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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in Korean parent Applications Nos. KR10-2023-0097742, filed on July 26, 2023 and KR10-2023-0117552, filed on September 5, 2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on January 26, 2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Peleg et al., United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2023/0135787 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Peleg discloses a wearable device (Figs. 1-6, generally) comprising:
a plurality of sensors (Figs. 3-4, sensors interface, #470; Detailed Description, [0126]);
a display (Figs. 3-4, display, #452);
memory including one or more storage media storing instructions (Figs. 4, memory device, #411; Detailed Description, [0114-0126]); and
at least one processor including processing circuitry, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively (Fig. 4, processing device, #460; Detailed Description, [0125]), cause the wearable device to:
identify a first input with respect to a location separated from all of a plurality of virtual objects by using a first sensor among the plurality of sensors (Detailed Description, [0122], “Input interface 430, shown in FIG. 4, is assumed to have similar functionality as the functionality of input interface 330 described above in detail. In this case, input interface 430 may communicate with an image sensor to obtain gesture input 431 (e.g., a finger of user 100 pointing to a virtual object), communicate with other XR units 204 to obtain virtual input 432 (e.g., a virtual object shared with XR unit 204 or a gesture of avatar detected in the virtual environment), communicate with a microphone to obtain audio input 433 (e.g., voice commands), and communicate with input unit 202 to obtain UI input 434 (e.g., virtual content determined by virtual content determination module 315). “; See also DD, [0235-0245]);
identify, based on a second input with respect to the location that is identified based on the first sensor within a preset duration after identifying the first input, at least one virtual object among the plurality of virtual objects that is adjacent to the location (Detailed Description, [0212] [0649-0662], “For example, the data reflecting the change associated with the virtual object may be received from another local software application, from a local sensor, from a remote software application, from a remote sensor, from a remote processing device, and so forth. Additionally or alternatively, the change associated with the virtual object may be scheduled (e.g., expiration of a timer for a clock application associated with the virtual object, an upcoming scheduled event for a calendar application associated with the virtual object, or a scheduled transmission of an email for an email application associated with the virtual object). The data reflecting the change associated with the virtual object may be received from an application associated with (e.g., underlying, supporting, or corresponding to) the virtual object or from any other desired entity.”); and
display, on the display, a visual object indicating a third input that corresponds to a function of the at least one virtual object and is identifiable by a second sensor among the plurality of sensors (Detailed Description, [0215-0220], “Thus, the termination of the first time period may be based on detecting an internal and/or external event. For example, a timer issuing an alert at a predefined hour, or a microphone sensing a child returning home from school may be used to determine the termination of the first time period. As another example, an application invoked by the wearer, or the receiving of a notification from another computing device (e.g., an email or electronic message) detected by an event listener may be used to determine the termination of the first time period…., processing device 460 (FIG. 4) may analyze the notification and determine to terminate the first time period and initiate the second time period. Processing device 460 may switch the duty cycle for displaying virtual content on virtual screen 112 to correspond to duty cycle configuration 612, e.g., for the second time period, for example to allow user 100 to prepare for the meeting.”; See also Detailed Description, [0649-0662]).
Regarding claim 2, Peleg further discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the wearable device to identify, based on property information of the at least one virtual object, the second sensor to be used for receiving the third input based on the second sensor among the plurality of sensors (Detailed Description, [0215-0220], “Thus, the termination of the first time period may be based on detecting an internal and/or external event. For example, a timer issuing an alert at a predefined hour, or a microphone sensing a child returning home from school may be used to determine the termination of the first time period. As another example, an application invoked by the wearer, or the receiving of a notification from another computing device (e.g., an email or electronic message) detected by an event listener may be used to determine the termination of the first time period…., processing device 460 (FIG. 4) may analyze the notification and determine to terminate the first time period and initiate the second time period. Processing device 460 may switch the duty cycle for displaying virtual content on virtual screen 112 to correspond to duty cycle configuration 612, e.g., for the second time period, for example to allow user 100 to prepare for the meeting.”; See also Detailed Description, [0649-0662]).
Regarding claim 3, Peleg further discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the wearable device to identify, based on the second input, the at least one virtual object adjacent to the location by comparing distances between the plurality of virtual objects and the location (see Detailed Description, [0444-0473], “ Image 2910 shows the virtual objects as seen in the extended reality environment. Image 2910 includes a virtual depiction 2912 of a puzzle cube, a virtual depiction 2914 of a volleyball, and a virtual depiction 2916 of a vase of flowers. As shown in image 2910, the relative sizes of virtual depictions 2912, 2914, and 2916 may vary depending on the virtual distance the virtual object is from the user. The term “virtual distance,” as used herein, represents a distance between virtual objects displayed in the extended reality environment, or a distance between the user or the wearable extended reality appliance and a virtual object displayed in the extended reality environment”; See also Detailed Description, [0343])
Regarding claim 4, Peleg discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the wearable device to identify the distances based on three-dimensional coordinate values of the location and three-dimensional coordinate values assigned to the plurality of virtual objects, and wherein the at least one virtual object is positioned adjacent to the location on the display based on three-dimensional coordinate values assigned to the at least one virtual object (see Detailed Description, [0444-0473], “ Image 2910 shows the virtual objects as seen in the extended reality environment. Image 2910 includes a virtual depiction 2912 of a puzzle cube, a virtual depiction 2914 of a volleyball, and a virtual depiction 2916 of a vase of flowers. As shown in image 2910, the relative sizes of virtual depictions 2912, 2914, and 2916 may vary depending on the virtual distance the virtual object is from the user. The term “virtual distance,” as used herein, represents a distance between virtual objects displayed in the extended reality environment, or a distance between the user or the wearable extended reality appliance and a virtual object displayed in the extended reality environment”; See also Detailed Description,[0257-0264] [0343]).
Regarding claim 5, Peleg discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the wearable device to:
identify the first input including a hand gesture of a user wearing the wearable device by using sensor data of the first sensor which is an image sensor (Detailed Description, [0257-0264], “or example, a processing device may detect an IR signal of an electronic pointer maneuvered by a user. Alternatively, an image and/or motion sensor (e.g., image sensor 472 and/or motion sensor 373 of FIG. 4) may detect a pointing gesture by a user. In one example, the movement of the pointer may be indicative of a desire of the user to cause the specific virtual object to move from the virtual display to the extended reality environment. In one example, the movement of the pointer may be indicative of the specific virtual object and/or of a desired position in the extended reality environment for the specific virtual object.”); and
display the visual object including a text corresponding to a speech associated with the function based on the second sensor which is a microphone (Figs. 3-4, audio sensor, #471; Detailed Description, [0106-0111][0193], “ For example, audio data captured using an audio sensor included in the wearable extended reality appliance may be analyzed (for example, using a speech recognition algorithm) to determine whether the person is verbally interacting with the wearer”; See also Detailed Description, [0307][0392-0394], “In another example, if a user enters text (for example, through voice, through a virtual keyboard, through a physical keyboard, etc.) while a specific application is in focus, the text may be directed to the specific application.”).
Regarding claim 6, Peleg discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the wearable device to display, in a state identifying the hand gesture based on the sensor data of the first sensor, a line extended from a hand performing the hand gesture to the location on the display (Detailed Description, [0160], “. The term “area of focus” may include a region or zone surrounding a point associated with a line of sight (e.g., detected via an eye tracker), a head pose (e.g., angle, orientation, and/or inclination detected via an inertial measurement sensor), a gaze, or a region of an electronic display (e.g., a window, widget, document, image, application, or any other displayed element) selected for example via a keyboard, electronic pointing device controlling a cursor, voice command, tracked gesture (e.g., head, hand or any other type of gesture), eye tracking apparatus, or any other means for selecting a displayed element. The area of focus may include a shape (e.g., circle, square, ellipse, or any other geometric shape) surrounding or a document or application associated with a point corresponding to the line-of-sight of the wearer, or a position of the cursor.”; See also Detailed Description, [0486][0516]; See also Fig. 12-13).
Regarding claim 7, Peleg discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the wearable device to display the visual object in a location adjacent to the at least one virtual object displayed on the display (see Figs. 5-6, Detailed Description, [0224-0254], “ Some embodiments involve receiving input for causing a specific virtual object from the group of virtual objects to move from the virtual display to the extended reality environment…the input may be a user input, e.g., requesting to move the specific widget”; See also Detailed Description, [0339]).
Regarding claim 8, Peleg discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the wearable device to display the visual object based on the second input that is identified after an identification of the first input with respect to the location, which is a first location, and is identified in a second location apart from all of the plurality of virtual objects, the second location being included in a preset range from the first location (See inter alia, Detailed Description, [0163][0196], “For example, the duty cycle configuration may be based on a distance and/or orientation of the virtual object relative to the wearable extended reality appliance, on the size of the virtual object, on an optical property of the virtual object (e.g., color, luminance, opacity, pixel intensity), and any other visual property of the virtual object.”; See also Detailed Description, [247-0255]).
Regarding claim 9, Peleg disclose method of a wearable device (See Figs. 1-25, particularly Figs. 9, 18 and 25) comprising the functional and structural limitations of claim 1.
Thus, claim 9 is rejected in the same manner as claim 1.
Regarding claim 10, this is met by the rejection to claim 2.
Regarding claim 11, this is met by the rejection to claim 3.
Regarding claim 12, this is met by the rejection to claim 4.
Regarding claim 13, this is met by the rejection to claim 5.
Regarding claim 14, this is met by the rejection to claim 6.
Regarding claim 15, this is met by the rejection to claim 7.
Regarding claim 16, this is met by the rejection to claim 8.
Regarding claim 17, Peleg discloses a wearable device (Figs. 1-6, generally) comprising:
a plurality of sensors (Figs. 3-4, sensors interface, #470; Detailed Description, [0126]);
a display (Figs. 3-4, display, #452);
memory including one or more storage media storing instructions (Figs. 4, memory device, #411; Detailed Description, [0114-0126]); and
at least one processor including processing circuitry, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively (Fig. 4, processing device, #460; Detailed Description, [0125]), cause the wearable device to:
obtain, based on identifying a first input with respect to a first location in a virtual space provided through the display by using the one or more sensors, whether a virtual object is identified at the first location (Detailed Description, [0122], “Input interface 430, shown in FIG. 4, is assumed to have similar functionality as the functionality of input interface 330 described above in detail. In this case, input interface 430 may communicate with an image sensor to obtain gesture input 431 (e.g., a finger of user 100 pointing to a virtual object), communicate with other XR units 204 to obtain virtual input 432 (e.g., a virtual object shared with XR unit 204 or a gesture of avatar detected in the virtual environment), communicate with a microphone to obtain audio input 433 (e.g., voice commands), and communicate with input unit 202 to obtain UI input 434 (e.g., virtual content determined by virtual content determination module 315). “; See also DD, [0195-0200] [0235-0245]);
execute, in a first state identifying a first virtual object at the first location, a first function, indicated by the first input, assigned to the first virtual object (Fig. 6, Detailed Description, [0201-210]; See also Detailed Description, [0715-0725] and Figs. 55B);
identify, in a second state different from the first state, a second virtual object positioned at a second location in the virtual space adjacent to the first location based on identifying a second input with respect to the first location (See Fig. 6, Virtual widgets, #114A-D adjacent to one another; Detailed Description,[0085-0100] [0201-0220]; See also Detailed description, [0715-0735] and Figs. 55-57); and
display a visual object including a text for calling a second function that is executable based on the second virtual object on the display (See Fig. 6, Virtual widgets, #114A-D adjacent to one another; Detailed Description,[0085-0100] [0201-0220], “By way of a non-limiting example, turning to FIG. 6, display region 604 may include virtual widget 114C providing daily weather updates as graphic content, and virtual widget 114D providing minute-by-minute text notifications”; See also Detailed description, [0715-0735] and Figs. 55-57).
Regarding claim 18, Peleg discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the wearable device to display the visual object based on identifying the second input within a preset duration after identifying the first input (Detailed Description, [0212][0649-0662], “For example, the data reflecting the change associated with the virtual object may be received from another local software application, from a local sensor, from a remote software application, from a remote sensor, from a remote processing device, and so forth. Additionally or alternatively, the change associated with the virtual object may be scheduled (e.g., expiration of a timer for a clock application associated with the virtual object, an upcoming scheduled event for a calendar application associated with the virtual object, or a scheduled transmission of an email for an email application associated with the virtual object). The data reflecting the change associated with the virtual object may be received from an application associated with (e.g., underlying, supporting, or corresponding to) the virtual object or from any other desired entity.”);.
Regarding claim 19, Peleg discloses the device further comprising a microphone, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the wearable device to determine, based on audio data obtained by using the microphone of which a state is switched to an enabled state while displaying the visual object, whether a speech including the text is received (Figs. 3-4, audio sensor, #471; Detailed Description, [0106-0111][0193], “ For example, audio data captured using an audio sensor included in the wearable extended reality appliance may be analyzed (for example, using a speech recognition algorithm) to determine whether the person is verbally interacting with the wearer”; See also Detailed Description, [0307][0392-0394], “In another example, if a user enters text (for example, through voice, through a virtual keyboard, through a physical keyboard, etc.) while a specific application is in focus, the text may be directed to the specific application.”).
Regarding claim 20, Peleg discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, further cause the wearable device to display the visual object in a third location of the display adjacent to the second virtual object (see Figs. 5-6, Detailed Description, [0224-0254], “ Some embodiments involve receiving input for causing a specific virtual object from the group of virtual objects to move from the virtual display to the extended reality environment…he input may be a user input, e.g., requesting to move the specific widget”; See also Detailed Description, [0339]).
Other References
The following references are also cited as pertinent on the PTO-892 but may not be specifically relied upon in this Action:
Choi et al (US 10,911,818 B2);
Yamamoto et al. (US 2018/0158250 A1)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KWIN XIE whose telephone number is (571)272-7812. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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/KWIN XIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2626
