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 .
The present office action is responsive to communication received on 02/04/2026. Claims 1 and 4-20 are presented for examination.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 2/4/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to rejections of claims 1, 10, and 15 under 35 U.S.C 102 and 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive in light of the amendments to the claims. Therefore, the previous 35 U.S.C 102 rejections have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection for claims 1, 10, and 15 is made in view of Begen et al.( US-11893089-B1) and Sitrick et al (US-20080092239 A1). With respect to applicant’s arguments at the beginning of page , it’s noted that the prior arts disclose more than one request and the same process being applied to one target image can be applied to another target image.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 4-20 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 1 and 10 recite in the generating limitation printing the image provided first image instead of print the provided first image. Appropriate correction is required.
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, 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 10, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Begen et al. hereafter Begen ( US-11893089-B1) in view of Sitrick et al hereafter Sitrick (US-20080092239 A1).
In regards to claim 1, Begen teaches an image provision device comprising: a processor, wherein the processor
provides a first image, which is a copy of a target image, to a storage area, in which citation, attachment, and posting by a first user are restricted, among storage areas of a first device used by a first user in a case in which a provision request for the target image is received from the first device (Begen discloses avoiding displaying protected content to protect the content from various operations and provding style sheet with respect to the display of a sample image wherein the protected content, the actual image is marked as hidden, which meets the recitation of provides a first image, which is a copy of a target image, to a storage area, in which citation … among storage areas of a first device used by a first user in a case in which a provision request for the target image is received from the first device. See col. 4, line 59 through col. 5, line 10).
generates a generated image by reducing image quality of a second image, which is a copy of the target image, or replacing a part of the second image with another image, in response to receiving a second provision request for the target image from the first device, in a case in which processing of printing the image provided first image is executed by the first device; provides the generated image to the first device (Begen A second such style sheet may be applicable with respect to the printing of protected content and thus is used when printing a page containing protected content, wherein the sample image is marked as hidden in this style sheet. Accordingly, when a page is printed, the second style sheet causes the sample image to be hidden from the printer and the protected content to be provided to the printer and thus the printed output shows the protected content. See col. 5, lines 9-16).
Begen discloses displaying and printing are restricted but is silent about citation, attachment, and posting by a first user are restricted.
However, Sitrick discloses more defined restriction to a specific one particular recipient device
provides the generated image to the first device(See para 122 and 128-131 The system and methodology of the present invention provides for secure distribution, transmission and storage for protected content at all times, thereby protecting the rights of the original content holders and owners and, therefore, ensuring that their original content works stay protected. The present invention also provides for simplified user (consumer) interaction, and in an easy to use manner allows people to legitimately use protected content in permitted ways Examples of levels of usage rights permission that can be set for a protected file (or group of files) include: Basic Level--Predefined permissions only [e.g., (view only, no export, no print), (view and print once), (limited import), etc.], no additional usage restriction. Standard Level--Permissions limited to usage restrictions such as view only, or view or print once, only, etc. Enhanced Level--Permissions can be set to any one of a plurality of options for usage restriction of content) that meets the recitation of provides a first image in which citation, attachment, and posting by a first user are restricted.
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 Begen to include more restrictions in the copy of the image because it would provide more copyright protection to the original image as taught by Sitrick (see para. 003-004).
In regards to claim 10, Begen teaches an image provision method comprising: causing a processor to execute
A step of providing a first image, which is a copy of a target image, to a storage area, in which citation, attachment, and posting by a first user are restricted, among storage areas of a first device used by a first user in a case in which a provision request for the target image is received from the first device (Begen discloses avoiding displaying protected content to protect the content from various operations and provding style sheet with respect to the display of a sample image wherein the protected content, the actual image is marked as hidden, which meets the recitation of provides a first image, which is a copy of a target image, to a storage area, in which citation … among storage areas of a first device used by a first user in a case in which a provision request for the target image is received from the first device. See col. 4, line 59 through col. 5, line 10).
a step of generating a generated image by reducing image quality of a second image, which is a copy of the target image, or replacing a part of the second image with another image, in response to receiving a second provision request for the target image from the first device, in a case in which processing of printing the image provided first image is executed by the first device; providing the generated image to the first device (Begen A second such style sheet may be applicable with respect to the printing of protected content and thus is used when printing a page containing protected content, wherein the sample image is marked as hidden in this style sheet. Accordingly, when a page is printed, the second style sheet causes the sample image to be hidden from the printer and the protected content to be provided to the printer and thus the printed output shows the protected content. See col. 5, lines 9-16).
Begen discloses displaying and printing are restricted, but is silent about citation, attachment, and posting by a first user are restricted.
However, Sitrick discloses more defined restriction to a specific one particular recipient device
provides the generated image to the first device(See para 122 and 128-131 The system and methodology of the present invention provides for secure distribution, transmission and storage for protected content at all times, thereby protecting the rights of the original content holders and owners and, therefore, ensuring that their original content works stay protected. The present invention also provides for simplified user (consumer) interaction, and in an easy to use manner allows people to legitimately use protected content in permitted ways Examples of levels of usage rights permission that can be set for a protected file (or group of files) include: Basic Level--Predefined permissions only [e.g., (view only, no export, no print), (view and print once), (limited import), etc.], no additional usage restriction. Standard Level--Permissions limited to usage restrictions such as view only, or view or print once, only, etc. Enhanced Level--Permissions can be set to any one of a plurality of options for usage restriction of content) that meets the recitation of provides a first image in which citation, attachment, and posting by a first user are restricted.
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 Begen to include more restrictions in the copy of the image because it would provide more copyright protection to the original image as taught by Sitrick (see para. 003-004).
In regards to claim 15, the claim recites analogous subject matter to claim 10 on which it depends on. Specifically it recites “a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium in which a program causing a computer to execute each step included in the content provision method according to claim 10 is recorded” .Therefore, claim 15 is rejected on the same premise as claim 10 above.
Claims 4-9, 11-14, and 16-20is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Begen et al. hereafter Begen ( US-11893089-B1) in view of Sitrick et al hereafter Sitrick (US-20080092239 A1) as applied to claims 1, 10, and 15 and further in view of Ishii et al (JP-2021039512-A).
In regards to claim 4, the combination of Begen and Sitrick teaches the image provision device according to claim 1, wherein the processor provides a third image which is a copy of the target image
But does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor provides a third image which is a copy of the target image to a second device used by a second user in a case in which derived information including the generated image is distributed based on an operation of the first user and a third provision request for the target image based on the derived information is received from the second user.
However, Ishii in a similar field of endeavor, teaches a system for sharing digital content amongst users that discloses wherein the processor provides a third image which is a copy of the (Ishii: The trial reading user receives the electronic book data after requesting to buy the book based on the social media post shared by the purchasing user which contained the thumbnail image of the book cover and a link to the book sales site (Paragraphs 51-54).) .
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 system as combined above to include the digital content distribution architecture taught by Ishii such that a second user can retrieve the digital image based on a first user sharing it. The motivation to do so would be to provide a shared social media post system where the original content can still be protected.
In regards to claim 5, the combined references teach the image provision device according to claim 4, wherein the derived information includes code information used for connection to a provision source of the target image (Ishii: The introduction screen[derived information] displays a thumbnail image of the cover of the electronic book subject to the free trial, a title, an author name, and a link to a URL that accesses from the electronic book sales’ website for using the free trial and purchasing the electronic book (Paragraph 38).) ,
and the processor provides the target image to the second device in a case in which the provision request, which is made through the code information in the derived information, is received from the second device(Ishii: The trial-reading user receives the electronic book after purchasing the book (Paragraph 57)based on free trial link from Purchasing User.).
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 system of Begen and Sitrick to include the digital content distribution architecture taught by Ishii so that the image is provided in a case in which the request is made through code information in the derived information. The motivation to do so would be to yield predictable results in providing access to digital content.
In regards to claim 6, the references as combined above disclose the image provision device according to claim 4, wherein the generated image is content for posting, and the derived information is information indicating a post article including the generated image (Ishii: Specifically, the introduction screen[Post article] displays a thumbnail image[second content] of the cover of the electronic book subject to the free trial, a title, an author name, a link to a URL that provides the free trial, and the like during the period when the free trial is possible. (Paragraph 38).
In regards to claim 7, the references as combined above disclose the image provision device according to claim 4, wherein the processor stores identification information of the first user corresponding to the derived information referred to by the second user in a storage device, as information related to the second user who has made the provision request based on the derived information (Ishii: There is a process of storing the member ID, purchased product ID, target privilege ID) in the privilege status Database, and the introduction of the privilege status Database corresponding to the member ID of the purchasing user who introduced the trial reading event to the trial reading user (Paragraph 78).) . This claim is rejected based on the same rationale cited for claim 4 above.
In regards to claim 8, the references as combined above disclose the image provision device according to claim 7, wherein the processor generates, in a case in which a predetermined number or more of the second users have made the provision request based on the same derived information, information for identifying the first user corresponding to the derived information referred to by the predetermined number or more of the second users, as a target for granting advantage (Ishii: The server can grant points (privileges) to the purchasing user who introduced the trial reading event to the trial reading user when the trial reading user purchases the electronic book (Paragraph 56).) . This claim is rejected based on the same rationale cited for claim 4 above.
In regards to claim 9, the references as combined above disclose the image provision device according to claim 1, wherein the processor stores information related to a provision order of the target image in a storage device, as information related to the first user to whom the target image is provided (Ishii: Specifically, the control unit stores the member ID of the purchasing user, the purchased product ID, and the target privilege ID in association with each other in the privilege status Database (Paragraph 66).).
In regards to claim 11, the subject matter of the claim is analogous to claim 4. Therefore the claim is rejected based on the same rationale cited for claim 4 above.
In regards to claim 12, the subject matter of the claim is analogous to claim 5. Therefore the claim is rejected based on the same rationale cited for claim 5 above.
In regards to claim 13, the subject matter of the claim is analogous to claim 7. Therefore the claim is rejected based on the same rationale cited for claim 7 above.
In regards to claim 14, the subject matter of the claim is analogous to claim 8. Therefore the claim is rejected based on the same rationale cited for claim 8 above.
In regards to claim 16, the claim recites analogous subject matter to claim 11 on which it depends on. Specifically it recites “a computer-readable recording medium in which a program causing a computer to execute each step included in the content provision method according to claim 11 is recorded” .Therefore, claim 16 is rejected on the same premise as claim 11 above.
In regards to claim 17, the claim recites analogous subject matter to claim 12 on which it depends on. Specifically it recites “a computer-readable recording medium in which a program causing a computer to execute each step included in the content provision method according to claim 12 is recorded” .Therefore, claim 17 is rejected on the same premise as claim 12 above.
In regards to claim 18, the claim recites analogous subject matter to claim 13 on which it depends on. Specifically it recites “a computer-readable recording medium in which a program causing a computer to execute each step included in the content provision method according to claim 13 is recorded” .Therefore, claim 18 is rejected on the same premise as claim 13 above.
In regards to claim 19, the claim recites analogous subject matter to claim 14 on which it depends on. Specifically it recites “a computer-readable recording medium in which a program causing a computer to execute each step included in the content provision method according to claim 14 is recorded” .Therefore, claim 19 is rejected on the same premise as claim 14 above.
In regards to claim 20, the references as combined above disclose the image provision device according to claim 1, wherein the processor uploads the generated image to a Social Networking Service or a Weblog in response to the first device receiving the generated image. (Ishii: The SNS server 30 performs various types of information processing such as processing for accumulating various data uploaded from the user terminal 20 and publishing the data via the network N (Paragraph 10).)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Patent 9400894 discloses a method for modifying a file subject to edit restrictions which includes restriction of the content of the original file which is a target content and providing copy of the content of the original file to be modified.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHILLIP E WILSON JR whose telephone number is (703)756-1753. The examiner can normally be reached Monday- Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm EST,.
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/CARL G COLIN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2493
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