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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Japan on Jan. 30, 2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 1/27/25, 9/24/25, 10/29/25 and 11/16/26 are being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 of this title, 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 Liu et al. (CN 115700779A) in view of Gopalakrishnan et al. (US 2021/0406434 A1).
As to Claim 1, Liu teaches One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of an information processing apparatus to execute information processing comprising:
generating particle data including data representing positions of a plurality of particles that correspond to a shape of an existing object, which is an object arranged in a virtual space (Liu discloses “The method includes: generating a target model located in a virtual scene and a particle model corresponding to the target model; wherein the particle model and the target model are set overlapping in the virtual scene; the particle model includes multiple particles connected by virtual springs; the shape formed by the multiple particles matches the shape of the target model… determining the first position of the particles in the particle model…” in [0004]);
generating voxel data related to a voxel object, which has a shape corresponding to the positions of the plurality of particles, based on the particle
data (Liu discloses “In this scheme, the virtual model is divided into finite element units to obtain a set of tetrahedral or hexahedral voxels… a virtual model is usually divided into a large number of voxels” in [0029]; “the shape formed by the multiple particles matches the shape of the target model” in [0032]);
generating a mesh for the voxel object based on the voxel data; and generating an image that is obtained by rendering the mesh in the virtual space so as to output the generated image to a display device (Liu discloses “the number of particles in the particle model is less than the number of mesh vertices in the target model; there is a preset mapping relationship between the particles and the mesh vertices… determining the first rendering parameters of the mesh vertices in the target model based on the first position of the particles in the particle model and the mapping relationship between the particles and the mesh vertices; and rendering the mesh vertices in the target model using the first rendering parameters to obtain the deformed target model” in [0004].)
Liu doesn’t directly teach calculating change over time. The combination of Gopalakrishnan further teaches following limitations:
calculating change over time of the positions of the plurality of particles and updating the particle data based on the calculation result (Liu discloses “In response to a collision event detected by the particle model, the first position of the particles in the particle model after the collision event is determined based on the collision parameters of the collision event and the deformation threshold of the virtual springs” in [0017]; “This technology can be applied to game scenes or other types of virtual scenes, particularly to the deformation control of virtual models, and especially to real-time deformation rendering of virtual models” in [0030]; “In the above embodiments, the mass module uses a plastic spring mass model to simulate the deformation of the vehicle model, thereby efficiently updating the rendering parameters of the model vertices and updating the shape of the rendered model in the VertexShader” in [0090]. Gopalakrishnan further discloses “In a LBM-based physical process simulation system, fluid flow is represented by distribution function values, evaluated at a set of discrete velocities using the well-known lattice Boltzmann equation (see Eq. 1 below) that describes the time-evolution of the distribution function” in [0034], see also [0035, 0052].)
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 invention of Liu with the teaching of Gopalakrishnan so as to simulate elements of a fluid flow including a simulation of evolution of particle distribution (Gopalakrishnan, [0052]).
As to Claim 2, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the existing object is an object generated based on voxel data that is generated before the particle data related to the existing object is generated (Liu discloses “The method includes: generating a target model located in a virtual scene and a particle model corresponding to the target model” in [0004]; “a virtual model is usually divided into a large number of voxels” in [0029]. Here, since the particle model is generated to correspond to the target model, it is obvious that the target model is generated before the particle model.)
As to Claim 3, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the particle data is generated based on whether or not at least a part of the existing object is present in each of a plurality of unit regions that are obtained by partitioning a region including the existing object in the virtual space into a grid (Liu discloses “The method includes: generating a target model located in a virtual scene and a particle model corresponding to the target model” in [0004]; “a virtual model is usually divided into a large number of voxels” in [0029]; “Specifically, a specified number of target particles can be determined from around the grid vertices. The target particle is used to establish a local coordinate system, through which the relative relationship between the grid vertices and the target particle is determined” in [0066], see also [0068, 0079].)
As to Claim 4, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 3, wherein a length of one side of the unit region is equal to a length of one side of a voxel corresponding to the voxel data generated based on the particle data (Liu discloses “there is a preset mapping relationship between the particles and the mesh vertices” in [0004]; “a virtual model is usually divided into a large number of voxels” in [0029]. It is obvious that the size of the virtual object is calculated based on the number of voxel along all directions.)
As to Claim 5, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the particle data is updated so that at least some of the plurality of particles disappear in response to satisfaction of a disappearance condition (Gopalakrishnan discloses “Surface dynamics involves converting the set of incoming distribution functions to the set of outgoing distribution functions (corresponding to those particles reflected from the boundary surface) satisfying specific boundary conditions on mass and momentum fluxes through the boundary” in [0007]; “Lattice Boltzmann Model simulation includes the simulation 46 of evolution of particle distribution that includes the surface dynamics conversion, boundary modeling, and advection of particles to a next cell in the LBM mesh” in [0052].)
As to Claim 6, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein: the particle data is updated repeatedly; and a value of the current particle data is calculated, which represents new positions of the plurality of particles, by using the previously updated particle data, without using the voxel data generated based on the previously updated particle data (Gopalakrishnan discloses “During each time increment of the simulation, movement of particles from voxel to voxel is simulated by an advection stage (278-286) that accounts for interactions of the particles with surface facets. Next, a collision stage (288) simulates the interaction of particles within each voxel...If the incremented timer does not indicate that the simulation is complete (294), the advection and collision stages (278-200) are repeated. If the incremented timer indicates that the simulation is complete (202), results of the simulation are stored and/or displayed (204)” in [0102].)
As to Claim 7, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing further comprises: updating a range of a voxel space, in which voxels related to the voxel data generated based on the particle data are set, based on the updated particle data (Gopalakrishnan discloses “Voxels that interact with one or more facets by transferring particles to the facet or receiving particles from the facet are also identified as voxels affected by the facets. All voxels that are intersected by a facet will include at least one state that receives particles from the facet and at least one state that transfers particles to the facet. In most cases, additional voxels also will include such states” in [0095], see also particles are moved between voxels in [0125].)
As to Claim 8, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the positions of the plurality of particles are controlled so that the particles are located within a voxel space, in which voxels related to the voxel data generated based on the particle data are set (Gopalakrishnan discloses “Referring again to FIG. 7, particles are moved between voxels along the three-dimensional rectilinear lattice (284). This voxel to voxel movement is the only movement operation performed on voxels that do not interact with the facets (i.e., voxels that are not located near a surface). In typical simulations, voxels that are not located near enough to a surface to interact with the surface constitute a large majority of the voxels” in [0125].)
As to Claim 9, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the particle data corresponding to the existing object is generated in response to the existing object contacting a first object different from the existing object (Gopalakrishnan discloses section of “gather from voxels to facets, move from facet to facet, perform facet surface dynamics and scatter from facets to voxels” in [0106-0132].)
As to Claim 10, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the particle data corresponding to the existing object is generated at least on a condition that a material set for the existing object and a material set for the first object are in a predetermined combination (Gopalakrishnan discloses “Voxels may be affected by facets in a number of ways. First, a voxel that is intersected by one or more facets is affected in that the voxel has a reduced volume relative to non-intersected voxels. This occurs because a facet, and material underlying the surface represented by the facet, occupies a portion of the voxel” in [0094], see also [0129].)
As to Claim 11, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the information processing further comprises: determining whether or not the particles have contacted a second object different from the voxel object or whether or not the voxel object has contacted the second object; and if it is determined that the particles have contacted the second object or if it is determined that the voxel object has contacted the second object, causing a portion of the second object that has been contacted to disappear from the virtual space (Gopalakrishnan discloses “The move operation becomes slightly more complicated for voxels that interact with one or more surfaces. This can result in one or more fractional particles being transferred to a facet. Transfer of such fractional particles to a facet results in fractional particles remaining in the voxels. These fractional particles are transferred to a voxel occupied by the facet.” in [0128], see also [0129].)
As to Claim 12, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the contacted portion of the second object disappears from the virtual space at least on a condition that a material set for the voxel object or the existing object and a material set for the second object are in a predetermined combination (Gopalakrishnan discloses
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As to Claim 13, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1, wherein the particle data is updated so that the plurality of particles move over time toward destination positions that are set respectively for the plurality of particles (Gopalakrishnan discloses “Referring again to FIG. 7, particles are moved between voxels along the three-dimensional rectilinear lattice (284). This voxel to voxel movement is the only movement operation performed on voxels that do not interact with the facets (i.e., voxels that are not located near a surface). In typical simulations, voxels that are not located near enough to a surface to interact with the surface constitute a large majority of the voxels” in [0125]; “For voxels that do not interact with a surface, the move operation is computationally quite simple. The entire population of a state is moved from its current voxel to its destination voxel during every time increment. At the same time, the particles of the destination voxel are moved from that voxel to their own destination voxels” in [0127].)
As to Claim 14, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein: the information processing apparatus stores data representing target positions of the plurality of particles, which are positions of the particles after change over time; and the destination positions are set based on the target positions, and the particle data is updated until the plurality of particles reach the respective target positions
(Gopalakrishnan discloses “For voxels that do not interact with a surface, the move operation is computationally quite simple. The entire population of a state is moved from its current voxel to its destination voxel during every time increment. At the same time, the particles of the destination voxel are moved from that voxel to their own destination voxels. For example, an energy level 1 particle that is moving in the +1x and +1y direction (1, 0, 0) is moved from its current voxel to one that is +1 over in the x direction and 0 for other direction. The particle ends up at its destination voxel with the same state it had before the move (1,0,0). Interactions within the voxel will likely change the particle count for that state based on local interactions with other particles and surfaces. If not, the particle will continue to move along the lattice at the same speed and direction” in [0127].)
As to Claim 15, Liu in view of Gopalakrishnan teaches The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 14, wherein: the information processing apparatus stores post-change data related to a shape of an object after the existing object has changed over time; a mesh for the voxel object is generated based on the voxel data based on the particle data at least until the plurality of particles reach the respective target positions; and at a predetermined point in time after the plurality of particles have reached the respective target positions, mesh generation based on the voxel data based on the particle data is ended, and a mesh is generated based on the post-change data (Liu discloses “The method includes: generating a target model located in a virtual scene and a particle model corresponding to the target model; wherein the particle model and the target model are set overlapping in the virtual scene; the particle model includes multiple particles connected by virtual springs; the shape formed by the multiple particles matches the shape of the target model… there is a preset mapping relationship between the particles and the mesh vertices; in response to the particle model detecting a collision event, determining the first position of the particles in the particle model after the collision event occurs based on the collision parameters of the collision event and the deformation threshold of the virtual springs; determining the first rendering parameters of the mesh vertices in the target model based on the first position of the particles in the particle model and the mapping relationship between the particles and the mesh vertices; and rendering the mesh vertices in the target model using the first rendering parameters to obtain the deformed target model” in [0004].
Gopalakrishnan also discloses “For voxels that do not interact with a surface, the move operation is computationally quite simple. The entire population of a state is moved from its current voxel to its destination voxel during every time increment. At the same time, the particles of the destination voxel are moved from that voxel to their own destination voxels. For example, an energy level 1 particle that is moving in the +1x and +1y direction (1, 0, 0) is moved from its current voxel to one that is +1 over in the x direction and 0 for other direction. The particle ends up at its destination voxel with the same state it had before the move (1,0,0). Interactions within the voxel will likely change the particle count for that state based on local interactions with other particles and surfaces. If not, the particle will continue to move along the lattice at the same speed and direction” in [0127], see also time-evolution of the distribution function in [0066] and Fig 1 & 3.)
Claim 16 recites similar limitations as claim 1 but in a system form. Therefore, the same rationale used for claim 1 is applied.
Claim 17 recites similar limitations as claim 1 but in an apparatus form. Therefore, the same rationale used for claim 1 is applied.
Claim 18 recites similar limitations as claim 1 but in a method form. Therefore, the same rationale used for claim 1 is applied.
Conclusion
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/WEIMING HE/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2611
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