DETAILED ACTION
This is a first office action in response to Application No. 19/220,044 originally filed on 05/27/2025, in which claims 1 - 20 are presented 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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP §§ 706.02(l)(1) - 706.02(l)(3) for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
Claims 1 - 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 - 20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,340,083. Although the claims at issue are not identical, the claims are not patentably distinct from each other because the patent and the current application are claiming common subject matter, as follows:
Comparing the current application with Patent No. 12,340,083 as below:
Current Application No. 19/220,044
Patent No. 12,340,083
Claim 1, A key function execution method, applied to a key function execution system, the method comprising:
displaying a virtual keyboard, the virtual keyboard comprising a first region and a second region, the first region and the second region respectively comprising at least two keys, the first region corresponding to a left hand, and the second region corresponding to a right hand;
displaying, in response to detecting that a hand is in a target gesture, a cursor at a first position according to a biometric feature of the target gesture, the biometric feature indicating whether the hand is the left hand or the right hand and at least one finger of the hand forming the target gesture, the first position being in a region corresponding to the biometric feature in the virtual keyboard, the first position being a position corresponding to the biometric feature;
displaying, in response to the hand making a movement while keeping the target gesture, that the cursor moves with the movement of the hand; and
executing, in response to a change in a gesture of the hand, a function of a key corresponding to a second position of the virtual keyboard, the second position being a position where the cursor is located when the gesture of the hand changes.
Claim 1, A key function execution method, applied to a key function execution system, the method comprising:
displaying a virtual keyboard, the virtual keyboard comprising a first region and a second region, the first region and the second region each comprising at least two keys, the first region and the second region each comprising a plurality of subregions, the first region corresponding to a left hand, and the second region corresponding to a right hand, each of the plurality of subregions corresponding to a respective non-thumb finger;
displaying, in response to detecting that a hand is in a target gesture, a cursor at a first position of the virtual keyboard according to a biometric feature of the target gesture, the biometric feature indicating the target gesture is formed by a non-thumb finger of the hand and a thumb of the hand, the first position being in a subregion of a region, the region corresponding to the hand, the subregion corresponding to the non-thumb finger;
displaying, in response to the hand making a movement while keeping the target gesture, that the cursor moves with the movement of the hand; and
executing, in response to a change in a gesture of the hand, a function of a key corresponding to a second position of the virtual keyboard, the second position being a position where the cursor is located when the gesture of the hand changes.
Claim 2, The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying a cursor at a first position according to a biometric feature of the target gesture, the first position being located in a region corresponding to the biometric feature in the virtual keyboard comprises:
displaying, in response to the biometric feature indicating that the hand is the left hand, the cursor at a target position in the first region in the virtual keyboard; and
displaying, in response to the biometric feature indicating that the hand is the right hand, the cursor at a target position in the second region in the virtual keyboard.
Claim 2, The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying the cursor at the first position of the virtual keyboard according to the biometric feature of the target gesture, the first position being located in the subregion of the region corresponding to the biometric feature comprises:
displaying, in response to the biometric feature indicating that the hand is the left hand, the cursor at a target position in the first region in the virtual keyboard; or
displaying, in response to the biometric feature indicating that the hand is the right hand, the cursor at a target position in the second region in the virtual keyboard.
Claim 3, The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying a cursor at a first position according to a biometric feature of the target gesture comprises:
displaying, in response to the biometric feature indicating that the hand is the left hand and the target gesture is formed by a first finger and a thumb of the hand, the cursor at a target position in a subregion corresponding to the first finger in the first region; and
displaying, in response to the biometric feature indicating that the hand is the right hand and the target gesture is formed by a second finger and a thumb of the hand, the cursor at a target position in a subregion corresponding to the second finger in the second region.
Claim 3, The method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying the cursor at the first position of the virtual keyboard according to the biometric feature of the target gesture comprises:
displaying, in response to the biometric feature indicating that the hand is the left hand and the target gesture is formed by a first non-thumb finger and the thumb of the hand, the cursor at a target position in a first subregion corresponding to the first non-thumb finger in the first region; or
displaying, in response to the biometric feature indicating that the hand is the right hand and the target gesture is formed by a second non-thumb finger and the thumb of the hand, the cursor at a target position in a second subregion corresponding to the second non-thumb finger in the second region.
Claim 4, The method according to claim 2, wherein the target position is a central position of a region.
Claim 4, The method according to claim 3, wherein the target position is a central position of the first subregion or the second subregion.
Claim 5, The method according to claim
1, wherein the displaying, in response to
the hand making a movement while
keeping the target gesture, that the cursor
moves with the movement of the hand
comprises:
acquiring, in response to the
hand making the movement while
keeping the target gesture, displacement
of the hand;
determining a third position
according to the first position and the
displacement of the hand; and
displaying that the cursor moves from
the first position to the third position.
Claim 5, The method according to claim
1, wherein the displaying, in response to
the hand making a movement while
keeping the target gesture, that the
cursor moves with the movement of the
hand comprises:
acquiring, in response to the hand
making the movement while keeping the
target gesture, displacement of the hand;
determining a third position according
to the first position and the displacement
of the hand; and
displaying that the cursor moves from
the first position to the third position.
Claim 6, The method according to claim
1, wherein the executing a function of a
key corresponding to a second position of
the virtual keyboard comprises any one of
the following:
inputting, in response to the
key corresponding to the second position
being a character key, a character
represented by the key corresponding to
the second position into an input box or a
character display region of the virtual
keyboard;
deleting, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a delete key, a last character in the
input box or character display region of
the virtual keyboard;
displaying, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a new line key, that an input cursor
in the input box of the virtual keyboard
changes to next line; and
taking, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a confirm key, content inputted in
the input box of the virtual keyboard as
target content, and canceling the display
of the virtual keyboard.
Claim 6, The method according to claim
1, wherein the executing a function of a
key corresponding to a second position
of the virtual keyboard comprises any
one of the following:
inputting, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a character key, a character
represented by the key corresponding to
the second position into an input box or
a character display region of the virtual
keyboard;
deleting, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a delete key, a last character in
the input box or character display region
of the virtual keyboard;
displaying, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a new line key, that an input cursor
in the input box of the virtual keyboard
changes to next line; and
taking, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a confirm key, content inputted in
the input box of the virtual keyboard as
target content, and canceling the display
of the virtual keyboard.
Claim 7, The method according to claim
1, wherein the method further comprises:
displaying, in response to a character
combination inputted in the character
display region of the virtual keyboard has
a corresponding candidate non-English
character, the candidate non-English
character within a target range of the
character display region.
Claim 7, The method according to claim
1, wherein the method further comprises:
displaying, in response to a character
combination inputted in the character
display region of the virtual keyboard has
a corresponding candidate non-English
character, the candidate non-English
character within a target range of the
character display region.
Claim 8, The method according to claim
1, wherein the virtual keyboard further
comprises at least one virtual control; and
the method further comprises:
displaying, in response to detecting
that the hand is not in the target gesture
and the hand moves, that the cursor
moves with the movement of the hand;
and
executing, in response to detecting
that the hand makes a target action and
the cursor is located on a target virtual
control in the at least one virtual control, a
function corresponding to the target
virtual control.
Claim 8, The method according to claim
1, wherein the virtual keyboard further
comprises at least one virtual control;
and the method further comprises:
displaying, in response to detecting
that the hand is not in the target gesture
and the hand moves, that the cursor
moves with the movement of the hand;
and
executing, in response to detecting
that the hand makes a target action and
the cursor is located on a target virtual
control in the at least one virtual control,
a function corresponding to the target
virtual control.
Claim 9, The method according to claim
8, wherein the executing a function
corresponding to the target virtual control
comprises:
switching, in response to the target
virtual control being a switch control for
uppercase input and lowercase input, a
character displayed in the virtual
keyboard between an uppercase input
character and a lowercase input
character;
switching, in response to the target
virtual control being a switch control for
symbol input and letter input, the
character displayed in the virtual
keyboard between a letter and a symbol;
and
switching, in response to the target
virtual control being a switch control for
Chinese input and English input, a
character input mode of the virtual
keyboard between Chinese input and
English input.
Claim 9, The method according to claim
8, wherein the executing a function
corresponding to the target virtual control
comprises:
switching, in response to the
target virtual control being a switch
control for uppercase input and
lowercase input, a character displayed in
the virtual keyboard between an
uppercase input character and a
lowercase input character;
switching, in response to the target
virtual control being a switch control for
symbol input and letter input, the
character displayed in the virtual
keyboard between a letter and a symbol;
and
switching, in response to the target
virtual control being a switch control for
Chinese input and English input, a
character input mode of the virtual
keyboard between Chinese input and
English input.
Claim 10, The method according to claim
9, wherein the executing a function
corresponding to the target virtual control
further comprises:
updating display content of the target
virtual control, the updated display
content being consistent with the
switching of the character in the virtual
keyboard or the switching of the character
input mode.
Claim 10, The method according to
claim 9, wherein the executing a function
corresponding to the target virtual control
further comprises:
updating display content of the target
virtual control, the updated display
content being consistent with the
switching of the character in the virtual
keyboard or the switching of the
character input mode.
Claim 11, A key function execution
system, the system comprising an
electronic device, a gesture tracking
sensor, and a display device; the gesture
tracking sensor and the display device
being connected to the electronic device
respectively; wherein:
the display device is configured to
display a virtual keyboard, the virtual
keyboard comprising a first region and a
second region, the first region and the
second region respectively comprising at
least two keys, the first region
corresponding to a left hand, and the
second region corresponding to a right
hand;
the gesture tracking sensor is
configured to detect that a hand is in a
target gesture;
the display device is further configured
to display, in response to detecting that
the hand is in the target gesture, a cursor
at a first position according to a biometric
feature of the target gesture, the biometric feature indicating whether the hand is the left hand or the right hand and at least one finger of the hand forming the target
gesture, the first position being located in
a region corresponding to the biometric
feature in the virtual keyboard, the first
position being a position corresponding to
the biometric feature;
the gesture tracking sensor is further
configured to detect that the hand makes
a movement while keeping the target
gesture;
the display device is further configured
to display, in response to the hand
making a movement while keeping the
target gesture, that the cursor moves with
the movement of the hand; and
the electronic device is configured to
execute, in response to a change in a
gesture of the hand, a function of a key
corresponding to a second position of the
virtual keyboard, the second position
being a position where the cursor is
located when the gesture of the hand
changes.
Claim 11, A key function execution
system, the system comprising an
electronic device, a gesture tracking
sensor, and a display device; the gesture
tracking sensor and the display device
being connected to the electronic device
respectively; wherein:
the display device is configured to
display a virtual keyboard, the virtual
keyboard comprising a first region and a
second region, the first region and the
second region each comprising at least
two keys, the first region and the second
region each comprising a plurality of
subregions, the first region
corresponding to a left hand, and the
second region corresponding to a right
hand, each of the plurality of
subregions corresponding to a
respective non-thumb finger;
the gesture tracking sensor is
configured to detect that a hand is in a
target gesture;
the display device is further
configured to display, in response to
detecting that the hand is in the target
gesture, a cursor at a first position of the
virtual keyboard according to a
biometric feature of the target gesture,
the biometric feature indicating the target
gesture is formed by a non-thumb
finger of the hand and a thumb of the
hand, the first position being located in a
subregion of a region, the region
corresponding to the hand, the
subregion corresponding to the non-
thumb finger;
the gesture tracking sensor is further
configured to detect that the hand makes
a movement while keeping the target
gesture;
the display device is further
configured to display, in response to the
hand making a movement while keeping
the target gesture, that the cursor moves
with the movement of the hand; and
the electronic device is configured to
execute, in response to a change in a
gesture of the hand, a function of a key
corresponding to a second position of
the virtual keyboard, the second position
being a position where the cursor is
located when the gesture of the hand
changes.
Claim 12, The system according to claim
11, wherein the display device is further
configured to:
display, in response to the
biometric feature indicating that the hand
is the left hand, the cursor at a target
position in the first region in the virtual
keyboard; and
display, in response to the biometric
feature indicating that the hand is the right
hand, the cursor at a target position in the
second region in the virtual keyboard.
Claim 12, The system according to claim
11, wherein the display device is further
configured to:
display, in response to the biometric
feature indicating that the hand is the left
hand, the cursor at a target position in
the first region in the virtual keyboard; or
display, in response to the biometric
feature indicating that the hand is the
right hand, the cursor at a target position
in the second region in the virtual
keyboard.
Claim 13, The system according to claim
11, wherein the display device is further
configured to:
display, in response to the biometric
feature indicating that the hand is the
left hand and the target gesture is formed
by a first finger and a thumb of the hand,
the cursor at a target position in a
subregion corresponding to the first finger
in the first region; and
display, in response to the biometric
feature indicating that the hand is the right
hand and the target gesture is formed by
a second finger and a thumb of the hand,
the cursor at a target position in a
subregion corresponding to the second
finger in the second region.
Claim 13, The system according to claim
11, wherein the display device is further
configured to:
display, in response to the biometric
feature indicating that the hand is the left
hand and the target gesture is formed by
a first non-thumb finger and the thumb
of the hand, the cursor at a target
position in a first subregion
corresponding to the first non-thumb
finger in the first region; or
display, in response to the biometric
feature indicating that the hand is the
right hand and the target gesture is
formed by a second non-thumb finger
and the thumb of the hand, the cursor at
a target position in a second subregion
corresponding to the second non-thumb
finger in the second region.
Claim 14, The system according to claim
12, wherein the target position is a central
position of a region.
Claim 14, The system according to claim
13, wherein the target position is a
central position of the first subregion or
the second subregion.
Claim 15, The system according to claim
11, wherein:
the gesture tracking sensor is
configured to acquire, in response to the
hand making the movement while
keeping the target gesture, displacement
of the hand;
the electronic device is further
configured to determine a third position
according to the first position and the
displacement of the hand; and
the display device is further configured
to display that the cursor moves from the
first position to the third position.
Claim 15, The system according to claim
11, wherein:
the gesture tracking sensor is
configured to acquire, in response to
the hand making the movement while
keeping the target gesture, displacement
of the hand;
the electronic device is further
configured to determine a third
position according to the first position
and the displacement of the hand; and
the display device is further
configured to display that the cursor
moves from the first position to the third
position.
Claim 16, The system according to claim
11, wherein the electronic device is
further configured to perform any one of
the following:
inputting, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a character key, a character
represented by the key corresponding to
the second position into an input box or a
character display region of the virtual
keyboard;
deleting, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a delete key, a last character in the
input box or character display region of
the virtual keyboard;
displaying, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a new line key, that an input cursor
in the input box of the virtual keyboard
changes to next line; and
taking, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a confirm key, content inputted in
the input box of the virtual keyboard as
target content, and canceling the display
of the virtual keyboard.
Claim 16, The system according to claim
11, wherein the electronic device is
further configured to perform any one of
the following:
inputting, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a character key, a character
represented by the key corresponding to
the second position into an input box or
a character display region of the virtual
keyboard;
deleting, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a delete key, a last character in
the input box or character display region
of the virtual keyboard;
displaying, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a new line key, that an input cursor
in the input box of the virtual keyboard
changes to next line; and
taking, in response to the key
corresponding to the second position
being a confirm key, content inputted in
the input box of the virtual keyboard as
target content, and canceling the display
of the virtual keyboard.
Claim 17, The system according to claim
11, wherein the display device is further
configured to:
display, in response to a character
combination inputted in the character
display region of the virtual keyboard has
a corresponding candidate non-English
character, the candidate non-English
character within a target range of the
character display region.
Claim 17, The system according to claim
11, wherein the display device is further
configured to:
display, in response to a character
combination inputted in the character
display region of the virtual keyboard has
a corresponding candidate non-English
character, the candidate non-English
character within a target range of the
character display region.
Claim 18, The system according to claim
11, wherein:
the virtual keyboard further comprises
at least one virtual control;
the display device is further configured
to display, in response to detecting that
the hand is not in the target gesture and
the hand moves, that the cursor moves
with the movement of the hand; and
the electronic device is further
configured to execute, in response to
detecting that the hand makes a target
action and the cursor is located on a
target virtual control in the at least one
virtual control, a function corresponding to
the target virtual control.
Claim 18, The system according to claim
11, wherein:
the virtual keyboard further comprises
at least one virtual control;
the display device is further
configured to display, in response to
detecting that the hand is not in the
target gesture and the hand moves, that
the cursor moves with the movement of
the hand; and
the electronic device is further
configured to execute, in response to
detecting that the hand makes a target
action and the cursor is located on a
target virtual control in the at least one
virtual control, a function corresponding
to the target virtual control.
Claim 19, The system according to claim
11, wherein the display device is a virtual
reality (VR) display device or a screen
display.
Claim 19, The system according to claim
11, wherein the display device is a virtual
reality (VR) display device or a screen
display.
Claim 20, A non-transitory computer-
readable storage medium, the storage
medium storing at least one computer
program, the at least one computer
program being loaded and executed by a
processor to implement:
displaying a virtual keyboard, the
virtual keyboard comprising a first region
and a second region, the first region and
the second region respectively
comprising at least two keys, the first
region corresponding to a left hand, and
the second region corresponding to a
right hand;
displaying, in response to detecting
that a hand is in a target gesture, a cursor
at a first position according to a biometric
feature of the target gesture, the biometric feature indicating whether the hand is the left hand or the right hand and at least one finger of the hand forming the target
gesture, the first position being in a region
corresponding to the biometric feature in
the virtual keyboard, the first position
being a position corresponding to the
biometric feature;
displaying, in response to the hand
making a movement while keeping the
target gesture, that the cursor moves with
the movement of the hand; and
executing, in response to a change in
a gesture of the hand, a function of a key
corresponding to a second position of the
virtual keyboard, the second position
being a position where the cursor is
located when the gesture of the hand
changes.
Claim 20, A non-transitory computer-
readable storage medium, the storage
medium storing at least one computer
program, the at least one computer
program being loaded and executed by a
processor to implement:
displaying a virtual keyboard, the
virtual keyboard comprising a first region
and a second region, the first region and
the second region each comprising at
least two keys, the first region and the
second region each comprising a
plurality of subregions, the first region
corresponding to a left hand, and the
second region corresponding to a right
hand, each of the plurality of
subregions corresponding to a
respective non-thumb finger;
displaying, in response to detecting
that a hand is in a target gesture, a
cursor at a first position of the virtual
keyboard according to a biometric
feature of the target gesture, the
biometric feature indicating the target
gesture is formed by a non-thumb
finger of the hand and a thumb of the
hand, the first position being in a
subregion of a region, the region
corresponding to the hand, the
subregion corresponding to
the non-thumb finger;
displaying, in response to the hand
making a movement while keeping the
target gesture, that the cursor moves
with the movement of the hand; and
executing, in response to a change in
a gesture of the hand, a function of a key
corresponding to a second position of
the virtual keyboard, the second position
being a position where the cursor is
located when the gesture of the hand
changes.
Contact Information
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Sosina Abebe whose telephone number is (571) 270-7929. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Friday from 9:00-5:30 If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's Supervisor, Temesghen Ghebretinsae can be reached on (571) 272-3017. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/S.A/Examiner, Art Unit 2626
/TEMESGHEN GHEBRETINSAE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2626 1/27/26