miao because it allows for the transferred media to be sent in a format that is supported by the server (Miao; par 5), thereby reducing errors and improving functionality.
Regarding Claim 25, Claim 25 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 18.
Regarding Claim 32, Claim 32 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 18.
Claims 19, 26, and 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang in view of Ross et al (“Ross”, US 20180356885).
Regarding Claim 19, Chang teaches the method of claim 14.
Chang does not explicitly teach wherein the first device end corresponds to a workstation with a virtual reality function, the first virtual picture data comprises virtual picture data of a performer; the second device end corresponds to a terminal display device with a virtual reality function, and the second virtual picture data comprises interactive virtual picture data of a viewer.
Ross teaches wherein the first device end corresponds to a workstation with a virtual reality function, the first virtual picture data comprises virtual picture data of a performer (par 62; par 72; par 75; par 77);
the second device end corresponds to a terminal display device with a virtual reality function, and the second virtual picture data comprises interactive virtual picture data of a viewer (par 62; par 72; par 75; par 77).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chang with the virtual reality of Ross because it provides an immersive experience, thereby improving interest and engagement among conference participants.
Regarding Claim 26, Claim 26 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 19.
Regarding Claim 33, Claim 33 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 19.
Claims 20 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chang in view of Rao et al (“Rao”, US 11539919).
Regarding Claim 20, Chang teaches the method of claim 14.
Chang further teaches wherein during the second device end performing video playback, the first device end video stream is seamlessly fused with the second virtual picture data through an interface design function of the second device end (Fig. 6A, elements {600, 608, 609, 610}, par 216-225; par 333; The first device end is the device of another participant. The second device end is the device 600 of the participant.).
Chang does not explicitly teach the first device end video stream is seamlessly fused with the second virtual picture data through a color design function.
Rao teaches the first device end video stream is seamlessly fused with the second virtual picture data through a color design function (Col. 2 lines 62-67; Col. 3 lines 1-53; The color design function is the color profile.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Chang with the video stream combining of Rao because it allows devices that are insufficient to enable an acceptable video conference experience to be able to perform an acceptable video conference by combining video streams into a composite video stream (Rao; Col. 2 lines 62-67; Col. 3 lines 1-53).
Regarding Claim 27, Claim 27 is rejected with the same reasoning as Claim 20.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Gao (US 20230405479), Abstract - Provided are a data processing method and apparatus, a device and a storage medium. The method includes: acquiring a first live streaming video stream of a first live streaming user and a second live streaming video stream of a second live streaming user; merging the first live streaming video stream and the second live streaming video stream into a game video stream; and sending the game video stream to a viewing user to live stream a target game.
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/RAQIUL A CHOUDHURY/Examiner, Art Unit 2444