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 .
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure.
A patent abstract is a concise statement of the technical disclosure of the patent and should include that which is new in the art to which the invention pertains. The abstract should not refer to purported merits or speculative applications of the invention and should not compare the invention with the prior art.
If the patent is of a basic nature, the entire technical disclosure may be new in the art, and the abstract should be directed to the entire disclosure. If the patent is in the nature of an improvement in an old apparatus, process, product, or composition, the abstract should include the technical disclosure of the improvement. The abstract should also mention by way of example any preferred modifications or alternatives.
Where applicable, the abstract should include the following: (1) if a machine or apparatus, its organization and operation; (2) if an article, its method of making; (3) if a chemical compound, its identity and use; (4) if a mixture, its ingredients; (5) if a process, the steps.
Extensive mechanical and design details of an apparatus should not be included in the abstract. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length.
See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract is not limited to 150 words. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 1-29-2025 was filed after the mailing date of the claims on 10-24-2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (U.S. 2017/0076502) in view of Berliner et al. (U.S. 2022/0255995).
With regard to claim 1, Chen teaches a method of providing users at first locations with virtual presence experiences at locations geographically remote from the first locations (Fig. 1; Figs. 5A-5E; [abstract] A virtual image of the user interface and a virtual image of the detected physical object are displayed by the head mounted electronic device on a display of the head mounted electronic device), comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of virtual presence devices (Fig. 1; [abstract] A position of the detected physical object is determined relative to a user interface based on a detected position of the physical object in the foreground of the mono-chromatic screen by a processor of the head mounted electronic device; [0008] FIG. 1 is an example of an augmented and/or virtual reality system including a head mounted display device and a handheld electronic device), including different types of virtual presence devices ([0015] A user immersed in a virtual environment, for example, a 3D augmented and/or virtual reality environment, wearing, for example, a head mounted display (HMD) device may explore the virtual environment and interact with the virtual environment), at a plurality of said locations geographically remote from the first locations ([0030] the elements included in the sensing system 460 and/or the control system 470 can have a different physical arrangement (e.g., different physical location) within, for example, an HMD other than the HMD 100 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B);
causing a server to store and provide information that enables the users to select from among the geographically remote locations ([0030] the elements included in the sensing system 460 and/or the control system 470 can have a different physical arrangement (e.g., different physical location) within, for example, an HMD other than the HMD 100 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B; [0046] multiple computing devices 700 may be connected, with each device providing portions of the necessary operations (e.g., as a server bank, a group of blade servers, or a multi-processor system); [0050] Each of such devices may contain one or more of computing device 700, 750, and an entire system may be made up of multiple computing devices 700, 750 communicating with each other);
causing the server to store and provide information to select from among the different types of virtual presence devices available at the selected geographically remote locations ([0030] the elements included in the sensing system 460 and/or the control system 470 can have a different physical arrangement (e.g., different physical location) within, for example, an HMD other than the HMD 100 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B); and
enabling the users to control the selected virtual presence devices at the geographically remote locations ([0030] the elements included in the sensing system 460 and/or the control system 470 can have a different physical arrangement (e.g., different physical location) within, for example, an HMD other than the HMD 100 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B) while the users are at the first locations ([0030]), and/or to interact with persons at the geographically remote locations (Fig. 1), as the virtual presence devices move or are moved about the geographically remote locations ([0015] interact with the virtual environment through, for example, physical interaction (such as, for example, hand/arm gestures, head movement, walking and the like), and/or manipulation of the HMD, and/or manipulation of a separate electronic device, to experience the immersive virtual environment; [0022] In some implementations, the HMD 100 may also include a camera 180 which may capture still and/or moving images of the ambient, or physical, or real world environment, outside of the HMD 100 and the virtual environment generated by the HMD 100), thereby providing the users with said virtual presence experiences ([0022] the virtual environment generated by the HMD 100…the camera 180 may capture still and/or moving images of elements in the real world environment in which the augmented and/or virtual reality system operates). However, Chen does not specifically teach:
- enables the users to select dates and times
Berliner teaches providing situational awareness to users of wearable extended reality appliances [abstract]. Berliner also teaches enabling uses to select dates and times ([0278] providing situational awareness to users of wearable extended reality appliances… situational awareness may include an understanding of one or more of a location, area, date, time, etc.; [0296] the at least one processor may determine the intent to share the at least a portion of the virtual content with the second user of the second wearable extended reality appliance when the image data indicates person A, or based on a time, date, or location associated with the image; [0301] the automatic determination may be based on one or more characteristics of the virtual content, including, for example, a present time or date, or any other information associated with a virtual content). Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains to have modified the virtual reality system for tracking a hover position of a manual pointing device such as a finger as taught by Chen, with the virtual reality appliance to select dates and times as taught by Berliner, to have achieved a system of detection and tracking of an electronic device in an immersive augmented reality and/or virtual reality system.
With regard to claim 2, the limitations are addressed above and Chen teaches wherein the different types of virtual presence devices (Fig. 1; [abstract] A position of the detected physical object is determined relative to a user interface based on a detected position of the physical object in the foreground of the mono-chromatic screen by a processor of the head mounted electronic device; [0008] FIG. 1 is an example of an augmented and/or virtual reality system including a head mounted display device and a handheld electronic device). However, Chen does not specifically teach:
- include virtual presence robots
Berliner teaches providing situational awareness to users of wearable extended reality appliances [abstract]. Berliner also teaches include virtual presence robots ([0513] A movable object may be a keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad, a pointing device, a microphone, a pencil, a pen, a stylus, a joystick, a person, a robot, and/or any other object that a wearable extended reality appliance user may dock with a virtual object). Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains to have modified the virtual reality system for tracking a hover position of a manual pointing device such as a finger as taught by Chen, with the wearable extended reality appliance which may include a robot as taught by Berliner, to have achieved a system of detection and tracking of an electronic device in an immersive augmented reality and/or virtual reality system.
With regard to claim 3, the limitations are addressed above and Chen teaches wherein the limitations are addressed above and Chen teaches wherein the different types of virtual presence devices (Fig. 1; [abstract] A position of the detected physical object is determined relative to a user interface based on a detected position of the physical object in the foreground of the mono-chromatic screen by a processor of the head mounted electronic device; [0008] FIG. 1 is an example of an augmented and/or virtual reality system including a head mounted display device and a handheld electronic device). However, Chen does not specifically teach:
- include at least one of (i) drones, (ii) land vehicles, or (iii) aquatic vessels
Berliner teaches providing situational awareness to users of wearable extended reality appliances [abstract]. Berliner also teaches include virtual presence which includes at least one of (i) drones, (ii) land vehicles, or (iii) aquatic vessels ([0415] the object associated with the first wearable extended reality appliance may be a physical object, such as a whiteboard, a screen, a lamp, a desk, a table, a vase, a container, a printer, a shelf, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad, a cup, a telephone, a mobile device, a machine, a vehicle, a door, a window, a chair, a button, a surface, or any other type of physical item). Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains to have modified the virtual reality system for tracking a hover position of a manual pointing device such as a finger as taught by Chen, with the wearable extended reality appliance which may include a vehicle as taught by Berliner, to have achieved a system of detection and tracking of an electronic device in an immersive augmented reality and/or virtual reality system.
With regard to claim 4, the limitations are addressed above and Chen teaches wherein the different types of virtual presence devices include sensors ([0021] In some implementations, the HMD 100 may also include a sensing system 160 including various sensing system devices and a control system 170 including various control system devices to facilitate operation of the HMD 100), video ([0030] to generate and display one or more user interfaces as described above, and another module of the video control device), audio ([0030] audio and video control devices) and communications equipment carried by a person at the remote location ([0030] the elements included in the sensing system 460 and/or the control system 470 can have a different physical arrangement (e.g., different physical location) within, for example, an HMD other than the HMD 100 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B).
With regard to claim 5, the limitations are addressed above and Chen teaches wherein the person is provided with an app that allows the person to indicate to the server his or her availability and specific location ([0028] the user interface 107, in the form of a keyboard or other user interface based on a particular application, may also be displayed with the handheld electronic device 102 oriented in the portrait position, in which the device 102 may be held in one of the left hand or the right hand of the user, or both the left and right hands of the user, for text entry with finger(s) of the one of the left hand or the right hand, or both the left and right hands; [0057] Such sound may include sound from voice telephone calls, may include recorded sound (e.g., voice messages, music files, etc.) and may also include sound generated by applications operating on device 750).
With regard to claim 6, the limitations are addressed above and Chen teaches wherein the virtual presence devices arranged to be carried by the person at the remote location include network-communications-capable equipment ([0030] the elements included in the sensing system 460 and/or the control system 470 can have a different physical arrangement (e.g., different physical location) within, for example, an HMD other than the HMD 100 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B) and input devices selected from sensors ([0021] In some implementations, the HMD 100 may also include a sensing system 160 including various sensing system devices and a control system 170 including various control system devices to facilitate operation of the HMD 100), video ([0030] to generate and display one or more user interfaces as described above, and another module of the video control device), and/or audio devices ([0030] audio and video control devices).
With regard to claim 7, the limitations are addressed above and Chen teaches wherein the virtual presence devices arranged to be carried by the person enable the users to converse with other persons at the remote geographic location ([0057] Device 750 may also communicate audibly using audio codec 760, which may receive spoken information from a user and convert it to usable digital information. Audio codec 760 may likewise generate audible sound for a user, such as through a speaker, e.g., in a handset of device 750. Such sound may include sound from voice telephone calls; [0061] Other kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input).
With regard to claim 8, the limitations are addressed above and Chen teaches wherein the step of enabling the users to select from among the geographically remote locations ([0030] the elements included in the sensing system 460 and/or the control system 470 can have a different physical arrangement (e.g., different physical location) within, for example, an HMD other than the HMD 100 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B) and at least one more that represent virtual presence devices within the specific region or geographic entity ([0030] the elements included in the sensing system 460 and/or the control system 470 can have a different physical arrangement (e.g., different physical location) within, for example, an HMD other than the HMD 100 shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B). However, Chen does not specifically teach:
- includes a step of displaying on devices at the first locations at least one world map with icons that link to at least one more detailed map of a specific region or geographic entity
- detailed map including additional icons
Berliner teaches providing situational awareness to users of wearable extended reality appliances [abstract]. Berliner also teaches a step of displaying on devices at the first locations at least one world map with icons that link to at least one more detailed map of a specific region or geographic entity ([0011] receiving a request from an entity to place a virtual content at a specific geographic location in at least one shared extended reality environment; [0474] the textual information may be analyzed using a natural-language algorithm to determine the specific geographic location…the information provided by the user may include an indication of a location on a map (for example, through a hand gesture or a use of a virtual cursor), and the specific geographic location may be immediately determined from the location on the map) and a detailed map including additional icons ([0294] A visual indication that the at least a portion of the virtual content is displayed in an obscured form via the second extended reality appliance may include a picture, image, cartoon, description, sentence, drawing, figure, icon, photograph, or any other viewable output; [0325] The transmitted data may include, for example, text, drawings, colors, shapes, icons, logos, pictures). Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains to have modified the virtual reality system for tracking a hover position of a manual pointing device such as a finger as taught by Chen, with the least one more detailed map as taught by Berliner, to have achieved a system of detection and tracking of an electronic device in an immersive augmented reality and/or virtual reality system.
With regard to claim 9, the limitations are addressed above and Chen teaches wherein the virtual presence devices include devices configured to simultaneously display video feeds from multiple said users ([0030] one module of a video control device of the control system 470 may be configured to generate and display one or more user interfaces; [0031] video signals related to the virtual immersive experience generated by the first electronic device 400), allowing the multiple users to share a virtual travel experience and interact with persons at the remote location through the shared devices ([0022] In some implementations, the HMD 100 may also include a camera 180 which may capture still and/or moving images of the ambient, or physical, or real world environment, outside of the HMD 100 and the virtual environment generated by the HMD 100… the camera 180 may capture still and/or moving images of elements in the real world environment in which the augmented and/or virtual reality system operates).
With regard to claim 10, the system claim corresponds to the method claim 1, respectively, and therefore is rejected with the same rationale.
With regard to claim 11, the system claim corresponds to the method claim 2, respectively, and therefore is rejected with the same rationale.
With regard to claim 12, the system claim corresponds to the method claim 3, respectively, and therefore is rejected with the same rationale.
With regard to claim 13, the system claim corresponds to the method claim 4, respectively, and therefore is rejected with the same rationale.
With regard to claim 14, the system claim corresponds to the method claim 5, respectively, and therefore is rejected with the same rationale.
With regard to claim 15, the system claim corresponds to the method claim 6, respectively, and therefore is rejected with the same rationale.
With regard to claim 16, the system claim corresponds to the method claim 7, respectively, and therefore is rejected with the same rationale.
With regard to claim 17, the system claim corresponds to the method claim 8, respectively, and therefore is rejected with the same rationale.
With regard to claim 18, the system claim corresponds to the method claim 9, respectively, and therefore is rejected with the same rationale.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREA C. LEGGETT whose telephone number is (571)270-7700. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kieu Vu can be reached at 571-272-4057. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREA C LEGGETT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2171
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