DETAILED ACTION
This non-final rejection is responsive to the RCE filed 02 January 2026. Claims 2-11, 14, 15, and 21-26 are pending. Claims 2, 21, and 22 are independent claims. Claims 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 21, and 22 are amended. Claims 12, 13, and 16 are cancelled.
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 Remarks
Applicant’s prior art arguments have been fully considered and they are persuasive.
Applicant argues (pgs. 11-12) that the cited references do not teach the newly amended claims which specify two distinct and separate display elements: 1) a third area displaying a plurality of discrete, selectable time slots that partition the event time; and 2) a playback timeline bar that is separated from and not overlapping with the third display area.
Examiner agrees. Accordingly, a new reference, Muto, has been added to the rejection, as further detailed below.
The foregoing applies to all independent claims and their dependent claims.
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.
Claims 2-11, 14, 15, and 21-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kunieda (US 2018/0052837 A1) hereinafter known as Kunieda in view of Barker (US 2015/0149540 A1) hereinafter known as Barker in view of Muto (US 2008/0270901 A1) hereinafter known as Muto.
Regarding independent claim 2, Kunieda teaches:
an information processing apparatus; and (Kunieda: Fig. 1 (25) and ¶[0068]; Kunieda teaches a meeting terminal.)
an information processing server, (Kunieda: Fig. 1 (10) and Fig. 8; Kunieda teaches a server device.)
wherein the information processing apparatus includes first circuitry configured to: obtain audio data generated during an event; (Kunieda: ¶[0067] and ¶[0095]; Kunieda teaches the meeting terminal capturing speech data.)
obtain a plurality of images captured during the event; (Kunieda: ¶[0068]; Kunieda teaches the meeting terminal capturing the display of the interactive whiteboard.)
and transmit, to the information processing server, the audio data and the plurality of images, (Kunieda: ¶[0067], ¶[0095]-¶[0098], ¶[0106], ¶[0108], ¶[0244]; Kunieda teaches transmitting the speech and image data to the server device along with time markers.)
the information processing server includes second circuitry configured to: receive, from the information processing apparatus, the audio data and the plurality of images; (Kunieda: Figs. 8 and 10 and ¶[0111], ¶[0129], and ¶[0131]; Kunieda teaches a project manager as part of the server device which contains a receiver that receives speech data and video data. ¶[0139] further teaches a time manager which receives time markers.)
convert the audio data into text data; (Kunieda: ¶[0141]; Kunieda teaches a text generator which generates text data from the speech data.)
generate a screen that includes: a first area displaying the text data, a second area displaying the plurality of images, a third area displaying a plurality of time slots, wherein each time slot of the plurality of time slots includes time information corresponding to a different period of time within the event and each time slot being selectable by a user, the plurality of time slots partition a total event time, and each time slot is displayed separate from each other time slot of the plurality of time slots, and (Kunieda: Fig. 49 and ¶[0317]-¶[0318] and ¶[0322]; Kunieda teaches a timeline interface that displays speech to text data and image data, simultaneously. The third area may be interpreted as the middle column and the right column.)
a playback timeline bar... ; and (Kunieda: Fig. 49 and ¶[0317]-¶[0318] and ¶[0322]; Kunieda teaches a playback timeline bar 7130, positioned in the left column, which is parallel to the plurality of time slots.)
transmit the screen to the information processing apparatus, and the first circuitry of the information processing apparatus is further configured to: display the screen; (Kunieda: Figs. 2-5 and ¶[0078]; Kunieda teaches displaying the screen.)
receive, from the user, a user selection of a particular time slot of the plurality of time slots displayed in the third area; adjust the display of the screen such that the text data beginning at the particular time slot is displayed in the first area and an image corresponding to the particular time slot is displayed in the second area; and (Kunieda: Figs. 30 and 49 and ¶[0243]; Kunieda teaches the user being able to change the time designated with the time designation line 7131 on the timeline 7130 through a user operation. The image and text corresponding to the time designated is displayed in the image displayed area.)
... .
Kunieda does not explicitly teach:
... separated from and not overlapping with the third display area, wherein the playback timeline bar is oriented along a direction parallel with a direction of the plurality of time slots ...
However, Muto teaches:
... separated from and not overlapping with the third display area, wherein the playback timeline bar is oriented along a direction parallel with a direction of the plurality of time slots ... (Muto: Fig. 6 and ¶[0130]; Muto teaches a timeline slider that is parallel to the time slots.)
Muto is are in the same field of endeavor as the present invention, since it is directed to capturing meeting data to display on a timeline. It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person of ordinary skill in the art, to combine a method of capturing whiteboard session data that includes video and speech-to-text and displaying the data to the user as the user selects a specific time slot as taught in Kunieda with further presenting the timeline in a separate region that is parallel to the timeslots as taught in Muto. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Kunieda to include teachings of Muto because the combination would allow the user to efficiently change the playback point, as suggested by Muto: ¶[0130].
Kunieda does not explicitly teach:
replay the audio data at the beginning of the period of time corresponding to the particular time slot.
However, Barker teaches:
replay the audio data at the beginning of the period of time corresponding to the particular time slot. (Barker: Fig. 5 and ¶[0093]; Barker teaches the user selecting element 502, which represents a layer for a particular time slot. The system will playback the audio with the correlated drawings.)
Kunieda and Barker are in the same field of endeavor as the present invention, as the references are directed to capturing meeting data to display on a timeline. It would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person of ordinary skill in the art, to combine a method of capturing whiteboard session data that includes video and speech-to-text and displaying the data to the user as the user selects a specific time slot as taught in Kunieda with further allowing the replaying of the audio data at a beginning of the period of time corresponding to the time slot as taught in Barker. Barker provides this additional functionality. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the teachings of Kunieda to include teachings of Barker because the combination would allow the user to replay the audio and to search the appropriate content, as suggested by Barker: ¶[0093].
Regarding claim 3, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 2 (as cited above).
Kunieda further teaches:
wherein the plurality of images captured during the event includes one or more items, and the first circuitry of the information processing apparatus is configured to display the one or more items during the event. (Kunieda: Fig. 49; Kunieda teaches a timeline interface that displays image data.)
Regarding claim 4, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 3 (as cited above).
Kunieda further teaches:
wherein the second circuitry of the information processing server is configured to generate the screen such that the one or more items are displayed in a temporal order. (Kunieda: Fig. 49; Kunieda teaches a timeline interface that arranges data in a temporal order.)
Regarding claim 5, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 2 (as cited above).
Kunieda further teaches:
wherein the second circuitry of the information processing server is configured to generate the screen such that the text data and an image are simultaneously displayed. (Kunieda: Fig. 49; Kunieda teaches a timeline interface that arranges data in a temporal order.)
Regarding claim 6, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 2 (as cited above).
Kunieda further teaches:
wherein the text data is simultaneously displayed at screen positions relative to a screen position of an image. (Kunieda: Fig. 49; Kunieda teaches a timeline interface that arranges data in a temporal order.)
Regarding claim 7, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 2 (as cited above).
Kunieda further teaches:
wherein the second circuitry of the information processing server is configured to transmit the screen to the information processing apparatus. (Kunieda: Fig. 49 and ¶[0318]; Kunieda teaches a timeline interface that arranges data in a temporal order using the data from the server.)
Regarding claim 8, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 2 (as cited above).
Kunieda further teaches:
wherein the second circuitry of the information processing server is configured to transmit the text data to the information processing apparatus. (Kunieda: Fig. 49 and ¶[0318]; Kunieda teaches a timeline interface that arranges data in a temporal order using the data from the server.)
Regarding claim 9, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 2 (as cited above).
Kunieda further teaches:
wherein the second circuitry of the information processing server is configured to generate screen data for display at the information processing apparatus, based on the text data, and transmit the screen data to the information processing apparatus. (Kunieda: Fig. 49 and ¶[0317]-¶[0318] and ¶[0322]; Kunieda teaches a timeline interface that displays speech to text data and image data, simultaneously. ¶[0187] further teaches the server device transmitting the data to the terminal.)
Regarding claim 10, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 8 (as cited above).
Kunieda further teaches:
wherein the second circuitry of the information processing server is configured to manage the audio data and the plurality of images according to a corresponding content processing identifier. (Kunieda: Fig. 49 and ¶[0317]-¶[0318] and ¶[0322]; Kunieda teaches a timeline interface that displays speech to text data and image data, simultaneously. ¶[0186]-¶[0188] further teaches using meeting IDs.)
Regarding claim 11, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 2 (as cited above).
Kunieda further teaches:
wherein the second circuitry of the information processing server is configured to access the audio data and plurality of images via a link to a content management table. (The claims do not further define the function of a content management table. Per the instant specification, it is a data structure that stores various data regarding the content. Accordingly, Kunieda: Fig. 49 and ¶[0317]-¶[0318] and ¶[0322]; Kunieda teaches a timeline interface that displays speech to text data and image data, simultaneously. ¶[0186]-¶[0188] further teaches using meeting IDs.)
Regarding claim 14, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 2 (as cited above).
Kunieda further teaches:
wherein the first circuitry of the information processing apparatus is configured to collect data during the event, the data including at least the audio data and the plurality of images. (Kunieda: ¶[0067], ¶[0068], and ¶[0095]; Kunieda teaches the meeting terminal capturing speech and whiteboard data.)
Regarding claim 15, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 2 (as cited above).
Kunieda further teaches:
wherein the plurality of images includes a drawing that is drawn by a user during the event. (Kunieda: ¶[0104], ¶[0135], and ¶[0243]; Kunieda teaches a meeting manager which manages a drawn image drawn on the interactive whiteboard.)
Regarding claims 21 and 22, these claims recite an information processing server and an information processing apparatus and a method that perform the function of the information processing system of claim 1; therefore, the same rationale for rejection applies.
Regarding claim 23, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 2 (as cited above).
Barker further teaches:
wherein the second circuitry of the information processing server is configured to generate the screen such that each time slot of the plurality of time slots is displayed as including information indicating a start of the corresponding period of time. (Barker: Fig. 5 and ¶[0093]; Barker teaches the layers being displayed with the time slots.)
Regarding claim 24, Kunieda in view of Muto in view of Barker further teaches the information processing system according to claim 2 (as cited above).
Kunieda further teaches:
wherein the plurality of time slots, displayed in the third area, displays an indication of the particular time slot selected in the user selection. (Kunieda: Fig. 49 and ¶[0317]-¶[0318] and ¶[0322]; Kunieda teaches a timeline interface that displays speech to text data and image data. Th time slots are displayed on the left.)
Regarding claims 25 and 26, these claims recite an information processing apparatus that perform the function of the information processing system of claims 23 and 24; therefore, the same rationale for rejection applies.
Conclusion
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/ALEKSEY OLSHANNIKOV/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2118