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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on December 30, 2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
2. Applicant's response, filed December 30, 2025 is respectfully acknowledged and has been fully considered.
No claims are amended.
Claim 1 remains pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin et al. (United States Patent Publication 9298283 B1, hereinafter “Lin”).
Regarding Claim 1 (Previously Presented), Lin teaches a computer-implemented method, comprising:
identifying a scenario to switch a configuration of an enhanced reality headset (col 6 lines 17-19 Fig 1 enhanced reality headset 160 normal mode is virtual reality mode; col 2 lines 1-10 Figs 2A-2D techniques provide that one or more computer processors of enhanced reality headset 160, communicatively coupled to its display, its memory component, and its camera, are configured to analyze a second angle of the [enhanced reality headset 160] and thereby identify a scenario comprising a second viewing mode for using the device comprising an augmented-reality viewing mode and the one or more processors render two or fewer monitors that are displayed on the display when in the augmented-reality viewing mode and one or more images captured by the camera; col 6 lines 24-27 i.e. in this scenario the enhanced reality headset 160 may switch from virtual reality mode to augmented reality mode);
providing a notification to a user of the enhanced reality headset, the notification including an intent to switch the configuration of the enhanced reality headset between a virtual reality configuration and an augmented reality configuration (col 6 lines 28-36 in augmented-reality viewing mode, a camera on a headset or mobile device captures the activity in front of user 205, which user 205 cannot see with her own eyes due to the headset, and sedentary environment display 140 renders the captured activity behind the virtual monitors 210 while disappearing monitors 215, and 220. Sedentary environment display 140 may provide a notification of intent to switch modes from virtual reality to augmented reality by frosting or blurring the captured activity before rendering it [before the switch to augmented reality mode] to create a less-distracting abstraction behind virtual monitors 210; a notification comprising changes in imaging follows Applicant’s specification guidance regarding the “notification” step 304 of Fig 3 par 0026, where a notification of intent to switch configuration includes providing a through-video image in a portion of a display in the enhanced reality headset, for the user); and
in response to the notification, switching the configuration (col 6 lines 28-36 after frosting or blurring to notify the user of the transition, the configuration is switched).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 have been considered but are not persuasive. Applicant argues that “While the referenced portion [of Lin] describes multiple operations performed by a headset when in augmented-reality viewing mode, namely capturing "activity in front of user 205, which the user 205 cannot see with her own eyes...," rendering "the captured activity behind virtual monitors...,' and blurring the "captured activity...," this portion entirely fails to discuss the concept of any type of a "notification" associated with "switching modes," leave alone describing "providing a notification to a user… the notification including an intent to switch the configuration of the enhanced reality headset between the virtual reality configuration and the augmented reality configuration," and "in response to the notification, switching the configuration of the enhanced reality headset according to the scenario," as in claim 1. The reference, as a whole, also fails to teach or suggest any method, device, or system that provides "a notification… including an intent to switch… between the virtual reality configuration and the augmented reality configuration," as in claim 1.”
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Examiner notes that the “multiple operations performed by a headset when in augmented-reality viewing mode” are just that, operations that occur once actually in augmented-reality viewing mode, and that Lin clearly teaches providing a notification of intent to switch modes from virtual reality to augmented reality by frosting or blurring the captured activity [around the remaining virtual display 210] before rendering it [before the switch to augmented reality viewing mode]; there is at this point no viewing of augmented reality content. Examiner reiterates that a notification comprising changes in imaging follows Applicant’s specification guidance regarding the “notification” step 304 of Fig 3 par 0026, where a notification of intent to switch configuration includes providing a through-video image in a portion of a display in the enhanced reality headset, for the user.
Lin provides additional examples meeting Applicant’s guidance wherein a “notification of intent to switch configuration” includes providing a through-video image in a portion of a display in the enhanced reality headset. For instance, Lin teaches at col 15 lines 64-67 that a transitioning from virtual to augmented reality is notified by providing a picture in picture view of i.e. a vicinity of a mouse or keyboard when a user appears to be trying to locate it. Lin also teaches, meeting Applicant’s guidance, at col 16 lines 46-54 various other indications of transitioning from virtual to augmented modes including providing icons or an gradual opacity change before and into the transition.
As such, the rejection of Claim 1 is maintained.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARK EDWARDS whose telephone number is (571)270-7731. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9a-5p EST.
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/MARK EDWARDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624