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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
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.
Claims 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claims do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the language of the claims when taken as a whole, raise questions as whether the claims fall within any of the statutory categories of invention. Claim 19 refers to “generators” and a “unit” of which the Examiner deems maybe interpreted as solely performed via software. Although the preamble of claim 19 recites “apparatus,” this element solely occurs within the preamble and in combination with a such a definition from Applicant’s specification, allows for the interpretation that the “generators” and the “unit” can solely be performed in “software” thus constituting a rejection due to failing to fall within at least one of the statutory categories. Therefore, such claimed elements are software per se, which fails to fall within a statutory category of invention and necessitates the rejection of claims 19.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ichikawa (Patent No. US 20200051336 A1) in view of Suzuki (Patent No. US 20200005545 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ichikawa teaches switches the setting of the shared object in response to a change in at least any of a position of the first user, a position of the shared object, and a position of the second user in the virtual space. (Ichikawa, “[0605] (6) The information processing device according to any one of (3) to (5), in which the priority calculation unit calculates the priority of the first actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the first actual object and the first user in the first real space and calculates the priority of the second actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the second actual object and the second user in the second real space. / [0622] (18) The information processing device according to (17), in which the decision unit specifies at least one of a plurality of the first actual objects as the reference object on the basis of positional relationships between the plurality of first actual objects and the first user, positional relationships between a plurality of the second actual objects and the second user, and similarity of each of the plurality of second actual objects to the plurality of first actual objects and specifies at least one of the plurality of second actual objects as the reference object.”)
However, Ichikawa is silent about An information processing device comprising a control unit that: sets, as a shared object for a first user and a second user, a virtual object located within a first range whose base point is the first user in a virtual space, with the second user being present within a second range whose base point is the virtual object; transmits relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between the shared object and the first user to a user terminal associated with the second user; and.
Suzuki teaches An information processing device comprising a control unit that: (Suzuki, “[0138] The CPU 901 functions as a central processing unit and control unit, and controls all or part of operation in the server 400 in accordance with various programs recorded in the ROM 903, the RAM 905, the storage device 919, or a removable recording medium 927. Note that the CPU 901 may include the function of the processing unit 402. The ROM 903 stores programs, calculation parameters, or the like, used by the CPU 901. The RAM 905 temporarily stores programs used by the CPU 901 or parameters appropriately changing in execution of programs, or the like. These are mutually connected by the host bus 907 including an internal bus such as a CPU bus.”)
sets, as a shared object for a first user and a second user, a virtual object located within a first range whose base point is the first user in a virtual space, with the second user being present within a second range whose base point is the virtual object; (Suzuki, “[0099] FIGS. 9 to 15 are views illustrating changes in distance between virtual objects in the information processing system of the present embodiment. Note that in the present embodiment, a mutually different virtual space picture is presented to the display device 100 of each of users. As described above, an individual virtual space may be set for the display device 100 of each of users and a mutually different virtual space picture may be presented onto the display device 100 of each of the users on the basis of arrangement of the virtual objects in the plurality of virtual spaces, or the like. Furthermore, a mutually different virtual space picture may be presented on the display device 100 of each of users on the basis of the arrangement of virtual objects in one virtual space shared by the display devices 100 of a plurality of users, or the like. / [0071] Furthermore, the processing unit 402 performs various types of processing on the virtual space. Note that the processing unit 402 may set a virtual space for the display device 100 of each of users, and may present a mutually different virtual space picture onto the display device 100 of each of the users on the basis of arrangement of the virtual objects in the plurality of virtual spaces, or the like. That is, the position of the virtual object in the virtual space with respect to the display device 100 of each of users is different for each of the virtual spaces.”)
transmits relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between the shared object and the first user to a user terminal associated with the second user; and (Suzuki, “[0121] In S212, the information generation unit 412 generates a display image for the display device 100 of each of users on the basis of the distance between virtual objects set in S206 or S210. / [0028] FIG. 17 is a view illustrating an example of setting a distance between virtual objects according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.”)
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the
effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Ishikawa’s art by including An information processing device comprising a control unit that: sets, as a shared object for a first user and a second user, a virtual object located within a first range whose base point is the first user in a virtual space, with the second user being present within a second range whose base point is the virtual object; transmits relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between the shared object and the first user to a user terminal associated with the second user; and as taught by Suzuki and use that with Ishikawa’s Information Processing Device, Information Processing Method, and Program.
The motivation for the combination is to improve the display of objects with relative shared positional information.
Regarding claim 2, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit switches the setting of the shared object by canceling the setting of the shared object for the virtual object and setting a new virtual object as the shared object. (Ishikawa, “[0175] Thus, the server 10-1 according to the first embodiment was achieved by considering the aforementioned circumstance as a viewpoint. According to the first embodiment, the server 10-1 decides shared objects arranged in the shared space that is generated on the basis of the sensing result of the first real space and the sensing result of the second real space on the basis of a predetermined reference. For example, the server 10-1 calculates priority of the respective objects located in the respective real spaces and then decides shared objects arranged in the shared space on the basis of the calculated priority. In this manner, it is possible to prevent overlaid display of the objects. / [0251] Next, a third application example of the second embodiment will be described. The shared space synthesizing unit 152 according to the third application example changes registered content in priority table for each space (priority table “area”) in an object priority policy 1624 in a case in which an operation of a user who has not participated in the shared space for participating in the shared space is detected. In a case in which a user who will newly participate in the shared space is detected, and the original space 2a of all the users who have already participated in the shared space is different from the original space 2b of the user who will newly participate in the shared space, for example, the shared space synthesizing unit 152 changes the registered content in the priority table “area” such that priority of the original space 2b of the user who will newly participate in the shared space is lower than that of the original space 2a of all the users who have already participated in the shared space.”)
Regarding claim 3, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit cancels the setting of the shared object in response to a change in a position of the first user in the virtual space and in response to a position of the shared object being outside of the first range; and sets, as the shared object, a new virtual object located within the first range whose base point is the changed position, with another user being present within a second range whose base point is the new virtual object. (Ishikawa, “[0175] Thus, the server 10-1 according to the first embodiment was achieved by considering the aforementioned circumstance as a viewpoint. According to the first embodiment, the server 10-1 decides shared objects arranged in the shared space that is generated on the basis of the sensing result of the first real space and the sensing result of the second real space on the basis of a predetermined reference. For example, the server 10-1 calculates priority of the respective objects located in the respective real spaces and then decides shared objects arranged in the shared space on the basis of the calculated priority. In this manner, it is possible to prevent overlaid display of the objects. / [0251] Next, a third application example of the second embodiment will be described. The shared space synthesizing unit 152 according to the third application example changes registered content in priority table for each space (priority table “area”) in an object priority policy 1624 in a case in which an operation of a user who has not participated in the shared space for participating in the shared space is detected. In a case in which a user who will newly participate in the shared space is detected, and the original space 2a of all the users who have already participated in the shared space is different from the original space 2b of the user who will newly participate in the shared space, for example, the shared space synthesizing unit 152 changes the registered content in the priority table “area” such that priority of the original space 2b of the user who will newly participate in the shared space is lower than that of the original space 2a of all the users who have already participated in the shared space.”)
Regarding claim 4, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit cancels the setting of the shared object in response to a change in a position of the shared object in the virtual space and in response to a position of the shared object being outside of the first range; and sets, as the shared object, a new virtual object located within a first range whose base point is the first user, with another user being present within a second range whose base point is the new virtual object. (Ishikawa, “[0175] Thus, the server 10-1 according to the first embodiment was achieved by considering the aforementioned circumstance as a viewpoint. According to the first embodiment, the server 10-1 decides shared objects arranged in the shared space that is generated on the basis of the sensing result of the first real space and the sensing result of the second real space on the basis of a predetermined reference. For example, the server 10-1 calculates priority of the respective objects located in the respective real spaces and then decides shared objects arranged in the shared space on the basis of the calculated priority. In this manner, it is possible to prevent overlaid display of the objects. / [0251] Next, a third application example of the second embodiment will be described. The shared space synthesizing unit 152 according to the third application example changes registered content in priority table for each space (priority table “area”) in an object priority policy 1624 in a case in which an operation of a user who has not participated in the shared space for participating in the shared space is detected. In a case in which a user who will newly participate in the shared space is detected, and the original space 2a of all the users who have already participated in the shared space is different from the original space 2b of the user who will newly participate in the shared space, for example, the shared space synthesizing unit 152 changes the registered content in the priority table “area” such that priority of the original space 2b of the user who will newly participate in the shared space is lower than that of the original space 2a of all the users who have already participated in the shared space.”)
Regarding claim 5, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit cancels the setting of the shared object in response to a position of the second user being outside of the second range whose base point is the shared object due to a change in the position of the second user in the virtual space; and sets, as the shared object, a new virtual object located within a first range whose base point is the first user, with another user being present within a second range whose base point is the new virtual object. (Ishikawa, “[0175] Thus, the server 10-1 according to the first embodiment was achieved by considering the aforementioned circumstance as a viewpoint. According to the first embodiment, the server 10-1 decides shared objects arranged in the shared space that is generated on the basis of the sensing result of the first real space and the sensing result of the second real space on the basis of a predetermined reference. For example, the server 10-1 calculates priority of the respective objects located in the respective real spaces and then decides shared objects arranged in the shared space on the basis of the calculated priority. In this manner, it is possible to prevent overlaid display of the objects. / [0251] Next, a third application example of the second embodiment will be described. The shared space synthesizing unit 152 according to the third application example changes registered content in priority table for each space (priority table “area”) in an object priority policy 1624 in a case in which an operation of a user who has not participated in the shared space for participating in the shared space is detected. In a case in which a user who will newly participate in the shared space is detected, and the original space 2a of all the users who have already participated in the shared space is different from the original space 2b of the user who will newly participate in the shared space, for example, the shared space synthesizing unit 152 changes the registered content in the priority table “area” such that priority of the original space 2b of the user who will newly participate in the shared space is lower than that of the original space 2a of all the users who have already participated in the shared space.”)
Regarding claim 6, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit transmits relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between the newly set shared object and the first user to a user terminal associated with the other user. (Ishikawa, “[0622] (18) The information processing device according to (17), in which the decision unit specifies at least one of a plurality of the first actual objects as the reference object on the basis of positional relationships between the plurality of first actual objects and the first user, positional relationships between a plurality of the second actual objects and the second user, and similarity of each of the plurality of second actual objects to the plurality of first actual objects and specifies at least one of the plurality of second actual objects as the reference object.”)
Regarding claim 7, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein when no virtual object located within a first range whose base point is the first user is detected, or when the second user being present within a second range whose base point is the shared object is not detected, the control unit cancels the setting of the virtual object that has been set as the shared object. (Ishikawa, “[0175] Thus, the server 10-1 according to the first embodiment was achieved by considering the aforementioned circumstance as a viewpoint. According to the first embodiment, the server 10-1 decides shared objects arranged in the shared space that is generated on the basis of the sensing result of the first real space and the sensing result of the second real space on the basis of a predetermined reference. For example, the server 10-1 calculates priority of the respective objects located in the respective real spaces and then decides shared objects arranged in the shared space on the basis of the calculated priority. In this manner, it is possible to prevent overlaid display of the objects. / [0251] Next, a third application example of the second embodiment will be described. The shared space synthesizing unit 152 according to the third application example changes registered content in priority table for each space (priority table “area”) in an object priority policy 1624 in a case in which an operation of a user who has not participated in the shared space for participating in the shared space is detected. In a case in which a user who will newly participate in the shared space is detected, and the original space 2a of all the users who have already participated in the shared space is different from the original space 2b of the user who will newly participate in the shared space, for example, the shared space synthesizing unit 152 changes the registered content in the priority table “area” such that priority of the original space 2b of the user who will newly participate in the shared space is lower than that of the original space 2a of all the users who have already participated in the shared space.”)
Regarding claim 8, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 6, wherein when no virtual object is located within the first range, the control unit transmits, to the user terminal associated with the second user, coordinate information indicating a position of the first user in the virtual space or relative information indicating a positional relationship between the first user and a preset virtual object. (Ichikawa, “[0605] (6) The information processing device according to any one of (3) to (5), in which the priority calculation unit calculates the priority of the first actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the first actual object and the first user in the first real space and calculates the priority of the second actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the second actual object and the second user in the second real space. / [0622] (18) The information processing device according to (17), in which the decision unit specifies at least one of a plurality of the first actual objects as the reference object on the basis of positional relationships between the plurality of first actual objects and the first user, positional relationships between a plurality of the second actual objects and the second user, and similarity of each of the plurality of second actual objects to the plurality of first actual objects and specifies at least one of the plurality of second actual objects as the reference object.”)
Regarding claim 9, The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of virtual objects are located within the first range whose base point is the first user, and the second user is present within the second range whose base point is each of the plurality of virtual objects, the control unit selects one virtual object from among the plurality of virtual objects and sets the one virtual object as the shared object. (Ishikawa, “[0622] (18) The information processing device according to (17), in which the decision unit specifies at least one of a plurality of the first actual objects as the reference object on the basis of positional relationships between the plurality of first actual objects and the first user, positional relationships between a plurality of the second actual objects and the second user, and similarity of each of the plurality of second actual objects to the plurality of first actual objects and specifies at least one of the plurality of second actual objects as the reference object.”)
Regarding claim 10, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit selects a virtual object located closest to the first user in the virtual space from among the plurality of virtual objects. (Ishikawa, “[0199] Distances from Persons [0200] Here, “the criteria related to relationships with other objects” may include distances from persons in original spaces. For example, in relation to the respective objects in the respective real spaces, the priority calculation unit 400 calculates the priority B of the objects on the basis of the distances between the objects and the persons in the original spaces in which the objects are located. In one example, in relation to the respective objects in the respective real spaces, the priority calculation unit 400 calculates the priority B of the objects on the basis of the distances between the persons located at the positions closest to the objects in the original spaces and the objects and identification information of the persons.
”)
Regarding claim 11, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 9, wherein the control unit selects a virtual object to be set as the shared object from among the plurality of virtual objects in accordance with a priority that is preset for each of the plurality of virtual objects. (Ishikawa, “[0201] For example, priority may be registered in a table in advance in accordance with the persons. Then, in relation to the respective objects in the respective real spaces, the priority calculation unit 400 calculates the priority B of the objects on the basis of content registered in association with the persons in the table in a case in which the distances between the persons located at the positions closest to the objects and the objects in the original spaces are equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value. Note that in a case in which the distances between the persons located at the positions closest to the objects and the objects in the original spaces are greater than the predetermined threshold value, the priority calculation unit 400 may calculate the priority B of the objects as “0”.”)
Regarding claim 12, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein for one or more virtual objects located within the first range whose base point is the first user, when another user is present within each second range whose base point is each of the one or more virtual objects, the control unit sets each of the one or more virtual objects as the shared object to be shared between the first user and each other user; and transmits relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between each of the set shared objects and the first user to each user terminal associated with each other user. (Ichikawa, “[0605] (6) The information processing device according to any one of (3) to (5), in which the priority calculation unit calculates the priority of the first actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the first actual object and the first user in the first real space and calculates the priority of the second actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the second actual object and the second user in the second real space. / [0622] (18) The information processing device according to (17), in which the decision unit specifies at least one of a plurality of the first actual objects as the reference object on the basis of positional relationships between the plurality of first actual objects and the first user, positional relationships between a plurality of the second actual objects and the second user, and similarity of each of the plurality of second actual objects to the plurality of first actual objects and specifies at least one of the plurality of second actual objects as the reference object.”)
Regarding claim 13, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein when a plurality of other users are present within the second range, the control unit sets the virtual object as the shared object to be shared between the first user and each of the other users; and
transmits relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between the first user and the shared object to each user terminal associated with each of the other users. (Ichikawa, “[0605] (6) The information processing device according to any one of (3) to (5), in which the priority calculation unit calculates the priority of the first actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the first actual object and the first user in the first real space and calculates the priority of the second actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the second actual object and the second user in the second real space. / [0622] (18) The information processing device according to (17), in which the decision unit specifies at least one of a plurality of the first actual objects as the reference object on the basis of positional relationships between the plurality of first actual objects and the first user, positional relationships between a plurality of the second actual objects and the second user, and similarity of each of the plurality of second actual objects to the plurality of first actual objects and specifies at least one of the plurality of second actual objects as the reference object.”)
Regarding claim 14, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 13, wherein the control unit calculates, as the relative information, a relative positional relationship between a position of each part of a body of the first user included in a first user object representing the first user in the virtual space, and the shared object, (Ichikawa, “[0622] (18) The information processing device according to (17), in which the decision unit specifies at least one of a plurality of the first actual objects as the reference object on the basis of positional relationships between the plurality of first actual objects and the first user, positional relationships between a plurality of the second actual objects and the second user, and similarity of each of the plurality of second actual objects to the plurality of first actual objects and specifies at least one of the plurality of second actual objects as the reference object.”)
Regarding claim 15, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein when receiving, from a user terminal associated with the second user, identification information of a shared object set with the second user serving as a base point and relative information indicating a relative positional relationship of the second user with respect to the shared object, as position information of the second user, the control unit performs control to display a second user object representing the second user at a position in the virtual space calculated based on the relative information. (Ichikawa, “[0605] (6) The information processing device according to any one of (3) to (5), in which the priority calculation unit calculates the priority of the first actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the first actual object and the first user in the first real space and calculates the priority of the second actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the second actual object and the second user in the second real space. / [0622] (18) The information processing device according to (17), in which the decision unit specifies at least one of a plurality of the first actual objects as the reference object on the basis of positional relationships between the plurality of first actual objects and the first user, positional relationships between a plurality of the second actual objects and the second user, and similarity of each of the plurality of second actual objects to the plurality of first actual objects and specifies at least one of the plurality of second actual objects as the reference object.”)
Regarding claim 16, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 15, wherein the relative information includes identification information for enabling to uniquely identify a virtual object set as the shared object, and when detecting that a shared object set with the second user serving as a base point has been switched over based on identification information of the shared object received from a user terminal associated with the second user, the control unit calculates a distance between display positions of the second user that are calculated based on each of the shared objects before and after the switching; and when the calculated distance is equal to or greater than a threshold value, (Ichikawa, “[0622] (18) The information processing device according to (17), in which the decision unit specifies at least one of a plurality of the first actual objects as the reference object on the basis of positional relationships between the plurality of first actual objects and the first user, positional relationships between a plurality of the second actual objects and the second user, and similarity of each of the plurality of second actual objects to the plurality of first actual objects and specifies at least one of the plurality of second actual objects as the reference object.”) performs control to draw an action of the second user object moving at a predetermined speed from a display position before the switching to a display position after the switching. (Ishikawa, “[0560] Change in Positional Relationship - Action Recognition [0561] In addition, the shared space synthesizing unit 152 can change the positional relationship on the basis of a predetermined condition after a plurality of real spaces is synthesized (after the shared space is generated). For example, in a case in which an origami lecture is given between a user (student) in the real space 2a and a user (instructor) in the real space 2b, for example, the shared space synthesizing unit 152 may synthesize the real space 2a and the real space 2b with a positional relationship such that the instructor's hands are arranged at a position of 30 cm in front of the hands of the student in an initial state. Also, in a case in which moving of the student with an origami is recognized after start of the lecture, the shared space synthesizing unit 152 may change the positional relationship between the two real spaces as needed (may regenerate the shared space as needed) such that the position of the hands of the instructor in the shared space follows and moves to the origami. [0562] Also, in a case in which gripping and moving of an object (including a user) in the real space 2b performed by the user in the real space 2a is recognized when a position relation changing mode is activated, the shared space synthesizing unit 152 may change the positional relationship between the real space 2a and the real space 2b as needed in accordance with the recognition result. Note that activation and end of the positional relationship changing mode are executed on the basis of recognition of a gesture or a sound command, for example, an operation performed on an UI, or the like.”)
Regarding claim 17, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit that receives, from a user terminal associated with the first user and a user terminal associated with the second user, position information of each user. (Ishikawa, “[0089] First, a first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration example of an information processing system according to a first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the information processing system according to the first embodiment includes a server 10-1, a plurality of clients 20, and a communication network 26. Also, each client 20 has an input unit 22 and an output unit 24. / [0596] (1) An information processing device including: [0597] a decision unit that decides, on the basis of a predetermined reference, a shared object arranged in a virtual space that is generated for communication between a first user and a second user on the basis of a sensing result of a first real space including at least one first actual object in relation to the first user and a sensing result of a second real space including at least one second actual object in relation to the second user.”)
Regarding claim 18, Ishikawa teaches The information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication unit that communicates with a user terminal associated with the second user or a server, wherein the control unit displays, on a display unit, the virtual space and the virtual object that are within a field of view of the first user in the virtual space; (Ishikawa, “[0089] First, a first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration example of an information processing system according to a first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the information processing system according to the first embodiment includes a server 10-1, a plurality of clients 20, and a communication network 26. Also, each client 20 has an input unit 22 and an output unit 24.”)
transmits, from the communication unit, the relative information indicating the relative positional relationship between the shared object and the first user in the virtual space; and (Ishikawa, “[0329] FIG. 37 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a positional relationships among a user 4 in a real space 2, a plurality of actual objects 330 in the real space, and a plurality of virtual objects 340 in content of the free viewpoint (that the user 4 is viewing).”)
displays a user object representing the second user on the basis of relative information received from the user terminal or the server, the relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between a shared object set with the second user serving as a base point and the second user (Ichikawa, “[0622] (18) The information processing device according to (17), in which the decision unit specifies at least one of a plurality of the first actual objects as the reference object on the basis of positional relationships between the plurality of first actual objects and the first user, positional relationships between a plurality of the second actual objects and the second user, and similarity of each of the plurality of second actual objects to the plurality of first actual objects and specifies at least one of the plurality of second actual objects as the reference object.”)
Regarding claim 19, Ishikawa teaches switches setting of the shared object in response to a change in at least any of a position of the first user, a position of a virtual object set as the shared object, and a position of the second user in the virtual space. (Ichikawa, “[0605] (6) The information processing device according to any one of (3) to (5), in which the priority calculation unit calculates the priority of the first actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the first actual object and the first user in the first real space and calculates the priority of the second actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the second actual object and the second user in the second real space. / [0622] (18) The information processing device according to (17), in which the decision unit specifies at least one of a plurality of the first actual objects as the reference object on the basis of positional relationships between the plurality of first actual objects and the first user, positional relationships between a plurality of the second actual objects and the second user, and similarity of each of the plurality of second actual objects to the plurality of first actual objects and specifies at least one of the plurality of second actual objects as the reference object.”)
However, Ishikawa is silent about A program causing a computer to function as: a control unit that: sets, as a shared object for a first user and a second user, a virtual object located within a first range whose base point is the first user in a virtual space, with the second user being present within a second range whose base point is the virtual object; transmits relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between the shared object and the first user to a user terminal associated with the second user; and.
Suzuki teaches A program causing a computer to function as: a control unit that: sets, as a shared object for a first user and a second user, a virtual object located within a first range whose base point is the first user in a virtual space, with the second user being present within a second range whose base point is the virtual object; (Suzuki, “[0099] FIGS. 9 to 15 are views illustrating changes in distance between virtual objects in the information processing system of the present embodiment. Note that in the present embodiment, a mutually different virtual space picture is presented to the display device 100 of each of users. As described above, an individual virtual space may be set for the display device 100 of each of users and a mutually different virtual space picture may be presented onto the display device 100 of each of the users on the basis of arrangement of the virtual objects in the plurality of virtual spaces, or the like. Furthermore, a mutually different virtual space picture may be presented on the display device 100 of each of users on the basis of the arrangement of virtual objects in one virtual space shared by the display devices 100 of a plurality of users, or the like. / [0071] Furthermore, the processing unit 402 performs various types of processing on the virtual space. Note that the processing unit 402 may set a virtual space for the display device 100 of each of users, and may present a mutually different virtual space picture onto the display device 100 of each of the users on the basis of arrangement of the virtual objects in the plurality of virtual spaces, or the like. That is, the position of the virtual object in the virtual space with respect to the display device 100 of each of users is different for each of the virtual spaces.”)
transmits relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between the shared object and the first user to a user terminal associated with the second user; and (Suzuki, “[0121] In S212, the information generation unit 412 generates a display image for the display device 100 of each of users on the basis of the distance between virtual objects set in S206 or S210. / [0028] FIG. 17 is a view illustrating an example of setting a distance between virtual objects according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.”)
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the
effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Ishikawa’s art by including A program causing a computer to function as: a control unit that: sets, as a shared object for a first user and a second user, a virtual object located within a first range whose base point is the first user in a virtual space, with the second user being present within a second range whose base point is the virtual object; transmits relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between the shared object and the first user to a user terminal associated with the second user; and as taught by Suzuki and use that with Ishikawa’s Information Processing Device, Information Processing Method, and Program.
Regarding claim 20, Ishikawa teaches An information processing system comprising: a first user terminal associated with a first user; a second user terminal associated with a second user; and an information processing device including a control unit that: (Ishikawa, “[0089] First, a first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration example of an information processing system according to a first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the information processing system according to the first embodiment includes a server 10-1, a plurality of clients 20, and a communication network 26. Also, each client 20 has an input unit 22 and an output unit 24.”)
switches setting of the shared object in response to a change in at least any of a position of the first user, a position of a virtual object set as the shared object, and a position of the second user in the virtual space, wherein the second user terminal displays a user object representing the first user at a position in a virtual space calculated based on the relative information received from the information processing device. (Ichikawa, “[0605] (6) The information processing device according to any one of (3) to (5), in which the priority calculation unit calculates the priority of the first actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the first actual object and the first user in the first real space and calculates the priority of the second actual object on the basis of a positional relationship between the second actual object and the second user in the second real space. / [0622] (18) The information processing device according to (17), in which the decision unit specifies at least one of a plurality of the first actual objects as the reference object on the basis of positional relationships between the plurality of first actual objects and the first user, positional relationships between a plurality of the second actual objects and the second user, and similarity of each of the plurality of second actual objects to the plurality of first actual objects and specifies at least one of the plurality of second actual objects as the reference object.”)
However, Ishikawa is silent about sets, as a shared object for the first user and the second user, a virtual object located within a first range whose base point is the first user in a virtual space, with the second user being present within a second range whose base point is the virtual object; transmits relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between the shared object and the first user to the second user terminal; and.
Suzuki teaches sets, as a shared object for the first user and the second user, a virtual object located within a first range whose base point is the first user in a virtual space, with the second user being present within a second range whose base point is the virtual object; (Suzuki, “[0099] FIGS. 9 to 15 are views illustrating changes in distance between virtual objects in the information processing system of the present embodiment. Note that in the present embodiment, a mutually different virtual space picture is presented to the display device 100 of each of users. As described above, an individual virtual space may be set for the display device 100 of each of users and a mutually different virtual space picture may be presented onto the display device 100 of each of the users on the basis of arrangement of the virtual objects in the plurality of virtual spaces, or the like. Furthermore, a mutually different virtual space picture may be presented on the display device 100 of each of users on the basis of the arrangement of virtual objects in one virtual space shared by the display devices 100 of a plurality of users, or the like. / [0071] Furthermore, the processing unit 402 performs various types of processing on the virtual space. Note that the processing unit 402 may set a virtual space for the display device 100 of each of users, and may present a mutually different virtual space picture onto the display device 100 of each of the users on the basis of arrangement of the virtual objects in the plurality of virtual spaces, or the like. That is, the position of the virtual object in the virtual space with respect to the display device 100 of each of users is different for each of the virtual spaces.”)
transmits relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between the shared object and the first user to the second user terminal; and (Suzuki, “[0121] In S212, the information generation unit 412 generates a display image for the display device 100 of each of users on the basis of the distance between virtual objects set in S206 or S210. / [0028] FIG. 17 is a view illustrating an example of setting a distance between virtual objects according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.”)
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the
effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Ishikawa’s art by including sets, as a shared object for the first user and the second user, a virtual object located within a first range whose base point is the first user in a virtual space, with the second user being present within a second range whose base point is the virtual object; transmits relative information indicating a relative positional relationship between the shared object and the first user to the second user terminal; and as taught by Suzuki and use that with Ishikawa’s Information Processing Device, Information Processing Method, and Program.
Conclusion
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/C.A.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2612
/Said Broome/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2612
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