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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-20 are currently pending in application 18/328,064.
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.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 20 recites the limitations "the collaboration network insight” and “the item context insight" in the method of claim 16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by McCormack et al. (2015/0170165 A1).
As per independent Claim 1, McCormack discloses a computing system comprising: a processor; and computer storage memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor (See at least Figs. 1 and 4; Claims 21, 28, and 34; Para 0021-0023, Para 0041-0042), configure the computing system to perform operations comprising:
receive an insight request comprising an indication of a content item for which an item insight, corresponding to the content item, is to be determined (See at least Para 0007-0010; Para 0023, “The insight application 110 is configured to analyze entity-related data 112 received at, stored at, displayed at, and/or sent by the client device 102. The entity-related data 112 can be associated with one or more entities. As used herein, an "entity" may refer to one or more of a person, a company, a product, a group, a team, a business unit, a topic, and/or subject matter. As such, the entity-related data 112 can include data referring to and/or associated with one or more persons, companies, products, groups, teams, business units, topics, subject matter, and/or other entities.”; See also Para 0043-0049);
based on an indication of the content item in the insight request and a channel of collaboration, determine a collaboration network* that is associated with the content item, a particular context, and a user, the collaboration network comprising at least one additional content item that is associated with the particular context, or at least one entity that is associated with the particular context (See at least Para 0024-0029, insight application; See specifically for example, Para 0024, “According to various embodiments, the insight application 110 is further configured to extract entity information 114 from the entity-related data 112 or to retrieve the entity information 114 from the application programs 108. The insight application 110 analyzes the entity-related data 112 to search for the entity information 114, or queries the application programs 108 for the entity information 114. The entity information 114 can include explicit information identifying one or more entities associated with the entity-related data 112. According to various implementations, the entity information 114 includes an email address associated with an email message, caller identification ("callerID") information associated with an incoming telephone call, voice recognition data identifying a caller associated with an incoming telephone call, identifying information associated with an electronic communication such as device and/or application identifiers, identifying information of attendees associated with a calendar event, a product associated with a catalog or product identification, a company name associated with an order, and the like. The entity information 114 also can be extracted from the entity-related data 112 using context or search algorithms to identify the entity information 114”; and Para 0028, “In some embodiments, the insight application 110 generates and displays for a user a list of possible entities associated with the entity information 114.”; See also Para 0034-0037, Para 0049, and Para 0053-0055);
generate a collaboration network indicator corresponding to the content item, the collaboration network indicator indicating at least an aspect of the collaboration network (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0034-0037; Specifically for example Para 0036, “The entity may be associated with entity data 122, and the entity data 122 can provide information indicating one or more related entities. Entity data 122 relating to the entity and the related entities is received at the client device 102 and formatted for presentation to a user.”; and Para 0037, “More particularly, the insight application 110 is configured to analyze the entity data 122 and the context of the entity-related data 112 to identify one or more entities that are related to the entity associated with entity data 122 and/or that are related to the context of the entity-related data 112. The insight application 110 identifies the related entities, and obtains entity data 122 associated with the related entities from the CRM server 116. The insight application 110 analyzes the entity data 122 associated with the entities and the related entities to format and present the entity data 122 to a user at the client device 102, as mentioned above. For example, if the related-entity data 112 relates to a message including a sales order, the insight application 110 may determine that a sales history for the company associated with the sender of the request, open sales opportunities with the company, salespersons engaged with the sender of the request, or a company for whom the sender works, and the like, are relevant to the request. Thus, the insight application 110 can define these and other entities as related entities for the received request.”); and
and cause to present, within a user interface and with presentation of an indication of the content item, at least the collaboration network indicator (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0034-0037).
*Applicant “Specification Collaboration Network” definition - Para 0004, “A collaboration network is generally used to refer to a set of individuals or entities and items (e.g., documents, files, calendar events, electronic communications, comments, and other items of content) that are relevant to a user in regards to a particular context or endeavor.”
As per Claim 2 (1), McCormack discloses wherein the operations further comprise: determine an item context associated with the content item, the item context indicating a status of the content item relative to the user; generate an item context indicator indicating the determined item context; and cause to present, within a user interface and with presentation of an indication of the content item, the item context indicator (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0053, “From operation 210, the method 200 proceeds to operation 212, wherein the insight application 110 identifies a context associated with the entity-related data 112. The insight application 110 is configured to determine the context of the entity-related data 112 based upon explicit and/or implicit information in or associated with the entity-related data 112, and may use the determined context to identify related entities and/or to tailor the format and/or content of data presented to a user of the client device 102”; Para 0054).
As per Claim 4 (1), McCormack discloses wherein the insight request is generated based on a determination by an item insight service, which is a computer service operating on the computing system, to obtain an item insight for the content item (See at least Figs. 1 and 4; Para 0019-0024, Para 0039-0043).
As per Claim 5 (1), McCormack discloses wherein the insight request is received from a computer application operating on the computing system and based on an indication of the content item by the computer application (See at least Figs. 1 and 4; Para 0006-0007, Para 0019-0024, Para 0039-0043).
As per Claim 6 (5), McCormack discloses
wherein the computer application comprises one of a data feed application, a file manager application, or communications application, or a search application; wherein, for the data feed application, the collaboration network indicator is caused to be presented in a card comprising the presentation of the indication of the content item, the card being provided to the user via the data feed application (See at least Figs. 1-3D, Para 0017, Para 0022, Para 0024-0026, Para 0034-0037, Para 0043); and
wherein, for the file manager application, the search application, or the communications application, the collaboration network indicator is caused to be presented proximate the presentation of the indication of the content item (Element not required under BRI, based on the initial “or” selection of “data feed application” – However, for a different initial decision, See also Figs. 1-3D, Para 0017, Para 0022, Para 0024-0026, Para 0034-0037, Para 0043).
As per Claim 7 (1), McCormack discloses wherein the collaboration network includes a set content items and a set of entities associated with the set of content items, the set of entities including one or more people who contributed to or have access to at least a portion of the set of content items; and wherein the collaboration network associated with the content item and user is determined based on accessing collaboration network data comprising indications of at least one collaboration network, and determining the collaboration network that includes the content item and the user (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0007, Para 0034-0037).
As per Claim 8 (7), McCormack discloses wherein the aspect of the collaboration network indicated by the collaboration network indicator comprises at least a portion of the set of entities associated with the set of content items (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0034-0037).
As per Claim 9 (1), McCormack discloses wherein the content item comprises a document, a file, an email, an instant message, a text message, a calendar event, an indication of another user, or a search result (See at least Para 0023, “According to various embodiments, the entity-related data 112 relates to an electronic mail ("email") message, a real-time message, a telephone communication, a voice-over-Internet-protocol ("VoIP") communication, Internet or other network data such as hypertext-markup-language ("HTML") data, web pages, stand-alone application program data, calendar data, combinations thereof, and the like.”; Para 0043, “… the insight application 110 analyzes the entity-related data 112. The entity-related data 112 can include almost any data sent by, stored at, or received at the client device 102. As will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3A-3G, the entity-related data 112 can correspond to any data at the client device 102 including, but not limited to, one or more email messages, communications data, Internet or intranet files, web pages, computer files, voice recognition information that identifies a caller, callerID data, chat and instant messaging ("IM") data, real-time messaging data, social networking data, and/or other data.”).
As per Claim 10 (2), McCormack discloses wherein the status of the content item comprises information indicating a change or no change of the content item, change or no change of metadata associated with the content item, access or non-access of the content item by the user or by another person, or an action associated with the content item that is taken or not taken (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0034-0037, Para 0046, Para 0053-0055, Para 0064, Para 0073-0074).
As per independent Claim 11, McCormack discloses a computer-implemented method (See at least Figs. 1 and 4; Claims 21, 28, and 34; Para 0021-0023, Para 0041-0042) comprising:
accessing a set of collaboration network data, the collaboration network data including a first collaboration network associated with a user and a particular context and having a first set of related content items, including at least one additional content item that is associated with a particular context, and an indication of a first set of entities associated with the first set of related content items, and the set of collaboration network data including a second collaboration network associated with the user and having a second set of related content items and an indication of a second set of entities associated with the second set of related content items (See at least Para 0007-0010, Para 0023-0029, Para 0043-0049);
determining, based on at least a portion of the set of collaboration network data and a channel of collaboration, a first the item of content is included in the first collaboration network (See at least Para 0024-0029, Para 0034-0037, Para 0043-0049, and Para 0053-0055);
generating a collaboration network indicator that indicates an aspect of the first collaboration network (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0034-0037); and
causing display, within a graphical user interface and with a presentation of an indication of the first item of content, the collaboration network indicator (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0034-0037).
As per Claim 12 (11), McCormack discloses wherein the collaboration network indicator is caused to be displayed via a card displayed in a data feed associated with the user, the card including the indication of the first content item (See at least Figs. 1-3D, Para 0034-0037).
As per Claim 13 (11), McCormack discloses wherein the collaboration network indicator is caused to be displayed to provide context based on user selection of the first item of content displayed in the graphical user interface (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0034-0037).
As per Claim 14 (11), McCormack discloses wherein the aspect of the first collaboration network indicated by the collaboration network indicator comprises at least a portion of the first set of entities (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0024-0029, Para 0034-0037, Para 0043-0049, and Para 0053-0055).
As per Claim 15 (11), McCormack discloses wherein the first set of related content items comprise documents, files, media, emails, instant messages, text messages, or a combination thereof (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0023 and Para 0043).
As per Claim 16 (11), McCormack discloses
wherein the set of collaboration network data is accessed in response to receiving, from a computer application, an insight request comprising an indication of the first item of content (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0007-0010; Para 0023-0029, Para 0034-0037, Para 0043-0049);
wherein the computer application comprises one of a data feed application, a file manager application, or communications application, or a search application (See at least Figs. 1-3D, Para 0017, Para 0022, Para 0024-0026, Para 0034-0037, Para 0043, Para 0053-0054);
wherein, for the data feed application, the collaboration network indicator is caused to be displayed in a card that displays the indication of the first item of content, the card being provided via the data feed application; and wherein, for the file manager application, the search application, or the communications application, the collaboration network indicator is displayed proximate the presentation of the indication of the first item of content (See at least Figs. 2-3D).
As per Claim 20 (16), McCormack discloses wherein the graphical user interface comprises one of a card in a data feed, a file manager application interface, or an electronic communications application interface, and wherein the indication of the item of content, the collaboration network insight, and the item context insight are concurrently presented (See at least Figs. 1-3D, Para 0017, Para 0022, Para 0024-0026, Para 0034-0037, Para 0043, Para 0053-0054, Para 0059).
As per independent Claim 17, McCormack discloses a computer-implemented method for presenting insights in a graphical user interface that is operating on a computer system (See at least Figs. 1 and 4; Claims 21, 28, and 34; Para 0021-0023, Para 0041-0042), the method comprising:
causing display, within the graphical user interface, of an indication of an item of content (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0007-0010; Para 0023-0029, Para 0034-0037, Para 0043-0049);
causing display, within the graphical user interface, of a collaboration network insight associated with the item of content (suggestions), the collaboration network insight comprising an indication of at least an aspect of a collaboration network associated with a user and a particular context and determined based on a channel of collaboration, the collaboration network having a set of content items related to one another, including at least one additional content item that is associated with the particular context, and an indication of a set of entities associated with the set of content items; (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0023-0029, Para 0034-0037, Para 0043-0049); and
causing display, within the graphical user interface, of an item context insight associated with the item of content, the item context insight comprising information regarding a status of the item of content relative to the user (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0053-0054)
As per Claim 18 (17), McCormack discloses wherein the graphical user interface presents aspects of a data feed including a card, and wherein the collaboration network insight and the item context insight are automatically presented in the card with an indication of the item of content (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0034-0037, Para 0053-0054).
As per Claim 19 (17), McCormack discloses wherein the collaboration network insight or the item context insight is caused to be displayed subsequent to receiving an insight request that is generated based on a user interaction with the item of content via the graphical user interface; and wherein the aspect of the collaboration network comprises an indication of at least a portion of the set of entities (See at least Figs. 2-3D, Para 0034-0037, Para 0053-0054).
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over McCormack in view of Jalagam et al. (US 10,922,282 B2).
As per Claim 3 (2), while McCormack does disclose wherein the channel of collaboration comprises at least one channel associated with the user, and includes electronic mail, instant messaging, a document, or a meeting-related data (See at least Para 0023 and Para 0043);
McCormack fails to expressly disclose wherein determining the collaboration network comprises: constructing an item graph comprising a set of content items associated with the user including the content item and the at least one additional content item; applying a clustering algorithm to determine, from the item graph, a candidate item cluster; identifying entities associated with each item of the candidate item cluster thereby determining a set of entities: and determining the collaboration network as the candidate item cluster and the associated set of entities.
However, the analogous art of Jalagam discloses wherein determining the collaboration network comprises: constructing an item graph comprising a set of content items associated with the user including the content item and the at least one additional content item; applying a clustering algorithm to determine, from the item graph, a candidate item cluster; identifying entities associated with each item of the candidate item cluster thereby determining a set of entities: and determining the collaboration network as the candidate item cluster and the associated set of entities (See at least Figs.1-7; C3L50-C4L25, C7-C8, and C21).
Therefore, at the time the invention was effectively filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have included wherein determining the collaboration network comprises: constructing an item graph comprising a set of content items associated with the user including the content item and the at least one additional content item; applying a clustering algorithm to determine, from the item graph, a candidate item cluster; identifying entities associated with each item of the candidate item cluster thereby determining a set of entities: and determining the collaboration network as the candidate item cluster and the associated set of entities (See at least C21 L5-30), as disclosed by Jalagam in the system disclosed by McCormack, for the advantage of providing a computer-implemented method/ system for presenting insights in a graphical user interface, with the ability to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the method/ system by incorporating a variety of data analysis tools and techniques (See KSR [127 S Ct. at 1739] “The combination of familiar elements according to known methods is likely to be obvious when it does no more than yield predictable results.”).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 7/31/2025 and 10/14/2025, with respect to Claims 1-20, have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
Applicant's amendment (7/31/2025) necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure can be found in the PTO-892 Notice of References Cited. The Examiner suggests the applicant review all of these documents before submitting any amendments, especially the following documents incorporated by reference:
Iyer et al. (US 2024/0054290 A1) – Discloses a system/ method that forms cohorts of innovators to explore the reuse of innovations, assets, code, and build focused monetization model (See at least Para 0043-0048, Para 0070-0076)
O’Kane et al. (US 11,209,962 B1) – Discloses a system, method, and apparatus for providing insights, and taking actions thereon, for contextually relevant user-specific content integrated with a third-party Personal Information Management (PIM) application within a cloud based computing environment, such as a database system implementation supported by a processor and a memory to execute such functionality (See at least Para Figs. 1-2B and 10-18).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN P OUELLETTE whose telephone number is (571)272-6807. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8am-6pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lynda C Jasmin, can be reached at telephone number (571) 272-6782. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center for authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to Patent Center, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
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) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form.
October 22, 2025
/JONATHAN P OUELLETTE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3629