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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/25/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims, Applicant argues:
“Applicant respectfully submits that the combination of the EVANGELIDIS in view of OZTIRELI fails to render obvious at least the claimed feature of "reducing, by the first host, the second pose data of the plurality of second joints based on a first base joint of the plurality of second joints" of claim 1” (see remarks filed 05/25/2026); the Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Claim 1 recites:
A method for reducing data amount, comprising:
tracking, by a first host, a first pose data of each of a plurality of first joints on a first body part, wherein the first body part comprises a first extension portion having a plurality of second joints among the plurality of first joints;
converting, by the first host, the first pose data of each of the plurality of first joints into a second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints with respect to a reference joint among the plurality of first joints;
reducing, by the first host, the second pose data of the plurality of second joints based on a first base joint of the plurality of second joints;
generating, by the first host, a plurality of first data points by feeding the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints into an encoder of an autoencoder; and
transmitting, by the first host, the plurality of first data points. (Emphasis added to highlight “the second pose data”).
As seen above, the reduced second pose data is not used in any limitations within the claims. Generation of “a plurality of first data points” is based on converting of the first pose data into second pose data and not on the reduced second pose data. Therefore, “reducing, by the first host, the second pose data of the plurality of second joints based on a first base joint of the plurality of second joints” given the broadest reasonable interpretation set forth in claim limitations refers to various computation and algorithms of the first host of the second pose data including specific joint determination. The step of reducing as well as what the reduced second pose data is used for are not provided and therefore does not limit the claim outside of this interpretation.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1,2,7,9-12,17,20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EVANGELIDIS et al (US 2024/0288946) in view of OZTIRELI et al (US 2020/0334828).
Regarding claim 1, EVANGELIDIS discloses a method for reducing data amount (abstract), comprising: tracking, by a first host, a first pose data of each of a plurality of first joints on a first body part, wherein the first body part comprises a first extension portion having a plurality of second joints among the plurality of first joints (Figure 4A-4E; paragraph 79-83; image capture of user hand including hand and finger joints); converting, by the first host, the first pose data of each of the plurality of first joints into a second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints with respect to a reference joint among the plurality of first joints (Figure 4A-4E; paragraph 28-31, 84-86; identification of somatic points within captured image); reducing, by the first host, the second pose data of the plurality of second joints based on a first base joint of the plurality of second joints (paragraph 87-91; identification of individual segments of hand); generating, by the first host, a plurality of first data points by feeding the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints into an encoder ((paragraph 87-91; wireless transmission would require encoding of some form); and transmitting, by the first host, the plurality of first data points (paragraph 77, 88-90, 95). However, EVANGELIDIS does not expressly disclose generating, by the first host, a plurality of first data points by feeding the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints into an encoder of an autoencoder. In a similar field of endeavor, OZTIRELI discloses generating, by the first host, a plurality of first data points by feeding the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints into an encoder of an autoencoder (paragraph 39, 58). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify EVANGELIDIS to include the teachings of OZTIRELI, since the use of autoencoders are well known and conventional in the art and allow reduction of large datasets to provide relevant data. Furthermore, as both inventions are analogous, such a modification would provide additional pose determinations based on those disclosed by OZTIRELI.
Regarding claim 2, see the rejections of the parent claim concerning the subject matter this claim is dependent upon. EVANGELIDIS further discloses wherein the first body part is a hand of a user of the first host, the first extension portion is a finger on the hand (Figure 5C).
Regarding claim 7, see the rejections of the parent claim concerning the subject matter this claim is dependent upon. EVANGELIDIS further discloses wherein the first body part further comprises a second extension portion having a plurality of third joints among the plurality of first joints, and the method further comprises: reducing, by the first host, the second pose data of the plurality of third joints based on a second base joint of the plurality of third joints (paragraph 87-91).
Regarding claim 9, see the rejections of the parent claim concerning the subject matter this claim is dependent upon. The combination of EVANGELIDIS and OZTIRELI further discloses further comprising: receiving, by a second host, the plurality of first data points; determining, by the second host, the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints by feeding the plurality of first data points into a decoder of the autoencoder (EVANGELIDIS - Figure 5A-5C; paragraph 88-90; OZTIRELI - paragraph 39, 58; EVANGELIDIS discloses decoding of transmitted data, OZTIRELI disclose use of autoencoder during joint determination); rebuilding, by the second host, the first pose data of each of the plurality of first joints based on the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints (EVANGELIDIS - Figure 5A-5C; paragraph 88-90); and controlling, by the second host, a visual content based on the rebuilt first pose data of each of the plurality of first joints (EVANGELIDIS - Figure 5A-5C; paragraph 88-90).
Regarding claim 10, see the rejections of the parent claim concerning the subject matter this claim is dependent upon. EVANGELIDIS further discloses receiving, by a server, the plurality of first data points (paragraph 50, 88); and forwarding, by the server, the plurality of first data points (paragraph 50, 88).
Regarding claim 11, EVANGELIDIS discloses a system for reducing data amount (abstract), comprising: a first host, configured to perform: tracking a first pose data of each of a plurality of first joints on a first body part, wherein the first body part comprises a first extension portion having a plurality of second joints among the plurality of first joints (Figure 4A-4E; paragraph 79-83; image capture of user hand including hand and finger joints); converting, by the first host, the first pose data of each of the plurality of first joints into a second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints with respect to a reference joint among the plurality of first joints (Figure 4A-4E; paragraph 28-31, 84-86; identification of somatic points within captured image); reducing, by the first host, the second pose data of the plurality of second joints based on a first base joint of the plurality of second joints (paragraph 87-91; identification of individual segments of hand); generating, by the first host, a plurality of first data points by feeding the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints into an encoder ((paragraph 87-91; wireless transmission would require encoding of some form); and transmitting, by the first host, the plurality of first data points (paragraph 77, 88-90, 95). However, EVANGELIDIS does not expressly disclose generating, by the first host, a plurality of first data points by feeding the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints into an encoder of an autoencoder. In a similar field of endeavor, OZTIRELI discloses generating, by the first host, a plurality of first data points by feeding the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints into an encoder of an autoencoder (paragraph 39, 58). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify EVANGELIDIS to include the teachings of OZTIRELI, since the use of autoencoders are well known and conventional in the art and allow reduction of large datasets to provide relevant data. Furthermore, as both inventions are analogous, such a modification would provide additional pose determinations based on those disclosed by OZTIRELI.
Regarding claim 12, see the rejections of the parent claim concerning the subject matter this claim is dependent upon. EVANGELIDIS further discloses wherein the first body part is a hand of a user of the first host, the first extension portion is a finger on the hand (Figure 5C).
Regarding claim 17, see the rejections of the parent claim concerning the subject matter this claim is dependent upon. EVANGELIDIS further discloses wherein the first body part further comprises a second extension portion having a plurality of third joints among the plurality of first joints, and the method further comprises: reducing, by the first host, the second pose data of the plurality of third joints based on a second base joint of the plurality of third joints (paragraph 87-91).
Regarding claim 19, see the rejections of the parent claim concerning the subject matter this claim is dependent upon. The combination of EVANGELIDIS and OZTIRELI further discloses further comprising: receiving, by a second host, the plurality of first data points; determining, by the second host, the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints by feeding the plurality of first data points into a decoder of the autoencoder (EVANGELIDIS - Figure 5A-5C; paragraph 88-90; OZTIRELI - paragraph 39, 58; EVANGELIDIS discloses decoding of transmitted data, OZTIRELI disclose use of autoencoder during joint determination); rebuilding, by the second host, the first pose data of each of the plurality of first joints based on the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints (EVANGELIDIS - Figure 5A-5C; paragraph 88-90); and controlling, by the second host, a visual content based on the rebuilt first pose data of each of the plurality of first joints (EVANGELIDIS - Figure 5A-5C; paragraph 88-90).
Regarding claim 20, see the rejections of the parent claim concerning the subject matter this claim is dependent upon. EVANGELIDIS further discloses receiving, by a server, the plurality of first data points (paragraph 50, 88); and forwarding, by the server, the plurality of first data points (paragraph 50, 88).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6, 8, 13-16, 18 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 3, 4, 13 and 14, Prior Art fails to disclose wherein the first pose data of each of the plurality of first joints comprises a position component, and converting the first pose data of each of the plurality of first joints into the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints with respect to the reference joint among the plurality of first joints comprises: determining a first coordinate system, wherein the reference joint is used as an origin in the first coordinate system; determining a third pose data of each of the plurality of first joints in the first coordinate system based on a relative pose between the reference point and each of the plurality of first joints; and determining the second pose data of each of the plurality of first joints by normalizing the position component in the third pose data of each of the plurality of first joints based on a reference length.
Regarding claim 5, 6, 15 and 16, Prior Art fails to disclose wherein reducing the second pose data of the plurality of second joints based on the first base joint of the plurality of second joints comprises: determining a second coordinate system associated with the first extension portion, wherein the first base joint of the plurality of second joints is used as an origin in the second coordinate system associated with the first extension portion; determining a fourth pose data of each of the plurality of second joints in the second coordinate system associated with the first extension portion based on a relative rotation between the first base joint and each of the plurality of second joints, wherein the fourth pose data of each of the plurality of second joints comprises a plurality of rotation components; and determining the reduced second pose data of each of at least one first interphalangeal joint of the plurality of second joints by removing at least a part of the plurality of rotation components in the fourth pose data of each of the at least one first interphalangeal joint
Regarding claim 8 and 18, Prior Art fails to disclose wherein reducing the second pose data of the plurality of third joints based on the second base joint of the plurality of third joints comprises: determining a third coordinate system associated with the second extension portion, wherein the second base joint of the plurality of third joints is used as an origin in the third coordinate system associated with the second extension portion; determining a fifth pose data of each of the plurality of third joints in the third coordinate system associated with the second extension portion based on a relative pose between the second base joint and each of the plurality of third joints, wherein the fifth pose data of each of the plurality of third joints comprises a plurality of rotation components; and determining the reduced second pose data of each of at least one second interphalangeal joint of the plurality of third joints by removing at least a part of the plurality of rotation components in the fifth pose data of each of the at least one second interphalangeal joint.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/ARIEL A BALAOING/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624
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