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 Status
This Office Action is in response to communications filed on 5/12/2025. Claims 1-20 are pending for examination.
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.
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 non-obviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 2-3, 5, 7-9, 10-13, 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weston U.S. Patent Application Pub. 2019/0201806).
Regarding claim 1, Weston teaches a first embodiment of a show system (Figs 1-9, ¶024; system 100 for interactive smart environment based attractions; also see ¶049; In certain embodiments, the teachings of the present disclosure may additionally or alternatively be applied to “rides” such as rides at an amusement park. For example, the smart environment controller collects feedback from a user as the user passes through a smart room and provides reactive feedback to the user based on information determined or collected about the user or the group.) comprising:
a communicator (¶025 RFID contactless scanner in room 602, ¶025 RFID contactless scanner in room 604) configured to monitor a storage area positioned within an attraction (¶021; radio frequency identification device (RFID) sensors and the like may track users or occupants of the room and any input or feedback provided by them via, ¶025 RFID contactless scanner(s); and
a controller comprising a processor and a memory (Fig 1, smart environment or room controller 160 which may be executed on or with access to server 162 and data store 164), wherein the controller is configured to:
receive data from the communicator based on the communicator detecting an interactive object within the storage area (¶025; the smart controller controls and receives feedback from one or more of each of the sensors per descriptions below, FIGS. 3-6… user input may be received by one or more of a scanning device, such as an RFID contactless scanner);
determine a guest profile associated with the interactive object based on the data (¶026; scanning and user information detection capabilities may be connected to outside processes or databases that further determine information regarding the user and return that information to the smart room controller for additional processing; Examiner interprets outside processes or databases that further determine information regarding the user as a user profile); and
provide a command to present a special effect (have mummy attack them) at a location (attack occurring in later room after 602, for example 614) based at least on the guest profile (¶039; if a guest has earned a sword or dagger earlier in their experience, a digital, animatronic, or real life (operator dressed as a mummy) mummy may attack them; Examiner interprets earlier in their experience as being based on their previous experience in room 602 and the mummy attack upon them occurring in 614 for example).
Weston does not expressly mention whether or not the first embodiment includes a ride show system and a ride vehicle. However, Weston discloses in an alternate embodiment whereby the system may include a ride show system and a ride vehicle of an attraction (¶049; In certain embodiments, the teachings of the present disclosure may additionally or alternatively be applied to “rides” such as rides at an amusement park. For example, the smart environment controller collects feedback from a user as the user passes through a smart room and provides reactive feedback to the user based on information determined or collected about the user or the group. The ride can be dynamically changed, such as making a left turn, or a right turn depending on the user responses or collected or determined information). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing the invention to combine the first embodiment of a show system, as taught by Weston with the alternate embodiment wherein the system may include a ride show system and a ride vehicle of an attraction in order to operate the system in a smart environment for collecting user info as the user passes through smart rooms and provides reactive feedback to the user based on information determined or collected about the user or the group.
Regarding claim 2, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 1, and Weston further discloses wherein the controller is configured to query a database to determine the guest profile based on the data, and wherein the guest profile is associated with a user of the interactive object (¶026; scanning and user information detection capabilities may be connected to outside processes or databases that further determine information regarding the user and return that information to the smart room controller for additional processing; Examiner interprets outside processes or databases that further determine information regarding the user as a user profile).
Regarding claim 3, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 1, and Weston further teaches wherein the location (attack occurring in later room after 602, for example 614) is associated with a ride vehicle seat of the ride vehicle (¶039; if a guest has earned a sword or dagger earlier in their experience, a digital, animatronic, or real life (operator dressed as a mummy).
Regarding claim 5, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 1, and Weston teaches wherein the controller is configured to determine the location based on the communicator detecting the interactive object within the storage area (¶030; device tracking may be incorporated in the smart environment infrastructure and may relay information to a smart room controller and/or emerging technology can be used to determine a position of a user in a smart environment and may determine the users' position relative to other objects or other users in the environment).
Regarding claim 7, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 1, and Weston teaches wherein the storage area is integrated with a cabin the ride vehicle (¶021; radio frequency identification device (RFID) sensors and the like may track users or occupants of the room/vehicle via, ¶025 RFID contactless scanner(s)).
Regarding claim 9, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 1, and Weston teaches wherein the data comprises identification information of a user associated with the interactive object (¶026; scanning and user information detection capabilities may be connected to outside processes or databases that further determine information regarding the user and return that information to the smart room controller for additional processing; Examiner interprets outside processes or databases that further determine information regarding the user as a user profile).
Regarding claim 10, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 1, and Weston teaches wherein the controller is configured to update the guest profile based on one or more user selections, preferences, ride experiences, or a combination thereof associated with the attraction (¶213; once profile is created, learning software makes adjustments and additions as customer inputs more information).
Regarding claim 11, Weston teaches a first embodiment of a method comprising:
receiving, via a receiver, data from a communicator (¶021; radio frequency identification device (RFID) sensors and the like may track users or occupants of the room and any input or feedback provided by them via, ¶025 RFID contactless scanner(s)); configured to monitor a storage area positioned within an attraction, wherein the data is received based on the communicator detecting an interactive object within the storage area;
determining, via a processor, a special effect associated with a guest profile based on the data (¶035; if the guests have chosen an Egyptian pyramid adventure, images appear all around the room to make it seem like a fully dimensional room inside a pyramid); and
providing, via a transmitter, a command to present the special effect (have mummy attack them) at a location (attack occurring in later room after 602, for example 614) associated with a ride vehicle seat of the ride vehicle (¶039; if a guest has earned a sword or dagger earlier in their experience, a digital, animatronic, or real life (operator dressed as a mummy) based on the data and the guest profile.
Weston does not expressly mention whether or not the first embodiment includes a ride vehicle. However, Weston discloses in an alternate embodiment whereby the system may include a ride vehicle of an attraction (¶049; In certain embodiments, the teachings of the present disclosure may additionally or alternatively be applied to “rides” such as rides at an amusement park. For example, the smart environment controller collects feedback from a user as the user passes through a smart room and provides reactive feedback to the user based on information determined or collected about the user or the group. The ride can be dynamically changed, such as making a left turn, or a right turn depending on the user responses or collected or determined information). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing the invention to combine the first embodiment of a show system, as taught by Weston with the alternate embodiment wherein the system may include a ride vehicle of an attraction in order to operate the system in a smart environment for collecting user info as the user passes through smart rooms and provides reactive feedback to the user based on information determined or collected about the user or the group.
Regarding claim 12, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the method of claim 11, and Weston further discloses wherein the controller is configured to query a database to determine the guest profile based on the data, and wherein the guest profile is associated with a user of the interactive object (¶026; scanning and user information detection capabilities may be connected to outside processes or databases that further determine information regarding the user and return that information to the smart room controller for additional processing; Examiner interprets outside processes or databases that further determine information regarding the user as a user profile).
Regarding claim 13, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the method of claim 11, and Weston further discloses wherein the data comprises location information indicative of the location and identification information associated with the guest profile of a user of the interactive object (¶030; device tracking may be incorporated in the smart environment infrastructure and may relay information to a smart room controller and/or emerging technology can be used to determine a position of a user in a smart environment and may determine the users' position relative to other objects or other users in the environment).
Regarding claim 15, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the method of claim 13, wherein the guest profile comprises one or more guest preferences associated with the user (¶213; once profile is created, learning software makes adjustments and additions as customer inputs more information), and wherein the method comprises determining the special effect (have mummy attack them) based at least on the one or more guest preferences (¶039; if a guest has earned a sword or dagger earlier in their experience, a digital, animatronic, or real life (operator dressed as a mummy) mummy may attack them; Examiner interprets earlier in their experience as being based on their previous experience in room 602 and the mummy attack upon them occurring in 614 for example).
Regarding claim 16, Weston teaches an embodiment of a ride show system (¶049; In certain embodiments, the teachings of the present disclosure may additionally or alternatively be applied to “rides” such as rides at an amusement park) comprising:
a ride vehicle (¶049; ride vehicle inferred) comprising:
a position on or in the ride vehicle, wherein the position configured to be occupied by a guest
(¶049; the smart environment controller collects feedback from a user as the user passes through a smart room and provides reactive feedback to the user based on information determined or collected about the user or the group. The ride can be dynamically changed, such as making a left turn, or a right turn depending on the user responses or collected or determined information).
Weston is silent on the remainder of the claim in the embodiment above. In another embodiment Weston teaches a storage area associated with the position (¶021; radio frequency identification device (RFID) sensors and the like may track users or occupants of the room and any input or feedback provided by them) and configured to store an interactive object associated with the guest (¶025; the smart controller controls and receives feedback from one or more of each of the sensors per descriptions below, FIGS. 3-6… user input may be received by one or more of a scanning device, such as an RFID contactless scanner);
a communicator (¶025 RFID contactless scanner in room 602, ¶025 RFID contactless scanner in room 604) configured to detect the interactive object within the storage area (¶025; the smart controller controls and receives feedback from one or more of each of the sensors per descriptions below, FIGS. 3-6… user input may be received by one or more of a scanning device, such as an RFID contactless scanner); and
a controller comprising a processor and a memory (Fig 1, smart environment or room controller 160 which may be executed on or with access to server 162 and data store 164), wherein the controller is configured to:
receive identification information associated with the interactive object from the communicator (¶025);
determine a special effect based on the identification information (¶035; if the guests have chosen an Egyptian pyramid adventure, images appear all around the room to make it seem like a fully dimensional room inside a pyramid); and
provide a command to present the special effect (have mummy attack them) at a location (attack occurring in later room after 602, for example 614) associated with the position (¶039; if a guest has earned a sword or dagger earlier in their experience, a digital, animatronic, or real life (operator dressed as a mummy). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing the invention to combine the first embodiment of a ride show system, as taught by Weston with the alternate embodiment wherein the system may include the remainder of the claimed items, as outlined above for a given attraction in order to operate the system in a smart environment for collecting user info as the user / vehicle passes through smart rooms and provides reactive feedback to the user based on information determined or collected about the user or the group.
Regarding claim 17, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 16, and Weston further teaches wherein the controller is configured to:
receive location information from the communicator (¶025; the smart controller controls and receives feedback from one or more of each of the sensors per descriptions below, FIGS. 3-6… user input may be received by one or more of a scanning device, such as an RFID contactless scanner); and
determine the location based on the location information (¶030; device tracking may be incorporated in the smart environment infrastructure and may relay information to a smart room controller and/or emerging technology can be used to determine a position of a user in a smart environment and may determine the users' position relative to other objects or other users in the environment).
Regarding claim 18, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 16, and Weston further teaches, wherein the controller is configured to:
access a guest profile associated with the guest based on the identification information (¶026; scanning and user information detection capabilities may be connected to outside processes or databases that further determine information regarding the user and return that information to the smart room controller for additional processing; Examiner interprets outside processes or databases that further determine information regarding the user as a user profile); and
determine the special effect based on accessing the guest profile (¶039; if a guest has earned a sword or dagger earlier in their experience, a digital, animatronic, or real life (operator dressed as a mummy) mummy may attack them; Examiner interprets earlier in their experience as being based on their previous experience in room 602 and the mummy attack upon them occurring in 614 for example).
Regarding claim 19, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 18, and Weston further teaches wherein the controller is configured to link the guest profile to the location associated with the position based in part on receiving the identification information associated with the interactive object (¶026; scanning and user information detection capabilities may be connected to outside processes or databases that further determine information regarding the user and return that information to the smart room controller for additional processing; Examiner interprets outside processes or databases that further determine information regarding the user as a user profile).
.
Regarding claim 20, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 16, and Weston further teaches comprising a charger within the storage area and configured to provide power to the interactive object based on the interactive object being within the storage area (Examiner interprets RFID reader(s) as a charger in the same context as claimed).
Claims 4, 6 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weston U.S. Patent Application Pub. 2019/0201806) in view of Kilian (U.S. Patent Application Pub. 2012/0211397).
Regarding claims 4, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 3, and Weston further teaches wherein the area is configured to be accessible by a user occupying the ride vehicle seat (Fig 6; previous room 602 for example).
Weston is silent on the storage area being configured to be accessible by a user occupying the ride vehicle seat. Kilian teaches the concept wherein a storage area comprises one or more sets of lockers (18i-1, 18k-1). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing the invention to combine the ride show system of Weston with the concept wherein the storage area is configured to be accessible by a user occupying the ride vehicle seat, as taught by Kilian, in order to have smaller compartments in addition to the rooms / rides for user convenience.
Regarding claim 6, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 1, but Weston is silent on wherein the storage area comprises signal shielding to block wireless communications that do not come from the communicator.
Kilian from an analogous art teaches the concept wherein a first storage area comprises signal shielding to block wireless communications that do not come from a first communicator (¶097; this shielding reduces the risk of impairments of the communication by external interference sources… shielding makes it possible to operate an RFID system with several containers 10 parallel and in the spatial vicinity without the communications taking place in the individual containers having a mutual adverse effect). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing the invention to combine wherein a first storage area comprises signal shielding to block wireless communications, as taught by Kilian in order to operate the system with several containers 10 parallel and in the spatial vicinity without the communications taking place in the individual containers having a mutual adverse effect.
Regarding claims 14, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 3, and Weston further teaches wherein the area is configured to be accessible by a user occupying the ride vehicle seat (Fig 6; previous room 602 for example).
Weston is silent on the storage area being configured to be accessible by a user occupying the ride vehicle seat. Kilian teaches the concept wherein a storage area comprises one or more sets of lockers (18i-1, 18k-1). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing the invention to combine the ride show system of Weston with the concept wherein the storage area is configured to be accessible by a user occupying the ride vehicle seat, as taught by Kilian, in order to have smaller compartments in addition to the rooms / rides for user convenience.
Claim 8, is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Weston (U.S. Patent Application Pub. 2019/0201806) in view of Husney et al. (U.S. Patent Application Pub. 2012/0240191).
Regarding claim 8, Weston in combined embodiments teaches the ride show system of claim 1, but Weston is silent on wherein the communicator is configured to use near-field communication (NFC) to receive the data from the interactive object. Husney from an analogous art teaches the concept of using a nearfield communications link with an intermediary device to send identifying information (¶018). Husney also mentions to join a network, thermostat device 101 communicates with an intermediary device, such as cellular telephone 104, using nearfield communication (¶021). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing the invention to combine the entertainment system of Weston with the concept wherein the first communicator is configured to use near-field communication (NFC) to read the information, as taught by Husney simply as an alternative technology means between compatible device and/or to simplify communications by lessening the required devices needed for operation.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MANCIL H LITTLEJOHN JR whose telephone number is (571)270-3718. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5 (CST).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Quan-Zhen Wang can be reached at (571) 272-3114. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MANCIL LITTLEJOHN JR/ Examiner, Art Unit 2685
/QUAN ZHEN WANG/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2685
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