Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/393,493

METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PRESENT VISUAL INTERFACES

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Dec 21, 2023
Examiner
ALAM, MUSHFIKH I
Art Unit
2426
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Directv LLC
OA Round
2 (Final)
58%
Grant Probability
Moderate
3-4
OA Rounds
1y 6m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 58% of resolved cases
58%
Career Allowance Rate
299 granted / 514 resolved
At TC average
Strong +38% interview lift
Without
With
+38.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 12m
Avg Prosecution
20 currently pending
Career history
543
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.4%
-39.6% vs TC avg
§103
94.1%
+54.1% vs TC avg
§102
1.1%
-38.9% vs TC avg
§112
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 514 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
DETAILED ACTION Claims 1-13, 16-17, 19-21, 24, 28 are pending. 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 . 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. Claim(s) 1-3, 11-13, 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Turi et al. (US 2018/0014062) in view Kopf et al. (US 2008/0052742), and further in view of Chai et al. (US 2017/0195736). Claim 1, Turi teaches a system comprising: programmable circuitry (p. 0020); a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed or instantiated by the programmable circuitry (p. 0020), facilitate performance of operations including: playing a first media stream in full screen (fig. 10a; p. 0067); determining a user has opened a visual interface (i.e. pressing a button for interactive menu + program window) (fig. 10C; p. 0068-0069); after the user has opened the visual interface, presenting, in a first region of the visual interface (i.e. AW), a group of tabs relevant to the user (i.e. M1-M4) and a selection of a first tab within the group (i.e. selecting a content) (fig. 10C; p. 0070-0073); after the user has opened the visual interface, playing, in a second region of the visual interface (i.e. window P), the first media stream (i.e. menu items can be selected to play in window P) (figs. 10C-D; p. 0069-0076). Turi is not entirely clear in teaching the specific features of: in response to determining the user has scrolled to a second tab within the group, the second tab, playing, in the second region of the visual interface, a second media stream corresponding to the second tab; in response to determining the user has exited the visual interface, playing the second media stream in full screen without selecting the second media stream. Kopf teaches the specific feature of: in response to determining the user has scrolled to a second tab (i.e. selecting items on a ticker) within the group (i.e. ticker), the second tab, playing, in the second region of the visual interface, a second media stream corresponding to the second tab (i.e. automatically playing the content selected) (p. 0085-0087). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to have provided auto play of content as taught by Kopf to the system of Turi to provide less interaction from the user (p. 0085). Chai teaches the specific feature of: in response to determining the user has exited the visual interface (i.e. exit button), playing the second media stream in full screen without selecting the second media stream (i.e. upon exiting the interface, full screen mode is presented) (p. 0079). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to have provided full screen mode upon exit of an interface as taught by Chai to the system of Turi to provide less interaction from the user (p. 0079). Claim 2, Turi teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the operations further include: requesting, in response to the user selecting the visual interface, data (i.e. menu items) to populate the visual interface (fig. 10C-E; p. 0068-0074); and receiving, in response to the request, a manifest file (i.e. scheduling information for building EPG menu items) describing a set of media streams that correspond to the group of tabs (p. 0026-0028). Claim 3, Turi teaches the system of claim 2, wherein: the user is authorized to view each media stream in the set (i.e. setting authorized access for subscribers) (p. 0022); and the authorization of the set of media streams occurs independently of which tab is selected within the first region of the visual interface (i.e. parental control can control access independently for each channel, the channels can be the menu items in fig. 10C) (fig. 10C; p. 0022). Claim 11, Turi teaches the system of claim 1, wherein: the second tab corresponds to a content provider of the second media stream (i.e. names of providers, UK news) (fig. 10C; p. 0068-0070); and the operations further include displaying a visual icon (i.e. names of providers) indicative of the content provider on the second tab (fig. 10C; p. 0068-0070). Claim 12, Turi teaches The system of claim 1, wherein: the first media stream is a first linear broadcast (i.e. satellite broadcast, etc.) (p. 0020-0021); and the second media stream is a second linear broadcast (i.e. satellite broadcast, etc.) (p. 0020-0021). Claim 13 recites “A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed or instantiated by programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations” to perform the steps of claim 1. Turi inherently teaches “A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed or instantiated by programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations” to perform the steps of claim 1. Claim 24 is analyzed as a method of claim 1. Claim(s) 4-6, 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Turi et al. (US 2018/0014062) in view Kopf et al. (US 2008/0052742), and further in view of Chai et al. (US 2017/0195736), and further in view of Gonzales et al. (US 2013/0246631). Claim 4, Turi teaches the system of claim 2, wherein to play the second media stream, the operations further include: identifying, using the manifest file and in response to the user selecting a second tab within the group, a content provider that corresponds to the second media stream (i.e. scheduling information for building EPG menu items) (p. 0026-0028). Turi is silent regarding The system of claim 2, wherein to play the second media stream, the operations further include: receiving a threshold amount of second media stream data from the content provider. Gonzales teaches The system of claim 2, wherein to play the second media stream, the operations further include: receiving a threshold amount of second media stream data (i.e. threshold for multicast rules) from the content provider (p. 0047). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to have provided a threshold limit for content as taught by Gonzales to the system of Turi to provide channel resource limits (p. 0047). Claim 5, Turi teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the operations further include: identifying the user has selected a third tab in the group (i.e. selecting any menu item M1-M4) (fig. 10C; p. 0078-0074). Turi is silent regarding the system of claim 1, wherein the operations further include: requesting, in response to the user having selected the third tab, a threshold amount of third media stream data, the third media stream data corresponding to the third tab. Gonzales teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the operations further include: requesting, in response to the user having selected the third tab, a threshold amount (i.e. threshold for multicast rules) of third media stream data, the third media stream data corresponding to the third tab (p. 0047). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to have provided a threshold limit for content as taught by Gonzales to the system of Turi to provide channel resource limits (p. 0047). Claim 6, Turi teaches the system of claim 5, wherein the operations further include: playing, in the second region of the visual interface (i.e. window P), the third media stream (i.e. menu items can be selected to play in window P) (figs. 10C-D; p. 0069-0076). Turi is silent regarding the system of claim 5, wherein the operations further include: receiving the threshold amount of third media stream data; and Gonzales teaches the system of claim 5, wherein the operations further include: receiving the threshold amount of third media stream data (i.e. threshold for multicast rules) (p. 0047). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to have provided a threshold limit for content as taught by Gonzales to the system of Turi to provide channel resource limits (p. 0047). Claim 16 recites “A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed or instantiated by programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations” to perform the steps of claim 4. Turi inherently teaches “A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed or instantiated by programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations” to perform the steps of claim 4. Claim 17 recites “A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed or instantiated by programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations” to perform the steps of claim 5. Turi inherently teaches “A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed or instantiated by programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations” to perform the steps of claim 5. Claim(s) 7-10, 19-21, 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Turi et al. (US 2018/0014062) in view Kopf et al. (US 2008/0052742), and further in view of Chai et al. (US 2017/0195736), and further in view of Gonzales et al. (US 2013/0246631), and further in view of Zhou (US 2022/0095002). Claim 7, Turi is silent regarding the system of claim 5, wherein the operations further include: receiving an initial amount of third media stream data, the initial amount less than the threshold amount; determining, before receiving additional third media stream data, that the user has selected a fourth tab within the group; and storing the initial amount of third media stream data in a cache for the third tab within the memory. Gonzales teaches the system of claim 5, wherein the operations further include: receiving an initial amount of third media stream data, the initial amount less than the threshold amount (p. 0047) (i.e. threshold for multicast rules) (p. 0047). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to have provided a threshold limit for content as taught by Gonzales to the system of Turi to provide channel resource limits (p. 0047). Zhou teaches the system of claim 5, wherein the operations further include: determining, before receiving additional third media stream data (i.e. switching to new media), that the user has selected a fourth tab within the group (i.e. selecting new media) (p. 0058-0059); and storing the initial amount of third media stream data in a cache for the third tab within the memory (i.e. storing in cache upon switching) (p. 0058-0059). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to have provided a cache as taught by Zhou to the system of Turi to provide efficiently switch bit rates of streams (p. 0100). Claim 8, Turi is silent regarding the system of claim 7, wherein the operations further include requesting, in response to a determination the user has reselected the third tab within the group, an amount of third media stream data, the requested amount to exclude the initial amount of third media stream data stored in the cache. Zhou teaches the system of claim 7, wherein the operations further include requesting, in response to a determination the user has reselected the third tab (i.e. switching media) within the group, an amount of third media stream data, the requested amount to exclude the initial amount of third media stream data stored in the cache (i.e. caching is adaptive and choosing the bitrate will factor in the initial amount within the cache and determine bitrate switching based on current conditions) (p. 0058-0059., 0100-0102). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to have provided a cache as taught by Zhou to the system of Turi to provide efficiently switch bit rates of streams (p. 0100). Claim 9, Turi is silent regarding the system of claim 1, wherein the memory includes: a first cache for data used to present the first media stream; and a second cache for data used to present the second media stream. Zhou teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the memory includes: a first cache for data used to present the first media stream (i.e. first cache volume) (p. 0058-0059., 0100-0102); and a second cache for data used to present the second media stream (i.e. second cache volume) (p. 0058-0059., 0100-0102). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to have provided a cache as taught by Zhou to the system of Turi to provide efficiently switch bit rates of streams (p. 0100). Claim 10, Turi teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the operations further include presenting, after the user has selected the visual interface and in a third region of the visual interface, a set of auxiliary media corresponding to the first media stream (i.e. video can be displayed in V1, V2 regions) (figs. 10D-E; p. 0068-0076). Claim 19 recites “A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed or instantiated by programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations” to perform the steps of claim 7. Turi inherently teaches “A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed or instantiated by programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations” to perform the steps of claim 7. Claim 20 recites “A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed or instantiated by programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations” to perform the steps of claim 8. Turi inherently teaches “A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed or instantiated by programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations” to perform the steps of claim 8. Claim 21 recites “A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed or instantiated by programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations” to perform the steps of claim 9. Turi inherently teaches “A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed or instantiated by programmable circuitry, facilitate performance of operations” to perform the steps of claim 9. Claim 28 is analyzed and interpreted as a method of claim 8. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) -13, 16-17, 19-21, 24, 28 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. Conclusion Claims 1-13, 16-17, 19-21, 24, 28 are rejected. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 11966561 B1 Greene; Kevin et al. US 20230027231 A1 Smith; Nathanael US 20210097105 A1 Al Majid; Newar Husam et al. US 10298874 B1 Lewis; Justin et al. US 20150347361 A1 Circlaeys; Eric M. et al. US 20150277850 A1 Wheatley; David John US 9071867 B1 Ray; Jonathan William et al. US 20070136750 A1 Abanami; Thamer A. et al. Applicant's amendment 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. Inquiries Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MUSHFIKH I ALAM whose telephone number is (571)270-1710. The examiner can normally be reached 1:00PM-9:00PM. 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, Nasser Goodarzi can be reached at 571-272-4195. 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. MUSHFIKH I. ALAM Primary Examiner Art Unit 2426 /MUSHFIKH I ALAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2426 4/2/2026
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Dec 21, 2023
Application Filed
Dec 04, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Mar 02, 2026
Response Filed
Apr 06, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
58%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+38.2%)
3y 12m (~1y 6m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 514 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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