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 .
Drawings
The drawings filed 8-13-25 have been accepted by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 3, 13, 14, and 17-20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 2, 13, and 18 have a minor typographical error, and each recite “third color filed” instead of “third color field” in line 11. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 3, 14, and 19 are dependent upon claims 2, 13, and 18, respectively, and so are objected to for the same reasons as discussed above.
Claim 17 has minor typographical error, and recites “causing the head-wearable device to present of the virtual object” in line 10. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 18-20 are dependent upon claim 17, and so are objected to for the same reasons as discussed above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4-7, 9-13, 15-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Hoffman (US 2015/0379772).
Regarding claim 1, Hoffman (Fig. 3, 6, and 7) discloses an extended-reality (XR) system, comprising:
one or more processors (304) communicatively coupled with:
a head-wearable device (100) for presenting a virtual object to a user of the head-wearable device (“an overlay image over an object viewed through a transparent display device” discussed in [0085]), and
one or more sensors (302) for detecting user motion data (“to detect and track a user's head movements” discussed in [0060]); and
memory (306) including executable instructions (“computer program instructions may be stored in a memory” discussed in [0046]) that, when executed by the one or more processors (the processors “executing computer program instructions” discussed in [0046]), cause the one or more processors to perform:
causing, at a first point in time, presentation of the virtual object by successively displaying a plurality of color fields (“display color sequentially” discussed in [0096]) including presenting a first color field (a red color field, called a red “color channel,” see “red, green, and blue color channels” discussed in [0097]) at a first display position of the head-wearable device and a second color field (a green color field) at the first display position of the head-wearable device (eg. as seen in Fig. 7B, the first and second color channels are both displayed at the same position) so that the virtual object is at a world-locked location as viewed by the user from a first perspective (eg. so that virtual object 604 is world-locked to real world object 602, as seen in Fig. 6B); and
in accordance with a determination, based on the user motion data, that misalignment criteria are satisfied for the virtual object (eg. “according to a difference between the sensor data used for rendering the oversized overlay image (e.g., position metadata) and sensor data corresponding to a recent or most recent sensor reading” as discussed in [0089], corresponding to “when there is a head movement” discussed in [0097]):
causing, at a second point in time, presentation of the virtual object by successively displaying the plurality of color fields including presenting one or more of the first color field and the second color field of the virtual object at a second display position of the head-wearable device (eg. as seen in Fig. 7B, at the time of the 2nd set of color channels, the position has shifted upwards), distinct from the first display position (as seen in Fig. 7B, each set of color channels are at a different and distinct position), so that the virtual object is at the world-locked location as viewed by the user from a second perspective (eg. the “aligning an overlay image over an object viewed through a transparent display device of a virtual or augmented reality display system according to tracked head movements from a perspective of the user” discussed in [0085]).
Regarding claim 12, Hoffman (Fig. 3, 6, and 7) discloses a method, comprising:
at a first point in time, causing a head-wearable device to present a virtual object by successively displaying a plurality of color fields (“display color sequentially” discussed in [0096]) including presenting a first color field (a red color field, called a red “color channel,” see “red, green, and blue color channels” discussed in [0097]) at a first display position of the head-wearable device and a second color field (a green color field) at the first display position of the head-wearable device (eg. as seen in Fig. 7B, the first and second color channels are both displayed at the same position) so that the virtual object is at a world-locked location as viewed by the user from a first perspective (eg. so that virtual object 604 is world-locked to real world object 602, as seen in Fig. 6B); and
in accordance with a determination, based on the user motion data obtained via one of more sensors (302), that misalignment criteria are satisfied for the virtual object (eg. “according to a difference between the sensor data used for rendering the oversized overlay image (e.g., position metadata) and sensor data corresponding to a recent or most recent sensor reading” as discussed in [0089], corresponding to “when there is a head movement” discussed in [0097]):
at a second point in time, causing the head-wearable device to present the virtual object by successively displaying the plurality of color fields including presenting one or more of the first color field and the second color field of the virtual object at a second display position of the head-wearable device (eg. as seen in Fig. 7B, at the time of the 2nd set of color channels, the position has shifted upwards), distinct from the first display position (as seen in Fig. 7B, each set of color channels are at a different and distinct position), so that the virtual object is at the world-locked location as viewed by the user from a second perspective (eg. the “aligning an overlay image over an object viewed through a transparent display device of a virtual or augmented reality display system according to tracked head movements from a perspective of the user” discussed in [0085]).
Regarding claim 17, Hoffman (Fig. 3, 6, and 7) discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (306) including instructions (“computer program instructions may be stored in a memory” discussed in [0046]) that, when executed by a computing device (processors 304 “executing computer program instructions” discussed in [0046]), cause the computing device to perform:
at a first point in time, causing a head-wearable device to present a virtual object by successively displaying a plurality of color fields (“display color sequentially” discussed in [0096]) including presenting a first color field (a red color field, called a red “color channel,” see “red, green, and blue color channels” discussed in [0097]) at a first display position of the head-wearable device and a second color field (a green color field) at the first display position of the head-wearable device (eg. as seen in Fig. 7B, the first and second color channels are both displayed at the same position) so that the virtual object is at a world-locked location as viewed by the user from a first perspective (eg. so that virtual object 604 is world-locked to real world object 602, as seen in Fig. 6B); and
in accordance with a determination, based on the user motion data obtained via one of more sensors (302), that misalignment criteria are satisfied for the virtual object (eg. “according to a difference between the sensor data used for rendering the oversized overlay image (e.g., position metadata) and sensor data corresponding to a recent or most recent sensor reading” as discussed in [0089], corresponding to “when there is a head movement” discussed in [0097]):
at a second point in time, causing the head-wearable device to present the virtual object by successively displaying the plurality of color fields including presenting one or more of the first color field and the second color field of the virtual object at a second display position of the head-wearable device (eg. as seen in Fig. 7B, at the time of the 2nd set of color channels, the position has shifted upwards) so that the virtual object is at the world-locked location as viewed by the user from a second perspective (eg. the “aligning an overlay image over an object viewed through a transparent display device of a virtual or augmented reality display system according to tracked head movements from a perspective of the user” discussed in [0085]).
Regarding claim 2, Hoffman discloses an XR system as discussed above, wherein:
the plurality of color fields includes a third color field (a blue color field, see “red, green, and blue color channels” discussed in [0097]);
causing, at the first point in time (eg. the first set of color channels seen in Fig. 7B), the presentation of the virtual object by successively displaying the plurality of color fields includes presenting
i) the first color field at the first display position of the head-wearable device (as discussed above, the red color channel on the left of Fig. 7B in the first set of color channels is at a first position),
ii) the second color field at the first display position of the head-wearable device (similarly, the green color channel is at the same first position in Fig. 7B), and
iii) the third color field at the first display position of the head-wearable device (similarly, the blue color channel is at the same first position in Fig. 7B) so that the virtual object is at the world-locked location as viewed by the user from the first perspective (as seen in Fig. 6B, virtual object 604 is locked to real object 602); and
causing, at the second point in time, the presentation of the virtual object by successively displaying the plurality of color fields includes presenting one or more of the first color field, the second color field, and the third color filed at the second display position of the head-wearable device (eg. as seen in Fig. 7B, at the time of the 2nd set of color channels, the position has shifted upwards, so each of the red, green, and blue color channels are at a different, second position) so that the virtual object is at the world-locked location as viewed by the user from a second perspective (eg. the “aligning an overlay image over an object viewed through a transparent display device of a virtual or augmented reality display system according to tracked head movements from a perspective of the user” discussed in [0085]).
Claims 13 and 18 are dependent upon claims 12 and 17 instead of claim 1, but otherwise recite claim limitations identical to those of claim 2, and so are rejected for the same reasons as discussed above.
Regarding claim 4, Hoffman discloses an XR system as discussed above, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to further perform:
in accordance with a determination, based on additional user motion data, that misalignment criteria are satisfied for the virtual object (similarly to as discussed above, corresponding to “when there is a head movement” at the time of a third frame, discussed in [0097]):
causing, at a third point in time, presentation of the virtual object by successively displaying the plurality of color fields including presenting one or more of the first color field and the second color field of the virtual object at a third display position of the head-wearable device (eg. as seen in Fig. 7B, at the time of the 3rd set of color channels, the position has shifted upwards, so each of the red, green, and blue color channels are at a different, third position) so that the virtual object is at the world-locked location as viewed by the user from a third perspective (eg. the “aligning an overlay image over an object viewed through a transparent display device of a virtual or augmented reality display system according to tracked head movements from a perspective of the user” discussed in [0085]).
Claims 15 and 20 are dependent upon claims 12 and 17 instead of claim 1, but otherwise recite claim limitations identical to those of claim 4, and so are rejected for the same reasons as discussed above.
Regarding claim 5, Hoffman discloses an XR system as discussed above, wherein each color field of the plurality of color fields is a distinct visible colors (as discussed above, the first color field is red, while the second color field is green).
Regarding claim 6, Hoffman discloses an XR system as discussed above, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to further perform:
determining the second display position of the head-wearable device based on, at least, the first display position of the head-wearable device (in 802, “head position/orientation may be measured by a sensor” discussed in [0104]) and the user motion data (“sensor data SEN corresponding to the most recent head position/orientation reading is compared with position data of the most recent image data to determine a position difference” discussed in [0107]).
Claim 16 is dependent upon claim 12 instead of claim 1, but otherwise recites claim limitations identical to those of claim 5, and so is rejected for the same reasons as discussed above.
Regarding claim 7, Hoffman discloses an XR system as discussed above, wherein the user motion data includes one or more of a head movement (“detect and track a user's head movements” discussed in [0060]) and an eye movement (this claim limitation is not being examined due to the alternative language “at least one of”).
Regarding claim 9, Hoffman discloses an XR system as discussed above, wherein the first display position of the head-wearable device and the second display position of the head-wearable device align the virtual object as viewed by the user from a second perspective (“the new or latest image is shifted (and/or cropped) according to the position difference” discussed in [0108] and “image displayed during the corresponding display frame may correspond to a more recent head position/orientation measurement” discussed in [0110]).
Regarding claim 10, Hoffman discloses an XR system as discussed above, wherein the virtual object is presented as part of an XR environment including one of an augmented-reality environment or mixed-reality environment that includes a visual of the user's real-world surroundings (seen in Fig. 6B, both the virtual object 604 and real world surroundings, including real object 602, are visible).
Regarding claim 11, Hoffman discloses an XR system as discussed above, wherein the head-wearable device is augmented-reality glasses or mixed-reality glasses (“head-mounted display (“HMD”) devices… such as glasses” discussed in [0002]).
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 3, 14, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoffman as applied to claims 2, 13, and 18 above, and further in view of Russell et al. (US 2012/0154370).
Regarding claim 3, Hoffman discloses an XR system as discussed above, wherein:
the plurality of color fields includes a fourth color field (“a fourth color channel” discussed in [0093]);
causing, at the first point in time (eg. the first set of color channels seen in Fig. 7B), the presentation of the virtual object by successively displaying the plurality of color fields includes presenting
i) the first color field at the first display position of the head-wearable device (as discussed above, the red color channel on the left of Fig. 7B in the first set of color channels is at a first position),
ii) the second color field at the first display position of the head-wearable device (similarly, the green color channel is at the same first position in Fig. 7B), and
iii) the third color field at the first display position of the head-wearable device (similarly, the blue color channel is at the same first position in Fig. 7B),
so that the virtual object is at the world-locked location as viewed by the user from the first perspective (as seen in Fig. 6B, virtual object 604 is locked to real object 602); and
causing, at the second point in time, the presentation of the virtual object by successively displaying the plurality of color fields includes presenting one or more of the first color field, the second color field, and the third color field at the second display position of the head-wearable device (eg. as seen in Fig. 7B, at the time of the 2nd set of color channels, the position has shifted upwards) so that the virtual object is at the world-locked location as viewed by the user from a second perspective (eg. the “aligning an overlay image over an object viewed through a transparent display device of a virtual or augmented reality display system according to tracked head movements from a perspective of the user” discussed in [0085]).
However, Hoffman only teaches wherein the fourth color field is an “alpha” field corresponding to a “fixed secondary image 606 at a fixed position on the display screen,” and so fails to teach or suggest the fourth color field being displayed at different positions and different points in time.
Russell discloses a head mounted display (see [0186]) using a field sequential color system in which each display frame includes a first color field, second color field, third color field, and a fourth color field (“the display may show color fields which are in addition to the usual red, green and blue color fields, such as white” and “treating the extra color as a fourth primary color” discussed in [0391]).
Therefore, the combination of Hoffman and Russell would provide an XR system wherein:
iv) the fourth color field at the first display position of the head-wearable device (eg. a fourth white color field, which is part of the first display frame as taught by Russel, would be displayed at the same first position as the first, second, and third color fields as seen in Fig. 7B of Hoffman); and
causing, at the second point in time (eg. the second display frame of Hoffman, shown second from the left in Fig. 7B), the presentation of the virtual object by successively displaying the plurality of color fields includes presenting one or more of the first color field, the second color field, the third color field, and the fourth color field at the second display position of the head-wearable device (Hoffman shows the first “red,” second “green,” and third “blue” color fields in the same position for the second display frame in Fig. 7B, and Russell teaches that each display frame can further include a fourth color field such as white) so that the virtual object is at the world-locked location as viewed by the user from a second perspective (eg. the “aligning an overlay image over an object viewed through a transparent display device of a virtual or augmented reality display system according to tracked head movements from a perspective of the user” discussed in [0085]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hoffman to include a fourth color field including a visible color that is part of the same display frame as the first three color fields as taught by Russell because adding white color fields can improve the brightness of a displayed image.
Claims 14 and 19 are dependent upon claims 13 and 18 instead of claim 2, but otherwise recite claim limitations identical to those of claim 3, and so are rejected for the same reasons as discussed above.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoffman as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of S et al. (US 2025/0259259).
Regarding claim 8, Hoffman discloses an XR system as discussed above, however fails to teach or suggest wherein the misalignment criteria includes one or more of an eye movement above a predetermined eye-movement threshold, a head movement above a predetermined head-movement threshold, and a combination thereof.
S (Fig. 4) discloses an XR system (402) wherein misalignment criteria for “adjusting” “color field(s)” (eg. a criteria of “upon detecting drastic head movement,” see [0097]) includes a head movement above a predetermined head-movement threshold (“compute a difference between the current head pose and the prior head pose. If the difference is less than or equal to a threshold difference, the visual analytics engine may determine that there is limited movement of the head of the user. If the difference is greater than the threshold difference, the visual analytics engine may determine that there is drastic movement of the head of the user” discussed in [0093]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hoffman so the misalignment criteria includes a head movement above a predetermined head-movement threshold as taught by S because this reduces the processing required when changing the position of the color fields is unnecessary.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Russell (US 2023/0005099) discloses an XR system with color fields that change positions based on a user’s movement (eg. see Fig. 5).
Biffle et al. (US 8,970,495) discloses an XR system with color fields that change positions based on a user’s movement (eg. see Fig. 9).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN M BLANCHA whose telephone number is (571)270-5890. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday, 9-5.
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/JONATHAN M BLANCHA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2623
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