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 .
Response to Amendment
This Office action is in response to communications filed on 8/24/2026.
Claims 1, 6-7, 13-15, and 20 have been amended.
Claims 21-23 have been added.
Claim 19 has been cancelled.
Claims 1-18 and 20-13 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 8/24/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In the response filed, applicant argues, in substance:
a) In page 8 of the response filed, applicant argues that the combination of Korycki et al. (US 20050008000 A1) and Broadworth (US 20220224693 A1) fails to teach or disclose the claimed limitations of “receive, from the first client device, a set of permission levels corresponding to the collaborative session, each permission level comprising to one of a plurality of permissions, a first permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a chat channel and a second permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a user of the second client device.”
In response to argument (a), the examiner respectfully disagrees.
Broadworth discloses receive, from the first client device, a set of permission levels corresponding to the collaborative session, each permission level comprising to one of a plurality of permissions, a first permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a chat channel (¶[0040], "a meeting request is received from a host device (e.g., client device A 110). The meeting request may include meeting information, such as a time, duration, title, note, permissions, etc."; ¶[0042], "The host user may assign an access permission for the meeting to each collaboration group. Access permissions may allow access to, or alternatively limit access to, one or more features of the meeting, such as listen, view, send video, send audio, screen share, annotate, record, send text (e.g., chat, Q&A, etc.), receive text, mute other attendees, stop video of other attendees, remove attendees from the meeting, add attendees to the meeting, view attendee list, poll, raise hand, start meeting, end meeting, assign attendee roles (e.g., panelist, presenter, host, viewer, etc.), or other input or output permissions associated with the meeting") and
a second permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a user of the second client device (¶[0040], "a meeting request is received from a host device (e.g., client device A 110). The meeting request may include meeting information, such as a time, duration, title, note, permissions, etc."; ¶[0042], "The host user may assign an access permission for the meeting to each collaboration group. Access permissions may allow access to, or alternatively limit access to, one or more features of the meeting, such as listen, view, send video, send audio, screen share, annotate, record, send text (e.g., chat, Q&A, etc.), receive text, mute other attendees, stop video of other attendees, remove attendees from the meeting, add attendees to the meeting, view attendee list, poll, raise hand, start meeting, end meeting, assign attendee roles (e.g., panelist, presenter, host, viewer, etc.), or other input or output permissions associated with the meeting. For example, in a teacher-student-parent collaboration environment, a meeting may be a virtual classroom with the teacher as the host user and Students A-Z in the class. The teacher may create a class meeting and allow access to the meeting to Students A-N (e.g., a first collaboration group) with an associated access permission to listen, talk, and share video (e.g., a first access permission). Additionally, the teacher may allow access to the meeting to Parents A-N (e.g., a second collaboration group) with an associated access permission to listen but not to share an input, such as video, sound, etc. (e.g., a second access permission)").
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-11 and 14-18 and 20-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Korycki et al. (US 20050008000 A1, hereinafter Korycki) in view of Broadworth (US 20220224693 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Korycki discloses a system comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable medium; a communications interface; and a processor communicatively coupled to the non-transitory computer-readable medium and the communications interface, the processor configured to execute processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium (¶[0002], "The present invention relates generally to a system and method for enhanced phone-based collaboration"; Fig. 1, the system includes computers connected to a network in order to realize described subject matter. In computers, a memory holds instructions that are processed by a processor to perform functions. Similarly, connection to networks is implemented by the processor communicating with an interface) to:
receive, from a first client device during a virtual meeting between a plurality of participants in real-time, a request to initiate a collaborative session with a second client device, the second client device participating in the virtual meeting (¶[0062], "User A (the subscriber) initiates a telephone call to user B (not a subscriber). This is a simplified and abstracted signaling that may take different forms in different telephony environments (PSTN, VoIP, PBX etc)"; ¶[0063], "User B answers the call"; ¶[0065], "During the telephone call, both parties agree to enhance the call with data collaboration features using standard web browsers on their PCs. User A, the subscriber loads the EPC web page into the browser. The browser could optionally authenticate user A as a subscriber or automate the step by passing pre-stored subscriber credentials in a way standard for web based personalized services");
determine a status associated with a user of the second client device (¶[0066], "Recognizing user A as a subscriber, the EPC Application invokes a ListCalls web service on the Call Tracking Application querying for calls currently in progress that involve user A"; two subsequent steps are then possible: when user B is not a subscriber: ¶[0075], "Since user B is not a subscriber, no credentials are passed and a public guest area is loaded into user B's browser. This web page offers a guest user a way to enhance a phone call with the service subscriber by obtaining guest user's telephone number (telephone number edit field and the "enhance call" button). Knowledge of one's own telephone number and the time window of the telephone call are the only prerequisites for a guest user to enter a data collaboration conference with a subscriber" and when user B is a subscriber ¶[0088], "In the event that both users are subscribers to the EPC service, the experience of both users is symmetrical and may be fully automated. Neither user needs to enter a telephone number as such information is already tracked by the EPC service" - recognizing the status inherent since in ¶[0088] the process is "fully automated");
determine, based on the status associated with the user of the second client device, identity information for the user (¶[0075], "Since user B is not a subscriber, no credentials are passed and a public guest area is loaded into user B's browser. This web page offers a guest user a way to enhance a phone call with the service subscriber by obtaining guest user's telephone number (telephone number edit field and the "enhance call" button). Knowledge of one's own telephone number and the time window of the telephone call are the only prerequisites for a guest user to enter a data collaboration conference with a subscriber"; ¶[0076], "User B enters his/her own telephone number TN_B and clicks "enhance" call button generating an HTTP POST message to the EPC Application with TN_B information" - or in the case that B is a subscriber: ¶[0088], "In the event that both users are subscribers to the EPC service, the experience of both users is symmetrical and may be fully automated. Neither user needs to enter a telephone number as such information is already tracked by the EPC service"; ¶[0091], " User B loads the main EPC web page providing authentication credentials either entered explicitly or automatically supplied by the web browser"); and
provide, to the second client device, access to the collaborative session (¶[0074], "When user A's participation in data conference is completed, user A informs user B over the telephone call that user B may enter a conference via the main EPC web page. Preferably the main EPC URL is easy to memorize and enter into a browser, e.g. epc.com. User B loads the main EPC page using a standard browser"; ¶[0078], "User B clicks the "enter conference" button"; ¶[0079], "The Data Collaboration Application returns Data Collaboration specific content including active content that loads into user B's browser realizing the start of participation in a data conference"; ¶[0040], "if both parties are subscribers, either party may initiate the collaboration. However, a non-subscriber will be able to collaborate only upon an explicit invitation by the EPC subscriber").
Korycki does not disclose receive, from the first client device, a set of permission levels corresponding to the collaborative session, each permission level comprising to one of a plurality of permissions, a first permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a chat channel and a second permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a user of the second client device.
Broadworth discloses receive, from the first client device, a set of permission levels corresponding to the collaborative session, each permission level comprising to one of a plurality of permissions, a first permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a chat channel (¶[0040], "a meeting request is received from a host device (e.g., client device A 110). The meeting request may include meeting information, such as a time, duration, title, note, permissions, etc."; ¶[0042], "The host user may assign an access permission for the meeting to each collaboration group. Access permissions may allow access to, or alternatively limit access to, one or more features of the meeting, such as listen, view, send video, send audio, screen share, annotate, record, send text (e.g., chat, Q&A, etc.), receive text, mute other attendees, stop video of other attendees, remove attendees from the meeting, add attendees to the meeting, view attendee list, poll, raise hand, start meeting, end meeting, assign attendee roles (e.g., panelist, presenter, host, viewer, etc.), or other input or output permissions associated with the meeting") and
a second permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a user of the second client device (¶[0040], "a meeting request is received from a host device (e.g., client device A 110). The meeting request may include meeting information, such as a time, duration, title, note, permissions, etc."; ¶[0042], "The host user may assign an access permission for the meeting to each collaboration group. Access permissions may allow access to, or alternatively limit access to, one or more features of the meeting, such as listen, view, send video, send audio, screen share, annotate, record, send text (e.g., chat, Q&A, etc.), receive text, mute other attendees, stop video of other attendees, remove attendees from the meeting, add attendees to the meeting, view attendee list, poll, raise hand, start meeting, end meeting, assign attendee roles (e.g., panelist, presenter, host, viewer, etc.), or other input or output permissions associated with the meeting. For example, in a teacher-student-parent collaboration environment, a meeting may be a virtual classroom with the teacher as the host user and Students A-Z in the class. The teacher may create a class meeting and allow access to the meeting to Students A-N (e.g., a first collaboration group) with an associated access permission to listen, talk, and share video (e.g., a first access permission). Additionally, the teacher may allow access to the meeting to Parents A-N (e.g., a second collaboration group) with an associated access permission to listen but not to share an input, such as video, sound, etc. (e.g., a second access permission)"); and
that the access to the collaborative session is according to the second permission level (¶[0048], "a request from an attendee is received to access the meeting"; ¶[0049], "access to the meeting may be associated with access permissions provided to the attendee").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Korycki in view of Broadworth to receive, from the first client device, a set of permission levels corresponding to the collaborative session, each permission level comprising to one of a plurality of permissions, a first permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a chat channel and a second permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a user of the second client device.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would enable "conference security" (Broadworth, ¶[0005]).
Regarding claim 2, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the instructions to determine the status associated with the user of the second client device further cause the processor to execute further processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to: determine a profile associated with the user (Korycki, ¶[0088], "In the event that both users are subscribers to the EPC service, the experience of both users is symmetrical and may be fully automated. Neither user needs to enter a telephone number as such information is already tracked by the EPC service"; ¶[0091], " User B loads the main EPC web page providing authentication credentials either entered explicitly or automatically supplied by the web browser"); and
determine, based on the profile, the identity information for the user (Korycki, ¶[0091], " User B loads the main EPC web page providing authentication credentials either entered explicitly or automatically supplied by the web browser"; ¶[0092], "Recognizing User B as subscriber").
Regarding claim 3, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 2, above, wherein the instructions to determine the status associated with the user of the second client device further cause the processor to execute further processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to determine that the second client device has access to an application associated with the collaborative session (Korycki, ¶[0091], "User B loads the main EPC web page"); and
the instructions cause the processor to execute further processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to transmit, to the second client device, access to the collaborative session (Korycki, ¶[0093], "EPC Application returns user B's personal web page"; ¶[0095], "The EPC Application returns confirmation web page with the "enter conference" button and invisible information including the Data Collaboration Application network address, the conference ID corresponding to the already created data conference and user B's full name to serve as conference participant identifier"; ¶[0097], "The Data Collaboration Application returns Data Collaboration-specific content including active content that loads into user B's browser realizing participation in a data conference").
Regarding claim 4, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the instructions to determine the status associated with the user of the second client device further cause the processor to execute further processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to: determine that there is not a profile associated with the user (Korycki, ¶[0075], "Since user B is not a subscriber, no credentials are passed and a public guest area is loaded into user B's browser. This web page offers a guest user a way to enhance a phone call with the service subscriber by obtaining guest user's telephone number (telephone number edit field and the "enhance call" button). Knowledge of one's own telephone number and the time window of the telephone call are the only prerequisites for a guest user to enter a data collaboration conference with a subscriber"; ); and
transmit, to the second client device, a contact request for the second client device (Korycki, ¶[0076], "User B enters his/her own telephone number TN_B and clicks "enhance" call button generating an HTTP POST message to the EPC Application with TN_B information - see Fig. 4, elements 14-15, a request for the TN_B information is transmitted to User B browser).
Regarding claim 5, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 4, above, wherein the processor is configured to execute further processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to: receive, from the second client device, the identity information for the user responsive to the contact request (Korycki, ¶[0076], "User B enters his/her own telephone number TN_B and clicks "enhance" call button generating an HTTP POST message to the EPC Application with TN_B information - receiving: Fig. 4, element 15); and
transmit, to the second client device based on the identity information, access to the collaborative session (Korycki, ¶[0079], "The Data Collaboration Application returns Data Collaboration specific content including active content that loads into user B's browser realizing the start of participation in a data conference").
Regarding claim 6, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein: the processor is configured to execute further processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to establish the virtual meeting having the plurality of participants, wherein the plurality of participants comprises the first client device and the second client device (Korycki, Fig. 1, two devices for two participants); and
the instructions to receive, from the first client device, the request to initiate the collaborative session with the second client device cause the processor to execute further processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to: receive, from the first client device, a second request to share collaborative content with the plurality of participants during the virtual meeting (Korycki, ¶[0069], "User A clicks on the "enhance call" button, which generates an HTTP POST message to the EPC Application"); and
share the collaborative content with the plurality of participants during the virtual meeting (Korycki, ¶[0073], "The Data Collaboration Application returns Data Collaboration specific content including active content that loads into user A's browser realizing start of his/her participation in a data conference"; ¶[0079], "With the conference established, while still talking on the phone, user A and user B can now engage in data collaboration as implemented by the Data Collaboration Application (e.g. white boarding, app sharing, gaming etc.)").
Regarding claim 7, Korycki discloses a method (¶[0002], "The present invention relates generally to a system and method for enhanced phone-based collaboration") comprising:
receiving, from a first client device during a virtual meeting between a plurality of participants in real-time, a request to initiate a collaborative session with a second client device, the second client device participating in the virtual meeting (¶[0062], "User A (the subscriber) initiates a telephone call to user B (not a subscriber). This is a simplified and abstracted signaling that may take different forms in different telephony environments (PSTN, VoIP, PBX etc)"; ¶[0063], "User B answers the call"; ¶[0065], "During the telephone call, both parties agree to enhance the call with data collaboration features using standard web browsers on their PCs. User A, the subscriber loads the EPC web page into the browser. The browser could optionally authenticate user A as a subscriber or automate the step by passing pre-stored subscriber credentials in a way standard for web based personalized services");
determining, by a video conference provider, a status associated with a user of the second client device (¶[0066], "Recognizing user A as a subscriber, the EPC Application invokes a ListCalls web service on the Call Tracking Application querying for calls currently in progress that involve user A"; two subsequent steps are then possible: when user B is not a subscriber: ¶[0075], "Since user B is not a subscriber, no credentials are passed and a public guest area is loaded into user B's browser. This web page offers a guest user a way to enhance a phone call with the service subscriber by obtaining guest user's telephone number (telephone number edit field and the "enhance call" button). Knowledge of one's own telephone number and the time window of the telephone call are the only prerequisites for a guest user to enter a data collaboration conference with a subscriber" and when user B is a subscriber ¶[0088], "In the event that both users are subscribers to the EPC service, the experience of both users is symmetrical and may be fully automated. Neither user needs to enter a telephone number as such information is already tracked by the EPC service" - recognizing the status inherent since in ¶[0088] the process is "fully automated");
determining, by the video conference provider, identity information for the user based on the status associated with the user of the second client device (¶[0075], "Since user B is not a subscriber, no credentials are passed and a public guest area is loaded into user B's browser. This web page offers a guest user a way to enhance a phone call with the service subscriber by obtaining guest user's telephone number (telephone number edit field and the "enhance call" button). Knowledge of one's own telephone number and the time window of the telephone call are the only prerequisites for a guest user to enter a data collaboration conference with a subscriber"; ¶[0076], "User B enters his/her own telephone number TN_B and clicks "enhance" call button generating an HTTP POST message to the EPC Application with TN_B information" - or in the case that B is a subscriber: ¶[0088], "In the event that both users are subscribers to the EPC service, the experience of both users is symmetrical and may be fully automated. Neither user needs to enter a telephone number as such information is already tracked by the EPC service"; ¶[0091], " User B loads the main EPC web page providing authentication credentials either entered explicitly or automatically supplied by the web browser"); and
providing, to the second client device, access to the collaborative session (¶[0074], "When user A's participation in data conference is completed, user A informs user B over the telephone call that user B may enter a conference via the main EPC web page. Preferably the main EPC URL is easy to memorize and enter into a browser, e.g. epc.com. User B loads the main EPC page using a standard browser"; ¶[0078], "User B clicks the "enter conference" button"; ¶[0079], "The Data Collaboration Application returns Data Collaboration specific content including active content that loads into user B's browser realizing the start of participation in a data conference")
Korycki does not disclose receiving, from the first client device, a set of permission levels corresponding to the collaborative session, each permission level comprising to one of a plurality of permissions, a first permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a chat channel and a second permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a user of the second client device; and that the access to the collaborative session is according to the second permission level.
Broadworth discloses receiving, from the first client device, a set of permission levels corresponding to the collaborative session, each permission level comprising to one of a plurality of permissions, a first permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a chat channel (¶[0040], "a meeting request is received from a host device (e.g., client device A 110). The meeting request may include meeting information, such as a time, duration, title, note, permissions, etc."; ¶[0042], "The host user may assign an access permission for the meeting to each collaboration group. Access permissions may allow access to, or alternatively limit access to, one or more features of the meeting, such as listen, view, send video, send audio, screen share, annotate, record, send text (e.g., chat, Q&A, etc.), receive text, mute other attendees, stop video of other attendees, remove attendees from the meeting, add attendees to the meeting, view attendee list, poll, raise hand, start meeting, end meeting, assign attendee roles (e.g., panelist, presenter, host, viewer, etc.), or other input or output permissions associated with the meeting") and
a second permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a user of the second client device (¶[0040], "a meeting request is received from a host device (e.g., client device A 110). The meeting request may include meeting information, such as a time, duration, title, note, permissions, etc."; ¶[0042], "The host user may assign an access permission for the meeting to each collaboration group. Access permissions may allow access to, or alternatively limit access to, one or more features of the meeting, such as listen, view, send video, send audio, screen share, annotate, record, send text (e.g., chat, Q&A, etc.), receive text, mute other attendees, stop video of other attendees, remove attendees from the meeting, add attendees to the meeting, view attendee list, poll, raise hand, start meeting, end meeting, assign attendee roles (e.g., panelist, presenter, host, viewer, etc.), or other input or output permissions associated with the meeting. For example, in a teacher-student-parent collaboration environment, a meeting may be a virtual classroom with the teacher as the host user and Students A-Z in the class. The teacher may create a class meeting and allow access to the meeting to Students A-N (e.g., a first collaboration group) with an associated access permission to listen, talk, and share video (e.g., a first access permission). Additionally, the teacher may allow access to the meeting to Parents A-N (e.g., a second collaboration group) with an associated access permission to listen but not to share an input, such as video, sound, etc. (e.g., a second access permission)"); and
that the access to the collaborative session is according to the second permission level (¶[0048], "a request from an attendee is received to access the meeting"; ¶[0049], "access to the meeting may be associated with access permissions provided to the attendee").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Korycki in view of Broadworth for receiving, from the first client device, a set of permission levels corresponding to the collaborative session, each permission level comprising to one of a plurality of permissions, a first permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a chat channel and a second permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a user of the second client device; and that the access to the collaborative session is according to the second permission level.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would enable "conference security" (Broadworth, ¶[0005]).
Regarding claim 8, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 7, above, wherein determining the status associated with the user of the second client device further comprises: determining, by the video conference provider, a profile associated with the user (Korycki, ¶[0088], "In the event that both users are subscribers to the EPC service, the experience of both users is symmetrical and may be fully automated. Neither user needs to enter a telephone number as such information is already tracked by the EPC service"; ¶[0091], " User B loads the main EPC web page providing authentication credentials either entered explicitly or automatically supplied by the web browser");
determining, based on the profile, the identity information for the user (Korycki, ¶[0091], " User B loads the main EPC web page providing authentication credentials either entered explicitly or automatically supplied by the web browser"; ¶[0092], "Recognizing User B as subscriber");
determining, by the video conference provider, that the second client device has access to an application associated with the collaborative session (Korycki, ¶[0091], "User B loads the main EPC web page"); and
transmitting, by the video conference provider, access to the collaborative session (Korycki, ¶[0093], "EPC Application returns user B's personal web page"; ¶[0079], "The Data Collaboration Application returns Data Collaboration specific content including active content that loads into user B's browser realizing the start of participation in a data conference").
Regarding claim 9, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 7, above, wherein determining the status associated with the user of the second client device comprises: determining, by the video conference provider, a lack of a profile associated with the user (Korycki, ¶[0075], "Since user B is not a subscriber, no credentials are passed and a public guest area is loaded into user B's browser. This web page offers a guest user a way to enhance a phone call with the service subscriber by obtaining guest user's telephone number (telephone number edit field and the "enhance call" button). Knowledge of one's own telephone number and the time window of the telephone call are the only prerequisites for a guest user to enter a data collaboration conference with a subscriber"; ); and
transmitting, by the video conference provider, a contact request based on the lack of the profile associated with the user (Korycki, ¶[0076], "User B enters his/her own telephone number TN_B and clicks "enhance" call button generating an HTTP POST message to the EPC Application with TN_B information - see Fig. 4, elements 14-15, a request for the TN_B information is transmitted to User B browser).
Regarding claim 10, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 7, above, wherein determining the status associated with the user of the second client device further comprises determining, by the video conference provider, that the second client device does not have access to an application associated with the collaborative session (Korycki, ¶[0040], "a non-subscriber will be able to collaborate only upon an explicit invitation by the EPC subscriber. In particular, during the phone conversation the EPC subscriber will invite the non-subscriber to collaborate and provide instructions on how to the non-subscriber can join collaboration session using an off-the-shelf Internet browser"); and
the method comprises: transmitting, to the second client device, a prompt to access the application to the second client device (Korycki, ¶[0040], "For example, the EPC subscriber will provide the non-subscriber with a guest page URL over the phone, or by an e-mail message, etc. (such as www.serviceprovider.com/epcguest)"; ¶[0075], "Since user B is not a subscriber, no credentials are passed and a public guest area is loaded into user B's browser. This web page offers a guest user a way to enhance a phone call with the service subscriber by obtaining guest user's telephone number" - see Fig. 4, element 14).
Regarding claim 11, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 10, above, wherein the method further comprises: receiving, from the second client device, a notification that the second client device accepted the prompt to access the application (Korycki, ¶[0040], "For example, the EPC subscriber will provide the non-subscriber with a guest page URL over the phone, or by an e-mail message, etc. (such as www.serviceprovider.com/epcguest)"; ¶[0074], "User B loads the main EPC page using a standard browser" - Fig. 4, element 13, a notification is sent from user B to the EPC app when the user accepts the invitation); and
transmitting, responsive to the notification, access to the collaborative session (Korycki, ¶[0093], "EPC Application returns user B's personal web page"; ¶[0079], "The Data Collaboration Application returns Data Collaboration specific content including active content that loads into user B's browser realizing the start of participation in a data conference").
Regarding claim 14, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 7, above, wherein the collaborative session is hosted by an application (Korycki, ¶[0025], "The EPC service according to the present invention enables users, which participate in a phone call; to enrich their communication with a variety of PC based applications" on a server, see Fig. 1), and
wherein the method further comprises: determining, by the video conference provider, that the second client device has accessed the collaborative session via the application (Korycki, ¶[0091], "User B loads the main EPC web page"); and
providing an indication to the application that the second client device has accessed the collaborative session (Korycki, ¶[0093], "EPC Application returns user B's personal web page"; ¶[0095], "The EPC Application returns confirmation web page with the "enter conference" button and invisible information including the Data Collaboration Application network address, the conference ID corresponding to the already created data conference and user B's full name to serve as conference participant identifier"; ¶[0097], "The Data Collaboration Application returns Data Collaboration-specific content including active content that loads into user B's browser realizing participation in a data conference").
Regarding claim 15, Korycki discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions configured to cause one or more processors (¶[0002], "The present invention relates generally to a system and method for enhanced phone-based collaboration"; Fig. 1, the system includes computers connected to a network in order to realize described subject matter. In computers, a memory holds instructions that are processed by a processor to perform functions. Similarly, connection to networks is implemented by the processor communicating with an interface) to:
receive, from a first client device during a virtual meeting between a plurality of participants in real-time, a request to initiate a collaborative session with a second client device, the second device participating in the virtual meeting (¶[0062], "User A (the subscriber) initiates a telephone call to user B (not a subscriber). This is a simplified and abstracted signaling that may take different forms in different telephony environments (PSTN, VoIP, PBX etc)"; ¶[0063], "User B answers the call"; ¶[0065], "During the telephone call, both parties agree to enhance the call with data collaboration features using standard web browsers on their PCs. User A, the subscriber loads the EPC web page into the browser. The browser could optionally authenticate user A as a subscriber or automate the step by passing pre-stored subscriber credentials in a way standard for web based personalized services");
determine a status associated with the user of the second client device (¶[0066], "Recognizing user A as a subscriber, the EPC Application invokes a ListCalls web service on the Call Tracking Application querying for calls currently in progress that involve user A"; two subsequent steps are then possible: when user B is not a subscriber: ¶[0075], "Since user B is not a subscriber, no credentials are passed and a public guest area is loaded into user B's browser. This web page offers a guest user a way to enhance a phone call with the service subscriber by obtaining guest user's telephone number (telephone number edit field and the "enhance call" button). Knowledge of one's own telephone number and the time window of the telephone call are the only prerequisites for a guest user to enter a data collaboration conference with a subscriber" and when user B is a subscriber ¶[0088], "In the event that both users are subscribers to the EPC service, the experience of both users is symmetrical and may be fully automated. Neither user needs to enter a telephone number as such information is already tracked by the EPC service" - recognizing the status inherent since in ¶[0088] the process is "fully automated");
determine, based on the status associated with the user of the second client device, identity information for the user (¶[0075], "Since user B is not a subscriber, no credentials are passed and a public guest area is loaded into user B's browser. This web page offers a guest user a way to enhance a phone call with the service subscriber by obtaining guest user's telephone number (telephone number edit field and the "enhance call" button). Knowledge of one's own telephone number and the time window of the telephone call are the only prerequisites for a guest user to enter a data collaboration conference with a subscriber"; ¶[0076], "User B enters his/her own telephone number TN_B and clicks "enhance" call button generating an HTTP POST message to the EPC Application with TN_B information" - or in the case that B is a subscriber: ¶[0088], "In the event that both users are subscribers to the EPC service, the experience of both users is symmetrical and may be fully automated. Neither user needs to enter a telephone number as such information is already tracked by the EPC service"; ¶[0091], " User B loads the main EPC web page providing authentication credentials either entered explicitly or automatically supplied by the web browser"); and
provide, to the second client device, access to the collaborative session (¶[0074], "When user A's participation in data conference is completed, user A informs user B over the telephone call that user B may enter a conference via the main EPC web page. Preferably the main EPC URL is easy to memorize and enter into a browser, e.g. epc.com. User B loads the main EPC page using a standard browser"; ¶[0078], "User B clicks the "enter conference" button"; ¶[0079], "The Data Collaboration Application returns Data Collaboration specific content including active content that loads into user B's browser realizing the start of participation in a data conference")
Korycki does not disclose receive, from the first client device, a set of permission levels corresponding to the collaborative session, each permission level comprising to one of a plurality of permissions, a first permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a chat channel and a second permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a user of the second client device; and that access is according to the second permission level.
Broadworth discloses receive, from the first client device, a set of permission levels corresponding to the collaborative session, each permission level comprising to one of a plurality of permissions, a first permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a chat channel (¶[0040], "a meeting request is received from a host device (e.g., client device A 110). The meeting request may include meeting information, such as a time, duration, title, note, permissions, etc."; ¶[0042], "The host user may assign an access permission for the meeting to each collaboration group. Access permissions may allow access to, or alternatively limit access to, one or more features of the meeting, such as listen, view, send video, send audio, screen share, annotate, record, send text (e.g., chat, Q&A, etc.), receive text, mute other attendees, stop video of other attendees, remove attendees from the meeting, add attendees to the meeting, view attendee list, poll, raise hand, start meeting, end meeting, assign attendee roles (e.g., panelist, presenter, host, viewer, etc.), or other input or output permissions associated with the meeting") and
a second permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a user of the second client device (¶[0040], "a meeting request is received from a host device (e.g., client device A 110). The meeting request may include meeting information, such as a time, duration, title, note, permissions, etc."; ¶[0042], "The host user may assign an access permission for the meeting to each collaboration group. Access permissions may allow access to, or alternatively limit access to, one or more features of the meeting, such as listen, view, send video, send audio, screen share, annotate, record, send text (e.g., chat, Q&A, etc.), receive text, mute other attendees, stop video of other attendees, remove attendees from the meeting, add attendees to the meeting, view attendee list, poll, raise hand, start meeting, end meeting, assign attendee roles (e.g., panelist, presenter, host, viewer, etc.), or other input or output permissions associated with the meeting. For example, in a teacher-student-parent collaboration environment, a meeting may be a virtual classroom with the teacher as the host user and Students A-Z in the class. The teacher may create a class meeting and allow access to the meeting to Students A-N (e.g., a first collaboration group) with an associated access permission to listen, talk, and share video (e.g., a first access permission). Additionally, the teacher may allow access to the meeting to Parents A-N (e.g., a second collaboration group) with an associated access permission to listen but not to share an input, such as video, sound, etc. (e.g., a second access permission)"); and
that the access to the collaborative session is according to the second permission level (¶[0048], "a request from an attendee is received to access the meeting"; ¶[0049], "access to the meeting may be associated with access permissions provided to the attendee").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Korycki in view of Broadworth to receive, from the first client device, a set of permission levels corresponding to the collaborative session, each permission level comprising to one of a plurality of permissions, a first permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a chat channel and a second permission level of the set of permission levels corresponding to a user of the second client device; and that access is according to the second permission level.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would enable "conference security" (Broadworth, ¶[0005]).
Regarding claim 16, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 15, above, wherein the processor-executable instructions to determine the status of the second client device further cause the one or more processors to: determine whether there is a profile associated with the user (Korycki, ¶[0088], "In the event that both users are subscribers to the EPC service, the experience of both users is symmetrical and may be fully automated. Neither user needs to enter a telephone number as such information is already tracked by the EPC service"; ¶[0091], " User B loads the main EPC web page providing authentication credentials either entered explicitly or automatically supplied by the web browser"); and
determine whether the second client device has access to an application associated with the collaborative session (Korycki, ¶[0091], " User B loads the main EPC web page providing authentication credentials either entered explicitly or automatically supplied by the web browser"; ¶[0092], "Recognizing User B as subscriber").
Regarding claim 17, Korycki discloses the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the processor-executable instructions to determine whether there is the profile associated with the user further cause the one or more processors to: determine the profile associated with the user (Korycki, ¶[0088], "In the event that both users are subscribers to the EPC service, the experience of both users is symmetrical and may be fully automated. Neither user needs to enter a telephone number as such information is already tracked by the EPC service"; ¶[0091], " User B loads the main EPC web page providing authentication credentials either entered explicitly or automatically supplied by the web browser"); and
determine, based on the profile associated with the user, the identity information for the user (Korycki, ¶[0091], "User B loads the main EPC web page providing authentication credentials either entered explicitly or automatically supplied by the web browser"; ¶[0092], "Recognizing User B as subscriber").
Regarding claim 18, Korycki discloses the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the processor-executable instructions to determine whether the second client device has access to the application associated with the collaborative session further cause the one or more processors to: determine that the second client device does not have access to the application associated with the collaborative session (Korycki, ¶[0075], "Since user B is not a subscriber, no credentials are passed and a public guest area is loaded into user B's browser. This web page offers a guest user a way to enhance a phone call with the service subscriber by obtaining guest user's telephone number (telephone number edit field and the "enhance call" button). Knowledge of one's own telephone number and the time window of the telephone call are the only prerequisites for a guest user to enter a data collaboration conference with a subscriber"; ); and
transmit, to the second client device, a prompt to access the application associated with the collaborative session (Korycki, ¶[0076], "User B enters his/her own telephone number TN_B and clicks "enhance" call button generating an HTTP POST message to the EPC Application with TN_B information - see Fig. 4, elements 14-15, a request for the TN_B information is transmitted to User B browser).
Regarding claim 20, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 15, above, wherein the processor is configured to execute further processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to: responsive to the second client device accessing the collaborative session, provide a notification to the second client device within the collaborative session (Korycki, ¶[0096], "User B clicks the "enter conference" button generating HTTP POST to the Data Collaboration Application with conference ID and user B name in it"; ¶[0097], "The Data Collaboration Application returns Data Collaboration-specific content including active content that loads into user B's browser realizing participation in a data conference").
Regarding claim 21, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the second permission level corresponds to a set of invitees to the virtual meeting, the set of invitees comprising the user (Broadworth, ¶[0005], "receiving instructions at a server to schedule a virtual meeting and to invite a group to the meeting, the group including a set of attendees").
Regarding claim 22, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the second permission level is specific to the user (Broadworth, ¶[0042], sets of users receive different sets of permissions).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Korycki (US 20050008000 A1) in view of Broadworth (US 20220224693 A1), and further in view of Huang et al. (US 9992241 B1, hereinafter Huang).
Regarding claim 13, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 7, above.
The combined system of Korycki and Broadworth does not disclose establishing, by the video conference provider, a second chat channel comprising two or more participants, wherein the two or more participants comprise the first client device and the second client device; and wherein receiving, from the first client device, the request to access the collaborative session further comprises sharing collaborative content within the second chat channel.
Huang discloses establishing, by the video conference provider, a second chat channel comprising two or more participants (col. 3, lines 38-58, "environment 100 includes a unified communications service 125 that provides a set of services, including services such as a unified voice service 130 and an online collaboration service 140 to a set of users, e.g., user 101, user 105 and user 110 [...] The online collaboration service 140 allows users to join online collaboration sessions, which are joint sessions of users where actions of each participating user, such as generating audio/video input"; col. 5, lines 37-38, "Live video from their UCS-enabled device will be displayed to the other users in the session"),
wherein the two or more participants comprise the first client device and the second client device (Fig. 2, and col. 4, lines 42-46, each user is an independent user with their own device); and
wherein receiving, from the first client device, the request to access the collaborative session further comprises sharing collaborative content within the second chat channel (col. 5, lines 39-41, "Invite user service 245 enables users to invite (via, e.g., UCS app notification, chat message and/or email) additional users to join the online collaboration session").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth in view of Huang for establishing, by the video conference provider, a second chat channel comprising two or more participants, wherein the two or more participants comprise the first client device and the second client device; and wherein receiving, from the first client device, the request to access the collaborative session further comprises sharing collaborative content within the second chat channel.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would provide a convenient and efficient manner for users to transition into online collaboration sessions (Huang, suggested as the problem that is solved, col. 1, lines 20-25).
Claim(s) 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Korycki (US 20050008000 A1) in view of Broadworth (US 20220224693 A1), and further in view of Jang et al. (US 20240039969 A1, hereinafter Jang).
Regarding claim 23, the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth discloses the invention substantially as applied to claim 1, above, wherein the processor is configured to execute further processor-executable instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to: receive a second request from a second user to join the collaboration session (Broadworth, ¶[0048], "an attendee is received to access the meeting. This request may be received by the attendee accessing or selecting the meeting address. The request may be made at a date or a time near a meeting window, meeting start time, or meeting end time associated with the meeting (e.g., as may be set by a host user when creating the meeting). In examples, the request to access the meeting includes at least an identification of the attendee. For example, if the collaboration group included the email address of the attendee, the request to access the meeting includes at least an indication of such email address of the attendee that can then be used to check group membership for authentication purposes [...] For example, if a host user creates a conference invitation that names an attendee group and also separately lists individuals (not part of the group), then the invited attendees who are members of the group may be sent invitations as described above (meeting address only, without secondary authentication information), while the individually invited attendees may receive both the meeting address and secondary authentication information (such as a meeting key)"); and
The combined system of Korycki and Broadworth does not disclose in response to determining that the second user based is a member of the chat channel, provide, to the second user, access to the collaborative session according to the first permission level.
Jang discloses in response to determining that the second user based is a member of the chat channel, provide, to the second user, access to the collaborative session according to the first permission level (¶[0021], "Meetings in this example virtual conference provider 110 are provided in virtual “rooms” to which participants are connected"; ¶[0023], " the user may distribute the meeting information to one or more users to invite them to the meeting. To begin the meeting at the scheduled time (or immediately, if the meeting was set for an immediate start), the host provides the meeting identifier and, if applicable, corresponding authentication information (e.g., a password or passcode). The virtual conference system then initiates the meeting and may admit users to the meeting"; ¶[0032], "the user may be permitted to join a meeting after providing meeting information, e.g., a meeting identifier and passcode, but they may be identified only as an anonymous participant in the meeting. This may restrict their ability to interact with the meetings in some examples, such as by limiting their ability to speak in the meeting, hear or view certain content shared during the meeting, or access other meeting functionality, such as joining breakout rooms or engaging in text chat with other participants in the meeting"; ¶[0063], "The virtual conference provider 310 establishes chat channels 350 at the request of corresponding users"; ¶[0064], "To access a chat channel, a user, such as the user of client device 330, accesses the virtual conference provider 310, such as by providing access credentials. Once the user has logged in, they may be presented with a graphical user interface (“GUI”) by a client application that allows the user to navigate to chat functionality and view the available chat channels that the user is a member of").
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combined system of Korycki and Broadworth in view of Jang to, in response to determining that the second user based is a member of the chat channel, provide, to the second user, access to the collaborative session according to the first permission level.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would "improve team collaboration" (Jang, ¶[0012]).
Conclusion
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/BORIS D GRIJALVA LOBOS/ Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2496
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