DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
Applicant’s submission of an Information Disclosure Statement on 3/5/2025 has been received and considered.
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 1, 3, and 8-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0187201 to Rosenberg in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0171470 to Drezet.
With regard to claim 1, Rosenberg discloses method for controlling a gaming input device, said input device (e.g., see at least Fig. 3; see also paragraph 60 for discussion of “mechanical apparatus 100 for providing mechanical input and output to host computer system 12”) comprising:
a base (e.g., see at least Fig. 3 that shows base 166; see also paragraph 62 that discloses “a base member 166”),
an input arm having a first end rotatably coupled to the base (e.g., see at least Fig. 3 shows various elements that equate to an input arm, including extension members 146a/b);
an input surface coupled to the input arm (e.g., see at least Fig. 3 that shows grip portion 162);
an electric actuator moving the input arm (e.g., see Fig. 3 that shows actuator 30; see also paragraphs 41-45 that discuss actuators 30);
a load cell measuring force applied to the input surface (e.g., see Fig. 3 that shows sensor 28; see also paragraphs 41-47 that sensors 28, that equate to a load cell to measure force7); and
providing, by the electric actuator, a first resistant force simulating input resistance when a user is depressing the input surface (e.g., see at least paragraph 50 for discussion of simulating input resistance), characterized by:
displaying, on a display, a user interface that includes a plurality of user interface objects, wherein a respective user interface object is associated with a portion of a resistance profile graph illustrating the first resistant force as a function of a travel of the electric actuator and the resistance profile graph travels via the plurality of user interface objects (e.g., see at least paragraphs 82-88 that discusses customizing force parameters that can be dragged);
detecting, via one or more input devices, an input that corresponds to a request to reposition at least one user interface object (e.g., see at least paragraphs 82-88 that discusses customizing force parameters that can be dragged; see also paragraph 139 that states “parameters in fields 612 can be graphically adjusted by the user by dragging control points 616”; see also Fig. 26 for control points 616 that equate to interface objects);
in response to detecting the input, repositioning the user interface object (e.g., see at least paragraph 89 for discussion of “changes to the force sensations are displayed”);
calculating a revised path for the resistance profile graph via the plurality of the user interface objects (e.g., see at least paragraphs 42-44 that discuss making force calculations; see also paragraph 81 that states “allows a user to rapidly set physical parameters and feel sensations, after which the interface automatically generates the appropriate code for use in a host computer application program”; see also paragraph 89 for discussion of “changes to the force sensations are displayed”); and
displaying a repositioned resistance profile graph (e.g., see at paragraph 81 that states “the graphical interface 300 of the present invention allows a user to rapidly set physical parameters and feel sensations, after which the interface automatically generates the appropriate code for use in a host computer application program”; see also graphs in Fig. 10-26);
[claim 3] characterized in that, when calculating the path for the resistance profile graph (2) via the plurality of the user interface objects, the method comprises drawing a straight line between laterally adjacent user interface objects (e.g. see at least Fig. 14 that shows straight lines as adjusted by control points 478 and 480; see also paragraph 114);
[claim 8] characterized by assigning a first zone (a) to the beginning portion of the travel of the electric actuator that does not produce a signal to the simulator system (e.g., see Fig. 23 that shows three zones, downward slope, horizontal, and then downward slope);
[claim 9] characterized by assigning a third zone to the end portion of the travel of the electric actuator that produces a 100% signal to the simulator system; and a second zone before the third zone (c), where the travel of the electric actuator corresponds to the signal produced to the simulator system (e.g., see Fig. 23 that shows three zones, downward slope, horizontal, and then downward slope);
[claim 10] characterized by moving the electric actuator in response to detecting the input that corresponds to a request to reposition at least one user interface object, wherein the movement corresponds to the revised path for the resistance profile graph via the plurality of the user interface objects (e.g., see Fig. 3 that shows actuator 30; see also paragraphs 41-45 that discuss actuators 30; see also at least paragraphs 68-70 and 112 that state that outputs are made in accordance with graphical changes);
[claim 11] characterized by generating a vibration to test the gaming pedal in response to detecting the input that corresponds to a test request (e.g., see at least paragraphs 75-77 for discussion of vibration tests); and
[claim 12] characterized by adjusting a slope of the resistance profile graph by a scroll wheel of a computer mouse (e.g., see at least paragraphs 3, 4, 53, and 54 that discuss the use of a mouse input device).
While primarily recited in the preamble, Rosenberg is silent regarding the input device being a gaming pedal. Rosenberg notes that input device may be “a joystick, mouse, trackball, stylus, steering wheel…” and “a joystick or similar user object 34”.
In the same field of endeavor, Drezet teaches an input device that allows for adjusted resistance profile to be a gaming pedal (e.g., see at least Fig. 17 for image of a gaming pedal, but also Figs. 14A-C for a resistance profile and paragraph 152 for general discussion of adjusting a resistance profile for a gaming pedal).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify Rosenberg with an input device being a gaming pedal as taught by Drezet in order to use a known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way. In this case, using a gaming pedal is a well-known input device for inputting throttle inputs in driving or racing games, whereby increasing the input realism of the simulation in the same manner as Rosenberg’s discloses steering wheel input device.
Claims 13 and 14 are similar in scope to claim 1 and is made obvious by Rosenberg in view of Drezet as set forth above.
Claims 2 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rosenberg in view of Drezet as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0041966 to Heer.
Regarding claims 2 and 4, Rosenberg is silent regarding smoothing a resistance profile.
Solving a similar problem, Heer teaches using a B-spline to smooth a resistance curve and teaches exponential smoothing (e.g., see at least the paragraph bridging the columns of page 2 after paragraph 17).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the current invention to modify Rosenberg with b-spline smoothing as taught by Heer in order to use a known technique to improve similar devices (methods, or products) in the same way. In this case, using smoothing a resistance profile allows for less rigid transitions of sharp points, whereby improving the realism and comfort of the transitions.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-7 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. The prior art fail to disclose “moving at least one first user interface object sideways to a portion of a resistance profile graph associated with laterally adjacent second user interface object causes the first user interface object and the second user interface object to stack vertically.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0379852 to O’Neill discusses a passive pedal force emulator assembly (e.g., see Figs. 1 and 8)
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0176257 to Smit discloses a frame/rig for a driving simulator with pedals (e.g., see at least Fig. 4)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES S MCCLELLAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7167. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (8:30AM-5:00PM).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kang Hu can be reached at 571-270-1344. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/James S. McClellan/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715
