Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2024-09-03)

CLAIMS:
Listing of Claims:

AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMSThis listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listings of claims in the application.

1\. (Currently Amended) An apparatus for controlling haptic feedback, the apparatus comprising:at least one memory; and
at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured to:
obtain environmental information indicative of an environment of the apparatus from at least one sensor, wherein the environmental information comprises at least one of ambient audio information of the environment, device information that identifies other wireless devices proximate to the apparatus, luminance information, information indicating that at least one person has entered or exited the environment, or image data;
determine a context associated with the apparatus based on the environmental information; and
determine haptic feedback for output by the apparatus based on the context.
2\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, to determine the haptic feedback of the apparatus based on the context, the at least one processor is configured to:
determine an amount of noise associated with the haptic feedback based on a surface in contact with the apparatus.
3\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, to determine the haptic feedback of the apparatus based on the context, the at least one processor is configured to:
determine an amount of noise associated with haptic feedback that an application will emit during execution of the application.
4\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the amount of noise associated with the haptic feedback that the application will emit is further based on at least one setting associated with the application.

5\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:identify applications that are configured to output notifications with haptic feedback; and
adjust haptic feedback associated with notifications of at least a portion of the applications.
6\. (Canceled).

7\. (Currently Amended) The apparatus of claim \[\[6\]\]1, wherein, to determine the context, the at least one processor is configured to at least one of:determine whether the ambient audio information is below a threshold for a period of time;
determine a quantity of acoustic devices for outputting audio within a particular distance of the apparatus;
determine a spectral quality of the ambient audio information;
determine a quantity of computing devices that are within a particular distance of the apparatus; or determine a number of people that are within a particular distance of the apparatus.

8\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:obtain a location of the apparatus using a location sensor.

9\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:determine a maximum noise level associated with the haptic feedback based on the context associated with the apparatus.

10\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one processor is configured to decrease the haptic feedback of the apparatus to reduce noise associated with the haptic feedback to be less than the maximum noise level associated with the haptic feedback.

11\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

determine a minimum noise level associated with the haptic feedback based on the context associated with the apparatus.

12\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to increase the haptic feedback of the apparatus to increase noise associated with the haptic feedback to be more than the minimum noise level associated with the haptic feedback.

13\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:adjust an audio volume output of an audio device based on the context and the haptic feedback.

14\. (Currently Amended) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:based on a determination of the haptic feedback for output by the apparatus based on the context, obtain additional environmental information from the atleast one sensor indicating a change associated with the environment of the apparatus;
determine a second context associated with the apparatus based on the additional environmental information; and
determine a second haptic feedback for output by the apparatus based on the second context.

15\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of feedback events, wherein a first feedback event of the plurality of feedback events comprises activating one or more haptic actuators based on a first parameter of the haptic feedback, and wherein a second feedback event of the plurality of feedback events comprises activating the one or more haptic actuators based on a second parameter of the haptic feedback.

16\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is configured to at least one of:modify the first parameter of the haptic feedback associated with the first feedback event based on the context; or

modify the second parameter of the haptic feedback associated with the second feedback event based on the context.

17\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first parameter of the haptic feedback is associated with at least one of a magnitude of the haptic feedback, a duty cycle of the haptic feedback, a duration of the haptic feedback, or a period of the haptic feedback.

18\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the second parameter of the haptic feedback is associated with preventing actuation of at least one haptic actuator of the one or more haptic actuators.

19\. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a mobile device.

20\. (Currently Amended) A method for controlling haptic feedback, comprising:obtaining environmental information indicative of an environment of a computing device from at least one sensor, wherein the environmental information comprises at least one of ambient audio information of the environment, device information that identifies other wireless devices proximate to the computing device, luminance information, information indicating that at least one person has entered or exited the environment, or image data;
determining a context associated with the computing device based on the environmental information; and
determining haptic feedback for output by the computing device based on the context.

21\. (Original) The method of claim 20, wherein determining the haptic feedback of the computing device based on the context comprises:determining an amount of noise associated with the haptic feedback based on a surface in contact with the computing device.

22\. (Original) The method of claim 20, wherein determining the haptic feedback of the computing device based on the context comprises:

Response to Non-Final Office Action of April 9, 2024 determining an amount of noise associated with haptic feedback that an application will emit during execution of the application.

23\. (Original) The method of claim 20, further comprising:identifying applications that are configured to output notifications with haptic feedback;
and adjusting haptic feedback associated with notifications of at least a portion of the applications.

24\. (Canceled).

25\. (Currently Amended) The method of claim \[\[24\]\]20, wherein determining the context comprises at least one of:determining whether the ambient audio information is below a threshold for a period of time;
determining a quantity of acoustic devices for outputting audio within a particular distance of the computing device;
determining a spectral quality of the ambient audio information;
determining a quantity of computing devices that are within a particular distance of the computing device; or determining a number of people that are within a particular distance of the computing device.

26\. (Original) The method of claim 20, further comprising:determining a maximum noise level associated with the haptic feedback based on the context associated with the computing device; and
decreasing the haptic feedback of the computing device to reduce noise associated with the haptic feedback to be less than the maximum noise level associated with the haptic feedback.

27\. (Original) The method of claim 20, further comprising:

determining a minimum noise level associated with the haptic feedback based on the context associated with the computing device; and
increasing the haptic feedback of the computing device to increase noise associated with the haptic feedback to be more than the minimum noise level associated with the haptic feedback.

28\. (Original) The method of claim 20, further comprising:adjusting an audio volume output of an audio device based on the context and the haptic feedback.

29\. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 20, further comprising:after determining the haptic feedback for output by the computing device based on the context, obtaining additional environmental information from the at least one sensor indicating a change associated with the environment of the computing device;determining a second context associated with the computing device based on the additional environmental information; and
determining a second haptic feedback for output by the computing device based on the second context.

30\. (Original) The method of claim 20, wherein the computing device includes a plurality of feedback events, wherein a first feedback event of the plurality of feedback events comprises activating one or more haptic actuators based on a first parameter of the haptic feedback, and wherein a second feedback event of the plurality of feedback events comprises activating the one or more haptic actuators based on a second parameter of the haptic feedback.

31\. (New) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the image data is an image.

32\. (New) The method of claim 20, wherein the image data is an image.

OFFICE ACTION:
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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-5, 7-23 and 25-32 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The present invention is directed to haptic rendering or feedback for electronic devices.  The prior art fail to teach “obtain environmental information indicative of an environment of the apparatus from at least one sensor, wherein the environmental information comprises at least one of ambient audio information of the environment, device information that identifies other wireless devices proximate to the apparatus, luminance information, information indicating that at least one person has entered or exited the environment, or image data”.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS
The Non-Final Office Action dated April 9, 2024 (hereinafter "Office Action") has been carefully reviewed, and this Amendment is responsive thereto. With this response, claims 1, 7, 14, 20, 25, and 29 are amended, claims 6 and 24 are canceled, and new claims 31 and 32 are added. Accordingly, claims 1-5, 7-23, and 25-32 remain pending in the application.
No new matter has been introduced by the amendments or the new claims. Support for the amendments and the new claims can be found, for example, in at least the claims, specification, and figures of the application as originally filed.
Reconsideration and allowance of the application is respectfully requested in light of the amendments and the following remarks.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 6, 7, 9-12, 14-18, 21, 22, 24-27, 29, and 30 were indicated as being allowable if rewritten in independent form, including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Applicant thanks Examiner Pham for indicating the allowability of these claims.
Applicant believes that the independent claims are allowable without amendments. Nevertheless, for purposes of expediting prosecution, and without conceding the propriety of the Office's rejections, independent claim 1 has been amended to incorporate subject matter of allowable claim 6 and independent claim 20 has been amended to incorporate subject matter of the allowable claim 24.
Accordingly, Applicant requests allowance of the claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 102
Claims 1, 5, 8, 13, 19, 20, 23, and 28 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102 as allegedly being anticipated by U.S. Patent No. 10,059,228 to Aikin et al. (hereinafter "Aikin").
Applicant respectfully disagrees with the above rejections, and submits that the pending claims, without amendments, are allowable over Aikin. However, for purposes of expediting prosecution, and without conceding the propriety of the Office's rejections, Applicant has amended independent claim 1 to incorporate subject matter of allowable claim 6 and has amended independent claim 20 to incorporate subject matter of allowable claim 24.
Accordingly, Applicant submits that independent claims 1 and 20 are in condition for allowance.
The remaining claims are dependent either directly or indirectly from one of the independent claims discussed above. Applicant respectfully submits that pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 112(d), the dependent claims incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which they refer and include their own patentable features, and are therefore in condition for allowance.
Furthermore, although Applicant has not discussed the specific rejections to all of the claims, Applicant does not necessarily agree with the characterizations of the prior art made by the Office. Moreover, because each dependent claim includes its own patentable features, individual consideration of each on its own merits is respectfully requested.
CONCLUSION