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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) submitted on March 21, 2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the Information Disclosure Statement is being considered by the Examiner.
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (Wang), US. PGPUB 20220303148 A1 in view of Jakobsson et al. (Jakobsson), US PGPUB 20230009304 A1 and in further view of Valli et al. (Valli), WO2018226508 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses the invention substantially as claimed. Wang discloses a computer-implemented method, comprising: receiving, from a first user device associated with a first user in a shared virtual world, a request to create a secure virtual meeting vault (see Wang, 0076, The mobile device 600 also can include an input/output (“I/O”) interface 616. The I/O interface 616 can be configured to support the input/output of data such as location information, presence status information, user IDs, passwords, and application initiation (start-up) requests. In some embodiments, the I/O interface 616 can include a hardwire connection such as a universal serial bus (“USB”) port, a mini-USB port, a micro-USB port, an audio jack, a PS2 port, an IEEE 1394 (“FIREWIRE”) port, a serial port, a parallel port, an Ethernet (RJ45) port, an RJ11 port, a proprietary port, combinations thereof, or the like. In some embodiments, the mobile device 600 can be configured to synchronize with another device to transfer content to and/or from the mobile device 600. In some embodiments, the mobile device 600 can be configured to receive updates to one or more of the applications 610 via the I/O interface 616, though this is not necessarily the case. In some embodiments, the I/O interface 616 accepts I/O devices such as keyboards, keypads, mice, interface tethers, printers, plotters, external storage, touch/multi-touch screens, touch pads, trackballs, joysticks, microphones, remote control devices, displays, projectors, medical equipment (e.g., stethoscopes, heart monitors, and other health metric monitors), modems, routers, external power sources, docking stations, combinations thereof, and the like. It should be appreciated that the I/O interface 616 may be used for communications between the mobile device 600 and a network device or local device); in response to receiving the request, creating the secure virtual meeting vault, wherein the secure virtual meeting vault runs on a secured container computing environment (see Wang, Fig. 9, Turning now to FIG. 9, a block diagram illustrating an exemplary containerized cloud architecture 900 capable of implementing, at least in part, aspects of the concepts and technologies disclosed herein will be described, according to an illustrative embodiment. In some embodiments, the virtual meeting service 112, at least in part, is implemented in the containerized cloud architecture 900. The illustrated containerized cloud architecture 900 includes a first host (“host.sub.1”) 902A and a second host (“host.sub.2”) 902B (at times referred to herein collectively as hosts 902 or individually as host 902) that can communicate via an overlay network 904. Although two hosts 902 are shown, the containerized cloud architecture 900 can support any number of hosts 902. The overlay network 904 can enable communication among hosts 902 in the same cloud network or hosts 902 across different cloud networks. Moreover, the overlay network 904 can enable communication among hosts 902 owned and/or operated by the same or different entities. The illustrated host.sub.1 902A includes a host hardware.sub.1 906A, a host operating system.sub.1 908A, a DOCKER engine.sub.1 910A, a bridge network.sub.1 912A, container.sub.A-1 through container.sub.N-1 914A1-914N1, and microservice.sub.A-1 through microservice.sub.N-1 916A1-916N1. Similarly, the illustrated host.sub.2 902B includes a host hardware.sub.2 906B, a host operating system.sub.2 908B, a DOCKER engine.sub.2 910B, a bridge network.sub.2 912B, container.sub.A-2 through container.sub.N-2 914A2-914N2, and microservice.sub.A-2 through microservice.sub.N-2 916A2-916N2); and in response to a determination that an event within the secure virtual meeting vault has concluded, verifiably destroying the secure virtual meeting vault (see Wang, 0060). However, Wang does not explicitly disclose in response to receiving the request, creating the secure virtual meeting vault, wherein the secure virtual meeting vault runs on a secured container computing environment that is separate from the shared virtual world (Even though implicitly Wang provides a containerized cloud architecture); teleporting an avatar representing a first user in the shared virtual world to the secure virtual meeting vault.
Thus, in the same field of endeavor, Jakobsson discloses in response to receiving the request, creating the secure virtual meeting vault, wherein the secure virtual meeting vault runs on a secured container computing environment that is separate from the shared virtual world (see Jakobsson, 0184 and 0205).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have incorporated the teachings of Jakobsson with the teachings of Wang to for the purpose of a more secure way of providing policies within a virtual environment. However, Wang-Jakobsson does not explicitly disclose teleporting an avatar representing a first user in the shared virtual world to the secure virtual meeting vault.
But in the same field of endeavor, Valli discloses teleporting an avatar representing a first user in the shared virtual world to the secure virtual meeting vault (see Valli, 0064, Many previous spatially faithful telepresence systems have limited support and understanding of user mobility. Systems and methods disclosed herein expand mobility to include users' ability to move around and to move and orient renderings of their locally captured spaces with respect to other participants. Types of mobility may be classified as two classes: physical mobility and virtual mobility. Physical mobility may include a user changing his or her position (user's mobility) inside a meeting space. Virtual mobility may include having a user visiting virtually ("teleporting" him/herself into) another meeting space, and a system or a user changing location of his or her meeting space in a unified virtual geometry. Hence, virtual mobility may have subclasses for user mobility and meeting space mobility. Many previous systems do not support meeting space mobility because many previous systems support only a small number of sites in fixed settings).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have incorporated the teachings of Valli with the teachings of Wang-Jakobsson for the purpose of greater user mobility within virtual meeting spaces, (see Valli page 8, 0057).
Note: The motivation that was utilized in the rejection in claim 1, applies equally as well to all other claims.
Regarding claim 2, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising: recording audio and/or video interactions between at least the first user and a second user during attendance in the secure virtual meeting vault (see Wang, 0031, 0039 0083, Moreover, the IoT devices 136 are described herein as having recording functionality to record video via an IoT video camera component (not shown) and/or audio via an IoT audio component (also not shown). The IoT devices 136 may provide functionality beyond video and/or audio recording, such as home assistant or other smart home functions (e.g., home automation control), although this additional functionality may or may not affect the privacy of the virtual meeting data 120. The policies 134 can specify whether or not the IoT device(s) 136 are allowed to operate during the virtual meeting 117. For example, the policies 134 may require that the IoT device(s) 136 be powered off in preparation for and during the virtual meeting 117).
Regarding claim 3, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein verifiably destroying the secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 1 above) includes: outputting the recording to a second user device associated with the second user, deleting the recording, and storing an indication of the recording and/or signatures of at least the first user and the second user to a predetermined location that is different than the user devices (see rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 4, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined location is a blockchain (see Jakobsson, Figs. 3-5B, and- 0154), and comprising: distributing a ledger of the blockchain to only the first user device and the second user device (see Jakobsson, 0154).
Regarding claim 5, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the secure virtual meeting vault is implemented in a trusted execution environment (TEE) (see Jakobsson, Fig. 9, 0184, 0205).
Regarding claim 6, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the TEE is a secure container (see rejection of claim 5, above).
Regarding claim 7, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 5, comprising: generating and outputting a cryptographically signed certificate to the first user device for confirming that the secure virtual meeting vault is implemented in the TEE (see Jakobsson, 0205, 0221 and 0449).
Regarding claim 8, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the avatar representing the first user remains visible in the shared virtual world while also present in the secure virtual meeting vault (see Wang, 0044), wherein audio interactions between at least the first user and a second user during attendance in the secure virtual meeting vault is not provided to a platform that deploys the shared virtual world to thereby prevent eavesdropping on conversations conducted in the secure virtual meeting vault (see Wang, 0029-0031), and comprising: outputting, to the platform, a visual indication for incorporating in the shared virtual world to indicate that the first user is interacting in the secure virtual meeting vault (see Wang, 0044).
Regarding claim 9, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer-implemented method of claim 1, comprising: causing at least one privacy-related feature to be used during use of the secure virtual meeting vault (see Wang, 0029-0031): wherein the privacy-related feature is selected from a group comprising: detecting and disabling a microphone of at least one user device, monitoring eye movements of the first user to ensure that only the first user is using the first user device, and kicking a user device from the secure virtual meeting vault in response to a determination that an unauthorized microphone is being used by the first user device (see Wang, Fig. 3, 0029- 0031, 0044-0045) .
Regarding claim 10, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses a computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions readable and/or executable by a computer to cause the computer to: receive, by the computer from a first user device associated with a first user in a shared virtual world, a request to create a secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 1 above); in response to receiving the request, create, by the computer, the secure virtual meeting vault, wherein the secure virtual meeting vault runs on a secured container computing environment that is separate from the shared virtual world (see rejection of claim 1 above); teleport, by the computer, an avatar representing a first user in the shared virtual world to the secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 1 above); and in response to a determination that an event within the secure virtual meeting vault has concluded, verifiably destroy, by the computer, the secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 11, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer program product of claim 10, the program instructions readable and/or executable by the computer to cause the computer to: record, by the computer, audio and/or video interactions between at least the first user and a second user during attendance in the secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 2 above).
Regarding claim 12, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer program product of claim 11, wherein verifiably destroying the secure virtual meeting vault includes: outputting the recording to a second user device associated with the second user, deleting the recording, and storing an indication of the recording and/or signatures of at least the first user and the second user to a predetermined location that is different than the user devices (see rejection of claim 3 above).
Regarding claim 13, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer program product of claim 12, wherein the predetermined location is a blockchain (see rejection of claim 4 above), and comprising: distributing a ledger of the blockchain to only the first user device and the second user device (see rejection of claim 4 above).
Regarding claim 14, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer program product of claim 10, wherein the secure virtual meeting vault is implemented in a trusted execution environment (TEE) (see rejection of claim 5 above).
Regarding claim 15, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer program product of claim 14, wherein the TEE is a secure container (see rejection of claim 6 above).
Regarding claim 16, The computer program product of claim 14, the program instructions readable and/or executable by the computer to cause the computer to: generate and output, by the computer, a cryptographically signed certificate to the first user device for confirming that the secure virtual meeting vault is implemented in the TEE (see rejection of claim 7 above).
Regarding claim 17, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer program product of claim 10, wherein the avatar representing the first user remains visible in the shared virtual world while also present in the secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 8 above), wherein audio interactions between at least the first user and a second user during attendance of the secure virtual meeting vault is not provided to a platform that deploys the shared virtual world to thereby prevent eavesdropping on conversations conducted in the secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 8 above) and comprising: outputting, to the platform, a visual indication for incorporating in the shared virtual world to indicate that the first user is interacting in the secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 8 above).
Regarding claim 18, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the computer program product of claim 10, the program instructions readable and/or executable by the computer to cause the computer to: cause, by the computer, at least one privacy-related feature to be used during use of the secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 9 above): wherein the privacy-related feature is selected from a group comprising: detecting and disabling a microphone of at least one user device, monitoring eye movements of the first user to ensure that only the first user is using the first user device, and kicking a user device from the secure virtual meeting vault in response to a determination that an unauthorized microphone is being used by the first user device (see rejection of claim 9 above).
Regarding claim 19, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses a system, comprising: a processor (see Wang, Fig. 5, item 502); and logic integrated with the processor (see Wang, Fig. 5, item 502), executable by the processor, or integrated with and executable by the processor, the logic (see Wang, Fig. 5, item 502, 0063-0065) being configured to: receive, from a first user device associated with a first user in a shared virtual world, a request to create a secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 1 above); in response to receiving the request, create the secure virtual meeting vault, wherein the secure virtual meeting vault runs on a secured container computing environment that is separate from the shared virtual world (see rejection of claim 1 above); teleport an avatar representing a first user in the shared virtual world to the secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 1 above); and in response to a determination that an event within the secure virtual meeting vault has concluded, verifiably destroy the secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 20, Wang-Jakobsson-Valli discloses the system of claim 19, the logic being configured to: record audio and/or video interactions between at least the first user and a second user during attendance in the secure virtual meeting vault (see rejection of claim 2 above).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM C VAUGHN JR whose telephone number is (571)272-3922. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Colleen Fauz can be reached at 571-272-1667. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/WILLIAM C VAUGHN JR/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2481
Prosecution Insights