DETAILED ACTION
Status of the Claims
Claims 1-12 are pending.
Notice of AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after 16 March 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
Specification
The title of the invention is not sufficiently descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. See MPEP § 606.01.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5 and 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Almecija et al., US 2018/0365025 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Almecija discloses an information processing apparatus comprising: a processor configured to:
Detect a type of a user who uses an application. Almecija teaches determining a type of user. Almecija ¶ 32.
Based on the type that has been detected, control whether to display or hide an instruction section for the application when a selection screen for the application is displayed, the instruction section being used to instruct that information regarding functionality of the application be displayed. Almecija teaches adapting a user interface based on the determined type of user. Almecija ¶ 32. The adaption may comprise displaying hints to help the use navigate or otherwise use the user interface. Id. ¶ 64. The adapted user interface may be a screen with selectable user interface elements (e.g., menus). Id. ¶ 46, figs. 14-15.
Regarding claim 2, which depends on claim 1, Almecija discloses wherein the processor is configured to hide the instruction section when the type is a machine administrator. Almecija teaches determining a type of user based on their job title (e.g., technical programmer) or software access permissions. Almecija ¶¶ 52, 88. A machine administrator may be considered a job title and a software access permission level.
Regarding claim 3, which depends on claim 1, Almecija discloses wherein the processor is configured to record the number of times that the application has been used by an authenticated user and control whether to display or hide the instruction section for the application based on the number of times that the application has been used. Almecija teaches determining a type of user based on a number of times a user has used an application. Almecija ¶¶ 52, 74.
Regarding claim 4, which depends on claim 3, Almecija discloses wherein the processor is configured to hide the instruction section when the number of times that the application has been used is equal to a predetermined value or more. Almecija teaches categorizing a user as advanced when, for example, a user has used an application over 100 times (i.e., 101 or more times). Almecija ¶¶ 52, 74.
Regarding claim 5, which depends on claim 4, Almecija discloses wherein the processor is configured to display the instruction section when the number of times that the application has been used is less than the predetermined value. Almecija teaches categorizing a user as a beginner when, for example, a user has used an application less than ten times. Almecija ¶¶ 52, 74.
Regarding claim 9, which depends on claim 1, Almecija discloses wherein the processor is configured to display the instruction section for the application for an unauthenticated user. Almecija teaches displaying hints to any type of user (e.g., an unauthenticated user). Almecija ¶ 64-66,
Regarding claim 10, which depends on claim 1, Almecija discloses wherein the processor is configured to render an entire display area for the application selectable when the instruction section for the application is hidden. See Almecija figs. 12-13.
Claim 11 is drawn to instructions stored in a medium for performing the functions of the apparatus recited in claim 1. Accordingly, this claim is rejected for substantially the same reasons as indicated in the above rejection of the corresponding claim.
Claim 12 is drawn to a method for performing the functions of the apparatus recited in claim 1. Accordingly, this claim is rejected for substantially the same reasons as indicated in the above rejection of the corresponding claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 contain allowable subject matter.
Claims 6-8 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Although particular portions of the prior art may have been cited in support of the rejections, the specified citations are merely representative of the teachings. Other passages and figures in the cited prior art may apply. Accordingly, Applicant should consider the entirety of the cited prior art for potentially teaching all or part of the claims.
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure:
Dohi, US 2013/0258392 A1, discloses displaying pop-up information concerning a setting item based on a user usage state.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Asher D Kells whose telephone number is (571)270-7729. The examiner can normally be reached Mon. - Fri., 8 a.m. - 4 p.m..
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Asher D. Kells
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2171
/Asher D Kells/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2171
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