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 .
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 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 Office Action is in response to an AMENDMENT entered 2/3/2026
Status of Claims
Claim 2, 12 and 24-26 has been canceled. Claims 1, 3-11, 13-23 and 27-29 are pending.
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 of this title, 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.
Claim 1, 17, 20-23 and 27-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. No. 20040268391 A1 to Clercq in view of US Pub. No. 20170229008 A1 to Frusciano and in further view of US Patent No. 7,698,727 B2 to Kikinis.
As to claim 1, Clercq discloses an information processing apparatus comprising:
circuitry configured to generate control information to be used to perform light emission control of light emitted from a plurality of light-emitting devices each provided on a back of each of a plurality of buttons included in an operation terminal, the plurality of buttons being a translucent material (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0028-0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, STB/TV creating button related instructions, e.g. LED control command packet, to be used by the remote controller with key illumination LED to illuminate one or more of LED’s of the remote controller, where the LED’s 320, 322, 324 are located on the back of each buttons 332 and the buttons are translucent material);
transmit the control information to the operation terminal (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, STB/TV transmitting button related instructions to the remote controller);
wherein the operation terminal is a remote-control terminal that controls an action of the information processing apparatus by remote operation, based on a user's operation (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, remote controller controls the STB/TV by the user); and
wherein the light emission control includes controlling one or more of a start of light emission, an end of light emission, a light emission luminance, a light emission color, light emission time, and a light emission cycle (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0027-0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, button related instructions controlling LED color, LED on/off/flashing, time the key should be illuminated for).
Clercq does not expressly disclose the control information being generated based on metadata or update notifications from a streaming service;
wherein the light emission is indicative of an availability of a newly registered content in a streaming service; and
wherein the plurality of buttons includes a button to select the streaming service, and the light emission indicative of the availability of the newly registered content in the streaming service is emitted from said button out of the plurality of buttons corresponding to streaming services; and
wherein the metadata and/or update notifications are received from a streaming service server external to the information processing apparatus.
Frusciano discloses the control information being generated based on metadata or update notifications from a streaming service (Frusciano ¶0068-0069, 0074, 0079-0081, the wireless signal to control the remote controller generated based on data/notifications from the remote media system 160, where the data/notifications indicate the completion task of the recorded content and availability of recorded content);
wherein the light emission is indicative of an availability of a newly registered content in a streaming service (Frusciano Fig. 1-10, ¶0047-0048, 0060-0065, 0088-0090, 0104-0110, 0117-0120, illuminating buttons/keys indicating the available recorded content and/or user’s favorite television shows is currently being broadcasted); and
wherein the plurality of buttons includes a button to select the streaming service (Frusciano Fig. 1-10, ¶0047-0048, 0060-0065, 0088-0090, 0104-0110, 0117-0120, remote controller device 120 without a display screen and with a plurality of buttons/keys to select various video streaming service e.g. cable television and DVR), and the light emission indicative of the availability of the newly registered content in the streaming service is emitted from said button out of the plurality of buttons corresponding to streaming services (Frusciano Fig. 1-10, ¶0047-0048, 0060-0065, 0088-0090, 0104-0110, 0117-0120, illuminating buttons/keys indicating the available recorded content and/or user’s favorite television shows is currently being broadcasted).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq by the control information being generated based on metadata or update notifications from a streaming service; wherein the light emission is indicative of an availability of a newly registered content in a streaming service; and wherein the plurality of buttons includes a button to select the streaming service, and the light emission indicative of the availability of the newly registered content in the streaming service is emitted from said button out of the plurality of buttons corresponding to streaming services as disclosed by Frusciano. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order provide the user a visual indication with illuminating keys/buttons on the remote controller that allows the user to quickly/easily identify the button/keys to press thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
Clercq and Frusciano do not expressly disclose wherein the metadata and/or update notifications are received from a streaming service server external to the information processing apparatus.
Kikinis discloses wherein the metadata and/or update notifications are received from a streaming service server external to the information processing apparatus (Kikinis fig. col. 3, lines 16-45, col. 4, lines 32-40, 61, col. 5, ll. 28-59, content provider transmitting indicator for interactive service availability to the STB 210 and may transmit the signal to remote control device 400 to provide halo on the button to signify that it is lit and that an interactive function is available).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq and Frusciano by wherein the metadata and/or update notifications are received from a streaming service server external to the information processing apparatus as disclosed by Kikinis. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order provide the content provider the ability to transmit notifications/alerts on the user’s devices thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
As to claim 17, Clercq discloses an operation terminal comprising:
circuitry configured to accept an operation of a user (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, processor to receive user selection of keys on the remote control);
emit light from an operation surface of the operation terminal (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, key illumination LED’s on the remote control);
receive control information transmitted from an information processing apparatus (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, receive button related instructions from STB);
perform light emission control of the light emitted from a plurality of light-emitting devices each provided on a back of each of a plurality of buttons included in the operation terminal, the plurality of buttons being a translucent material (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0028-0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, STB/TV creating button related instructions, e.g. LED control command packet, to be used by the remote controller with key illumination LED to illuminate one or more of LED’s of the remote controller, where the LED’s 320, 322, 324 are located on the back of each buttons 332 and the buttons are translucent material);
wherein the information processing apparatus is one selected from the group consisting of a television and a television-set-top-box and the operation terminal is a remote-control terminal that controls an action of the information processing apparatus by remote operation, based on the user operation (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, remote controller controls the STB/TV by the user); and
wherein the light emission control includes controlling one or more of a start of light emission, an end of light emission, a light emission luminance, a light emission color, light emission time, and a light emission cycle (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0027-0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, button related instructions controlling LED color, LED on/off/flashing, time the key should be illuminated for).
Clercq does not expressly disclose the control information being generated based on metadata or update notifications from a streaming service;
wherein the light emission is indicative of an availability of a newly registered content in a streaming service;
wherein the plurality of buttons includes a button to select the streaming service, and the light emission indicative of the availability of the newly registered content in the streaming service is emitted from said button out of the plurality of buttons corresponding to streaming services; and
wherein the metadata and/or update notifications are received from a streaming service server external to the information processing apparatus
Frusciano discloses the control information being generated based on metadata or update notifications from a streaming service (Frusciano ¶0068-0069, 0074, 0079-0081, the wireless signal to control the remote controller generated based on data/notifications from the remote media system 160, where the data/notifications indicate the completion task of the recorded content and availability of recorded content);
wherein the light emission is indicative of an availability of a newly registered content in a streaming service (Frusciano Fig. 1-10, ¶0047-0048, 0060-0065, 0088-0090, 0104-0110, 0117-0120, illuminating buttons/keys indicating the available recorded content and/or user’s favorite television shows is currently being broadcasted); and
wherein the plurality of buttons includes a button to select the streaming service (Frusciano Fig. 1-10, ¶0047-0048, 0060-0065, 0088-0090, 0104-0110, 0117-0120, remote controller device 120 without a display screen and with a plurality of buttons/keys to select various video streaming service e.g. cable television and DVR), and the light emission indicative of the availability of the newly registered content in the streaming service is emitted from said button out of the plurality of buttons corresponding to streaming services (Frusciano Fig. 1-10, ¶0047-0048, 0060-0065, 0088-0090, 0104-0110, 0117-0120, illuminating buttons/keys indicating the available recorded content and/or user’s favorite television shows is currently being broadcasted).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq by the control information being generated based on metadata or update notifications from a streaming service; wherein the light emission is indicative of an availability of a newly registered content in a streaming service; and wherein the plurality of buttons includes a button to select the streaming service, and the light emission indicative of the availability of the newly registered content in the streaming service is emitted from said button out of the plurality of buttons corresponding to streaming services as disclosed by Frusciano. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order provide the user a visual indication with illuminating keys/buttons on the remote controller that allows the user to quickly/easily identify the button/keys to press thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
Clercq and Frusciano do not expressly disclose wherein the metadata and/or update notifications are received from a streaming service server external to the information processing apparatus.
Kikinis discloses wherein the metadata and/or update notifications are received from a streaming service server external to the information processing apparatus (Kikinis fig. col. 3, lines 16-45, col. 4, lines 32-40, 61, col. 5, ll. 28-59, content provider transmitting indicator for interactive service availability to the STB 210 and may transmit the signal to remote control device 400 to provide halo on the button to signify that it is lit and that an interactive function is available).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq and Frusciano by wherein the metadata and/or update notifications are received from a streaming service server external to the information processing apparatus as disclosed by Kikinis. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order provide the content provider the ability to transmit notifications/alerts on the user’s devices thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
As to claim 20, Clercq discloses an information processing method comprising:
generating, by an information processing apparatus, control information to be used to perform light emission control of a light-emitting unit provided in an operation terminal (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, STB/TV creating button related instructions, e.g. LED control command packet, to be used by the remote controller with key illumination LED to illuminate one or more of LED’s of the remote controller), the light-emitting unit including a plurality of light-emitting devices each provided on a back of each of a plurality of buttons included in the operation terminal, the plurality of buttons being a translucent material (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0028-0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, STB/TV creating button related instructions, e.g. LED control command packet, to be used by the remote controller with key illumination LED to illuminate one or more of LED’s of the remote controller, where the LED’s 320, 322, 324 are located on the back of each buttons 332 and the buttons are translucent material);
transmitting, by the information processing apparatus, the control information to the operation terminal (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, STB/TV transmitting button related instructions to the remote controller);
performing, by the operation terminal, the light emission control of the light-emitting unit on a basis of the control information transmitted from the information processing apparatus (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, remote controller with key illumination LED is activated based on the button related instructions transmitted by the STB/TV);
wherein the operation terminal is a remote-control terminal that controls an action of the information processing apparatus by remote operation, based on a user's operation (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, remote controller controls the STB/TV by the user); and
wherein the light emission control includes controlling one or more of a start of light emission, an end of light emission, a light emission luminance, a light emission color, light emission time, and a light emission cycle (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0027-0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, button related instructions controlling LED color, LED on/off/flashing, time the key should be illuminated for).
Clercq does not expressly disclose the control information being generated based on metadata or update notifications from a streaming service;
wherein the light emission is indicative of an availability of a newly registered content in a streaming service; and
wherein the plurality of buttons includes a button to select the streaming service, and the light emission indicative of the availability of the newly registered content in the streaming service is emitted from said button out of the plurality of buttons corresponding to streaming services; and
wherein the metadata and/or update notifications are received from a streaming service server external to the information processing apparatus.
Frusciano discloses the control information being generated based on metadata or update notifications from a streaming service (Frusciano ¶0068-0069, 0074, 0079-0081, 0047-0048, 0060-0065, 0088-0090, 0104-0110, 0117-0120, the wireless signal to control the remote controller generated based on data/notifications from the remote media system 160, where the data/notifications indicate the completion task of the recorded content and availability of recorded content);
wherein the light emission is indicative of an availability of a newly registered content in a streaming service (Frusciano Fig. 1-10, ¶0047-0048, 0060-0065, 0088-0090, 0104-0110, 0117-0120, illuminating buttons/keys indicating the available recorded content and/or user’s favorite television shows is currently being broadcasted); and
wherein the plurality of buttons includes a button to select the streaming service (Frusciano Fig. 1-10, ¶0047-0048, 0060-0065, 0088-0090, 0104-0110, 0117-0120, remote controller device 120 without a display screen and with a plurality of buttons/keys to select various video streaming service e.g. cable television and DVR), and the light emission indicative of the availability of the newly registered content in the streaming service is emitted from said button out of the plurality of buttons corresponding to streaming services (Frusciano Fig. 1-10, ¶0047-0048, 0060-0065, 0088-0090, 0104-0110, 0117-0120, illuminating buttons/keys indicating the available recorded content and/or user’s favorite television shows is currently being broadcasted).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq by the control information being generated based on metadata or update notifications from a streaming service; wherein the light emission is indicative of an availability of a newly registered content in a streaming service; and wherein the plurality of buttons includes a button to select the streaming service, and the light emission indicative of the availability of the newly registered content in the streaming service is emitted from said button out of the plurality of buttons corresponding to streaming services as disclosed by Frusciano. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order provide the user a visual indication with illuminating keys/buttons on the remote controller that allows the user to quickly/easily identify the button/keys to press thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
Clercq and Frusciano do not expressly disclose wherein the metadata and/or update notifications are received from a streaming service server external to the information processing apparatus.
Kikinis discloses wherein the metadata and/or update notifications are received from a streaming service server external to the information processing apparatus (Kikinis fig. col. 3, lines 16-45, col. 4, lines 32-40, 61, col. 5, ll. 28-59, content provider transmitting indicator for interactive service availability to the STB 210 and may transmit the signal to remote control device 400 to provide halo on the button to signify that it is lit and that an interactive function is available).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq and Frusciano by wherein the metadata and/or update notifications are received from a streaming service server external to the information processing apparatus as disclosed by Kikinis. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order provide the content provider the ability to transmit notifications/alerts on the user’s devices thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
As to claim 21, Frusciano discloses wherein the availability of the newly registered content the streaming service is new content availability (Frusciano Fig. 1-10, ¶0047-0048, 0060-0065, 0088-0090, 0104-0110, 0117-0120, illuminating buttons/keys indicating the available recorded content and/or user’s favorite television shows is currently being broadcasted).
As to claim 22, see claim 21 for similar rejection.
As to claim 23, see claim 21 for similar rejection.
As to claim 27, Clercq discloses wherein the control information is transmitted wirelessly (Clercq Fig. 1-6, ¶0024-0025, 0029, 0031-0032, 0034-0035, STB/TV transmitting button related instructions to the remote controller, where the remote controller and STB/TV are in bidirectional communication using IR, RF, etc).
As to claim 28, see claim 27 for similar rejection.
As to claim 29, see claim 27 for similar rejection.
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 of this title, 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.
Claim 3-5, 7 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. No. 20040268391 A1 to Clercq in view of US Pub. No. 20170229008 A1 to Frusciano in further view of US Patent No. 7,698,727 B2 to Kikinis and in further view of US Pub. No. 20160124537 A1 to Kim.
As to claim 3, Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis do not expressly disclose an environment sensor configured to detect an environment of the information processing apparatus, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of a detection result of the environment sensor.
Kim discloses an environment sensor configured to detect an environment of the information processing apparatus, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of a detection result of the environment sensor (Kim Fig. 1, 5, 10, ¶0055, 0062, 0063, 0064, 0105-0107, 0132-0133, illuminance sensor to detect the surround brightness generating the control signal, e.g. brightness control signal, based on detected brightness information with a preset threshold value).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis by an environment sensor configured to detect an environment of the information processing apparatus, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of a detection result of the environment sensor disclosed by Kim. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order provide varying adjustments to the brightness based different conditions thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
As to claim 4, Kim discloses wherein the environment sensor includes a sensor configured to detect brightness of the environment (Kim Fig. 1, 5, 10, ¶0055, 0062, 0063, 0064, 0105-0107, 0132-0133, illuminance sensor to detect the surround brightness).
As to claim 5, Kim discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to emit light in a case where the brightness is darker than a predetermined brightness, on a basis of the control information (Kim Fig. 1, 5, 10, ¶0062-0063, 0105-0106, 0132-0134, backlit emits light when the brightness information is less than or equal to a preset threshold value according to the brightness control signal).
As to claim 7, Kim discloses wherein the control information includes the detection result of the environment sensor (Kim Fig. 1, 5, 10, ¶0055, 0062, 0063, 0064, 0105-0107, 0132-0133, illuminance sensor to detect the surround brightness generating the control signal, e.g. brightness control signal, based on detected brightness information with a preset threshold value).
As to claim 18, Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis do not expressly disclose wherein the control information includes information corresponding to a detection result of an environment sensor provided in the information processing apparatus and configured to detect an environment of the information processing apparatus.
Kim discloses wherein the control information includes information corresponding to a detection result of an environment sensor provided in the information processing apparatus and configured to detect an environment of the information processing apparatus (Kim Fig. 1, 5, 10, ¶0055, 0062, 0063, 0064, 0105-0107, 0132-0133, illuminance sensor to detect the surround brightness generating the control signal, e.g. brightness control signal, based on detected brightness information with a preset threshold value).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis by wherein the control information includes information corresponding to a detection result of an environment sensor provided in the information processing apparatus and configured to detect an environment of the information processing apparatus as disclosed by Kim. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order provide varying adjustments to the brightness based different conditions thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. No. 20040268391 A1 to Clercq in view of US Pub. No. 20170229008 A1 to Frusciano in further view of US Patent No. 7,698,727 B2 to Kikinis in view of US Pub. No. 20160124537 A1 to Kim and in further view of US Pub. No. 20110175872 A1 to Chuang.
As to claim 6, Kim discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to, on a basis of the control information, emit light at a first luminance in a case where the brightness is a first brightness (Kim Fig. 1, 5, 10, ¶0062-0063, 0105-0106, 0132-0134, backlit emits light when the brightness information is less than or equal to a preset threshold value according to the brightness control signal)
Clercq, Frusciano, Kikinis and Kim do not expressly disclose emit light at a second luminance that is brighter than the first luminance in a case where the brightness is a second brightness that is darker than the first brightness.
Chuang discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to, on a basis of the control information, emit light at a first luminance in a case where the brightness is a first brightness, and emit light at a second luminance that is brighter than the first luminance in a case where the brightness is a second brightness that is darker than the first brightness (Chuang Fig. 3, 4, ¶0017-0020, if environmental brightness it not greater than a predetermined value adjusting the first and second brightness such that the first brightness is larger than the second brightness based on sensed environmental brightness and if environmental brightness is greater than a predetermined value adjusting the first and second brightness such that the first brightness is smaller than the second brightness )
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq, Frusciano, Kikinis and Kim by emit light at a second luminance that is brighter than the first luminance in a case where the brightness is a second brightness that is darker than the first brightness as disclosed by Chuang. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order provide varying adjustments to the brightness based different conditions thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
Claims 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. No. 20040268391 A1 to Clercq in view of US Pub. No. 20170229008 A1 to Frusciano in further view of US Patent No. 7,698,727 B2 to Kikinis and in further view of US Pub. No. 20090235296 A1 to Ito.
As to claim 8, Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis do not expressly disclose wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of content that is a processing target of the information processing apparatus.
Ito discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of content that is a processing target of the information processing apparatus (Ito Fig. 1, 2, 4, 9-11, ¶0083, 0086, 0092-0093, 0101-0102, program recommendation control information generated based on content that is received by the television).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis by wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of content that is a processing target of the information processing apparatus as disclosed by Ito. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order to provide recommendations of the detect programs that allows the user to be informed on the remote controller thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
As to claim 9, Ito discloses wherein the content includes the metadata, the circuitry is configured to analyze the metadata, and the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of an analysis result of the metadata (Ito Fig. 1-4, 9-11, ¶0105-0108, program recommendation controlling part 9, where the program includes program information and determines the users taste based on the program information and transmitting the program recommendation control information to the remote controller)
As to claim 10, Ito discloses wherein the content includes image information, and the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of an analysis result of the image information (Ito Fig. 1-4, 9-11, ¶0076, 0105-0108, program recommendation controlling part, where the program includes program information and determines the users taste based on the program information and transmitting the program recommendation control information to the remote controller).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. No. 20040268391 A1 to Clercq in view of US Pub. No. 20170229008 A1 to Frusciano in further view of US Patent No. 7,698,727 B2 to Kikinis and in further view of US Pub. No. 20070157235 A1 to Teunissen.
As to claim 11, Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis do not expressly disclose wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of notification information of the update notifications to a user.
Teunissen discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of notification information of the update notifications to a user (Teunissen Fig. 2, 4, ¶0039-0041, 0060, notification signals to provide notifications of a programming change event to the user of the remote controller).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis by wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of notification information of the update notifications to a user as disclosed by Teunissen. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order to provide notifications to the user based on a programming change event that allows the user to be informed on the remote controller thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
Claims 13-14 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. No. 20040268391 A1 to Clercq in view of US Pub. No. 20170229008 A1 to Frusciano in further view of US Patent No. 7,698,727 B2 to Kikinis and in further view of US Pub. No. 20200152188 A1 to Lee
As to claim 13, Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis do not expressly disclose wherein the circuitry configured to process voice information accepted from a user, and is configured to generate the control information on a basis of processing of the voice information.
Lee discloses wherein the circuitry configured to process voice information accepted from a user, and is configured to generate the control information on a basis of processing of the voice information (Lee ¶0077, 0085-0093, 0099-0100, controller 130 processor to receive voice input from user and generating command based on the voice processing by the controller 130)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis by wherein the circuitry configured to process voice information accepted from a user, and is configured to generate the control information on a basis of processing of the voice information as disclosed by Lee. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order to provide user voice input into the system allowing hand free control thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
As to claim 14, Lee discloses wherein the circuitry includes a plurality of processors, and is configured to select one of the plurality of processors in response to an operation of the user, and the control information comprises information corresponding to the processor selected out of the plurality of processors (Lee ¶0077, 0085-0093, 0099-0100, controller 130 including a plurality of processors 131, 132, 133 and selects each processor to perform its tasks in response to the user voice input and generating command based on the voice processing by the processors).
As to claim 19, Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis do not expressly disclose wherein the control information includes information corresponding to processing of a voice processor provided in the information processing apparatus and configured to process voice information.
Lee discloses wherein the control information includes information corresponding to processing of a voice processor provided in the information processing apparatus and configured to process voice information (Lee ¶0077, 0085-0093, 0099-0100, controller 130 processor to receive voice input from user and generating command based on the voice processing by the controller 130 and controller 130 including a plurality of processors 131, 132, 133 and selects each processor to perform its tasks in response to the user voice input and generating command based on the voice processing by the processors)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis by wherein the control information includes information corresponding to processing of a voice processor provided in the information processing apparatus and configured to process voice information as disclosed by Lee. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order to provide user voice input into the system allowing hand free control thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
Claims 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. No. 20040268391 A1 to Clercq in view of US Pub. No. 20170229008 A1 to Frusciano in further view of US Patent No. 7,698,727 B2 to Kikinis in further view of US Pub. No. 20090269025 A1 to Bedingfield and in further view of US Pub. No. 20180101284 A1 to Pope.
As to claim 15, Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis do not expressly disclose an external equipment couplable to external equipment; and the external equipment that acquires information related to a function of the external equipment, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of the information related to the function of the external equipment.
Pope discloses an external equipment couplable to external equipment (Pope Fig. 2, ¶0033, 0034, 0036, 0039, set top box connects with AV receive via HDMI); and
the external equipment that acquires information related to a function of the external equipment, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of the information related to the function of the external equipment (Pope Fig. 2, ¶0033, 0034, 0036, 0039, acquires using CEC protocol over the HDMI, the manufacturer, type and particular model of the AV receiver to identify remote control functions of the device).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq, Frusciano and Kikinis by an external equipment couplable to external equipment; and the external equipment that acquires information related to a function of the external equipment as disclosed by Pope. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order to recognize a plurality of devices connected to each other via HDMI that provides remote control functions of the plurality of devices thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
Clercq, Frusciano, Kikinis and Pope do not expressly disclose wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of the information related to the function of the external equipment.
Bedingfield discloses wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of the information related to the function of the external equipment (Bedingfield Fig. 1, 9, (0057-0059, 0069, providing controllability indicator to the remote control device based on the availability of the trick play features).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Clercq, Frusciano, Kikinis and Pope by wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the control information on a basis of the information related to the function of the external equipment as disclosed by Bedingfield. The suggestion/motivation would have been in order to recognize a plurality of devices connected to each other via HDMI that provides remote control functions of the plurality of devices thereby enhancing the user’s experience.
As to claim 16, Bedingfield discloses wherein the control information includes information that causes the light emission to correspond to a button associated with an operation on the external equipment, out of the plurality of buttons included in the operation terminal (Bedingfield Fig. 1, 9, 13-15, ¶0057-0059, 0069, controllability indicator to the remote control device causes LED light on the button to light associated with the trickplay feature of the device of the plurality of buttons on the remote controller).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1, 3-11, 13-23 and 27-29 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Claims 1, 3-11, 13-23 and 27-29 have been rejected.
Correspondence Information
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/KYU CHAE/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2426
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