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 .
The preliminary amendment filed 02/23/2026 is acknowledged and made of record. Claims 197-227 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/09/2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, all the references in the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner
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 nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 197-198, 224-227 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Califano et al. (US 2024/0073663) in view of Hsu (US 2011/0317399).
As to Claim 197, Califano et al. discloses A computer system configured to communicate with one or more display generation components and one or more input devices, comprising:
one or more processors (fig.1, 2A-B,3-5; device 110/210 (e.g. assistive device) may include at least one processor, a transceiver and a display; para.0046, 0051); and memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors (para.0046,0058,0061-0063,0065), the one or more programs including instructions for:
displaying, via the one or more display generation components, a user interface with a visual effect with a first appearance (fig.1,2A-B, user device 204 displays variable data 207A,207B,207C; para.0051);
detecting, via the one or more input devices, a change in position of a person relative to the one or more display generation components (fig.1- 6; para.0011,0049,0051-0052,0064,0074; device 210 may include controller 216, which determines via a proximity detection subsystem whether the two devices 210 and 204 are within presence detection area 214); and
in response to detecting the change in the position of the person relative to the one or more display generation components, displaying, via the one or more display generation components, the user interface with a change in the visual effect (fig.2A-2B, 3,5-7; para.0054,0079-0080; detects when user 202 enters the detection area 214 and may modify the display 205 of user device 204) and wherein:
in accordance with a determination that the change in position of the person is a first change, displaying the change in the visual effect includes displaying the visual effect with a first updated appearance that is different from the first appearance (fig.2A-2B, 3; para.0054, 0080; detects when user 202 enters the detection area 214 and may modify the display 205 of user device 204, displaying different data elements and may display data elements in a different size); and
in accordance with a determination that the change in position of the person is a second change that is different from the first change, displaying the change in the visual effect includes displaying the visual effect with a second updated appearance that is different from the first appearance and the first updated appearance (fig.2A-B,3,5; para.0056, when user 202 exits the presence detection area 214, UI management is no longer available).
Califano et al. does not expressly disclose displaying the change in the visual effect includes displaying the visual effect with a second updated appearance that is different from the first appearance and the first updated appearance.
Hsu discloses displaying the change in the visual effect includes displaying the visual effect with a second updated appearance that is different from the first appearance and the first updated appearance (fig.1-2, visual presentation 14 changes based on the viewing angle; para.0020-0021,0023,0025).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Califano et al. with the teachings of Hsu, such that the visual presentation of the display is changed based on the viewing angle of the user. The motivation being to provide power consumption or privacy of the user while operating the device in public environments.
As to Claim 198, Califano et al. in view of Hsu disclose wherein: the first change in position is to a first updated position (Califano- fig.2A-2B- when user enters presence detection area 214);
the second change in position is to a second updated position that is different from the first updated position (Hsu- fig.1, user may change viewing angle position); the first updated position (Califano-fig.2A-B- user within presence detection area 214; Hsu-fig.1, user may be directly in front of the display) is between an initial position (Califano-fig.2A-user is outside the presence detection area 214) and the second updated position (Hsu-fig.1-2, user is not directly in front of the display, is positioned at a second different viewing angle); and a respective characteristic of the first updated appearance is between a respective characteristic of the first appearance and a respective characteristic of the second updated appearance (Califano-fig.2B-display 205 display different data element may have a different size, and or format and or location; Hsu-fig.1.- second updated appearance is degraded).
As to Claim 226 has limitations similar to those of Claim 1 and are met by the references as set forth above
As to Claim 227 is a method claim drawn to the apparatus of Claim 1 and is rejected for the reasons set forth above.
As to Claim 224, Califano et al. in view of Hsu disclose wherein: the change in the visual effect is non-linear with respect to the change in position of the person (Califano-fig.2A-B,6; Hsu-fig.1-2).
As to Claim 225, Califano et al. in view of Hsu disclose wherein the visual effect includes a color region that responds to movement of the person (Hsu-fig.1-2; para.0019,0021).
Claim(s) 199-203 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Califano et al. (U S2024/0073663) in view of Hsu (US 2011/0317399), further in view of Wan et al. (US 2023/0114043).
As to Claim 199, Califano et al. in view of Hsu do not expressly disclose, but Wan et al. discloses: wherein the visual effect includes a simulated reflection (para.0041,0187-0190).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device disclosed by Califano et al. in view of Hsu, with the teachings of Wan et al. to provide user interface interaction with virtual/augmented reality environment.
As to Claim 200, Califano et al. in view of Hsu, as modified by Wan et al. disclose wherein the simulated reflection includes a simulated specular highlight (para.0041, 0187-0190).
As to Claim 201, Califano et al. in view of Hsu, as modified by Wan et al. disclose wherein wherein the simulated reflection includes a first component that translates in a first direction as the position of the person changes in the first direction (Hsu-fig.1-2-visual presentation changes in different viewing angle of the user; Wan-fig.7N-7O-para.0211,0214- change in depth when gaze changes from region 7054-d to 7054-b).
As to Claim 202, Califano et al. in view of Hsu, as modified by Wan et al. disclose wherein the simulated reflection includes a second component that changes in the first direction and in a second direction that is different from the first direction as the position of the person changes in the first direction and in the second direction (su-fig.1-2-visual presentation changes in different viewing angle of the user; Wan-fig.7N-7O-para.0211,0214- change in depth when gaze changes from region 7054-d to 7054-b and may change in opposite direction).
As to Claim 203, Califano et al. in view of Hsu, as modified by Wan et al. disclose wherein the simulated reflection that includes a second component that changes in the first direction and in the second direction is based on a position of a simulated light source (Wan-para.0189,0198).
Claim(s) 211 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Califano et al. (U S2024/0073663) in view of Hsu (US 2011/0317399), further in view of Mao (US 2016/0042566).
As to Claim 211, Califano et al. in view of Hsu do not expressly disclose, but Mao discloses: wherein the user interface with the visual effect includes an element that appears partially transparent relative to a background element (para.0076- if a user is in the middle of a fight, graphical elements unrelated to the fight may be discarded, grayed out, made transparent, etc., to reduce their visual impact on the user).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device disclosed by Califano et al. in view of Hsu, with the teachings of Mao, to reduce their visual impact on the user.
Claim(s) 212-213 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Califano et al. (U S2024/0073663) in view of Hsu (US 2011/0317399), further in view of O’Neil et al. (US 2024/0404496).
As to Claim 212, Califano et al. in view of Hsu, do not expressly disclose, but O’Neil et al. discloses: wherein the user interface with the visual effect includes background content that is animated (para.0036, video content may be generated based on video feed content 106, where the video feed content may be modified to include video effects, such as a background animation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device disclosed by Califano et al. in view of Hsu, with the teachings of O’Neil et al., to provide video effects thereby enhancing user experience.
As to Claim 213, Califano et al. in view of Hsu, as modified by O’Neil et al. disclsoe wherein the background content is animated based on a respective change in position of the person relative to the one or more display generation components (Califano-figs.2A-B, user enters presence detection area; Hsu-fig.1-2, visual presentation of content is changed based on viewer angle; O’Neil-para.0036, animated background may be implemented).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 204-210, 214-223 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:
Claim 204 is allowable over the prior art of record since the cited references alone or in combination do not teach or suggest “after displaying the user interface with the change in the visual effect, in response to a determination that a condition is met, ceasing display of the change in the visual effect” along with the other limitations in the claim.
Claim 214 is allowable over the prior art of record since the cited references alone or in combination do not teach or suggest “wherein displaying the user interface includes: displaying, via the one or more display generation components, a simulated material that is overlaid on a background, wherein: the visual effect is applied to the simulated material; and an appearance of the background affects an appearance of the simulated material’ along with the other limitations in the claim.
Conclusion
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/DISMERY MERCEDES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627
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