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 .
Miscellaneous
Claims pending: 2-21
Claims amended: 2, 13,
Claims cancelled: 1
New claims: n/a
Double Patenting
Applicants request to hold the double patenting rejection with regard to patents 11438650, 11930248 in abeyance until allowable subject matter can be found is accepted for
now.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 2, 13, have been fully considered.
Regarding applicant’s remarks dated 04/30/2026, regarding currently cited references specifically Jobanputra and Van Os all fail to teach the amendments presented claim(s) 2, 13.
However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Mclean.
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection(s) of dependent claim(s) 3-12, 14-22, have been fully considered and are rejected based on the same reason as claim(s) 2, 13 above.
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(s) 2-6, 13-16, 21, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (US pub: 20190273963) to (Jobanputra) in view of (US pub: 20150382047) to (Van OS) in view of (US 20180081618) to (Mclean).
Regarding claim(s) 2, 13, Jobanputra teach processing circuitry configured to
control a timing of a voice response upon using a voice Al assistance service in cooperation with content on a basis of an utterance of a viewer, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to; and upon receiving an instruction to start voice response from viewer, cause the voice response in the waiting state to be started. (Fig.1-2, 7, 11A, P.37, 41, 46-47, 51-53, 80, 82, 85, 87, 167-168, 175, 184, Jobanputra teach an individual viewer/user voice command via microphone for certain information and determining if the output device is in a ready state to receive the response content, and output response accordingly depending on the state of the different devices to the viewer/user).
Jobanputra further teach receive voice data of the utterance of viewer; transmit the voice data to a server of voice AI assistance service; receive voice response to the utterance of the viewer from the server. (Fig. 1, P. 37-41, 43, 109, 112-113, users 2 speaks to Alexa 10 and query is sent to the backend system 100, consisting of servers, and response is provided to Alexa 10 from the backend system servers 100)
Jobanputra fail to specifically teach present a waiting state notification notifying the viewer that output of voice response is in a waiting state; and wherein the waiting state notification is an indication signal, and wherein upon receiving instruction to start voice response from viewer, the indication signal is turned off.
Van OS teach present a waiting state notification notifying the viewer that output of voice response is in a waiting state; and wherein the waiting state notification is an indication signal, and wherein upon receiving instruction to start voice response from viewer, the indication signal is turned off. (Fig 4B-4C, P. 92-93 receiving indication to listen for speech input, readiness confirmation 486 icon can be displayed, which reads on (present a waiting state notification notifying the viewer that output of voice response is in a waiting state). Readiness confirmation 486 icon (waiting state notification is an indication signal) can include a microphone symbol as shown amongst others, is ready to capture speech input from the user, and as the user begins to speak, readiness confirmation 486 icon goes away in response to capturing speech, which reads on (wherein upon receiving instruction to start voice response from viewer, the indication signal is turned off), and as the listening confirmation 487 is displayed in response to receiving speech input (e.g. capturing speech) (shown in Fig 4C)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Jobanputra by present a waiting state notification notifying the viewer that output of voice response is in a waiting state; and wherein the waiting state notification is an indication signal, and wherein upon receiving instruction to start voice response from viewer, the indication signal is turned off as taught by Van OS in order to provide a media control device that can provide a far more superior user experience.
Jobanputra in view of Van OS teach the voice response is received from the voice AI assistance service, the waiting state, the instruction.
Mclean further teach in waiting state until instruction is received. (P. 3, 5, 8, 12, 68, 88-89, the program segment interruption override may provide that a particular program segment is not to be interrupted in response to an announcement segment of a particular type with a higher priority even when the corresponding announcement timing window overlaps the corresponding program timing window, where overlapping refers to simultaneously spanning a finite period of time, and in other circumstance the user may provide the interruption override for example by pushing a button or icon or by speaking a voice command to allow the announcement to play and interrupt the program).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Jobanputra in view of Van OS by in waiting state until instruction is received as taught by Mclean in order to manage player devices that play audio segments from different sources from interrupt playing of program segments to play announcement segments such as navigation instructions.
Regarding claim(s) 3, Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean, teach the information processing apparatus, the waiting state notification.
Jobanputra further teach a user interface that includes a setting management unit. (Fig.1, 3, P.75, 91-92, Alexa device interface for user profile to adjust user settings and preferences).
Regarding claim(s) 4, 14, Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean, teach the information processing apparatus, the waiting state notification.
Jobanputra further teach upon waiting until the timing of voice response is reached, cause information indicating a waiting state to be generated. (Fig.1-2, 7, 11A, P.37, 41, 46-47, 51-53, 80, 82, 85, 87, 167-168, 175, 184, Jobanputra teach an individual viewer/user voice command via microphone for certain information and determining if the output device is in a ready state to receive the response content, and output response accordingly depending on the state of the different devices to the viewer/user).
Regarding claim(s) 5, 15, Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean teach the voice response and the waiting state notification.
Jobanputra further teach controlled by and received from the voice AI assistance service. (Fig.1-2, 7, 11A, P.37-41, 43, 46-47, 51-53, 80, 82, 85, 87, 109, 112-113, 167-168, 175, 184, Jobanputra teach an individual viewer/user voice command via microphone for certain information and determining if the output device is in a ready state to receive the response content, and output response accordingly depending on the state of the different devices to the viewer/user, further teach users 2 speaks to Alexa 10 and query is sent to the backend system 100, consisting of servers, and response is provided to Alexa 10 from the backend system servers 100, receive voice data of the utterance of viewer; transmit the voice data to a server of voice AI assistance service; receive voice response to the utterance of the viewer from the server, (similar to the way the disclosure P 135-137, 263, teach how it is done within the application disclosure), which reads on (controlled by and received from the voice AI assistance service)).
Regarding claim(s) 6, 16, Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean, teach the information processing apparatus, the waiting state notification.
Van OS further teach notification is an icon. (Fig 4B-4C, P. 92-93 receiving indication to listen for speech input, readiness confirmation 486 icon can be displayed. Readiness confirmation 486 icon can include a microphone symbol as shown, is ready to capture speech input from the user, and as the user begins to speak, readiness confirmation 486 icon goes away in response to capturing speech).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean by notification is an icon as taught by Van OS in order to provide a media control device that can provide a far more superior user experience.
Regarding claim(s) 12, 21, Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean, teach the information processing apparatus, wherein upon receiving the instruction to start the voice response from the viewer.
Van OS further teach icon is turned off. (Fig 4B-4C, P. 92-93 receiving indication to listen for speech input, readiness confirmation 486 icon can be displayed. Readiness confirmation 486 icon can include a microphone symbol as shown, is ready to capture speech input from the user, and as the user begins to speak, readiness confirmation 486 icon goes away in response to capturing speech).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean by icon is turned off as taught by Van OS in order to provide a media control device that can provide a far more superior user experience.
Claim(s) 11, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (US pub: 20190273963) to (Jobanputra) in view of (US pub: 20150382047) to (Van OS) in view of (US 20180081618) to (Mclean) in view of (US Pat 6993606) to (Takaku)
Regarding claim(s) 11, Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean in view of Takaku, teach the information processing apparatus, wherein upon receiving the instruction to start the voice response from the viewer, and the Lamp.
Van OS further teach notification symbol is turned off. (Fig 4B-4C, P. 92-93 receiving indication to listen for speech input, readiness confirmation 486 symbol can be displayed. Readiness confirmation 486 icon can be any symbol, is ready to capture speech input from the user, and as the user begins to speak, readiness confirmation 486 symbol goes away in response to capturing speech).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean in view of Takaku by notification symbol is turned off as taught by Van OS in order to provide a media control device that can provide a far more superior user experience.
Claim(s) 7-10, 17-20, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (US pub: 20190273963) to (Jobanputra) in view of (US pub: 20150382047) to (Van OS) in view of (US 20180081618) to (Mclean) in view of (US pub: 20190371329) to (D’Souza).
Regarding claims 7, 17 Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean teach the information processing apparatus, the voice response time information is information indicating the time suitable for the voice response, the content.
Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean fail to specifically teach response time information on a playback time axis of content.
D’Souza teach response time information on a playback time axis of content. (P. 39)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean by response time information on a playback time axis of content as taught by D’Souza in order to use voice to enable/disable action.
Regarding claim(s) 8, 18, Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean in view of D’Souza, teach the information processing apparatus, the voice response time information.
Jobanputra further teach acquired via communication. (Fig.1-2, 7, 11A, P.37, 41, 46-47, 51-53, 80, 82, 85, 87, 167-168, 175, 184, Jobanputra teach an individual viewer/user voice command via microphone for certain information and determining if the output device is in a ready state to receive the response content, and output response accordingly depending on the state of the different devices to the viewer/user, Jobanputra further teach sending the state information in metadata, (Fig. 11B, P. 91, 168, 175,))
Regarding claim(s) 9, 19, Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean, teach the information processing apparatus, the waiting state notification, the content, the voice response time information, the voice response to the content being played, the processing circuitry, the control timing of the voice response.
Jobanputra further teach the content is played back by a first device, voice response time information is delivered by a second device via communication, the second device extracts voice response time information indicating time suitable for voice response to content being played in first device from metadata including voice response time information intended for an entirety or a part of time on playback time axis of content, and control timing of voice response on a basis of voice response time information delivered via communication. (Fig.1, 3-5, P.28, 37- 41, 43, 46-47, 51-53, 80, 82, 85, 87, 91, 109, 112-113, 167-168, 175, 184, users 2 speaks to Alexa 10 and query is sent to the backend system 100, consisting of servers , and response is provided to TV display 300 and/or Alexa 10 , ( first and second devices) URL of song may then be sent to the television to be played starting at the time the song was stopped on the voice activated electronic device, or, a notification may be generated by, then sent to and played by the voice activated electronic device notifying the user that the song will be played on the television… additional metadata stored in user accounts module 268 may trigger backend system 100 to look to content routing module 270 to determine output electronic device 300 and to determine whether requested content should be output by output electronic device 300).
Regarding claim 10, 20, Jobanputra in view of Van OS in view of McLean in view of D’Souza, teach the information processing apparatus, the voice response time information.
Jobanputra further teach acquired via broadcasting. (Fig.1-2, 7, 11A, P.37, 41, 46-47, 51-53, 80, 82, 85, 87, 167-168, 175, 184, Jobanputra teach an individual viewer/user voice command via microphone for certain information and determining if the output device is in a ready state to receive the response content, and output response accordingly depending on the state of the different devices to the viewer/user, Jobanputra further teach sending the state information in metadata, broadcasted, (Fig. 11B, P. 91, 168, 175,))
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RONG LE whose telephone number is (571)270-7637. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (9 am - 6pm).
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/RONG LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2421
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