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 .
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 4-8, and 11-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Publication 2022/0032178 A1 to Khaira et al. (hereinafter Khaira) in view of US Publication 2024/0155033 A1 to Wei et al. (hereinafter Wei).
Concerning claim 1
Khaira discloses a handheld device external controller, comprising: a first control part (element 102) (0030-0034, Figure 1);
a second control part (element 103); and
a connection part, wherein two ends of the connection part are connected to the first control part and the second control part by a connection mechanism (element 113, 114, 119) and an electrical connection line (element 146), respectively (0030-0034, 0080-0081, Figure 1, Figure 19);
wherein a handheld device (element 199) is mounted on the handheld device external controller through a fixing structure of the connection part (shown in the image below), and the handheld device external controller is connected to the handheld device via signals through a connection interface (element 125) disposed on the first control part or the second control part (0035, 0038, Figure 1, Figure 4).
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Khaira discloses a wireless communication interface between the handheld device external controller and the handheld device (0113), but does not disclose wherein the handheld device external controller is connected to an external host through a communication interface for transmitting a control signal generated according to a user operating the handheld device external controller to the external host.
Wei teaches wherein the handheld device external controller (element 100) is connected to an external host (element 300) through a communication interface for transmitting a control signal generated according to a user operating the handheld device external controller to the external host (0026-0027, 0035, Figure 1, Figure 3).
It would have been obvious for one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the cloud gaming and networking of Wei with the external game controller apparatus of Khaira as both concern an external game controller which is connected with a mobile device for the purposes of gaming. Incorporating the cloud gaming and networking of Wei would allow for the external game controller apparatus of Khaira to play a greater quantity of games conveniently, allowing for more enjoyment for the user.
Concerning claim 4,
Khaira discloses an operation interface formed by a button group (element 104) and a joystick (element 103) is disposed on the first control part and the second control part , respectively (0030-0034, Figure 1),
Khaira does not disclose the operation interface is operated by the user to generate a control signal that is transmitted to the external host.
Wei teaches the operation interface is operated by the user to generate a control signal that is transmitted to the external host (0026-0027, 0035, Figure 1, Figure 3).
Concerning claim 5,
Wei teaches the handheld device mounted on the handheld device external controller is directly connected to the external host by using a wireless communication protocol (element 250) to receive an image signal transmitted from the external host and displays an image on a display of the handheld device (element 410) (0026-0027, 0035, Figure 1, Figure 4).
Concerning claim 6,
Wei teaches an input signal generated by the user operating the handheld device is transmitted to the external host through the wireless communication protocol or the handheld device external controller (0026-0027, 0035, Figure 1, Figure 3).
Concerning claim 7,
Wei teaches a virtual input interface is run in the handheld device according to the image that is displayed, and the user operates the virtual input interface to generate the input signal (0026-0027, 0031, Figure 1, Figure 3, wherein a touchscreen which is integrated with the display is considered to meet the limitations as claimed).
Concerning claim 8, see the rejection 1.
Concerning claims 11-14, see the rejection 4-7 respectively.
Claim(s) 2-3, 9-10, and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Publication 2022/0032178 A1 to Khaira et al. in view of US Publication 2024/0155033 A1 to Wei et al. and further in view of US Publication 2023/0356076 A1 to Maker (hereinafter Maker).
Concerning claim 2
Wei teaches receiving a feedback signal generated by the external host through the communication interface (0045-0046, 0112, Figure 1, wherein the content browser is said to generate haptic feedback, but it is not clear if the feedback is generated in the mobile device or the external controller).
Maker teaches the handheld device external controller receives a feedback signal (0031, Figure 6-7).
It would have been obvious for one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the cloud gaming and networking of Wei with the external game controller apparatus of Khaira as both concern an external game controller which is connected with a mobile device for the purposes of gaming. Furthermore, it would have been obvious for one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to allocate the haptic feedback in Wei to the haptic actuators in the external controller of Maker as both concern an external game controller which is connected with a mobile device for the purposes of gaming. Incorporating the cloud gaming and networking of Wei would allow for the external game controller apparatus of Khaira to play a greater quantity of games conveniently, allowing for more enjoyment for the user. Allocating the haptic feedback in Wei to the haptic actuators in the external controller of Maker would allow for the player to gain a more immersive experience by moving the haptic feedback closer to a player’s hands when they are operating the external controller.
Concerning claim 3,
Wei teaches feedback signal generated by the external host forms a sound or a vibration (0045-0046, 0112, Figure 1).
Maker teaches the feedback signal forms a sound or a vibration generated by the first control part and/or the second control part (0031, Figure 6-7).
Concerning claim 15,
Wei teaches establishing a connection between the handheld device external controller and the external host, and establishing a connection between the handheld device mounted on the handheld device external controller and the external host (0026-0027, 0035, Figure 1, Figure 3);
generating the control signal according to the user operating the handheld device external controller (0026-0027, 0035, Figure 1, Figure 3);
transmitting the control signal to the external host (0026-0027, 0035, Figure 1, Figure 3);
receiving an image signal transmitted from the external host through the connection between the handheld device and the external host, and displaying an image on a display of the handheld device (0026-0027, 0035, Figure 1, Figure 3); and
running a virtual input interface in the handheld device according to the image that is displayed, wherein the user operates the virtual input interface to generate an input signal that is then transmitted to the external host (0026-0027, 0031, Figure 1, Figure 3).
Wei teaches feedback signal generated by the external host forms a sound or a vibration (0045-0046, 0112, Figure 1).
Maker teaches the feedback signal forms a sound or a vibration generated by the first control part and/or the second control part (0031, Figure 6-7).
Concerning claim 16,
Wei teaches wherein the handheld device mounted on the handheld device external controller is directly connected to the external host by using a wireless communication protocol to receive the image signal transmitted from the external host and displays the image on a display of the handheld device (0026-0027, 0035, Figure 1, Figure 3);
wherein the input signal generated by the user operating the handheld device is transmitted to the external host through the wireless communication protocol or through the handheld device external controller (0026-0027, 0035, Figure 1, Figure 3).
Concerning claim 17,
Wei teaches wherein the virtual input interface is run in the handheld device according to the image that is displayed, and the user operates the virtual input interface to generate the input signal (0026-0027, 0031, Figure 1, Figure 3).
Concerning claims 9-10, see the rejection 2-3 respectively.
Concerning claims 18-20, see the rejection 15-17 respectively.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ISHAYU SINGH whose telephone number is (571)272-3179. The examiner can normally be reached Flex.
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/I.S./Examiner, Art Unit 3715
/DMITRY SUHOL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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