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 .
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 8-11, 16-19 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by MEIER et al. (US Pat. Pub. No. 20190318168 “Meier”).
Regarding claim 9 Meier teaches An electronic device comprising (“[0043] FIG. 2A depicts a user device 202 displaying a representation 204 (e.g., an image) of an indoor physical environment 200, according to various embodiments. In the present embodiment, user device 202 is a standalone device, such as a hand-held mobile device (e.g., a smartphone) or a standalone head-mounted device”): one or more processors; memory; and one or more programs stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for performing a method (“[0036] System 100 includes processor(s) 102 and memory(ies) 106. Processor(s) 102 include one or more general processors, one or more graphics processors, and/or one or more digital signal processors. In some embodiments, memory(ies) 106 are one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums (e.g., flash memory, random access memory) that store computer-readable instructions configured to be executed by processor(s) 102 to perform the techniques described below”) comprising:
detecting, via one or more input devices, a user interface of a first object in a physical environment of a user of the electronic device (“[0040]…. The first image sensor and the second image sensor are optionally configured to capture images of physical objects in the real environment from two distinct perspectives. In some examples, system 100 uses image sensor(s) 108 to receive user inputs, such as hand gestures.[0086]…… For example, the user device may identify a TV entity in the physical environment”); and
in response to detecting the user interface of the first object, in accordance with a determination that one or more first criteria are satisfied (“[0065] As described above, to determine the entity type, the user device determines whether the combination of the one or more property values and the count of the one or more properties satisfies a confidence threshold. For example, if the confidence threshold is configured to be at least three properties with all property values above the confidence level criteria, the user device determines that cat 211B (corresponding to cat class entity 231B) is an entity of a second type (e.g., an outlier), which cannot be used for determining the physical environment associated with the entity. In the example shown in FIG. 2D, an entity of cat can be present in any physical environment and is thus a less reliable indicator for the type of physical environment.
[0111] At block 406, based on the identified at least one portion of the entity, whether the entity is an entity of a first type is determined”)”),
presenting, via one or more displays, first content associated with the user interface of the first object in an environment independent of a location of the first object in the physical environment (“[0086]…… For instance, a TV guide service or TV subscription service can be provided regardless of whether the TV entity is located in a bedroom or a living room. Accordingly, the user device is configured to present one or more virtual objects based on the identified TV entity (e.g., a virtual object enabling the user to receive an on-line movie streaming service) without having to determine the type of physical environment (e.g., whether the physical environment is a living room or bedroom)”).
Claim 1 is directed to a method claim and its steps are similar in scope and functions of the device claim 9 and therefore claim 1 is also rejected with the same rationale as specified in the rejection of claim 9.
Claim 17 is directed to a non-transitory computer readable storage medium claim (“[0036] System 100 includes processor(s) 102 and memory(ies) 106. Processor(s) 102 include one or more general processors, one or more graphics processors, and/or one or more digital signal processors. In some embodiments, memory(ies) 106 are one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums (e.g., flash memory, random access memory) that store computer-readable instructions configured to be executed by processor(s) 102 to perform the techniques described below”) and its scope and functions are similar in scope and functions of the device claim 9 and therefore claim 17 is also rejected with the same rationale as specified in the rejection of claim 9.
Regarding claims 2, 10 and 18 Meier teaches wherein presenting the first content in the environment includes presenting one or more virtual representations in the environment in a first region relative to a current viewpoint of the user, wherein the first region relative to the current viewpoint of the user is independent of a location of the first object relative to the current viewpoint of the user (“[0086]…… Accordingly, the user device is configured to present one or more virtual objects based on the identified TV entity (e.g., a virtual object enabling the user to receive an on-line movie streaming service) without having to determine the type of physical environment (e.g., whether the physical environment is a living room or bedroom)”).
Regarding claims 3, 11 and 19 Meier teaches wherein the one or more virtual representations are presented in the environment in accordance with a determination that a field of view of the environment does not include the user interface of the first object from the current viewpoint of the user Fig. 2A shows physical environment of kitchen where the TV doesn’t exist. Tv exist in the physical environment of living or bed room.
“[0085] In some embodiments, user device 202 can be configured to, while presenting representation 204 of the kitchen, provide one or more services using one or more of the virtual objects corresponding to the physical environment. With reference to FIG. 2H, as described above, the type of the physical environment in this embodiment is determined to be a kitchen. [0086]…… Accordingly, the user device is configured to present one or more virtual objects based on the identified TV entity (e.g., a virtual object enabling the user to receive an on-line movie streaming service) without having to determine the type of physical environment (e.g., whether the physical environment is a living room or bedroom)”).
Regarding claims 8, 16 and 24 Meier teaches wherein presenting the first content in the environment includes: during a first time period, storing information associated with the user interface of the first object without presenting a first virtual representation associated with the user interface of the first object in the environment (Fig. 4step 404 and 406 describe entity identification during that time data is stored and virtual representation is not displayed “[0111]….. In accordance with a determination that the at least one portion of the entity does not correspond to at least one portion of a previously-identified entity, data indicative of the at least one portion of the entity are stored”); and
during a second time period after the first time period, presenting, via the one or more displays, one or more virtual representations associated with the user interface of the first object in the environment based on the stored information (“[0115] At block 410, one or more virtual objects and a representation of the entity corresponding to the determined type of the physical environment are presented”).
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) 4, 12 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meier in view of KO et al. (US Pat. Pub. No. 20250200830 “Ko”).
Regarding claims 4, 12 and 20 Meier is silent about wherein the one or more virtual representations are presented in the environment in accordance with a determination that the user interface of the first object is outside of a threshold distance from a location corresponding to the current viewpoint of the user in the environment.
Ko teaches one or more virtual representations are presented in the environment in accordance with a determination that the user interface of the first object is outside of a threshold distance from a location corresponding to the current viewpoint of the user in the environment (“[0144] Referring to FIG. 9, it is assumed that the external device 2000 is located further away from the electronic device 1000 than a first threshold distance, and the electronic device 1000 is unable to identify the location of the external device 2000. [0146] The electronic device 1000 may determine a second region where notification information is to be displayed, based on direction information included in presets or the location information, and display an affordance (e.g., for inducing a button input or a hand gesture input via a controller for switching to a VST mode) and the notification information in the second region”).
Ko and Meier are analogous art as both of them are related to AR/VR.
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 Meier by presenting one or more virtual representations in the environment in accordance with a determination that the user interface of the first object is outside of a threshold distance from a location corresponding to the current viewpoint of the user in the environment as taught by Ko.
The motivation for the above is to provide a virtual information indicating an alert.
Claim(s) 5-7, 13-15 and 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Meier in view of LEE et al. (US Pat. Pub. No. 20220187907 “Lee”).
Regarding claims 5, 13 and 21 Meier teaches wherein the one or more first criteria include a criterion that is satisfied, when the user interface of the first object is detected as shown above but is silent about , intent of the user to interact with the user interface of the first object is detected.
Lee teaches one or more first criteria include a criterion that is satisfied when, when user interface of first object is detected, intent of user to interact with the user interface of the first object is detected (“[0028] FIG. 3A shows a scene 300 viewed by user 302 of display device 100, and shows a field of view 304 of display device 100. Dots represent eye-gaze locations as determined from eye gaze samples acquired by an eye-tracking system, an example of which is labeled at 303. Eye-gaze locations are shown at different locations within the field of view 304. As described in more detail below, display device 100 may determine one or more locations of interest that user 302 is gazing at based on the eye gaze samples. Some example locations of interest in FIG. 3A include a sofa 306, a table 308, a display 310, a location 312 on the see-through display that comprises a user interface element 324, and a tablet computing device 314. [0031] In the example of FIG. 3A, the computing device 100 determines the intent of a user to interact with the user interface element 324 based upon the time-dependent attention value for location 312 meeting a threshold condition”);
Lee and Meier are analogous art as both of them are related to AR/VR.
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 Meier by having one or more first criteria that include a criterion that is satisfied when, when user interface of first object is detected, intent of user to interact with the user interface of the first object is detected as taught by Lee.
The motivation for the above is to provide virtual information on a precise condition of user action.
Regarding claims 6, 14 and 22 Meier modified by Lee teaches wherein detecting the intent of the user to interact with the user interface of the first object includes detecting an input directed to the user interface of the first object (Lee “[0028]….. As described in more detail below, display device 100 may determine one or more locations of interest that user 302 is gazing at based on the eye gaze samples. Some example locations of interest in FIG. 3A include a sofa 306, a table 308, a display 310, a location 312 on the see-through display that comprises a user interface element 324, and a tablet computing device 314”).
Regarding claims 7, 15 and 23 Meier modified by Lee teaches detecting the intent of the user to interact with the user interface of the first object includes: after detecting the input directed to the user interface of the first object, presenting a virtual element in the environment that is interactive to present the first content in the environment; and detecting, via the one or more input devices, an input corresponding to user interaction with the virtual element (Lee “[0020]….. . Images displayed on AR display 102 may comprise stereoscopic images of virtual objects overlayed on the real-world scene such that the virtual objects appear to be present in the real-world scene.
[0027]….. The gaze locations that are tracked by the spatial intent module 220 can represent physical locations in the real-world environment, locations of displayed virtual objects, and/or locations on the display, as examples”.
Meier “[0087] In some embodiments, after the user device presents one or more virtual objects, the user device receives input representing a selection a virtual object of the one or more presented virtual objects (e.g., from a user of the user device), and performs one or more tasks in accordance with the selected virtual object”).
Conclusion
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/SAPTARSHI MAZUMDER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2612
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