DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . It is responsive to the submission dated 07/23/2026. Claims 1-20 are presented for examination, of which, claims 1, 10 and 16 are independent claims.
Information Disclosure Statement
2. The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 07/23/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and are being considered by the Examiner.
Response to Arguments/Amendments
3. Applicant’s arguments, see pages 9-10 of Applicant’s Remarks, filed 07/23/2026, with respect to the claim objections, the indefiniteness rejections under 35 USC 112(b) and the obviousness rejections under 35 USC 103 of the claims have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections of these claims have been withdrawn since the amendments remedy the previous issues. However, a new ground of rejection is prompted in view of the newly found reference from the IDS filed on 06/24/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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.
5. Claims 1-2, 6, 10-11, and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fang et al. (CN 1098473) in view of Nie et al. (CN 108650217 A).
Considering claim 10, Fang discloses most claimed features of the invention as set forth in the 4/23/26 communication. However, Fang fails to disclose "the second phase parameter indicating a state feature corresponding to an action presentation of the second character within the standard action cycle at the end of the time period", which is disclosed by Nie. See paras. 16 and 38-43 and 61-74.
Particularly, Nie discloses method and apparatus for synchronizing motion states of virtual characters controlled by clients in a networked environment. The method involves detecting transitions in action states, acquiring synchronization parameters, and communicating these changes to a server, which in turn updates the action states of the virtual characters on both the server and other clients. See abstract.
Nie further teaches, the method for synchronizing an action state, including: detecting, on a first client, that an action state (e.g., the standard action cycle) of a first virtual character controlled by a first client is converted into a second state from a first state on the first client; target avatar controlled by the first client transitions from a first state to a second state; acquiring a target synchronization parameter (e.g. a feature state), corresponding to the second state from action state and the synchronization parameter with the corresponding relationship (interpreted as intermediate state or subsequent action corresponding to actions presentations of a second or third characters within the standard action cycle from one end of the time period to another), wherein the action state and the synchronization parameter with in the corresponding relationship (e.g., the third phase parameter and synchronize display of a first character) are recorded in the first client; and sending first synchronization information carrying the target synchronization parameter to a server, wherein the first synchronization information is used for indicating the server to synchronize the action state of the first virtual character on the server to the second state in the corresponding relationship with the target synchronization parameter (e.g., to obtain a third phase). See para. 8.
According to Nie, the taking a game application as an example, the action state of the virtual character may include, but is not limited to: walk (walk), run (run), fly (hit fly), jump (jump), death (dead), fall (fall), injury (hurt), and the like. These action states may be designed by art designers during the development phase of the game. See para. 45. The first client may record the action state and the synchronization parameter having the corresponding relationship in a form of a storage configuration table, where a corresponding synchronization parameter (e.g., a feature state) is set for each action state, and the corresponding relationship between the two is recorded in a configuration table, which may be in the form of key-value, where the identifier of the action state is key and the synchronization parameter is value. See para. 46.
Optionally, in this embodiment, taking a game application as an example, in a game of a game pair of a first client and a second client, the first client controls a target virtual character on the first client to match a virtual character controlled by the second client, and in strong verification of network synchronization, it is necessary to synchronize the action states of the target virtual character on the first client, a server, and the second client, and after the target virtual character on the first client enters a certain action state, the target virtual character on the server is notified to enter the action state, and then the target virtual character on the server is broadcast to the target virtual character on the second client to notify that the target virtual character also enters the action state, so that the game pair time of the game between the clients can be synchronously displayed. For example, in one game battle, the action state of the target virtual character of the first client is converted from an arbitrary state to a flight state, as shown in fig. 5, after detecting the state conversion, the first client acquires a target synchronization parameter "1007" corresponding to the flight state from the configuration table of the action state and the synchronization parameter having a corresponding relationship as shown in fig. 4, and sends first synchronization information carrying the target synchronization parameter "1007" to the server to instruct the server to synchronize the action state of the target virtual character on the server to the flight state having a corresponding relationship with the target synchronization parameter "1007". It can be seen that, through the above steps, the first client records the action state and the synchronization parameter having the corresponding relationship, when detecting that the action state of the target virtual character controlled by the first client is converted from the first state to the second state, searches the corresponding relationship to obtain the target synchronization parameter corresponding to the second state, sends the first synchronization information carrying the target synchronization parameter to the server, instructs the server to synchronize the action state of the target virtual character to the second state according to the target synchronization parameter, thereby implementing the action state synchronization of the server and the client. See paras. 46-49.
The applicant’s original disclosure defines the feature state as intermediate actions or forms of motions taken by a character from a start time and any other actions thereafter in between until the end time motions (see paras. 254-256 of applicant’s original disclosure). As disclosed above, Nie clearly teaches the intermediates phases taken from an original action cycle until a final phase is reached, by detecting transitions in action states to acquire synchronization parameters, and communicating these changes to a server, which in turn updates the action states of the virtual characters on both the server and other clients.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the motion stage display synchronization scheme of Fang to include the second phase parameter indicating a state feature corresponding to an action presentation of the second character within the standard action cycle at the end of the time period, in the same conventional manner as taught by Nie. Combining the Fang reference with Nie would be advantageous in that it enhances synchronization efficiency and accuracy, addressing limitations found in traditional methods that rely heavily on current states and conditions for transitions. The invention is applicable in various scenarios, including gaming and interactive applications, ensuring that all clients maintain consistent action states even in the event of network disruptions. See abstract and para. 16 of Nie.
Regarding claim 1, although slightly different in wordings, the invention of claim 1 contains features that correspond in scope with the limitations recited claim 10. As the limitations of claim 10 were found obvious over the combined teachings of Fang and Nie, it is readily apparent that the applied prior arts perform the underlying elements. As such, the limitations of claim 1 are, therefore, subject to rejections under the same rationale as claim 10. In addition, Nie, as modified by fang, discloses: determining a first phase parameter for the first character at an end of the time period based on the motion data and a standard action cycle for a current action that is performed by the first character, the standard action cycle indicating a complete sequence of motions for a specific action, and the first phase parameter indicating a state feature corresponding to an action presentation of the first character at the end of the time period within the standard action cycle (e.g., the action state of the target virtual character controlled by the first client is detected on the first client, and the action state is converted from the first state to the second state, the first client records the action state and the synchronization parameters having the corresponding relation, when the action state of the target virtual character controlled by the first client is detected to be converted from the first state to the second state, searching the corresponding relation to obtain the target synchronization parameters corresponding to the second state. See para. 16. A corresponding synchronization parameter is set for each action state, and the corresponding relationship between the two is recorded in a configuration table, which may be in the form of key-value, where the identifier of the action state is key and the synchronization parameter is value. See para. 46);
receiving a second phase parameter from the second terminal, the second phase parameter corresponding to the second character at the end of the time period, the second phase parameter indicating the state feature corresponding to the action presentation of the second character within the standard action cycle at the end of the time period (e.g., sending the first synchronization information carrying the target synchronization parameters to the server, indicating the server to synchronize the action state of the target virtual character to the second state according to the target synchronization parameters, thereby realizing the action state synchronization of the server and the client. See paras. 16 and 40-42. A corresponding synchronization parameter is set for each action state, and the corresponding relationship between the two is recorded in a configuration table, which may be in the form of key-value, where the identifier of the action state is key and the synchronization parameter is value. See para. 46);
adjusting the first phase parameter based on the second phase parameter to obtain a third phase parameter for generating updated motion data for the first character based on the third phase parameter for display (e.g., in a game of a game pair of a first client and a second client, the first client controls a target virtual character on the first client to match a virtual character controlled by the second client, and in strong verification of network synchronization, it is necessary to synchronize the action states of the target virtual character on the first client, a server, and the second client, and after the target virtual character on the first client enters a certain action state, the target virtual character on the server is notified to enter the action state, and then the target virtual character on the server is broadcast to the target virtual character on the second client to notify that the target virtual character also enters the action state, so that the game pair time of the game between the clients can be synchronously displayed. See para. 47).
As per claim 11, Fang discloses the determining the second phase parameter comprises: obtaining cycle motion data for the second character in the standard action cycle (e.g., obtaining the synchronization information of the first client, wherein the synchronization information is used for indicating the movement speed of the first object controlled by the first client in the virtual scene to change. See abstract of Fang, wherein the synchronization information used to change the object of the virtual scene corresponds to the motion data of a second character, as claimed); and
determining the second phase parameter from a parameter value of an end video frame of the video frames in the time period (e.g., based on the synchronization information, determining the estimated position of the first object in the virtual scene and the estimated motion speed of the estimated position; under the condition that the time reaches the first target time, and displaying the image of the first object located at the estimated position on the second client according to the estimated motion speed. See the "Abstract" section of Fang, wherein the act of displaying the image of the first object
located at the estimated position on the second client according to the estimated motion speed corresponds to the determined second phase parameter for the second character being performed by a second terminal; and the act of processing the obtained synchronization information corresponds to the standard action cycle for a current action).
Fan does not specifically disclose assigning parameter values to video frames of the second character in the time period based on the motion data and the cycle motion data. But in Fang it is provided that an initial time t1 at an initial position p1 and speed v1; and a target time t2 at an initial position p1 and speed v1 are calculated and use as preset conditions to operate the client device to display and playback of continuously transmitted data packet in synchronization with other client terminals, based on a difference value between a current time and the data packet transmission times (see the detailed description of S206 in Fang), assigning parameter values to video frames of the second character in the time period based on the motion data and the cycle motion data, would have been an obvious variation of the teachings of Fang, since the expected result (e.g., display synchronization of scene images between different display terminals) is considered normal design actions that the skilled person would do without an inventive step, when presented with the above teachings of Fang. This would ensure that each client uses the same server time, or the certain period in the operation changes, the client sends data packet (synchronization information) to the server.
Furthermore, Nie, in a similar art, discloses a corresponding synchronization parameter (e.g., a feature state) is set for each action state, and the corresponding relationship between the two is recorded in a configuration table, which may be in the form of key-value, where the identifier of the action state is key and the synchronization parameter is value. And, in strong verification of network synchronization, it is necessary to synchronize the action states of the target virtual character on the first client, a server, and the second client, and after the target virtual character on the first client enters a certain action state, the target virtual character on the server is notified to enter the action state, and then the target virtual character on the server is broadcast to the target virtual character on the second client to notify that the target virtual character also enters the action state, so that the game pair time of the game between the clients can be synchronously displayed. See paras. 46-47.
As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Fang with Nie, in order to enhance synchronization efficiency and accuracy, addressing limitations found in traditional methods that rely heavily on current states and conditions for transitions. The invention is applicable in various scenarios, including gaming and interactive applications, ensuring that all clients maintain consistent action states even in the event of network disruptions. See abstract and para. 16 of Nie.
Claim 2 is rejected under the same rationale as claim 11, because the two claims share analogous features that are obviously encompassed by the combination of teachings from Fang and Nie, which the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have been able to achieve without any inventive skill.
As per claim 6, Nie, as modified by Fang, discloses determining an adjustment rate by adjusting a change rate of the first phase parameter over a temporal sequence based on a parameter value change range of the second phase parameter over the temporal sequence; and applying the adjustment rate to the first phase parameter to obtain the third phase parameter (e.g., Nie discloses a corresponding synchronization parameter is set for each action state, and the corresponding relationship between the two is recorded in a configuration table, which may be in the form of key-value, where the identifier of the action state is key and the synchronization parameter is value. Optionally, in this embodiment, taking a game application as an example, in a game of a game pair of a first client and a second client, the first client controls a target virtual character on the first client to match a virtual character controlled by the second client, and in strong verification of network synchronization, it is necessary to synchronize the action states of the target virtual character on the first client, a server, and the second client, and after the target virtual character on the first client enters a certain action state, the target virtual character on the server is notified to enter the action state, and then the target virtual character on the server is broadcast to the target virtual character on the second client to notify that the target virtual character also enters the action state, so that the game pair time of the game between the clients can be synchronously displayed. For examples, converted from an arbitrary state to a flight state, as shown in fig. 5, after detecting the state conversion, the first client acquires a target synchronization parameter "1007" corresponding to the flight state from the configuration table of the action state and the synchronization parameter having a corresponding relationship as shown in fig. 4, and sends first synchronization information carrying the target synchronization parameter "1007" to the server to instruct the server to synchronize the action state of the target virtual character on the server to the flight state having a corresponding relationship with the target synchronization parameter "1007". See paras. 46-48).
Claim 15 is rejected under the same rationale as claim 6.
Claim 16 is rejected under the same rationale as claim 10.
Claim 17 is rejected under the same rationale as claim 2.
Allowable Subject Matter
5. Claims 3-5, 7-9 and 12-14, 18-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, because the prior art of record fail to teach the method according to claims 2 and 11 and the apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the assigning the parameter values comprises: obtaining key point position data from the motion data; determining reference key point data for the standard action cycle; assigning the parameter values to the reference key point data; and assigning the parameter values based on a comparison of the key point position data to the reference key point data (as recited in claims 3, 12 and 18); and the method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting the first phase parameter comprises: increasing a change rate of the first phase parameter when a parameter value change range of the second phase parameter is greater than a parameter value change range of the first phase parameter; or decreasing the change rate of the first phase parameter when the parameter value change range of the second phase parameter is less than the parameter value change range of the first phase parameter (as recited in claim 9).
Conclusion
7. Applicant's submission of an information disclosure statement under 37 CFR 1.97(c) with the timing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(p) on 06/24/2026 prompted the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 609.04(b). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WESNER SAJOUS whose telephone number is (571) 272-7791. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 10:00 TO 7:30 (ET).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice or email the Examiner directly at wesner.sajous@uspto.gov.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Said Broome can be reached on 571-272-2931. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WESNER SAJOUS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2612
WS
09/05/2026
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