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 .
Preliminary Amendments
Claims 1 and 3-8 have been amended. Claims 9-15 are newly added. Claims 1-16 are pending and examined below.
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)(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.
Claims 1-4, 6-11, 13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Todd Tokubo (US 20180096519 A1; hereinafter Tokubo).
Regarding claim 1, Tokubo discloses an information processing device that is connected to a display device of a first type and that is communicably connected to another information processing device which is connected to a display device of a type different from the display device of the first type (“FIG. 2B illustrates one example of an HMD user interfacing with a client system, and the client system providing content to a second screen display, which is referred to as a second screen” (recited in at least: Tokubo paragraph [0030])), the information processing device comprising: processing circuitry configured to access setting information regarding a virtual space shared with the other information processing device, arrange a virtual character in the virtual space represented by the setting information (“the content being displayed in the HMD 102 is shared to the second screen 207. In one example, a person viewing the second screen 207 can view the content being played interactively in the HMD 102 by user 100. In another embodiment, another user (e.g. player 2) can interact with the client system 106 to produce second screen content (SSC). The second screen content produced by a player also interacting with the controller 104 (or any type of user interface, gesture, voice, or input), may be produced as SSC to the client system 106, which can be displayed on second screen 207 along with the VGC received from the HMD 102” (recited in at least: Tokubo paragraph [0067])), and arrange the virtual character by using a parameter that is determined according to the type of the display device connected to the information processing device (“That is the location of the HMD 102 in the real space corresponds to, or is mapped to, the location of the character in the VR space. The correspondence can be more specific, e.g. mapping the location of the HMD to the location of a portion of the character, such as the head, in the VR space. As the HMD 102 is approximately collocational with the user 100, then when the rear-facing camera of the portable device is directed towards the user 100 and/or HMD 102, the view of the VR space that is rendered on the portable device 100 shows the character 114 in place of the user 100. Hence the second user is able to see the user 100 as he is represented in the VR space (as character 114). It will be appreciated that the orientation of the portable device in this manner orients the view” (recited in at least: Tokubo paragraph [0058])).
Regarding claim 2, and similarly claims 9, 13, and 15, Tokubo discloses the claimed subject matter as stated above, and Tokubo further discloses wherein the parameter determined according to the type of the display device includes a parameter related to a body size of the virtual character in the virtual space (“To provide additional clarity regarding this concept, FIG. 4-1 illustrates updated mapping of locations between a real space and a VR space in response to translational movement of a virtual object, in accordance with implementations of the disclosure. In the illustrated implementation, overhead views of a real space 420 and VR space 422 are shown, for which locations of the real and VR spaces are mapped to each other” (recited in at least: Tokubo paragraph [0084])).
Regarding claim 3, and similarly claims 10, Tokubo discloses the claimed subject matter as stated above, and Tokubo further discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to execute processing for a pose change or movement of the virtual character arranged in the virtual space, and when having changed the parameter related to the body size of the virtual character, control the pose change or movement of the virtual character having a first body size (“the computer may analyze image data received from a camera configured to capture images of the interactive real space in which the HMD is disposed. The image data may be analyzed to improve the position determination of the HMD, and may further be analyzed to identify a position and/or pose of the user, such as movements of the user's limbs, etc.,” (recited in at least: Tokubo paragraph [0094])) by setting an upper limit on a speed of the pose change or movement of the virtual character (“the calibration is performed periodically at predefined time intervals. In some implementations, the calibration is performed at varying intervals depending upon the amount or intensity (e.g. speed, acceleration, changes thereto) of movement of the HMD and/or the portable device” (recited in at least: Tokubo paragraph [0099])).
Regarding claim 4, and similarly claim 11, Tokubo discloses the claimed subject matter as stated above, and Tokubo further discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive an instruction from a user for a pose change or movement of the virtual character arranged in the virtual space, execute processing for the pose change or movement of the virtual character based on the instruction, and when having changed the parameter related to the body size of the virtual character, determine an amount of the pose change or movement of the virtual character having first body size by averaging an amount of change or movement based on the instruction per unit time, and execute processing for the pose change or movement of the virtual character by using the determined amount of change or movement (“the captured images by the camera of the portable device can be analyzed to determine the position and/or pose of the HMD user. This information can be combined with the image data processed from the camera that is connected to the computer at operations 604 and 606, to improve the determination of the position and/or pose of the HMD user. The image data from both cameras can be processed in a stereoscopic manner to provide improved three-dimensional understanding of the HMD user's pose. This can in turn be used to, for example, control a corresponding pose of a virtual character or avatar that represents the HMD user in the VR space” (recited in at least: Tokubo paragraph [0100])).
Regarding claim 6, Tokubo discloses an information processing system, comprising: a plurality of information processing devices connected to display devices of first and second types that are different from each other, respectively, wherein each of the information processing devices include processing circuitry (“FIG. 2B illustrates one example of an HMD user interfacing with a client system, and the client system providing content to a second screen display, which is referred to as a second screen” (recited in at least: Tokubo paragraph [0030])), configured to perform steps similar in scope to independent claim 1.
Regarding claim 7, Tokubo discloses a method for controlling an information processing device that is connected to a display device of a first type and that is communicably connected to another information processing device which is connected to a display device of a type different from the display device of the first type (“FIG. 2B illustrates one example of an HMD user interfacing with a client system, and the client system providing content to a second screen display, which is referred to as a second screen” (recited in at least: Tokubo paragraph [0030])), the method comprising steps similar in scope to independent claim 1.
Regarding claim 8, Tokubo discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for an information processing device (“video Server System 1420 comprises at least a Video Source 1430, an I/O Device 1445, a Processor 1450, and non-transitory Storage 1455. Video Server System 1420 may include one computing device or be distributed among a plurality of computing devices. These computing devices are optionally connected via a communications system such as a local area network” (recited in at least: Tokubo paragraph [0129])) that is connected to a display device of a first type and that is communicably connected to another information processing device which is connected to a display device of a type different from the display device of the first type which, when executed by a compute (“FIG. 2B illustrates one example of an HMD user interfacing with a client system, and the client system providing content to a second screen display, which is referred to as a second screen” (recited in at least: Tokubo paragraph [0030])), causes the computer to perform a method, the method comprising: steps similar in scope to independent claim 1.
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, 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 5, 12, 14, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tokubo in view of Darby Johnston (US 20160284136 A1; hereinafter Johnston).
Regarding claim 5, and similarly claims 12, 14, and 16, Tokubo discloses the claimed subject matter as stated above; however, Tokubo doesn’t explicitly disclose the processing circuity further configured to acquire a body size of a virtual character arranged by the other information processing device, and when changing the parameter related to the body size, compare the acquired body size of the virtual character arranged by the other information processing device with the body size of the virtual character arranged by the processing circuitry, and correct an arrangement position of a character having a first body size in the virtual space with a character having a second body size smaller than the first body size as a reference size.
Johnston teaches acquiring a body size of a virtual character arranged by the other information processing device, and when changing the parameter related to the body size, compare the acquired body size of the virtual character arranged by the other information processing device with the body size of the virtual character arranged by the processing circuitry, and correct an arrangement position of a character having a first body size in the virtual space with a character having a second body size smaller than the first body size as a reference size (“the user can use the computing device 102 to change the scale of the virtual camera 1104. For example, the user can change the scale of the virtual camera 1104 such that the VR environment can appear very large. Put another way, the user can shrink the virtual camera 1104 such that it appears the user is an insect within the VR environment. In this way, the user can examine detailed aspects of the environment. As another example, the user can change the scale of the virtual camera 1104 such that the VR environment appears very small. Put another way, the user can enlarge the virtual camera such that it appears that the user is a giant within the VR environment. In this way, the user can easily examine the entirety of the VR environment. In one embodiment, the user can navigate the VR environment according to or based on the camera's virtual size. For example, “smaller” virtual cameras 1104 may move slower or have smaller “steps” across the virtual environment. “Larger” virtual camera may move faster or have “larger steps” across the same virtual environment” (recited in at least: Johnston paragraph [0075])).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have changed the sizes of the virtual characters according to the display information for the device and changing the size according from the first size to the second as taught by Johnston so that the character can dynamically change to match the display or environment that the user is using or playing.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SELWA A ALSOMAIRY whose telephone number is (703)756-5323. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30AM to 5PM EST.
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/SELWA A ALSOMAIRY/Examiner, Art Unit 3715
/Jay Trent Liddle/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
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