TungkeeDETAILED 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 .
Response to Amendment
This Office Action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed 07/29/2026 which has
been entered and made of record. Claims 1, 4, 8, 14, 17 and 20 have been amended. No claim newly added. Claims 2-3 and 15-16 have been cancelled. Claims 1, 4-14 and 17-20 are pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 4-14 and 17-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument (due to applicant’s arguments directed to newly amend limitation(s) which is addressed by new prior art presented in this Office Action).
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, 4-7, 9, 14, 17-19 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suni et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0005454), hereinafter referenced as Suni in view of Berry et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,095,367), hereinafter referenced as Berry.
Regarding claim 1, Suni teaches a method for switching pages in a virtual environment, the method comprising: (paragraph 70 teaches “FIG. 8 illustrates a method for providing for adaptive venue zooming in a digital map interface beyond the limits of a maximum zoom level of the digital map itself”); this shows switching pages/frames in a virtual environment; displaying a first page including a first virtual scene, the first virtual scene including a plurality of virtual objects (paragraph 70 teaches “the method may include providing for presentation of a map of a region including a venue within the displayed region, as shown at 510”); presenting map of a region shows first page displayed and it comprises virtual object/venue which is composed of multiple objects in first virtual environment/scene of the map; receiving a first magnification operation (paragraph 70 teaches “ An input may be received at 520 corresponding to a zoom-in action”); zoom-in input shows first magnification operation received; magnifying the first page to display a magnified first page including a subset of the plurality of virtual objects based on the first magnification operation (paragraph 70 teaches “zoom-in action to view an enlarged portion of the region, where the enlarged portion of the region includes the venue” and paragraph 25 teaches “This adaptive venue zoom may enable a user to view details within a venue, such as seats within a theater, or shelves within a store, for example.”); this shows the magnification operation magnifies/enlarges the first page/map of region and virtual object/venue with subset of plurality of objects such as seats;
However, Suni fails to explicitly teach when a magnification factor of the first page is greater than or equal to a threshold, (although paragraph 71 teaches “In response to the input, the method may include providing for display of the enlarged venue object in a zoom level greater than a maximum zoom level available for presentation of the map, as shown at 550”); this shows trigger condition met when zoom level (thus also magnification factor of first virtual object/venue) is greater than a maximum/threshold; determining whether a magnification center of the first magnification operation is located on a first virtual object of the subset of the plurality of virtual objects; and when the magnification center of the first magnification operation is located on the first virtual object, (although paragraph 55 teaches “it may be determined that a venue exists in the field of view that has a corresponding venue object. This determination may be made, for example, in response to the field of view including a geographic point (e.g., longitude and latitude), that corresponds to an anchor point of a venue. An anchor point may be a point of a venue that is used as a reference point for the venue and corresponding venue object.” and claim 8 teaches “wherein the venue in the map of the region comprises an anchor point, wherein the venue object comprises an anchor point, and wherein transitioning from the presentation of the map of the region to a presentation of a venue object corresponding to the venue comprises aligning the anchor point of the venue object with a position on a display of the anchor point of the venue”); this shows magnification center of the first magnification operation would be located on first virtual object/venue because the anchor is on the venue/virtual object and that is where the first magnifying is done to meaning the magnification center must be there; transitioning from the display of the magnified first page to display of a second page corresponding to the first virtual object (although paragraph 70 teaches “transition may occur from the presentation of the map of the region to a presentation of a venue object corresponding to the venue in response to receiving the input corresponding to a zoom-in action” and paragraph 71 teaches “In response to the input, the method may include providing for display of the enlarged venue object in a zoom level greater than a maximum zoom level available for presentation of the map, as shown at 550”); the trigger condition here is zoom level (of first virtual object/venue) being greater than maximum zoom level available for presentation of the map which transitions to display the enlarged virtual object/venue object (the display of which is considered the second page).
However, Berry explicitly teaches when a magnification factor of the first page is greater than or equal to a threshold, (Berry, col. 12, lines 34-39 teach “The magnification slider 1222 controls the level of magnification that the user has for viewing an asset timeline. The further to the right that you move, the greater the magnification. Moving to the left, reduces the magnification. Moving all the way to the left will show the entire asset on the filmstrip 1218”); slider here shows magnification factor and it being greater than all the way to the left/threshold shows magnification occurring; determining whether a magnification center of the first magnification operation is located on a first virtual object of the subset of the plurality of virtual objects (Berry, col. 12, lines 39-40 teach “The small icons below the slider 1222 allows the user to specify the behavior of the zoom.” And col. 12, lines 45-47 teach “Lock Zoom to Center 1274—When zooming, clicking this option will keep the middle point of the digital media asset in the center of the displayed filmstrip 1218.”); when digital media has object in center, this is checking/determining (by seeing if this icon/button control is activated) that magnification operation is located on a virtual object (of the subset of the plurality of virtual objects when viewed in combination) since the zoom (magnification center of the first magnification operation) would then be on the center where the object is; and when the magnification center of the first magnification operation is located on the first virtual object, (Berry, col. 12, lines 45-47 teach “Lock Zoom to Center 1274—When zooming, clicking this option will keep the middle point of the digital media asset in the center of the displayed filmstrip 1218.”); magnification center of first magnification operation is located on the first virtual object (in a scenario where virtual object is in center) since zoom is locked to center; transitioning from the display of the magnified first page to display of a second page corresponding to the first virtual object (Berry, col. 9, lines 60-61 teach “Zoom control 1222 enables the user to zoom in or zoom out along the filmstrip.”); as aforementioned, when object is centered and zoom is locked to center, when the zoom in occurs, the display of magnified first page transitions to display of second page (zoomed in) corresponding to the first virtual object which is now more magnified. Berry is considered to be analogous art because it is reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor of having magnification/zoom center located on object(s). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Suni's invention with the magnification/zoom center techniques of Berry to get a better view of the segment (Berry, col. 11, line 12). This would be done by the increased detail from zoomed into center where object would be.
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Suni and Berry teaches wherein when the first magnification operation is performed using two fingers on a touchscreen, the magnification center is determined as a center between the two fingers (Suni, paragraph 34 teaches “user interface may include a touch screen display” and paragraph 63 teaches “provide for presentation of the digital map and may support inputs corresponding to a zoom-in function, such as a pinch gesture”); touch screen and pinch gesture ensures the first magnification operation (zoom-in function) is performed using two fingers on touch screen and the pinch gesture also ensures magnification center would be the center between the two fingers.
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Suni and Berry teaches wherein the transitioning comprises: cancelling the display of the magnified first page (Suni, paragraph 57 teaches “transition may include a fade, morph, quick replacement”); quick replacement means cancelling display of the magnified first page so second page can be quickly displayed; and displaying the second page while magnifying the first page based on the first magnification operation (Suni, paragraph 57 teaches “transition may occur through a subtle replacement of the venue of the digital map with the venue object during the zoom-in action”); transition occurring during zoom-in action shows during magnifying the first page based on first magnification operation and the quick replacement from above ensures the second page is displayed due to transition that’s happening while the magnifying.
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Suni and Berry teaches wherein: the second page includes at least one virtual object in a second virtual environment(Suni, paragraph 25 teaches “This adaptive venue zoom may enable a user to view details within a venue, such as seats within a theater, or shelves within a store, for example”); this shows second page/zoomed-in venue displays a second virtual environment like a theatre within the venue/virtual building and that includes a virtual item/object like a seat; and the method further comprises: receiving a second magnification operation on the second page (Suni, paragraph 53 teaches “A user may continue to provide an input corresponding to a zoom-in input”); since user can continue to provide input corresponding to zoom-in-input, this shows a second magnification/zoom operation being received; based on the second magnification operation, magnifying the second page to display a magnified second page (Suni, paragraph 53 teaches “and the local model object will be enlarged in a corresponding fashion”); this shows enlarging/magnifying the page with the zoomed in object (second page); and when the second magnification operation meets a second trigger condition associated with a second virtual object, transitioning from the display of the magnified second page to display of a third page corresponding to the second virtual object (Suni, paragraph 53 teaches “In response to a zoom-in input when the digital map reaches a threshold zoom or a maximum zoom level, a normal scale venue may be replaced with a local model object…As the digital map is at a maximum zoom level while enlarging the local model object, the map may be hidden as described above”); the trigger condition here is zoom level (maximum zoom level for digital map while enlarging local model object) which transitions to display the enlarged second virtual object/local model object (the display of which is considered the third page).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Suni and Berry teaches wherein the second page includes at least one virtual object in a second virtual environment(Suni, paragraph 25 teaches “This adaptive venue zoom may enable a user to view details within a venue, such as seats within a theater, or shelves within a store, for example”); this shows second page/zoomed-in venue displays a second virtual environment like a theatre within the venue/virtual building and that includes a virtual item/object like a seat; and the method further comprises: detecting a continuation of the first magnification operation on the second page (Suni, paragraph 51 teaches “replacement and zoom-out functionality enables a user to continue zooming in”); continue zooming in indicates first magnification operation continuation is detected on the second page (second page since this is for the venue); based on the continued first magnification operation, magnifying the second page to display a magnified second page (Suni, paragraph 51 teaches “continue zooming in until the max zoom level is reached in which the large scale venue object appears in full scale (e.g., four times bigger than the normal scale venue in the aforementioned example)”; this shows due to the continued zooming in/first magnification operation, there is magnifying/zooming of second page/venue object’s display to display a magnified/full scale second page/venue object’s display; and when the continued first magnification operation meets a second trigger condition associated with a second virtual object, transitioning from the display of the magnified second page to display of a third page corresponding to the second virtual object (Suni, paragraph 51 teaches “In response to the zoom level reaching a second threshold zoom level (e.g., the maximum zoom level), the normal scale venue (which cannot be zoomed-in further) is replaced with the large scale venue object or enlarged venue object”); this shows the continued zoom (of first operation) meeting second trigger condition of second threshold zoom level and a transition from displaying magnified second page (with venue) to large scale or enlarged venue object (the display of which is considered the third page) and all of this is associated with the second virtual object/large scale venue from above.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Suni and Berry teaches wherein when the first virtual object is a virtual building, (Suni, paragraph 25 teaches “to enable zooming in on a venue (e.g., building, point of interest, etc.), specifically a venue object”); this shows virtual building/venue as first virtual object; the second page is a detail page of the virtual building, (paragraph 25 teaches “to obtain a zoom level greater than a maximum zoom level of the map. This adaptive venue zoom may enable a user to view details within a venue,”); this shows detail page as second/zoomed-in page of virtual building since it enables user to view the details within a venue; and the detail page displays a second virtual environment within the virtual building, including at least one of a virtual character or a virtual item (Suni, paragraph 25 teaches “such as seats within a theater, or shelves within a store, for example.”); this shows the detail page from above displays a second virtual environment like a theatre within the venue/virtual building and that includes a virtual item like a seat.
Regarding claim 14, the apparatus claim 14 recites similar limitations as method claim 1, and thus is rejected under similar rationale. In addition, Suni paragraph 72 teaches “an apparatus for performing the method of FIG. 8 above may comprise a processor” and fig. 1 shows apparatus 20 with processor 24.
Regarding claim 17, the apparatus claim 17 recites similar limitations as method claim 4, and thus is rejected under similar rationale.
Regarding claim 18, the apparatus claim 18 recites similar limitations as method claim 5, and thus is rejected under similar rationale.
Regarding claim 19, the apparatus claim 19 recites similar limitations as method claim 6, and thus is rejected under similar rationale.
Regarding claim 20, the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium claim 20 recites similar limitations as method claim 1, and thus is rejected under similar rationale. In addition, Suni, fig. 1 shows processor 24, memory 26 and claim 8 teaches “computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions to…”.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suni in view of Berry as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of SketchUp (Zoom & Zoom Extents - SketchUp for iPad Square One) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhfMNvv5JAA], hereinafter referenced as SketchUp.
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Suni and Berry teaches wherein the first magnification operation is initiated by moving the two touch inputs apart on the touchscreen (Suni, paragraph 34 teaches “user interface may include a touch screen display” and paragraph 49 teaches, “continue to use a zoom-in gesture (e.g., a pinch gesture) to continue zooming in”); this shows zoom-in/magnification initiated by using two touch inputs on a touchscreen and pinch gesture would mean moving the two inputs apart.
However, Suni fails to teach and the continuation of the first magnification operation includes maintaining the two touch inputs on the touchscreen and continuing to move the two touch inputs apart from each other after the transition to the display of the second page.
However, Sketchup teaches and the continuation of the first magnification operation includes maintaining the two touch inputs on the touchscreen and continuing to move the two touch inputs apart from each other after the transition to the display of the second page (Sketchup, 2:15-2:20 [see fig. 1 and fig. 2 of this action] teaches a continued move apart of two touch inputs on a touch screen being maintained amongst various video frames and zooming in from a expanded view of a character and building to just a building); this shows the continued first magnification from Suni would be maintained and continue to move apart after a transition to display of second page (display of second page being the building only). Sketchup is considered to be analogous art because it is reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor of maintaining two touch inputs and continuing to move apart after a transition to display of a second page. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Suni and Berry with the continuation of moving apart after transition techniques of Sketchup to keep it very simple (Sketchup, 2:20-2:22) and be able to hold a stylus/pencil while zooming in using fingers simultaneously (Sketchup, 2:24-2:50). This ensures a simplified easy to use invention and also increases versatility as well as user satisfaction rate due to not having to put down a pencil being used every time when zooming in.
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Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sunni in view of Berry as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Talgorn et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0193710), hereinafter referenced as Talgorn.
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Suni and Berry fails to teach wherein when the first virtual object is a virtual character, the second page is a detail page of the virtual character, and the detail page displays character information of the virtual character.
However, Talgorn teaches wherein when the first virtual object is a virtual character, (Talgorn, paragraph 104 teaches “exploration of virtual body maps for user education and guidance (e.g. an initial virtual body representation may be located at full arm's length”); this shows virtual object from Suni being a virtual body/character; the second page is a detail page of the virtual character, and the detail page displays character information of the virtual character (Talgorn, paragraph 104 teaches “The user can bring (parts of) the virtual body representation closer to get more information or more details”); this shows closer view (which would be second page in Suni) being having more details thus acts as detail page and that detail page used to get more information meaning it displays character information of the virtual character. Talgorn is considered to be analogous art because it is reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor of virtual character having details and information in a closer view. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Suni and Berry with the virtual character detail techniques of Talgorn to interact with the virtual objects easily and efficiently (Talgorn, paragraph 6). This would be done by having the information and detail pages thereof for easier identification and locating.
Claim(s) 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suni in view of Berry as applied to claim 6 above, and further in view of Bailiang (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0253538), hereinafter referenced as Bailiang.
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Suni and Berry fails to teach
further comprising: receiving a first reduction operation on the third page; based on the first reduction operation, reducing a size of the third page to display a reduced third page; and when the first reduction operation meets a reduction trigger condition, transitioning from the display of the reduced third page to the display of the second page.
However, Bailiang teaches
further comprising: receiving a first reduction operation on the third page (Bailiang, paragraph 38 teaches “a software module may implement the method 700 to allow a user to zoom in and out on a map of a geographic area and see a progressive disclosure (or hiding) of an interior floor map of a building”); reduction is the zoom out operation here and this is done on third page of Suni or also Bailiang, fig. 7 third iteration(which would have third page); based on the first reduction operation, reducing a size of the third page to display a reduced third page (Bailiang, paragraph 39 teaches “At block 708, a software module determines whether the command to change zoom was a zoom-in command corresponding to an increase in zoom level or a zoom-out command corresponding to a decrease in zoom level” and paragraph 41 teaches “If the zoom level is to be decreased…software module may decrease a interior map detail as a function of zoom”); in a third iteration of Bailiang, fig. 7, the map rendered at step 704 is considered third page, and going to step 714 due to zoom level decrease at step 708 leads to step 716 of reducing size of the third page (based on first reduction operation since comes in step after such); and when the first reduction operation meets a reduction trigger condition, transitioning from the display of the reduced third page to the display of the second page (Bailiang, paragraph 41 teaches “If the zoom level is to be decreased….The zoom level may be tied mathematically to a transparency coefficient …As with building transparency, interior map detail may be decreased using one or more thresholds…After adjusting the zoom level, building transparency, and interior map detail, the method 700 may loop back and render the map according to the new parameters at block 704”); decreasing detail using a threshold shows first reduction operation meeting a reduction trigger condition/threshold and looping back to render the map according to the new/decreased parameters shows the transition from display of reduced third page to display of second page. Bailiang is considered to be analogous art because it is reasonably pertinent to the problem faced by the inventor of reduction and magnification operations. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Suni and Berry with the reduction techniques of Bailiang to ensure providing an interface for interacting with representations of buildings displayed as part of digital maps on a computing device (Bailiang, paragraph 1). This would increase user engagement and allow further customizations due to the interaction.
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Suni, Berry and Bailiang teaches wherein the reduction trigger condition is met when a reduction factor of the third page is less than or equal to a threshold (Bailiang, paragraph 41 teaches “The zoom level may be tied mathematically to a transparency coefficient (e.g., a zoom level of 16 may correlate to a transparency level of 16/18 or 89%, a zoom level of 15 may correlate to a transparency level of 15/18 or 83%)”); zoom level tied to transparency coefficient shows reduction factor and the reduction trigger condition explained in claim 11 above would be met when the third iteration/third page has a reduction factor of less than or equal to a threshold of 100% (and zoom level corresponding to it). The same motivations used in claim 11 apply here in claim 12.
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Suni, Berry and Bailiang teaches further comprising: detecting a continuation of the first reduction operation on the second page (Bailiang, paragraph 39 and fig. 7 teach “At block 706, a command to change zoom level may be detected. The command to change zoom level may be a zoom-in command or a zoom-out command”); once this happens in fourth iteration, it would be a continuation of previous/third iteration’s first reduction operation and it would be on the second page because that is the page reverted to (with less detail) once the reduction in the third iteration (described in claim 11 above) happens; based on the continued first reduction operation, reducing a size of the second page to display a reduced second page (Bailiang, paragraph 39 teaches “At block 708, a software module determines whether the command to change zoom was a zoom-in command corresponding to an increase in zoom level or a zoom-out command corresponding to a decrease in zoom level” and paragraph 41 teaches “If the zoom level is to be decreased…software module may decrease a interior map detail as a function of zoom”); in a fourth iteration of Bailiang, fig. 7, the map rendered at step 704 is considered second page (since goes back to less detail), and going to step 714 due to zoom level decrease at step 708 leads to step 716 of reducing size of the second page (based on first reduction operation since comes in step after such); and when the continued first reduction operation meets a second reduction trigger condition, transitioning from the display of the reduced second page to display of the first page (Bailiang, paragraph 41 teaches “If the zoom level is to be decreased….The zoom level may be tied mathematically to a transparency coefficient …As with building transparency, interior map detail may be decreased using one or more thresholds…After adjusting the zoom level, building transparency, and interior map detail, the method 700 may loop back and render the map according to the new parameters at block 704”); decreasing detail using one or more threshold shows first reduction operation meeting a second reduction trigger condition/threshold (second since one or more thresholds exist) and looping back to render the map according to the new/decreased parameters shows the transition from display of reduced second page to display of first page(with less building details). The same motivations used in claim 11 apply here in claim 13.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nicholson (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0308674) paragraph 36 teaches “as part of the content magnification, an embodiment may automatically center the magnified virtual object on the user's display. Alternatively, if the magnified content is not automatically centered”; this shows determining whether magnification center of magnification operation is located on virtual object since it checks if the magnified content is automatically centered.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/N.U.A./ Examiner, Art Unit 2611
/KEE M TUNG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2611
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