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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 1/16/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-6,21-25 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant had not corrected the status of claim 39, the status of claim 39 should indicates “withdrawn” instead of “previously presented” because claim 39 is depended on the base claim that was previously withdrawn. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 39 is objected to because of the following informalities: The status of claim 39 should indicates “withdrawn” instead of “previously presented” because claim 39 is depended on the base claim that was previously withdrawn. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "…the chat recipient" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 2-6 are rejected because they depended on the rejected base claim 1.
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 1-4,21-24, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gorny et al (us 2020/0412677) (hereinafter Gorny) in view of Nezarati et al (us 2016/0127282) (hereinafter (Nez) and Yoo et al (us 2016/0330146) (hereinafter Yoo) and further in view of Nishide et al (us 2016/0028664) (hereinafter Nishide).
As regarding claim 1, Gorny discloses a mobile device configured to operate in accordance with a real time chat capability for providing a real time chat session in which the chat requester is identified to the chat recipient and a chat requestor to submit an chat request to an information server, wherein the chat request comprises a profile identifier for the chat requestor and a profile identifier for an intended chat recipient (see Gorny 0040, user requests to create chat space, 0030-0032,0040 chat space participant create and customize settings of new chat space (i.e. profiles identifier for chat requestor), each chat space permit participant communication devices (i.e. profile identifier for intended chat recipient), also see Gorny 0053, parameters for which a new chat will operate); the information server, wherein the information server is adapted to, in response to receiving the chat request, perform a set of steps comprising creating a synthetic chat request (see Gorny fig.3, step 308 generate chat space, also see Gorny 0042-0043, describes step of generating new chat space), sending the synthetic chat request to a chat server and storing a record identifying the synthetic chat request as corresponding to the anonymous chat request (storing the new created chat space in chat space directory, each chat space comprises a unique selection of participating devices).
Gorny is silent in regard to the concept of the real time chat capability of providing a real time chat session is overridden by the chat requestor via a user-software interaction instructing the mobile device to submit an anonymous chat request and wherein the anonymous chat request requests creation of an anonymous chat session, chat server for initiation of an anonymous chat session between the mobile device and a device operable by the intended chat recipient.
Nez teaches the concept of the real time chat capability of providing a real time chat session is overridden by the chat requestor via a user-software interaction instructing the mobile device to submit an anonymous chat request and wherein the anonymous chat request requests creation of an anonymous chat session (see Nez (0004, 0006 real-time communication such as chat/instant messaging), also see 0007,0017, while conducting a real-time first chat session receives, through the user interface a request to initiate a side chat session with another device…preserving the anonymity of the device (i.e. creates an anonymous chat session)), chat server for initiation of an anonymous chat session between the mobile device and a device operable by the intended chat recipient (see Nez 0089-0090, devices create a chat session with another device via a server, server stores information to establish the chat session).
It would have been obvious to one with an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Nez to Gorny because they're analogous art. A person would have been motivated to modify Gorny with Nez’s teaching for the purpose of allowing invisibly of participant in the chat session (see Nez 0005).
Gorny-Nez is silent in regard to the concept wherein the anonymous chat session is assigned a name that identifies the intended chat recipient whereby the chat requester gains knowledge that the chat request was correctly directed while the chat requester remains anonymous to the intended chat recipient.
Yoo teaches the concept of wherein the anonymous chat session is assigned a name that identifies the intended chat recipient whereby the chat requester gains knowledge that the chat request was correctly directed while the chat requester remains anonymous to the intended chat recipient (see Yoo 0099-0100, the create anonymous chat, where the identities of users who transmitted messages are not disclose (see Yoo 0008,0162)).
It would have been obvious to one with an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Yoo to Gorny-Nez because they're analogous art. A person would have been motivated to modify Gorny-Nez with Yoo’s teaching for the purpose of improving the user experience by allowing the user to anonymously communicate with other users.
The combination of Gorny-Nez-Yoo is silent in regard to the concept of retrieving endpoint information corresponding to the chat requester and endpoint information for the intended chat recipient from an application database and synthetic chat request comprises an endpoint information corresponding to the chat requestor and the endpoint information for the intended chat recipient.
Nishide teaches the concept of retrieving endpoint information corresponding to the chat requester and endpoint information for the intended chat recipient from an application database (see Nishide 0010-0011, obtain/receive IP address of users) and synthetic chat request comprises an endpoint information corresponding to the chat requestor and the endpoint information for the intended chat recipient (see Nishide 0010-0011, 0035-0039, using IP address of each user for the chat, it is obvious that the IP address of the chat requester and IP address of the chat recipient are included for the chat room to carry out the chat communication).
It would have been obvious to one with an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Nishide to Gorny-Nez-Yoo because they're analogous art. A person would have been motivated to modify Gorny-Nez-Yoo with Nishide’s teaching for the purpose of improving the user experience for real time chat system.
As regarding claim 2, Gorny-Nez-Yoo-Nishide discloses the synthetic chat request does not comprise the profile identifier or any human intelligible identifier for the chat requestor (see Yoo 0099-0100, the create anonymous chat, where the identities of users who transmitted messages are not disclose (see Yoo 0008,0162)). The same motivation was utilized in claim 1 applied equally well to claim 2.
As regarding claim 3, Gorny-Nez-Yoo-Nishide discloses the endpoint information corresponding to the chat requestor is a first internet protocol address; and (b) the endpoint information for the intended chat recipient is a second internet protocol address (see Nishide 0009-0011, using IP address of each user for the chat, it is obvious that the IP address of the chat requester and IP address of the chat recipient are included for the chat room to carry out the chat communication). The same motivation was utilized in claim 1 applied equally well to claim 3.
As regarding claim 4, Gorny-Nez-Yoo-Nishide discloses present the chat requestor an interface listing individuals having one or more designated roles as potential chat recipients; and (ii) allow the chat requestor to create the anonymous chat request by selecting an individual from the interface listing individuals having one or more designated roles (see Nishide 0034-0035, chat server manages IP addresses of the clients, also see Nishide 0041, 0046-0047, buddy list table which include IP addresses of chat clients, the client/s using the buddy list to initiate chat with other user/s); and (b) the profile identifier for the intended chat recipient which is comprised by the anonymous chat request identifies the individual selected from the interface listing individuals having one or more designated roles (see Nishide 0041, 0046-0047, buddy list table which include IP addresses of other chat clients, which is the buddy of the client, the client/s using the buddy list to initiate chat with others). The same motivation was utilized in claim 1 applied equally well to claim 4.
As regarding claims 21-24, the limitations of claims 21-24, are similar to limitations of rejected claims 1-4 above, therefore rejected for the same rationale.
Claims 5-6,25-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gorny-Nez-Yoo-Nishide as applied to claims 1, 21 above and further in view of Oh (us 2010/0056183).
As regarding claim 5, Gorny-Nez-Yoo-Nishide discloses the invention as claims in claim 1 above, Gorny-Nez-Yoo-Nishide is silent in regard to the concept of the mobile device is operable to transmit geolocation for the chat requestor to the information server; the information server is configured to determine the context of the chat requestor by performing steps comprising: receiving location information from the mobile device; comparing location information received from the mobile device with location information previously received for a plurality of predefined events and based identifying a predefined event from the plurality of predefined events having location information matching location information received from the mobile device, identify that predefined event as the context of the chat requestor.
Oh teaches the concept of the concept of the mobile device is operable to transmit geolocation for the chat requestor to the information server (see Oh, 0033-0035, 0044, current location of user use as a criterion to create/enter chatroom); (b) the information server is configured to determine the context of the chat requestor by performing steps comprising: receiving location information from the mobile device (see Oh 0044, device transfer its location to the server); comparing location information received from the mobile device with location information previously received for a plurality of predefined events and based identifying a predefined event from the plurality of predefined events having location information matching location information received from the mobile device, identify that predefined event as the context of the chat requestor (see Oh 0049-0050, create chat with provided parameter, which may include location, host receives location information from the device and compare the received location with the stored geographic region associated with the location based chat).
It would have been obvious to one with an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Oh to Gorny-Nez-Yoo-Nishide because they're analogous art. A person would have been motivated to modify Gorny-Nez-Yoo-Nishide with Oh’s teaching for the purpose of providing social networking to mobile user depending on their current location (see Oh 0008).
As regarding claim 6, Gorny-Nez-Yoo-Nishide-Oh discloses the mobile device is operable by the chat requestor to specify that the chat requestor is present at an event and the information server is configured to determine the context of the chat requestor based on receiving a signal from the mobile device indicating that the chat requestor is present at the event (see Oh, 0033, the current location of the user within a geographic location (i.e. at an event) use to start or enter a chatroom ). The same motivation was utilized in claim 5 applied equally well to claim 6.
As regarding claims 25-26, the limitations of claims 25-26 are similar to limitations of rejected claims 5 above, therefore rejected for the same rationale.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUYEN MY DOAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4226. The examiner can normally be reached (571)272-4226.
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/DUYEN M DOAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2459