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 § 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 1-2, 5-7, 9-10, 12, 15-18 and 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saito et al. (US 20220228879 A1; hereinafter Saito) in view of Wang et al. (US 20230296386 A1; hereinafter Wang).
Regarding claim 1, Saito teaches method of assisted voice navigation (see at least, [0052] the output control unit 22c causes the speaker 15 of the user terminal 10 to output the sound generated as the guide information by the guide information generation unit 22b), comprising: in response to a first instruction indicating a first object within a first range, cyclically performing following steps: obtaining a first image (see at least, [0038] The recognition unit 21 is a functional unit that recognizes the surrounding environment of the current position of the user…performs image recognition processing on the image of the surrounding environment of the current position which image is captured by the camera 12 of the user terminal 10, and recognizes an object…in the image), and determining a path based on the first image and a visual positioning model (see at least, [0042] On the basis of a current position measured by the positioning sensor 11 of the user terminal 10…the route determination unit 22a determines an optimal route from the current position to the destination), and the path being a movement path from a current position corresponding to the first image to a position where the first object is located (see at least, [0044] The guide information generation unit 22b uses the recognition result of the recognition unit 21 and generates guide information to guide the user to the destination according to the optimal route determined by the route determination unit 22a).
Saito does not explicitly teach the visual positioning model representing a position distribution of a second object within the first range in a three-dimensional simulation space, and playing, based on the path, a navigation voice corresponding to the current position, the navigation voice representing a movement direction and a corresponding movement distance. However, Wang teaches these limitations.
Wang teaches the visual positioning model representing a position distribution of a second object within the first range (see at least, [0023] the user may receive appropriate voice feedback on every walking through positioning locations, so that the user can recognize a distance or a direction to the next
positioning location) in a three-dimensional simulation space (see at least, [0038] The directional guidance may be provided within a three-dimensional space), and playing, based on the path, a navigation voice corresponding to the current position, the navigation voice representing a movement direction and a corresponding movement distance (see at least, [0051] The route calculation module dynamically calculates a distance and a traveling direction between the mobile device and the
candidate location, and the voice guidance module guides the distance and the traveling direction by voice. The distance may include a horizontal distance and a vertical distance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Saito to include the visual positioning model representing a position distribution of a second object within the first range in a three-dimensional simulation space, and playing, based on the path, a navigation voice corresponding to the current position, the navigation voice representing a movement direction and a corresponding movement distance as taught by Wang in order to the indoor voice navigation guides a place to pass through in the actual navigation route or allowing a user to voice input the target location or an identifiable sign.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the method of claim 1. Wang further teaches wherein determining the target path based on the first image and the visual positioning model comprises: inputting the first image into the visual positioning model to determine a first spatial position, the first spatial position representing a mapping of an image capturing point (see at least, [0006] The route navigation module is used to input an initial location and a target location in the indoor environment to calculate an actual navigation route from the initial location to the destination location, so that a predetermined map data navigation route corresponding to the route from the initial location to the target location is calculated) in the three- dimensional simulation space (see at least, [0038] The directional guidance may be provided within a three-dimensional space), the first image being captured at the image capturing point; obtaining, based on the visual positioning model, a second spatial position corresponding to the first object (see at least, [0035] after the map data navigation route 24 is established, the route calculation module 30 may find the positioning location 23 closest to the mobile device A (that is, the searcher) on the map data navigation route 24, and automatically set the closest position location as a candidate location 31), the second spatial position representing a mapping of a target position in the three-dimensional simulation space (see at least, [0038] The directional guidance may be provided within a three-dimensional space), the first object being located at the target position; and generating the target path based on the first spatial position and the second spatial position (see at least, [0051] The route
calculation module dynamically calculates a distance and a traveling direction between the mobile device and the candidate location, and the voice guidance module guides the distance and the traveling direction by voice. The distance may include a horizontal distance and a vertical distance)..
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Saito to include inputting the first image into the visual positioning model to determine a first spatial position, the first spatial position representing a mapping of an image capturing point in the three- dimensional simulation space, the first image being captured at the image capturing point; obtaining, based on the visual positioning model, a second spatial position corresponding to the first object, the second spatial position representing a mapping of a target position in the three-dimensional simulation space, the first object being located at the target position; and generating the target path based on the first spatial position and the second spatial position as taught by Wang in order to the indoor voice navigation guides a place to pass through in the actual navigation route or allowing a user to voice input the target location or an identifiable sign.
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the method of claim 2. Saito further teaches characterized in that the method further comprising: obtaining a second image which is an Nth image frame preceding the first image, N being an integer greater than 0;determining image difference information based on the first image and the second image, the image difference information representing an amount of displacement of a reference object in the second image relative to the reference object in the first image (see at least, [0062] in a case where there is a difference in a non-moving object such as a building, a sign, or a guideboard in the images, the difference is detected as a changed portion…an object serving as a landmark has been newly formed as compared with when the user has visited the current position in the past, detection…is performed by the change detection unit 23); setting an update frequency of the visual positioning model based on the image difference information (see at least, Fig 8); and updating the visual positioning model based on the update frequency (see at least, [0073] processing repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle by the server 20 after the user terminal 10 is connected to the server 20…the user terminal 10 transmits the current position measured by the positioning sensor 11, the image of the surrounding environment of the current position which image is captured by the camera 12…as needed in synchronization with the processing cycle in the server 20).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the method of claim 1. Saito further teaches the method further comprising: obtaining a region identifier corresponding to the first object, the region identifier representing an image acquisition region within the first range (see at least, [0054] the guide information generation unit 22b uses the recognition result of the recognition unit 21 and preferentially generates a mark to direct attention to an object used as a landmark); invoking, based on the region identifier corresponding to the first object, a corresponding image acquisition device to acquire an image, to obtain a second image; and updating the visual positioning model based on the second image (see at least, [0054] the output control unit 22c causes the mark, which is generated as the guide information by the guide information generation unit 22b, to be superimposed and displayed on a region where the object serving as the landmark appears on the image of the surrounding environment of the current position which image is displayed on the display 14 of the user terminal 10, and causes the speaker 15 of the user terminal 10 to output the sound generated as the guide information by the guide information generation unit 22b).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the method of claim 6. Wang further teaches wherein updating the visual positioning model based on the second image comprises: performing image recognition on the second image to determine a current position of the first object (see at least, [0044] After reaching the positioning location 231, the user may capture a two-dimensional barcode on the positioning location 231 by using the image capture and analysis module 50, so that the route calculation module 30 may recognize current location information); and updating the visual positioning model based on the current position of the first object (see at least, [0044] the indoor voice navigation system 100…may reset the positioning location 231 to an initial location 21, and additionally, the other positioning location 232 may be set as a candidate location 31).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Saito to include wherein updating the visual positioning model based on the second image comprises: performing image recognition on the second image to determine a current position of the first object; and updating the visual positioning model based on the current position of the first object as taught by Wang in order to the indoor voice navigation guides a place to pass through in the actual navigation route or allowing a user to voice input the target location or an identifiable sign.
Regarding claim 9, Saito teaches an electronic device (see at least, [0029] a traveling assistance system), comprising: a processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the processor; the memory storing computer executable instructions (see at least, [0098] The CPU 1100 operates on the basis of programs stored in the ROM 1300 or the HDD 1400, and controls each unit…and executes processing corresponding to various programs); and the processor executing the computer executable instructions stored in the memory to implement acts comprising: in response to a first instruction indicating a first object within a first range, cyclically performing following steps: obtaining a first image (see at least, [0038] The recognition unit 21 is a functional unit that recognizes the surrounding environment of the current position of the user…performs image recognition processing on the image of the surrounding environment of the current position which image is captured by the camera 12 of the user terminal 10, and recognizes an object…in the image), and determining a path based on the first image and a visual positioning model (see at least, [0042] On the basis of a current position measured by the positioning sensor 11 of the user terminal 10…the route determination unit 22a
determines an optimal route from the current position to the destination), and the path being a movement path from a current position corresponding to the first image to a position where the first object is located (see at least, [0044] The guide information generation unit 22b uses the recognition result of the recognition unit 21 and generates guide information to guide the user to the destination according to the optimal route determined by the route determination unit 22a).
Saito does not explicitly teach the visual positioning model representing a position distribution of a second object within the first range in a three-dimensional simulation space, and playing, based on the path, a navigation voice corresponding to the current position, the navigation voice representing a movement direction and a corresponding movement distance. However, Wang teaches these limitations.
Wang teaches the visual positioning model representing a position distribution of a second object within the first range (see at least, [0023] the user may receive appropriate voice feedback on every walking through positioning locations, so that the user can recognize a distance or a direction to the next
positioning location) in a three-dimensional simulation space (see at least, [0038] The directional guidance may be provided within a three-dimensional space), and playing, based on the path, a navigation voice corresponding to the current position, the navigation voice representing a movement direction and a corresponding movement distance (see at least, [0051] The route calculation module dynamically calculates a distance and a traveling direction between the mobile device and the
candidate location, and the voice guidance module guides the distance and the traveling direction by voice. The distance may include a horizontal distance and a vertical distance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Saito to include the visual positioning model representing a position distribution of a second object within the first range in a three-dimensional simulation space, and playing, based on the path, a navigation voice corresponding to the current position, the navigation voice representing a movement direction and a corresponding movement distance as taught by Wang in order to the indoor voice navigation guides a place to pass through in the actual navigation route or allowing a user to voice input the target location or an identifiable sign.
Regarding claim 10, Saito teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor (see at least, [0098] The CPU 1100 operates on the basis of programs stored in the ROM 1300 or the HDD 1400, and controls each unit…and executes processing corresponding to various programs), implement a method comprising: in response to a first instruction indicating a first object within a first range, cyclically performing following steps: obtaining a first image (see at least, [0038] The recognition unit 21 is a functional unit that recognizes the surrounding environment of the current position of the user…performs image recognition processing on the image of the surrounding environment of the current position which image is captured by the camera 12 of the user terminal 10, and recognizes an object…in the image), and determining a path based on the first image and a visual positioning model (see at least, [0042] On the basis of a current position measured by the positioning sensor 11 of the user terminal 10…the route determination unit 22a determines an optimal route from the current position to the destination), and the path being a movement path from a current position corresponding to the first image to a position where the first object is located (see at least, [0044] The guide information generation unit 22b uses the recognition result of the recognition unit 21 and generates guide information to guide the user to the destination according to the optimal route
determined by the route determination unit 22a).
Saito does not explicitly teach the visual positioning model representing a position distribution of a second object within the first range in a three-dimensional simulation space, and playing, based on the path, a navigation voice corresponding to the current position, the navigation voice representing a movement direction and a corresponding movement distance. However, Wang teaches these limitations.
Wang teaches the visual positioning model representing a position distribution of a second object within the first range (see at least, [0023] the user may receive appropriate voice feedback on every walking through positioning locations, so that the user can recognize a distance or a direction to the next
positioning location) in a three-dimensional simulation space (see at least, [0038] The directional guidance may be provided within a three-dimensional space), and playing, based on the path, a navigation voice corresponding to the current position, the navigation voice representing a movement direction and a corresponding movement distance (see at least, [0051] The route calculation module dynamically calculates a distance and a traveling direction between the mobile device and the
candidate location, and the voice guidance module guides the distance and the traveling direction by voice. The distance may include a horizontal distance and a vertical distance).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Saito to include the visual positioning model representing a position distribution of a second object within the first range in a three-dimensional simulation space, and playing, based on the path, a navigation voice corresponding to the current position, the navigation voice representing a movement direction and a corresponding movement distance as taught by Wang in order to the indoor voice navigation guides a place to pass through in the actual navigation route or allowing a user to voice input the target location or an identifiable sign.
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the electronic device of claim 9. Wang further teaches wherein determining the target path based on the first image and the visual positioning model comprises: inputting the first image into the visual positioning model to determine a first spatial position, the first spatial position representing a mapping of an image capturing point (see at least, [0006] The route navigation module is used to input an initial location and a target location in the indoor environment to calculate an actual navigation route from the initial location to the destination location, so that a predetermined map data navigation route corresponding to the route from the initial location to the target location is calculated) in the three- dimensional simulation space (see at least, [0038] The directional guidance may be provided within a three-dimensional space), the first image being captured at the image capturing point; obtaining, based on the visual positioning model, a second spatial position corresponding to the first object (see at least, [0035] after the map data navigation route 24 is established, the route calculation module 30 may find the positioning location
23 closest to the mobile device A (that is, the searcher) on the map data navigation route 24, and automatically set the closest position location as a candidate location 31), the second spatial position representing a mapping of a target position in the three-dimensional simulation space (see at least, [0038] The directional guidance may be provided within a three-dimensional space), the first object being located at the target position; and generating the target path based on the first spatial position and the second spatial position (see at least, [0051] The route calculation module dynamically calculates a distance and a traveling direction between the mobile device and the candidate location, and the voice guidance module guides the distance and the traveling direction by voice. The distance may include a horizontal distance and a vertical distance)..
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Saito to include determining the target path based on the first image and the visual positioning model comprises: inputting the first image into the visual positioning model to determine a first spatial position, the first spatial position representing a mapping of an image capturing point in the three- dimensional simulation space, the first image being captured at the image capturing point; obtaining, based on the visual positioning model, a second spatial position corresponding to the first object, the second spatial position representing a mapping of a target position in the three-dimensional simulation space, the first object being located at the target position; and generating the target path based on the first spatial position and the second spatial position as taught by Wang in order to the indoor voice navigation guides a place to pass through in the actual navigation route or allowing a user to voice input the target location or an identifiable sign.
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the electronic device of claim 12. Saito further teaches the acts further comprise: obtaining a second image which is an Nth image frame preceding the first image, N being an integer greater than 0;determining image difference information based on the first image and the second image, the image difference information representing an amount of displacement of a reference object in the second image relative to the reference object in the first image (see at least, [0062] in a case where there is a difference in a non-moving object such as a building, a sign, or a guideboard in the images, the difference is detected as a changed portion…an object serving as a landmark has been newly formed as compared with when the user has visited the current position in the past, detection…is performed by the change detection unit 23); setting an update frequency of the visual positioning model based on the image difference information (see at least, Fig 8); and updating the visual positioning model based on the update frequency (see at least, [0073] processing repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle by the server 20 after the user terminal 10 is connected to the server 20…the user terminal 10 transmits the current position measured by the positioning sensor 11, the image of the surrounding environment of the current position which image is captured by the camera 12…as needed in synchronization with the processing cycle in the server 20).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the electronic device of claim 9. Saito further teaches the acts further comprise: obtaining a region identifier corresponding to the first object, the region identifier representing an image acquisition region within the first range (see at least, [0054] the guide information generation unit 22b uses the recognition result of the recognition unit 21 and preferentially generates a mark to direct attention to an object used as a landmark); invoking, based on the region identifier corresponding to the first object, a corresponding image acquisition device to acquire an image, to obtain a second image; and updating the visual positioning model based on the second image (see at least, [0054] the output control unit 22c causes the mark, which is generated as the guide information by the guide information generation unit 22b, to be superimposed and displayed on a region where the object serving as the landmark appears on the image of the surrounding environment of the current position which image is displayed on the display 14 of the user terminal 10, and causes the speaker 15 of the user terminal 10 to output the sound generated as the guide information by the guide information generation unit 22b).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the electronic device of claim 16. Wang further teaches wherein updating the visual positioning model based on the second image comprises: performing image recognition on the second image to determine a current position of the first object (see at least, [0044] After reaching the positioning location 231, the user may capture a two-dimensional barcode on the positioning location 231 by using the image capture and analysis module 50, so that the route calculation module 30 may recognize current location information); and updating the visual positioning model based on the current position of the first object (see at least, [0044] the indoor voice navigation system 100…may reset the positioning location 231 to an initial location 21, and additionally, the other positioning location 232 may be set as a candidate location 31).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Saito to include wherein updating the visual positioning model based on the second image comprises: performing image recognition on the second image to determine a current position of the first object; and updating the visual positioning model based on the current position of the first object as taught by Wang in order to the indoor voice navigation guides a place to pass through in the actual navigation route or allowing a user to voice input the target location or an identifiable sign.
Regarding claim 18, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10. Wang further teaches wherein determining the path based on the first image and the visual positioning model comprises: inputting the first image into the visual positioning model to determine a first spatial position, the first spatial position representing a mapping of an image capturing point (see at least, [0006] The route navigation module is used to input an initial location and a target location in the indoor environment to calculate an actual navigation route from the initial location to the destination location, so that a predetermined map data navigation route corresponding to the route from the initial location to the target location is calculated) in the three- dimensional simulation space (see at least, [0038] The directional guidance may be provided within a three-dimensional space), the first image being captured at the image capturing point; obtaining, based on the visual positioning model, a second spatial position corresponding to the first object (see at least, [0035] after the map data navigation route 24 is established, the route calculation module 30 may find the positioning location 23 closest to the mobile device A (that is, the searcher) on the map data navigation route 24, and automatically set the closest position location as a candidate location 31), the second spatial position representing a mapping of a target position in the three-dimensional simulation space (see at least, [0038] The directional guidance may be provided within a three-dimensional space), the first object being located at the target position; and generating the target path based on the first spatial position and the second spatial position (see at least, [0051] The route calculation module dynamically calculates a distance and a traveling direction between the mobile device and the candidate location, and the voice guidance module guides the distance and the traveling direction by voice. The distance may include a horizontal distance and a vertical distance)..
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Saito to include inputting the first image into the visual positioning model to determine a first spatial position, the first spatial position representing a mapping of an image capturing point in the three- dimensional simulation space, the first image being captured at the image capturing point; obtaining, based on the visual positioning model, a second spatial position corresponding to the first object, the second spatial position representing a mapping of a target position in the three-dimensional simulation space, the first object being located at the target position; and generating the target path based on the first spatial position and the second spatial position as taught by Wang in order to the indoor voice navigation guides a place to pass through in the actual navigation route or allowing a user to voice input the target location or an identifiable sign.
Regarding claim 21, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18. Saito further teaches the method further comprises: obtaining a second image which is an Nth image frame preceding the first image, N being an integer greater than 0;
determining image difference information based on the first image and the second image, the image difference information representing an amount of displacement of a reference object in the second image relative to the reference object in the first image (see at least, [0062] in a case where there is a difference in a non-moving object such as a building, a sign, or a guideboard in the images, the difference is detected as a changed portion…an object serving as a landmark has been newly formed as compared with when the user has visited the current position in the past, detection…is performed by the change detection unit 23); setting an update frequency of the visual positioning model based on the image difference information (see at least, Fig 8); and updating the visual positioning model based on the update frequency (see at least, [0073] processing repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle
by the server 20 after the user terminal 10 is connected to the server 20…the user terminal 10
transmits the current position measured by the positioning sensor 11, the image of the surrounding environment of the current position which image is captured by the camera 12…as needed in synchronization with the processing cycle in the server 20).
Regarding claim 22, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10. Saito further teaches the method further comprises: obtaining a region identifier corresponding to the first object, the region identifier representing an image acquisition region within the first range (see at least, [0054] the guide information generation unit 22b uses the recognition result of the recognition unit 21 and preferentially generates a mark to direct attention to an object used as a landmark); invoking, based on the region identifier corresponding to the first object, a corresponding image acquisition device to acquire an image, to obtain a second image; and updating the visual positioning model based on the second image (see at least, [0054] the output control unit 22c causes the mark, which is generated as the guide information by the guide information generation unit 22b, to be superimposed and displayed on a region where the object serving as the landmark appears on the image of the surrounding environment of the current position which
image is displayed on the display 14 of the user terminal 10, and causes the speaker 15 of the user terminal 10 to output the sound generated as the guide information by the guide information generation unit 22b).
Claims 3, 13 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saito et al. (US 20220228879 A1; hereinafter Saito) in view of Wang et al. (US 20230296386 A1; hereinafter Wang) in further view of Miyake et al. (US 20200124437 A1; hereinafter Miyake).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the method of claim 2. Wang further teaches the method further comprising: obtaining a path distance between the first spatial position and the second spatial position based on the target path (see at least, [0051] The route calculation module dynamically calculates a distance and a traveling direction between the mobile device and the candidate location).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Saito to include obtaining a path distance between the first spatial position and the second spatial position based on the target path as taught by Wang in order to the indoor voice navigation guides a place to pass through in the actual navigation route or allowing a user to voice input the target location or an identifiable sign.
The combination does not explicitly teach in accordance with the path distance being less than a first predetermined distance, obtaining orientation information, the orientation information representing a spatial orientation of the second spatial position relative to the first spatial position; and playing an orientation voice corresponding to the orientation information. However, Miyake teaches these limitations.
Miyake teaches in accordance with the path distance being less than a first predetermined distance (see at least, [0136] if a distance from a certain node to the next node is shorter than a distance between a notification point and a turning point, map information item(s) existing along a section from a certain node to the node after the next may be presented), obtaining orientation information, the orientation information representing a spatial orientation of the second spatial position relative to the first spatial position (see at least, [0136] in a case where the notification point is 10 meters before a given turning point, and a distance between a node N and a node N+1 is 5 meters, a description of the message is generated so as to present two topics at the beginning of the description, along with presenting map information item(s) existing along the section from the node to the node after the next); and playing (see at least, [0212] the navigation apparatus 100 can appropriately send a notification in providing
voice guidance) an orientation voice corresponding to the orientation information (see at least, [0136]
the message…at a distance of 10 meters, turn right. On the way, at a distance of 3 meters, stairs going down are on the right. Next, at a distance of 5 meters, turn left)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the combination of Saito and Wang to include in accordance with the path distance being less than a first predetermined distance, obtaining orientation information, the orientation information representing a spatial orientation of the second spatial position relative to the first spatial position; and playing an orientation voice corresponding to the orientation information as taught by Miyake in order to assist the visually impaired person in order to reach the destination safely, without suffering from an excess of stress in the guidance (Miyake, [0212]).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the electronic device of claim 12. Wang further teaches the acts further comprise: obtaining a path distance between the first spatial position and the second spatial position based on the target path (see at least, [0051] The route calculation module dynamically calculates a distance and a traveling direction between the mobile device and the candidate location).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Saito to include obtaining a path distance between the first spatial position and the second spatial position based on the target path as taught by Wang in order to the indoor voice navigation guides a place to pass through in the actual navigation route or allowing a user to voice input the target location or an identifiable sign.
The combination does not explicitly teach in accordance with the path distance being less than a first predetermined distance, obtaining orientation information, the orientation information representing a spatial orientation of the second spatial position relative to the first spatial position; and playing an orientation voice corresponding to the orientation information. However, Miyake teaches these limitations.
Miyake teaches in accordance with the path distance being less than a first predetermined distance (see at least, [0136] if a distance from a certain node to the next node is shorter than a distance between a notification point and a turning point, map information item(s) existing along a section from a certain node to the node after the next may be presented), obtaining orientation information, the orientation information representing a spatial orientation of the second spatial position relative to the first spatial position (see at least, [0136] in a case where the notification point is 10 meters before a given turning point, and a distance between a node N and a node N+1 is 5 meters, a description of the message is generated so as to present two topics at the beginning of the description, along with presenting map information item(s) existing along the section from the node to the node after the next); and playing (see at least, [0212] the navigation apparatus 100 can appropriately send a notification in providing
voice guidance) an orientation voice corresponding to the orientation information (see at least, [0136]
the message…at a distance of 10 meters, turn right. On the way, at a distance of 3 meters, stairs going down are on the right. Next, at a distance of 5 meters, turn left)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the combination of Saito and Wang to include in accordance with the path distance being less than a first predetermined distance, obtaining orientation information, the orientation information representing a spatial orientation of the second spatial position relative to the first spatial position; and playing an orientation voice corresponding to the orientation information as taught by Miyake in order to assist the visually impaired person in order to reach the destination safely, without suffering from an excess of stress in the guidance (Miyake, [0212]).
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Saito and Wang teaches the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18. Wang further teaches the method further comprises: obtaining a path distance between the first spatial position and the second spatial position based on the target path (see at least, [0051] The route calculation module dynamically calculates a distance and a traveling direction between the mobile device and the candidate location).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Saito to include obtaining a path distance between the first spatial position and the second spatial position based on the target path as taught by Wang in order to the indoor voice navigation guides a place to pass through in the actual navigation route or allowing a user to voice input the target location or an identifiable sign.
The combination does not explicitly teach in accordance with the path distance being less than a first predetermined distance, obtaining orientation information, the orientation information representing a spatial orientation of the second spatial position relative to the first spatial position; and playing an orientation voice corresponding to the orientation information. However, Miyake teaches these limitations.
Miyake teaches in accordance with the path distance being less than a first predetermined distance (see at least, [0136] if a distance from a certain node to the next node is shorter than a distance between a notification point and a turning point, map information item(s) existing along a section from a certain node to the node after the next may be presented), obtaining orientation information, the orientation information representing a spatial orientation of the second spatial position relative to the first spatial position (see at least, [0136] in a case where the notification point is 10 meters before a given turning point, and a distance between a node N and a node N+1 is 5 meters, a description of the message is generated so as to present two topics at the beginning of the description, along with presenting map information item(s) existing along the section from the node to the node after the next); and playing (see at least, [0212] the navigation apparatus 100 can appropriately send a notification in providing
voice guidance) an orientation voice corresponding to the orientation information (see at least, [0136]
the message…at a distance of 10 meters, turn right. On the way, at a distance of 3 meters, stairs going down are on the right. Next, at a distance of 5 meters, turn left)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the combination of Saito and Wang to include in accordance with the path distance being less than a first predetermined distance, obtaining orientation information, the orientation information representing a spatial orientation of the second spatial position relative to the first spatial position; and playing an orientation voice corresponding to the orientation information as taught by Miyake in order to assist the visually impaired person in order to reach the destination safely, without suffering from an excess of stress in the guidance (Miyake, [0212]).
Claims 4, 14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saito et al. (US 20220228879 A1; hereinafter Saito) in view of Wang et al. (US 20230296386 A1; hereinafter Wang) in further view of Miyake et al. (US 20200124437 A1; hereinafter Miyake) and Shlmot et al. (US 20220065650 A1; hereinafter Shlmot).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Saito, Wang and Miyake teaches the method of claim 3. The combination does not explicitly teach further comprising: determining, based on the path distance, a corresponding vibration parameter, the vibration parameter representing a vibration frequency and/or a vibration amplitude; and controlling a vibration of a vibration unit based on the vibration parameter. However, Shlmot teaches this limitation.
Shlmot further teaches determining, based on the path distance, a corresponding vibration parameter (see at least, [0031] UPI device 100 may use…vibrations to instruct the user to point toward an optimal direction for improved estimation of the user location), the vibration parameter representing a vibration frequency and/or a vibration amplitude (see at least, [0024] The audio information can be …accompanied by haptic outputs from vibration motor 144); and controlling a vibration of a vibration unit based on the vibration parameter (see at least, [0024] a short vibration may indicate that UPI device 100 points to an important object of interest and the user may be able to start the playing of audio information about that object by holding UPI device 100 steady, touching a sensor or speaking a command).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the combination of Saito, Wang and Miyake to include determining, based on the path distance, a corresponding vibration parameter, the vibration parameter representing a vibration frequency and/or a vibration amplitude; and controlling a vibration of a vibration unit based on the vibration parameter as taught by Shlomot in order to use vibration patterns to indicate closeness or deviation from the desired direction (Shlomot, [0027]).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Saito, Wang and Miyake teaches the electronic device of claim 13. The combination does not explicitly teach the acts further comprise: determining, based on the path distance, a corresponding vibration parameter, the vibration parameter representing a vibration frequency and/or a vibration amplitude; and controlling a vibration of a vibration unit based on the vibration parameter. However, Shlmot teaches this limitation.
Shlmot further teaches determining, based on the path distance, a corresponding vibration parameter (see at least, [0031] UPI device 100 may use…vibrations to instruct the user to point toward an optimal direction for improved estimation of the user location), the vibration parameter representing a vibration frequency and/or a vibration amplitude (see at least, [0024] The audio information can be …accompanied by haptic outputs from vibration motor 144); and controlling a vibration of a vibration unit based on the vibration parameter (see at least, [0024] a short vibration may indicate that UPI device 100 points to an important object of interest and the user may be able to start the playing of audio information about that object by holding UPI device 100 steady, touching a sensor or speaking a command).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the combination of Saito, Wang and Miyake to include determining, based on the path distance, a corresponding vibration parameter, the vibration parameter representing a vibration frequency and/or a vibration amplitude; and controlling a vibration of a vibration unit based on the vibration parameter as taught by Shlomot in order to use vibration patterns to indicate closeness or deviation from the desired direction (Shlomot, [0027]).
Regarding claim 20, the combination of Saito, Wang and Miyake teaches the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19. The combination does not explicitly teach the method further comprises: determining, based on the path distance, a corresponding vibration parameter, the vibration parameter representing a vibration frequency and/or a vibration amplitude; and controlling a vibration of a vibration unit based on the vibration parameter. However, Shlmot teaches this limitation.
Shlmot further teaches determining, based on the path distance, a corresponding vibration parameter (see at least, [0031] UPI device 100 may use…vibrations to instruct the user to point toward an optimal direction for improved estimation of the user location), the vibration parameter representing a vibration frequency and/or a vibration amplitude (see at least, [0024] The audio information can be …accompanied by haptic outputs from vibration motor 144); and controlling a vibration of a vibration unit based on the vibration parameter (see at least, [0024] a short vibration may indicate that UPI device 100 points to an important object of interest and the user may be able to start the playing of audio information about that object by holding UPI device 100 steady, touching a sensor or speaking a command).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the combination of Saito, Wang and Miyake to include determining, based on the path distance, a corresponding vibration parameter, the vibration parameter representing a vibration frequency and/or a vibration amplitude; and controlling a vibration of a vibration unit based on the vibration parameter as taught by Shlomot in order to use vibration patterns to indicate closeness or deviation from the desired direction (Shlomot, [0027]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Solomon et al. discloses a method of assisted voice navigation comprising a navigation voice corresponding to the current position, the navigation voice representing a movement direction and a corresponding movement distance (e.g. [0017] the device being configured to use algorithms and an A.I to process the data and transmit sound instructions to the blind or visually impaired person to enable him/her to independently navigate and deal with his/her environment by provision of identification of objects and reading of local texts).
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/TOYA PETTIEGREW/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3662
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