DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
2. Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/30/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
4. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
5. Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-4 and 6-20 of Patent No. 12,236,516. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the instant application claims are broader in every aspect than the patent claims and are therefore an obvious variant thereof.
6. Regarding claim 1, the application claim discloses A method of processing a ray in a ray tracing system, comprising: performing intersection testing for the ray by performing one or more intersection testing iterations, wherein each intersection testing iteration comprises traversing an acceleration structure to identify the nearest intersection of the ray with a primitive that has not been identified as the nearest intersection in any previous intersection testing iterations for the ray, wherein at least one of the one or more intersection testing iterations comprises: executing a traverse shader in respect of the identified intersection; and in response to the execution of the traverse shader determining that the ray does not intersect the primitive at the identified intersection, causing another intersection testing iteration to be performed. Claim 2 discloses The method of claim 1, further comprising executing an output shader to process a result of the intersection testing for the ray. Claim 1 of Patent No. 12,236,516 discloses A method of processing a ray in a ray tracing system, comprising: performing intersection testing for the ray by performing one or more intersection testing iterations, wherein each intersection testing iteration comprises: traversing an acceleration structure to identify the nearest intersection of the ray with a primitive that has not been identified as the nearest intersection in any previous intersection testing iterations for the ray, and in response to determining, based on a characteristic of the primitive, that a traverse shader is to be executed in respect of the identified intersection: executing the traverse shader in respect of the identified intersection, and in response to the execution of the traverse shader determining that the ray does not intersect the primitive at the identified intersection, causing another intersection testing iteration to be performed; and when the intersection testing for the ray is complete, executing an output shader to process a result of the intersection testing for the ray; wherein a traverse shader is executed in respect of an identified intersection for the ray in at least one of the one or more intersection testing iterations. Regarding the combination of claims 1 and 2, the only difference is that the combination of claims 1 and 2 of the instant application do not recite “a traverse shader is executed in respect of an identified intersection for the ray” “in response to determining, based on a characteristic of the primitive, that a traverse shader is to be executed in respect of the identified intersection” and “and when the intersection testing for the ray is complete,” while claim 1 of Patent No. 12,236,516 recites. Regarding claims 19 and 20, the analyses are similar to that of the combination of claims 1 and 2, the rationale of the combination of claims 1 and 2 rejection is applied in rejecting claims 19 and 20. Therefore, the claims in the present application recite a broader scope than the claims in the Patent No. 12,236,516.
7. The following table shows the claims of the current application being examined and the conflicting claims of Patent No. 12,236,516.
Current Application No.
19/041,837
Patent No.
12,236,516
1+2
1
3-5
2-4
6-18
6-18
19
19
20
20
The following table shows an example of the corresponding conflicting claims of the current application and Patent No. 12,236,516.
Current Application No.
19/041,837
Claim 1+2
Patent No.
12,236,516
Claim 1
A method of processing a ray in a ray tracing system, comprising: (claim 1)
A method of processing a ray in a ray tracing system, comprising:
performing intersection testing for the ray by performing one or more intersection testing iterations, (claim 1)
performing intersection testing for the ray by performing one or more intersection testing iterations,
wherein each intersection testing iteration comprises traversing an acceleration structure to identify the nearest intersection of the ray with a primitive that has not been identified as the nearest intersection in any previous intersection testing iterations for the ray, (claim 1)
wherein each intersection testing iteration comprises: traversing an acceleration structure to identify the nearest intersection of the ray with a primitive that has not been identified as the nearest intersection in any previous intersection testing iterations for the ray,
wherein at least one of the one or more intersection testing iterations comprises: (claim 1)
wherein a traverse shader is executed in respect of an identified intersection for the ray in at least one of the one or more intersection testing iterations.
executing a traverse shader in respect of the identified intersection; (claim 1)
and in response to determining, based on a characteristic of the primitive, that a traverse shader is to be executed in respect of the identified intersection: executing the traverse shader in respect of the identified intersection,
and in response to the execution of the traverse shader determining that the ray does not intersect the primitive at the identified intersection, causing another intersection testing iteration to be performed. (claim 1)
and in response to the execution of the traverse shader determining that the ray does not intersect the primitive at the identified intersection, causing another intersection testing iteration to be performed;
executing an output shader to process a result of the intersection testing for the ray. (claim 2)
and when the intersection testing for the ray is complete, executing an output shader to process a result of the intersection testing for the ray;
Conclusion
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michelle Chin whose telephone number is (571)270-3697. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http:/Awww.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Kent Chang can be reached on (571)272-7667. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571)273-8300.
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/MICHELLE CHIN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2614
Prosecution Insights