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 .
Claims 1-7, 9-15 and 17-20 are presented for examination.
The claims and only the claims form the metes and bounds of the invention. “Office personnel are to give claims their broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the supporting disclosure. In re Morris, 127 F.3d 1048, 1054-55, 44 USPQ2d 1023, 1027-28 (Fed. Cir. 1997). Limitations appearing in the specification but not recited in the claim are not read into the claim. In re Prater, 415 F.2d 1393, 1404-05, 162 USPQ 541, 550-551 (CCPA 1969)” (MPEP p 2100-8, c 2, I 45-48; p 2100-9, c 1, l 1-4). The Examiner has full latitude to interpret each claim in the broadest reasonable sense. The Examiner will reference prior art using terminology familiar to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such an approach is broad in concept and can be either explicit or implicit in meaning.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s remarks/amendment was filed on 07 July 2026.
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but they are not persuasive. However, the Examiner welcomes any suggestion(s) Applicants may have on moving prosecution forward. The Examiner’s contact information is in the Conclusion of this office action.
Applicant argues:
Applicant refers the Examiner to the cited portions of paragraphs [0084] - [0085] of Delaney that the Examiner used as a basis for rejection, which states that user A and user C both enter data into one or more regions of the collaborative document depicted in the master view document display 602A. Notably, both user A and user C can see each other's input in the master view document, during the collaboration, while awaiting user B's edits.
This is very different from what Claim 1 explicitly recites, namely, none of the users can see another users input during the entire collaboration period, and only when the collaboration period ends.
Said another way, Claim 1 recites absolute restriction of each user during the entire
collaboration period. Delaney, in contrast, provides only limited restriction of user B while allowing the other users A and C to see and access the collaborative document, and moreover, during the collaboration period.
Accordingly, Claim 1 is patentable over the cited prior art.
Independent Claims 9 and 17 are similar to Claim 1 and are thus allowable as well.
The dependent claims all depend from one of these independent claims and are
allowable for at least the foregoing reasons.
In response, the Examiner submits:
Claim 1 recites:
“provide users with access to a three-dimensional (3D) collaborative object”, “associate 3D virtual content received from the users with the 3D collaborative object during a collaboration period” and “provide each of the users with access to the 3D collaborative object with the associated 3D virtual content of the other users such that each of the users only sees the other user's associated 3D virtual content when the entire collaboration period ends, wherein each of the users cannot access the associated 3D virtual content received from the other users during the entire collaboration period".
The independent claims do not recite the limitation of “none of the users can see another users input during the entire collaboration period, and only when the collaboration period ends”.
Rather, the independent claims recite “provide each of the users with access to the 3D collaborative object with the associated 3D virtual content of the other users such that each of the users only sees the other user's associated 3D virtual content when the entire collaboration period ends, wherein each of the users cannot access the associated 3D virtual content received from the other users during the entire collaboration period”.
“The other user’s associated 3D virtual content” means the associated 3D virtual content of one other user.
“The other users” are not specified to be a subgroup (part of) “the users” that is recited in the claims. “The other users” can be any “other users”.
Delaney teaches “withhold user A and user C inputs until user B inputs data (e.g., a candidate rating)” in order to “prevent any bias or undue influence on user B” (Delaney: ¶0085). User B is used as the example of a user who cannot see the content of the other users. However, for the purpose of preventing “any bias or undue influence”, the same feature would be applied to all users including user A and user C so that they are also prevented from bias and undue influence.
Furthermore, Delaney teaches “user A may input data content (e.g., text) to a document region 504A (e.g., interview feedback). The input data content entered by user A is visible and/or displayed only to user A in the collaborative document 502” and “user B inputs text content to a specified area (e.g., interview feedback) such as, for example, document region 504B and this text is then visible only by user B” (Delaney: ¶¶0080-0081). This reads on the feature of “none of the users can see another users input” that is described by Applicant, but not recited in the claims.
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on 07 July 2026 disclaiming the terminal portion
of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of U.S. Patent No. 12,019,773 has been reviewed and is accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for allobviousness 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.
Claims 1-6, 9-14 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US PGPUB 2018/0095636 by Valdivia et al. (“Valdivia”) in view of US PGPUB 2019/0325012 by Delaney et al. (“Delaney”).
As to Claim 1, Valdivia teaches a server configured to perform an interactive augmented reality method (Valdivia: at least ¶0005; “… a variety of different ways of rendering and interactive with a virtual (or augmented) reality environment”), the server comprising: a processor configured to: provide users with access to a three-dimensional (3D) collaborative object (Valdivia: at least ¶¶0010, 0013, 0015; “users viewing the content item may be able to see these reactions or comments and may also be able to submit their own reactions or comments”, “allow users to enter, at any time or place in a virtual space” and “… enable users to alter and share content items (e.g., photos/videos) in a virtual space” and “user may then share the altered photo. In particular embodiments, the altering may be done live, with others in the virtual space watching or collaborating in the process”; ¶0115 also discloses “allowing for each image to be displayed for a period of time”; ¶0205 further discloses “which content is being viewed either privately, or collaboratively with others in the virtual space”; ¶0151 further discloses “content that is being shared (e.g., a slide show, a video), may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional”; note: photos videos in virtual space as 3D collaborative objects);
associate 3D virtual content received from the users with the 3D collaborative object (Valdivia: at least ¶0009; “part of a virtual space may display items outside of the current virtual environment (e.g., slides, photos, video streams of other users)”; ¶¶0112 & 0115 further disclose “different feeds that include visual media items. As an example and not by way of limitation, referencing FIG. 4A, the menu may include the “Saved” feed 410 that includes visual media items (e.g., the visual media item 440) that the user previously saved (e.g., from a newsfeed of an online social network) or received (e.g., from a friend or contact, from a social connection on an online social network)” and “user may select one or more images from the feed or subfeed to view”; ¶0116; further discloses ““previous” button 520 may include a representation (e.g., a spherical representation) of its corresponding visual media item, and the “next” button 530 may similarly include a representation of its corresponding visual media item”) during a collaboration period (Valdivia: at least ¶0115; “allowing for each image to be displayed for a period of time”);
maintain a timer including a countdown indicative of when the collaboration period ends for associating the 3D virtual content with the 3D collaborative object (Valdivia: at least ¶0115; “allowing for each image to be displayed for a period of time” and “a time element may display an indication of a duration of time remaining before the slide show proceeds to the next image” and “the time element 510 may indicate a proceeding countdown as time passes”); and
provide the users with access to the 3D collaborative object with the associated 3D virtual content at the end of the collaboration period (Valdivia: at least ¶0115; “allowing for each image to be displayed for a period of time” and “a time element may display an indication of a duration of time remaining before the slide show proceeds to the next image”; ¶0116 further discloses “period of time for which the image is to be displayed” and “… user looks right and left, respectively, in the virtual space”; note: media or content available from beginning of period until end of period).
Valdivia does not explicitly disclose, but Delaney discloses provide each of the users with access to the collaborative object with associated virtual content of the other users such that each of the users only sees the other user’s associated virtual content when the entire collaborative ends wherein each of the users cannot access the associated virtual content received from the other users during the entire collaboration period (Delaney: at least ¶¶0084-0085; “collaborative document system may withhold user A and user C inputs until user B inputs data (e.g., a candidate rating) into the collaborative document for the potential employee candidate, as depicted in document display 602B (e.g., user B's view prior to rating)” and “document display 602C may be user B's view of the collaborative document after entering data content”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effectivefiling date of the claimed invention to incorporate Delaney’s feature of provide each of the users with access to the collaborative object with associated virtual content of the other users such that each of the users only sees the other user’s associated virtual content when the entire collaborative ends wherein each of the users cannot access the associated virtual content received from the other users during the entire collaboration period (Delaney: at least ¶¶0084-0085) with the 3D collaborative object with the associated 3D virtual content disclosed by Valdivia.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to perform phased collaborative editing of a collaborative content (Delaney: at least ¶0001).
Claim 9 (a method claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 1 and is similarly rejected.
Claim 17 (a computer-readable medium claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 1 and is similarly rejected.
As to Claim 2, Valdivia and Delaney teach the server of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to allow users access to the 3D collaborative object using respective physically remote devices (Valdivia: at least ¶¶0074, 0077; “a particular number of client systems 130, social-networking systems 160, third-party systems 170, and networks 110” and “augmented/virtual reality device, other suitable electronic device, or any suitable combination thereof” and “any suitable client systems 130. A client system 130 may enable a network user at client system 130 to access network 110. A client system 130 may enable its user to communicate with other users at other client systems 130”; ¶0106 further discloses “devices present locally with respect to a user of the virtual reality system” and “the virtual reality system may be defined to include a server of the social-networking system 160”).
Claim 10 (a method claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 2 and is similarly rejected.
Claim 18 (a computer-readable medium claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 2 and is similarly rejected.
As to Claim 3, Valdivia and Delaney teach the server of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to serve the 3D collaborative object to the physically remote devices (Valdivia: at least ¶¶0013, 0106; “virtual reality system may allow users to enter, at any time or place in a virtual space”, “virtual reality system may render a virtual space for display to a user on a display device” and “the virtual reality system may be defined to include a server of the social-networking system 160”; ¶¶0074, 0077 further disclose “although FIG. 1 illustrates a particular number of client systems 130, social-networking systems 160, third-party systems 170, and networks 110, this disclosure contemplates any suitable number of client systems 130” and “client system 130 may include a computer system such as … augmented/virtual reality device, other suitable electronic device”).
Claim 11 (a method claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 3 and is similarly rejected.
Claim 19 (a computer-readable medium claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 3 and is similarly rejected.
As to Claim 4, Valdivia and Delaney teach the server of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to serve a time indicator for display on the physically remote devices, the time indicator representing the countdown indicative of when the collaboration period ends (Valdivia: at least ¶¶0115-0116; “time element may display an indication of a duration of time remaining before the slide show proceeds to the next image”, “time element 510 may indicate a proceeding countdown as time passes” and “… a display of a timeline indicating the period of time for which the image is to be displayed and a movable scrubber component that may indicate the current point in time on the timeline”; note: a period comprises a beginning and an end).
Claim 12 (a method claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 4 and is similarly rejected.
Claim 20 (a computer-readable medium claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 4 and is similarly rejected.
As to Claim 5, Valdivia and Delaney teach the server of claim 4, wherein the time indicator is a countdown time (Valdivia: at least ¶0115; “allowing for each image to be displayed for a period of time” and “a time element may display an indication of a duration of time remaining before the slide show proceeds to the next image” and “the time element 510 may indicate a proceeding countdown as time passes”).
Claim 13 (a method claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 5 and is similarly rejected.
As to Claim 6, Valdivia and Delaney teach the server of claim 4, wherein the time indicator is a timeline (Valdivia: at least ¶0116; “time element 510 may include a timeline-scrubber element such that the countdown may be affected by user inputs (e.g., increasing or decreasing the time remaining)” and “timeline-scrubber element may include a display of a timeline”).
Claim 14 (a method claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 6 and is similarly rejected.
Claims 7 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US PGPUB 2018/0095636 by Valdivia et al. (“Valdivia”) in view of US PGPUB 2019/0325012 by Delaney et al. (“Delaney”), and further in view of US PGPUB 2015/0113571 by Cholas et al. (“Cholas”).
As to Claim 7, Valdivia and Delaney teach the server of claim 4.
Valdivia and Delaney do not explicitly disclose, but Cholas discloses wherein the time indicator comprises a change in color (Cholas: at least ¶0127; “notification may comprise a countdown timer showing the remaining time left before the secondary content ends” and “the countdown timer may be displayed … it may include features such as flashing, changing colors, etc. upon reaching or nearing the end of the secondary content”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effectivefiling date of the claimed invention to incorporate Cholas’ feature of wherein the time indicator comprises a change in color (Cholas: at least ¶0127) with the server disclosed by Valdivia and Delaney.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide a notification that is “a visual indication that” a content “has ended (or is about to end)” (Cholas: at least ¶0127; ¶0070 explains that a content can be “… e.g., audio, video, data, files, etc.“).
Claim 15 (a method claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 7 and is similarly rejected.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to Huen Wong whose telephone number is (571) 270-3426. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday (10:30AM EST - 6:30PM EST). If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner's supervisor, Charles Rones can be reached on (571) 272-4085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300 for regular communications and after final communications.
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/H .W./
Examiner, AU 2168
10 September 2026
/CHARLES RONES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2168
Prosecution Insights