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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Board (pub # 20210046391) in view of Iyer et al (pub # 20170336878).
Consider claim 1. Board teaches A virtual reality control system, (abstract). comprising: a base; (fig. 1 and paragraph 0030, The passive motion simulator 101 may be connected to a base).
a dynamic carrier that is disposed on the base and is configured to move along at least one rotational axis; (Fig. 1 and paragraph 0030, The passive motion simulator 101 may be a seat or similar piece of furniture for supporting the user's body. The passive motion simulator 101 may be connected to a base such that, for example, it remains substantially on the ground and situates the passive motion simulator 101 in a comfortable position. The seat may be capable of tilting and/or turning in various directions, such as forwards and backwards (i.e., movable in pitch), side to side (i.e., movable in roll), turning from left to right, and/or up and down (i.e., along a Z-axis)).
and a control device that is connected to the dynamic carrier and is configured to determine a virtual rotation angle corresponding to a virtual operation, convert the virtual rotation angle into a carrier rotation angle, and control the rotational movement of the dynamic carrier based on the carrier rotation angle, (paragraph 0009, Motion input may be received from a motion sensor (e.g., as part of a motion controller) fixed in relation to a seat of a mechanical chair movable in at least two dimensions. The motion input data may comprise a first direction of tilt of the mechanical chair in at least two dimensions. Such tilt may be user-induced, such that motors or other mechanisms are not required to cause such tilt. The motion input data may additionally and/or alternatively comprise a first magnitude associated with the first direction of tilt. The motion input data may additionally and/or alternatively comprise a second magnitude associated with the first direction of tilt, wherein the second magnitude identifies an angle of rotation. The first magnitude may identify an angle of rotation. The first magnitude may identify an angular velocity. A resultant magnitude and a resultant direction to be applied within the XR environment may be determined based on the motion input data. The displayed XR environment may be updated by moving the user within the XR environment based on the resultant direction and the resultant magnitude. The resultant direction may be relatively opposite to the first direction of tilt. The at least two dimensions may comprise pitch and roll).
Board does not specifically disclose wherein the angle conversion function maps a virtual angle range to a carrier angle range in a nonlinear manner, such that the virtual rotation angle is within the virtual angle range and the carrier rotation angle is within the carrier angle range. However Iyer et al in at least paragraphs 0037 and 0039 discloses a VR equipment comprising a mapping module, wherein the mapping module may map the rotation angle to at least one action, wherein the action corresponds to at least one function of the mapping module 302 and/or of at least one application in the VR equipment 101. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the mapping method of Iyer et al with the system and method of Board in order to provide an improved and accurate method of mapping actions of the user to the VR environment.
Consider claim 9. Board teaches A virtual reality control method executed by a control device, (abstract).
the method comprising:
determining a virtual rotation angle corresponding to a virtual operation; (paragraph 0009, Motion input may be received from a motion sensor (e.g., as part of a motion controller) fixed in relation to a seat of a mechanical chair movable in at least two dimensions. The motion input data may comprise a first direction of tilt of the mechanical chair in at least two dimensions. Such tilt may be user-induced, such that motors or other mechanisms are not required to cause such tilt. The motion input data may additionally and/or alternatively comprise a first magnitude associated with the first direction of tilt. The motion input data may additionally and/or alternatively comprise a second magnitude associated with the first direction of tilt, wherein the second magnitude identifies an angle of rotation. The first magnitude may identify an angle of rotation. The first magnitude may identify an angular velocity. A resultant magnitude and a resultant direction to be applied within the XR environment may be determined based on the motion input data. The displayed XR environment may be updated by moving the user within the XR environment based on the resultant direction and the resultant magnitude. The resultant direction may be relatively opposite to the first direction of tilt. The at least two dimensions may comprise pitch and roll).
converting the virtual rotation angle into a carrier rotation angle using an angle conversion function; (paragraph 0009, Motion input may be received from a motion sensor (e.g., as part of a motion controller) fixed in relation to a seat of a mechanical chair movable in at least two dimensions. The motion input data may comprise a first direction of tilt of the mechanical chair in at least two dimensions. Such tilt may be user-induced, such that motors or other mechanisms are not required to cause such tilt. The motion input data may additionally and/or alternatively comprise a first magnitude associated with the first direction of tilt. The motion input data may additionally and/or alternatively comprise a second magnitude associated with the first direction of tilt, wherein the second magnitude identifies an angle of rotation. The first magnitude may identify an angle of rotation. The first magnitude may identify an angular velocity. A resultant magnitude and a resultant direction to be applied within the XR environment may be determined based on the motion input data. The displayed XR environment may be updated by moving the user within the XR environment based on the resultant direction and the resultant magnitude. The resultant direction may be relatively opposite to the first direction of tilt. The at least two dimensions may comprise pitch and roll).
and controlling the rotational movement of a dynamic carrier based on the carrier rotation angle, (Fig. 1 and paragraph 0030, The passive motion simulator 101 may be a seat or similar piece of furniture for supporting the user's body. The passive motion simulator 101 may be connected to a base such that, for example, it remains substantially on the ground and situates the passive motion simulator 101 in a comfortable position. The seat may be capable of tilting and/or turning in various directions, such as forwards and backwards (i.e., movable in pitch), side to side (i.e., movable in roll), turning from left to right, and/or up and down (i.e., along a Z-axis)).
Board does not specifically disclose wherein the angle conversion function maps a virtual angle range to a carrier angle range in a nonlinear manner, such that the virtual rotation angle is within the virtual angle range and the carrier rotation angle is within the carrier angle range. However Iyer et al in at least paragraphs 0037 and 0039 discloses a VR equipment comprising a mapping module, wherein the mapping module may map the rotation angle to at least one action, wherein the action corresponds to at least one function of the mapping module 302 and/or of at least one application in the VR equipment 101. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the mapping method of Iyer et al with the system and method of Board in order to provide an improved and accurate method of mapping actions of the user to the VR environment.
Claim(s) 2 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Board (pub # 20210046391) in view of Iyer et al (pub # 20170336878) as applied to claims 1 and 9 above, and further in view of Dimitrov et al (pub # 20170357327).
Consider claims 2 and 10. Board in view of Iyer et al does not specifically disclose wherein the virtual angle range is greater than the carrier range. However Dimitrov et al in at least paragraph 0023 discloses a virtual reality system wherein the user can have a larger range of motion in the virtual space, even if physical space around him/her is limited, thus the virtual range is greater than the real world range. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the virtual range of Board in view of Iyer et al to be greater than the real world range as disclosed by Dimitrov et al in order not to inhibit the user’s desired range of motion in the virtual world and provide a freer range of motion.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-8 and 11-16 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.
Consider claim 3. The prior art of record does not teach or render obvious The virtual reality control system of claim 1, further comprises a computing device that is connected to the control device, the computing device being configured to: determine multiple simulated rotation angles corresponding to multiple simulated operations, each simulated rotation angle being within a simulated angle range, define a normal angle range based on the frequency of occurrence of the simulated rotation angles, determine the carrier angle range and define a commonly used angle range within the carrier angle range, and define the angle conversion function based on the simulated angle range, the normal angle range, the carrier angle range, and the commonly used angle range.
Claims 4-7 are objected to due to their dependency from claim 3.
Consider claim 8. The prior art of record does not teach or render obvious The virtual reality control system of claim 1, further comprises a computing device that is configured to: determine multiple first simulated rotation angles corresponding to a first rotational axis and multiple second simulated rotation angles corresponding to a second rotational axis, wherein the first simulated rotation angles are within a first simulated angle range and the second simulated rotation angles are within a second simulated angle range; define a first normal angle range based on the frequency of occurrence of the first simulated rotation angles and a second normal angle range based on the frequency of occurrence of the second simulated rotation angles; determine a first carrier angle range and a second carrier angle range, and define a first commonly used angle range within the first carrier angle range and a second commonly used angle range within the second carrier angle range; define a first angle conversion function based on the first simulated angle range, the first normal angle range, the first carrier angle range, and the first commonly used angle range; and define a second angle conversion function based on the second simulated angle range, the second normal angle range, the second carrier angle range, and the second commonly used angle range.
Consider claim 11. The prior art of record does not teach or render obvious The method of claim 9, further comprising: determining multiple simulated rotation angles corresponding to multiple simulated operations, each simulated rotation angle being within a simulated angle range; defining a normal angle range based on the frequency of occurrence of the simulated rotation angles; determining the carrier angle range and defining a commonly used angle range within the carrier angle range; and defining the angle conversion function based on the simulated angle range, the normal angle range, the carrier angle range, and the commonly used angle range.
Claims 12-15 are objected to due to their dependency from claim 11.
Consider claim 16. The prior art of record does not teach or render obvious The method of claim 9, further comprising: determining multiple first simulated rotation angles corresponding to a first rotational axis and multiple second simulated rotation angles corresponding to a second rotational axis, wherein the first simulated rotation angles are within a first simulated angle range and the second simulated rotation angles are within a second simulated angle range; defining a first normal angle range based on the frequency of occurrence of the first simulated rotation angles and a second normal angle range based on the frequency of occurrence of the second simulated rotation angles; determining a first carrier angle range and a second carrier angle range, and define a first commonly used angle range within the first carrier angle range and a second commonly used angle range within the second carrier angle range; defining a first angle conversion function based on the first simulated angle range, the first normal angle range, the first carrier angle range, and the first commonly used angle range; and defining a second angle conversion function based on the second simulated angle range, the second normal angle range, the second carrier angle range, and the second commonly used angle range.
Claims 17-20 are allowed.
Consider claim 17. The prior art of record does not teach or render obvious A method for generating an angle conversion function executed by a computing device within a virtual reality control system, the method comprising: determining multiple simulated rotation angles corresponding to multiple simulated operations, each simulated rotation angle being within a simulated angle range, defining a normal angle range based on the frequency of occurrence of the simulated rotation angles, determining the carrier angle range and define a commonly used angle range within the carrier angle range, and defining the angle conversion function based on the simulated angle range, the normal angle range, the carrier angle range, and the commonly used angle range.
Claims 18-20 are allowed due to their dependency from claim 17.
Conclusion
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/CHAYCE R BIBBEE/Examiner, Art Unit 2624