DETAILED ACTION
DETAILED 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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3 and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Dasher et al. (US 2025/0032905 A1 – hereinafter Dasher).
Regarding claim 1, Dasher discloses a method for video generation, comprising: collecting user body information ([0007]; [0043]; [0046]; [0089]; Fig. 5 – collecting user body information, e.g. size, arm length, height etc. and other physical characteristics, from user profile data or measurements) and space environment information (Fig. 5; [0058]; [0106] – collecting space environment information using sensors) and generating a space environment image (Figs. 14A-14B – constructing a space environment image in order to determine a play area), the user body information including feature information describing occupation of a three-dimensional space by each body part of the user ([0007]; [0043]; [0046]; Fig. 5 – at least the size of the user, arm lengths of the user, etc.), and the space environment information including feature information describing a space environment and occupation of the three-dimensional space by an object in the space environment (Fig. 5; [0058]; [0106] – feature information describing an open space and occupation of the space by an object, e.g. corresponding to detected obstructions such as floor, ceiling, objects etc.); generating action prompt information according to the user body information, the space environment information and standard action information, the standard action information including feature information about a standard action that is not subject to the user body information and the space environment information ([0072] – generating action prompt information, e.g. a visual notification or warning to be displayed via the HMD, to assist the user in avoiding collision based on play area, which is in turn determined based on user body information and the space environment information as illustrated in at least Figs. 1, 6-8 and standard action information, e.g. ranges of rapid movements of arms and legs as further described at least in [0073] and [0080] – the rapid movement is not subject to user body information such as size or arm lengths etc. and the space environment information, i.e. scanned space), the action prompt information including description information about a next action of the user ([0086] – including information describing next action of the user on how to go back to safe area such as “step to your left”, etc.); and generating a video corresponding to the action prompt information according to the space environment image, a video key frame corresponding to the standard action information and the action prompt information (Figs. 9; [0076]; [0086] – generating a video corresponding to the action prompt information, a video key frame corresponding to the standard action information and the action prompt information to guide the user back to the safe area).
Regarding claim 2, Dasher also discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein between collecting the user body information and the space environment information and generating the space environment image and generating the action prompt information according to the user body information, the space environment information and the standard action information, the method further comprises: determining a first subspace required for the next action of the user according to the user body information, the space environment information, and the standard action information ([0086] – determining shortest route back to the safe area); and the generating the action prompt information according to the user body information, the space environment information and the standard action information comprises: generating the action prompt information according to the user body information, the first subspace and the standard action information ([0086] – determining the shortest route before displaying this information to the user).
Regarding claim 3, Dasher also discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the determining the first subspace required for the next action of the user according to the user body information, the space environment information and the standard action information comprises: calculating, according to the user body information and the standard action information, the amount of space required by the user to perform the standard action ([0073] – determining buffer zone for rapid movements of arms or legs); dividing, according to the amount of space required by the user, the space environment to obtain candidate subspaces ([0086] – dividing the space to obtain candidate routes among which there is a shortest route or a route that leaves a significant margin of safety); and selecting, from the candidate subspaces according to a first specified condition, a subspace satisfying the first specified condition as the first subspace ([0086] – selecting a shortest route or a route that leaves a significant margin of safety).
Regarding claim 12, Dasher discloses an apparatus ([0049]-[0053]; Fig. 3) for video generation, comprising: a collecting module comprising circuitry ([0049]-[0053]; Fig. 3), configured to collect user body information ([0007]; [0043]; [0046]; [0089]; Fig. 5 – collecting user body information, e.g. size, arm length, height etc. and other physical characteristics, from user profile data or measurements) and space environment information (Fig. 5; [0058]; [0106] – collecting space environment information using sensors) and generate a space environment image (Figs. 14A-14B – constructing a space environment image in order to determine a play area), the user body information including feature information describing occupation of a three-dimensional space by each body part of the user ([0007]; [0043]; [0046]; Fig. 5 – at least the size of the user, arm lengths of the user, etc.), and the space environment information including feature information describing a space environment and occupation of the three-dimensional space by an object in the space environment (Fig. 5; [0058]; [0106] – feature information describing an open space and occupation of the space by an object, e.g. corresponding to detected obstructions such as floor, ceiling, objects etc.); an action prompt information determining module comprising circuitry ([0049]-[0053]; Fig. 3), configured to generate action prompt information according to the user body information, the space environment information and standard action information, the standard action information including feature information about a standard action that is not subject to the user body information and the space environment information ([0072] – generating action prompt information, e.g. a visual notification or warning to be displayed via the HMD, to assist the user in avoiding collision based on play area, which is in turn determined based on user body information and the space environment information as illustrated in at least Figs. 1, 6-8 and standard action information, e.g. ranges of rapid movements of arms and legs as further described at least in [0073] and [0080] – the rapid movement is not subject to user body information such as size or arm lengths etc. and the space environment information, i.e. scanned space), and the action prompt information including description information about a next action of the user ([0086] – including information describing next action of the user on how to go back to safe area such as “step to your left”, etc.); and a video generating module comprising circuitry ([0049]-[0053]; Fig. 3), configured to generate a video corresponding to the action prompt information according to the space environment image, a video key frame corresponding to the standard action information and the action prompt information (Figs. 9; [0076]; [0086] – generating a video corresponding to the action prompt information, a video key frame corresponding to the standard action information and the action prompt information to guide the user back to the safe area).
Regarding claim 13, Dasher also discloses the apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising: a space determining module comprising circuitry ([0049]-[0053]; Fig. 3), configured to determine a first subspace required for the next action of the user according to the user body information, the space environment information, and the standard action information ([0086] – determining shortest route back to the safe area); and the generating the action prompt information according to the user body information, the space environment information and standard action information by the action prompt information determining module comprises: generating the action prompt information according to the user body information, the first subspace and the standard action information ([0086] – determining the shortest route before displaying this information to the user).
Regarding claim 14, Dasher also discloses the apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the space determining module comprises: a user required space calculating module comprising circuitry ([0049]-[0053]; Fig. 3), configured to calculate, according to the user body information and the standard action information, an amount of space required by the user to perform the standard action ([0073] – determining buffer zone for rapid movements of arms or legs); a candidate subspace determining module comprising circuitry ([0049]-[0053]; Fig. 3), configured to divide, according to the amount of space required by the user, the space environment to obtain candidate subspaces ([0086] – dividing the space to obtain candidate routes among which there is a shortest route or a route that leaves a significant margin of safety); and a first subspace determining module ([0049]-[0053]; Fig. 3), configured to select, according to a first specified condition, a subspace satisfying the first specified condition from the candidate subspaces as the first subspace ([0086] – selecting a shortest route or a route that leaves a significant margin of safety).
Claim 15 is rejected for the same reason as discussed in claim 1 above in view of Dasher also disclosing a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions ([0052] - a hard drive, random-access memory on a DRAM integrated circuit, read-only memory etc. storing instructions for performing any of the embodiments discussed) which, when executed by at least one processor, comprising processing circuitry ([0056] - control circuitry 318 retrieves instructions of the application from storage and process the instructions to provide VR generation functionality and perform any of the actions), individually causing an electronic device to perform a method for video generation, the method comprising the recited steps (see discussion of claim 1 above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 4 recites, “the generating the action prompt information according to the user body information, the first subspace and the standard action information comprises: determining a spatial position relationship between respective related body parts of the user and the first subspace according to the user body information, the first subspace and the standard action information; combining the respective related body parts of the user and the first subspace to generate candidate actions; selecting a target action from the candidate actions according to a second specified condition, the target action being the next action to be completed by the user in the first subspace; and generating the action prompt information according to the spatial position relationship between the respective related body parts of the user and the first subspace in the target action,” which is a combination of features not disclosed or rendered obvious by prior art of record.
Claims 5-6 depend on claim 4 thus are objected at least by virtue of dependency.
Claim 7 recites, “an amount of the first subspaces is N, and N is a natural number greater than one; the generating the action prompt information according to the user body information, the first subspace and the standard action information comprises: generating N pieces of action prompt information with different difficulty degrees for N first subspaces according to the user body information, the first subspace and the standard action information, the video corresponding to the action prompt information comprising videos respectively corresponding to the N pieces of action prompt information with different difficulty degrees; and after the generating the video corresponding to the action prompt information according to the space environment image, the video key frame corresponding to the standard action information and the action prompt information, the method further comprises: recommending one of the videos respectively corresponding to the N pieces of action prompt information with different difficulty degrees to the user according to acquired user body conditions, the user body conditions being determined by the user body information and historical user operation information acquired in advance,” which is a combination of features not disclosed or rendered obvious by prior art of record.
Claim 8 recites, “collecting movable object information in the space environment, the movable object information including feature information describing occupation of the three-dimensional space by a movable object; and calculating, in response to the movable object information in the space environment being collected, a movement trajectory of the user performing the standard action, and calculating a movement trajectory of the movable object; determining whether the movement trajectory of the user performing the standard action overlaps with the movement trajectory of the movable object, and deleting, in response to there being an overlap, a candidate subspace corresponding to the overlap based on selecting a subspace satisfying the first specified condition,” which is a combination of features not disclosed or rendered by prior art of record.
Claim 9 recites, “the generating the video corresponding to the action prompt information according to the space environment image, a video key frame corresponding to the standard action information and the action prompt information comprises: calculating a spatial attentional feature according to the space environment image; calculating a temporal attentional feature according to the video key frame corresponding to the standard action; and inputting the spatial attentional feature, the temporal attentional feature, and the action prompt information into a trained deep learning network model, and generating the video corresponding to the action prompt information according to the space environment image and the video key frame corresponding to the standard action,” which are a combination of features not disclosed or rendered obvious by prior art of record.
Claim 10 depends on claim 9 thus is objected at least by virtue of dependency.
Claim 11 depends on claim 8 thus is objected at least by virtue of dependency.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUNG Q DANG whose telephone number is (571)270-1116. The examiner can normally be reached IFT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thai Q Tran can be reached at 571-272-7382. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HUNG Q DANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2484
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