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 .
Response to Amendment
In response to the amendment filed 6/9/2026; claims 1-3,5-19,21-22 are pending; claims 4 and 20 have been cancelled.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1 – 3 and 5 – 19 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cloran et al. (US 2010/0063815 A1) in view of O’Sullivan et al. (US 2013/0117018 A1).
Re claims 1, 14, 22:
1. Cloran teaches [A] caption device for use by a hard of hearing assisted user (AU) to assist the AU during voice communications with a hearing user (HU) using an HU device (Cloran, fig. 1; [0010], “a display”; [0022], “a computer-aided transcription (“CAT”) terminal”; [0017], “media server”), the caption device comprising:
a display screen; a memory; at least one communication link element for linking to a communication network; a speaker (Cloran, [0023]; [0010]);
a captioning actuator input feature for receiving a request to initiate captioning of an HU voice signal during a voice communication session between the caption device and the HU device (Cloran, [0010], “Each participant in the call 110, 120, and 130 has at least a voice connection 115, 125, and 135 to central system 140 through a telephone 114, 124, and 134”; Abstract, “multiple audio lines are used to provide a real-time transcript of a conference call”);
at least one processor programmed to perform the steps of:
(i) receiving an HU voice signal from the HU device during a call (Cloran, [0010], “Each participant in the call 110, 120, and 130 has at least a voice connection 115, 125, and 135 to central system 140 through a telephone 114, 124, and 134”; Abstract, “multiple audio lines are used to provide a real-time transcript of a conference call”);
(ii) storing at least a most recent portion of the HU voice signal in the memory (Cloran, [0010], “Each participant in the call 110, 120, and 130 has at least a voice connection 115, 125, and 135 to central system 140 through a telephone 114, 124, and 134”; Abstract, “multiple audio lines are used to provide a real-time transcript of a conference call”);
(iii) broadcasting the HU voice signal to the AU via the speaker (Cloran, [0010], “Each participant in the call 110, 120, and 130 has at least a voice connection 115, 125, and 135 to central system 140 through a telephone 114, 124, and 134”; Abstract, “multiple audio lines are used to provide a real-time transcript of a conference call”);
(iv) receiving, the at least the portion of the HU voice signal that is stored in memory, a caption request via the captioning actuator (Cloran, pg. 6, claim 11, “11. The system of claim 10, wherein: the interpreted intent is to suspend transcription of audio from all audio streams; and the automatic response is to suspend transcription of audio from all audio streams until the system receives instruction from a user to resume”; Cloran, pg. 6, claim 11; [0045]; [0032]);
(v) upon receiving the caption request, retrieving the portion of the HU voice signal (Cloran, [0045]; [0032], “The automated transcription subsystem converts the analyst's speech into text”);
(vi) obtaining a text caption corresponding to the portion of the HU voice signal (Cloran, [0037], “the user interface of an update to the transcript text”; [0039], “requests a transcription update”; [0032], “The automated transcription subsystem converts the analyst's speech into text”); and
(vi) presenting the text caption to the AU via the display screen (Cloran, [0035], “Newly transcribed passages and newly issued corrections are provided as updates to the user interface in substantially real time”; [0046], “Updates and corrections to the transcript text are, in some embodiments, sent to the user interface as soon as possible. In some of these embodiments, updates are provided on a per-word basis, while in others updates are sent with each keystroke of the analyst”).
Cloran teaches 14. A caption device for use by a hard of hearing assisted user (AU) to assist the AU during voice communications with a hearing user (HU) using an HU device (Cloran, fig. 1; [0010], “a display”; [0022], “a computer-aided transcription (“CAT”) terminal”; [0017], “media server”), the caption device comprising:
a display screen; a memory; at least one communication link element for linking to a communication network; a speaker (Cloran, [0023]; [0010]);
a captioning actuator input feature for receiving a request to initiate captioning of an HU voice signal during a voice communication session between the caption device and the HU device (Cloran, [0010], “Each participant in the call 110, 120, and 130 has at least a voice connection 115, 125, and 135 to central system 140 through a telephone 114, 124, and 134”; Abstract, “multiple audio lines are used to provide a real-time transcript of a conference call”);
at least one processor programmed to perform the steps of:
(i) receiving an HU voice signal from the HU device during a call (Cloran, [0010], “Each participant in the call 110, 120, and 130 has at least a voice connection 115, 125, and 135 to central system 140 through a telephone 114, 124, and 134”; Abstract, “multiple audio lines are used to provide a real-time transcript of a conference call”);
(ii) storing at least a most recent portion of the HU voice signal in the memory (Cloran, [0010], “Each participant in the call 110, 120, and 130 has at least a voice connection 115, 125, and 135 to central system 140 through a telephone 114, 124, and 134”; Abstract, “multiple audio lines are used to provide a real-time transcript of a conference call”);
(iii) broadcasting the HU voice signal to the AU via the speaker (Cloran, [0010], “Each participant in the call 110, 120, and 130 has at least a voice connection 115, 125, and 135 to central system 140 through a telephone 114, 124, and 134”; Abstract, “multiple audio lines are used to provide a real-time transcript of a conference call”);
(iv) receiving, HU voice signal that is stored in memory, a caption request via the captioning actuator from the AU (Cloran, pg. 6, claim 11, “11. The system of claim 10, wherein: the interpreted intent is to suspend transcription of audio from all audio streams; and the automatic response is to suspend transcription of audio from all audio streams until the system receives instruction from a user to resume”; Cloran, pg. 6, claim 11; [0045]; [0032]);
(v) upon receiving the caption request, retrieving the portion of the HU voice signal from the memory (Cloran, [0045]; [0032], “The automated transcription subsystem converts the analyst's speech into text”);
(vi) using an automatic speech recognition (ASR) program to generate a text caption corresponding to the portion of the HU voice signal (Cloran, [0037], “the user interface of an update to the transcript text”; [0039], “requests a transcription update”; [0032], “The automated transcription subsystem converts the analyst's speech into text”); and
(vi) presenting the text caption to the AU via the display screen (Cloran, [0035], “Newly transcribed passages and newly issued corrections are provided as updates to the user interface in substantially real time”; [0046], “Updates and corrections to the transcript text are, in some embodiments, sent to the user interface as soon as possible. In some of these embodiments, updates are provided on a per-word basis, while in others updates are sent with each keystroke of the analyst”).
Cloran teaches 22. A caption device (Cloran, Abstract)comprising:
a display; a memory; a speaker; a user input (Cloran, [0023]; [0010]); and
at least one processor in electrical communication with the display, the memory, the speaker, and the user input, the at least one processor being configured to:
receive, from a hearing user (HU) during a call, a HU voice signal (Cloran, [0010], “Each participant in the call 110, 120, and 130 has at least a voice connection 115, 125, and 135 to central system 140 through a telephone 114, 124, and 134”; Abstract, “multiple audio lines are used to provide a real-time transcript of a conference call”);
store at least a portion of the HU voice signal in the memory (Cloran, [0010], “Each participant in the call 110, 120, and 130 has at least a voice connection 115, 125, and 135 to central system 140 through a telephone 114, 124, and 134”; Abstract, “multiple audio lines are used to provide a real-time transcript of a conference call”);
receive, from the user input (Cloran, [0045]; [0032], “The automated transcription subsystem converts the analyst's speech into text”);
in response to receiving the caption request, obtain a text caption of at least a portion of the HU voice signal (Cloran, [0037], “the user interface of an update to the transcript text”; [0039], “requests a transcription update”; [0032], “The automated transcription subsystem converts the analyst's speech into text”); and
present the text caption on the display during the call (Cloran, [0035], “Newly transcribed passages and newly issued corrections are provided as updates to the user interface in substantially real time”; [0046], “Updates and corrections to the transcript text are, in some embodiments, sent to the user interface as soon as possible. In some of these embodiments, updates are provided on a per-word basis, while in others updates are sent with each keystroke of the analyst”).
Cloran does not explicitly disclose (iv) receiving, prior to any captioning of the at least the most recent portion of the HU voice signal that is stored in memory, a caption request via the captioning actuator from the AU; (v) upon receiving the caption request, retrieving the most recent portion of the HU voice signal from the memory; (vi) obtaining a text caption corresponding to the most recent portion of the HU voice signal. Cloran does not explicitly disclose receive, from the user input, a caption request during the call; in response to receiving the caption request, obtain a text caption of at least a portion of the HU voice signal, wherein the portion of the HU voice signal has not been previously transcribed; and
O’sullivan et al. (US 2013/0117018 A1) teaches a method, computer program product, and system for voice content transcription during collaboration sessions (O’sullivan, Abstract). O’sullivan teaches (Claims 1 and 14) (iv) receiving, prior to any captioning of the at least the most recent portion of the HU voice signal that is stored in memory, a caption request via the captioning actuator from the AU; (v) upon receiving the caption request, retrieving the most recent portion of the HU voice signal from the memory; (vi) obtaining a text caption corresponding to the most recent portion of the HU voice signal; and (Claim 22) receive, from the user input, a caption request during the call; in response to receiving the caption request, obtain a text caption of at least a portion of the HU voice signal, wherein the portion of the HU voice signal has not been previously transcribed (O’sullivan, [0045], “VCT process 10 may provide transcriptions of voice content associated with multiple collaboration session participants in the collaboration session (e.g., collaboration session 300) to user 44 upon request. Further, it should be noted that VCT process 10 may display text content associated with the first real-time voice content-to-text content transcription (e.g., transcription 500)”; [0035], “select (e.g., right-click) on user 46 in a session participant list (e.g., session participant list 306) provided by the unified telephony application and/or VoIP conferencing application used for collaboration session 300. In response to receiving this selection from user 44, VCT process 10 may render pop-up interface 308 which may include a selectable "transcribe" option (e.g., option 310). User 44 may select the "transcribe" option (e.g., option 310)”; [0039], “receiving user 44' s selection of option 310 or via pop-up interface 400) to a first collaboration session (e.g., collaboration session … the first real-time voice content-to-text content transcription ( e.g., transcription 500) corresponding to the first voice content (e.g., spoken by user 46)”). Therefore, in view of O’sullivan, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the ASR system described in Cloran, by providing first real-time transcription requested by a user (most recent) as taught by O’sullivan, in order to provide real time transcription of the voice content as soon as user request without wasting any resource when transcription is not needed.
Re claims 2 – 3, 9 – 11:
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining a text caption includes initiating a process whereby an automated speech recognition (ASR) engine converts the retrieved HU voice signal to text (Cloran, [0045]; [0032], “The automated transcription subsystem converts the analyst's speech into text”).
3. The device of claim 2 wherein at least one of: the ASR is run by the at least one processor (Cloran, [0045]; [0032], “The automated transcription subsystem converts the analyst's speech into text”); or wherein, after presenting the text caption via the display screen, the ASR engine error corrects the text, the at least one processor using the corrections to make in line corrections to the text captions presented to the AU via the display screen.
9. The device of claim 3 wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to continue obtaining text captions associated with HU voice signal received during the call for at least a period after receiving the caption request and presenting the text captions associated with the HU voice signal received subsequent to the request via the display screen (Cloran, [0020], “the audio stream at moments that are apparently moments of silence between words or sentences”; [0024]; [0027], “receiving updates to the transcript as new chunks are transcribed and corrections are made”; [0035], “Newly transcribed passages and newly issued corrections are provided as updates to the user interface in substantially real time”).
10. The device of claim 9 for use with a remote relay that performs captioning services, the step of obtaining text captions for voice signal received after the caption request including the at least one processor transmitting at least a portion of the HU voice signal received after the caption request to the relay and receiving the text caption back from the relay (Cloran, figs. 3 – 4;[0020], “the audio stream at moments that are apparently moments of silence between words or sentences”; [0024]; [0027], “receiving updates to the transcript as new chunks are transcribed and corrections are made”; [0035]).
11. The device of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of the HU voice signal received after the caption request is also transcribed by the ASR and the resulting text caption is presented via the display screen (Cloran, [0035], “Newly transcribed passages and newly issued corrections are provided as updates to the user interface in substantially real time”; [0046], “Updates and corrections to the transcript text are, in some embodiments, sent to the user interface as soon as possible. In some of these embodiments, updates are provided on a per-word basis, while in others updates are sent with each keystroke of the analyst”).
Re claims 6 – 8:
6. The device of claim 1 for use with a remote relay that performs captioning services, the step of obtaining a text caption including the at least one processor transmitting the retrieved most recent portion of the HU voice signal to the relay and receiving the text caption back from the relay. 7. The device of claim 6 further including, after receiving the caption request, establishing a communication link with the relay. 8. The device of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to continue obtaining text captions associated with HU voice signal received during the call for at least a period after receiving the caption request and presenting the text captions associated with the HU voice signal received subsequent to the request via the display screen (Cloran, [0037], “the user interface of an update to the transcript text”; [0039], “requests a transcription update”; [0032], “The automated transcription subsystem converts the analyst's speech into text”; [0035], “Newly transcribed passages and newly issued corrections are provided as updates to the user interface in substantially real time”; [0046], “Updates and corrections to the transcript text are, in some embodiments, sent to the user interface as soon as possible. In some of these embodiments, updates are provided on a per-word basis, while in others updates are sent with each keystroke of the analyst”; fig. 1).
Re claims 12 – 13:
12. The device of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining a text caption includes performing at least first and second different transcription processes to generate first and second text captions corresponding to the retrieved HU voice signal and using the first and second text captions to derive an output text caption that is presented via the display screen (Cloran, [0030], “Automatic transcription subsystem 430 sends the audio chunk to service factory”; first text captions from speakers; [0035], “Newly transcribed passages and newly issued corrections are provided as updates to the user interface in substantially real time”; [0046], “Updates and corrections to the transcript text are, in some embodiments, sent to the user interface as soon as possible”; [0032], “repeats the words into a microphone”; second text captions from analyst by revoice).
13. The device of claim 12 wherein the first transcription process includes using an automatic speech recognition (ASR) engine to generate the first text caption and the second transcription process includes a re-voicing process whereby a call assistant listens to the retrieved voice signal and revoices the retrieved voice signal to an ASR to generate the second text caption (Cloran, [0032], “an analyst listens to the speech of the conference call participant and repeats the words into a microphone. The automated transcription subsystem converts the analyst's speech into text that is then associated with the speech of the conference call user … The analyst is then presented with the audio and repeats the speech as an input into the automatic transcription subsystem 430”; second transaction – repeats the words).
Re Claim 5:
5. The device of claim 3 wherein the in-line corrections are visually distinguished from other text that is not corrected (Cloran, [0035], “issued corrections”; [0049], “mark that word or passage as inaccurately transcribed, and the system may respond by providing the audio to one or more additional analysts for transcription and double-checking”; [0050], “check those segments marked as "bad" or "incorrect,””; [0048]).
Re claims 15 – 16:
15. The device of claim 14 wherein, after presenting the text caption via the display screen, the ASR engine error corrects the text, the at least one processor using the corrections to make in line corrections to the text captions presented to the AU via the display screen. 16. The device of claim 15 wherein the in-line corrections are visually distinguished from other text that is not corrected (Cloran, [0035], “issued corrections”; [0049], “mark that word or passage as inaccurately transcribed, and the system may respond by providing the audio to one or more additional analysts for transcription and double-checking”; [0050], “check those segments marked as "bad" or "incorrect,””; [0048]).
Re claim 17:
17. The device of claim 12 wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to continue generating text captions associated with HU voice signal received during the call for at least a period after receiving the caption request and presenting the text captions associated with the HU voice signal received subsequent to the request via the display screen (Cloran, [0030], “Automatic transcription subsystem 430 sends the audio chunk to service factory”; first text captions from speakers; [0035], “Newly transcribed passages and newly issued corrections are provided as updates to the user interface in substantially real time”; [0046], “Updates and corrections to the transcript text are, in some embodiments, sent to the user interface as soon as possible”; [0032], “repeats the words into a microphone”; second text captions from analyst by revoice).
Re claim 18:
18. The device of claim 17 wherein text captions corresponding to the retrieved voice signal are visually distinguished from text captions corresponding to HU voice signal received after the caption request is received (Cloran, [0048], “marking inaccurate transcription”; [0050]).
Re claim 19:
19. The device of claim 12 for use with a remote relay that performs caption error correction services, the at least one processor transmitting the generated captions and the HU voice signal to the relay as it is generated and receiving error corrections to the generated captions back from the relay and using the error corrections to make in line corrections to captions presented via the display screen (Cloran, [0035], “issued corrections”; [0049], “mark that word or passage as inaccurately transcribed, and the system may respond by providing the audio to one or more additional analysts for transcription and double-checking”; [0050], “check those segments marked as "bad" or "incorrect,””; [0048]) .
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cloran and O’Sullivan as applied to claim 14 above, and further in view of Carraux et al. (US 2008/0221881 A1).
Re claim 21:
Cloran does not explicitly disclose continuing to receive the HU voice signal during the ongoing call for at least a duration of time. Carraux teaches a speech processing system divides a spoken audio stream
into partial audio streams (Carraux, Abstract). Carraux teaches a 21. The device of claim 14, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to: after receiving the caption request: continuing to receive the HU voice signal during the ongoing call for at least a duration of time; obtaining text captions corresponding to the continuing voice signal; and presenting the text captions corresponding to the continuing voice signal via the display screen (Carraux, [0021], “While the recording device 106 is recording each snippet, the recording device may keep track of a start time 130 of the snippet relative to the beginning of the dictation 104 (or to any other reference point within the dictation 104), and a real (absolute) start time 132 of the snippet 202 (to maintain the correspondence of the snippet to other forms of user input, such as the click of a button in a GUI)”; fig. 1, 142 - “Complete Event”; [0016], “enable speech to be transcribed automatically and in real-time (i.e., as the speaker is speaking and before completion of the speech)”; [0037], “end time of the first recorded snippet”; [0044], “updates the current transcription position 140 to point to the end of the text transcribed”; [0013], “for displaying and editing a transcript according to one embodiment of the present invention”). Therefore, in view of Carraux, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the device described in Cloran, by providing entire transcription at the end of the transcription process as taught by Carraux, in order to enable speech to be transcribed automatically and in real-time (i.e., as the speaker is speaking and before completion of the speech) (Carraux, [0016]).
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1 and 14 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 39 of U.S. Patent No. 11627221. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the subject matter claimed in the instant application is fully disclosed in the more specific claims of ‘221.
Claims 1 and 14 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 19 of U.S. Patent No. 12137183. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the subject matter claimed in the instant application is fully disclosed in the more specific claims of ‘183.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 – 3, 5 – 19 and 21 - 22 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 argues: First, Cloran explicitly describes that the segment of the first audio stream is already transcribed, and therefore, the resuming of the system by a user already has previously transcribed audio (i.e., as is also inherent in the phrase "suspend transcription"). And even if this instruction from a user relates to the participants 110, 120, 130-in which it is unclear whether the user relates to these participants 110, 120, 130- resuming transcription will not transcribe an old portion of the audio stream, let alone the most recent portion (i.e., from the term "resume"). Second, as indicated above, it is unclear who the user is, that is, the user could reasonably be the analyst. This follows at least because these claims are from the perspective of the analyst. See, e.g., id at claim 10, " ... the input from the first analyst also indicates the analyst's interpretation of the intent of a person whose voice is represented by the first chunk of audio data ... " Third, following the second point, the instruction from a user does not appear to reasonably flow to a caption actuator as claimed … Applicant has amended independent claim 14 to call for, among other things, at least one processor programmed to perform the steps of (iv) receiving, prior to any captioning of the HU voice signal that is stored in memory, a caption request via the captioning actuator from the AU. Similarly to the remarks presented above with respect to independent claim 1, suspending transcription or resuming transcription requires previously transcribing the audio data.
The Office cited O’Sullivan et al. (US 2013/0117018 A1) to teaches a (Voice Content Transcription) (VCT) process to provide transcriptions of voice content associated with multiple collaboration session participants in the collaboration session (e.g., collaboration session 300) to user 44 upon request. Further, it should be noted that VCT process 10 may display text content associated with the first real-time voice content-to-text content transcription (e.g., transcription) and render pop-up interface which may indicate to user that user has requested a transcription of user's voice content (O’Sullivan, [0046]).
Conclusion
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.
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/JACK YIP/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3715