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 Arguments
1. Applicant’s arguments 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, Song et al. (US 20150089660 A1).
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.
2. Claims 1-2, 11, 18-19, and 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ham et al. (US 20210118013 A1) in view of Song et al. (US 20150089660 A1).
Claim 1 Ham teaches a method of operating a terminal, the method comprising:
determining a profile item applicable to a displayed profile view for a first account based on an input received by a terminal of the first account, (Ham, FIG. 2, step 210 and 220, ¶0064-¶0066, determining a profile item applicable to the profile view based on user selection, ¶0049, wherein user A selects the set item, ¶0041, via input from User A’s device)
wherein the profile item comprises at least one of a first item for at least one touch input-based interaction (Ham, FIG. 6, item 675, ¶0098-¶0099, wherein the profile item comprises a link item; ¶0111, wherein the profile item interfaces are capable of touch-based interaction; however, Examiner notes that “for at least one touch input-based interaction” and is an intended use statements that does not have patentable weight) or a second item for slider input-based interaction, and
a coordinate indicating a position where the profile item is provided on the profile view; (Ham, FIG. 4, ¶0049, wherein the profile item comprises a position wherein the profile item is displayed on the profile view, Examiner notes that the position that the coordinate indicates the position of would be functionally identically to a coordinate indicating position)
wherein the profile view of the first account includes a profile image and profile information corresponding to the first account; (Ham, FIG. 4, ¶0049, wherein the profile view comprises images, i.e. profile images, and information, i.e. profile information)
causing the profile item to be displayed on based on the determined profile item and the determined coordinate; (Ham, FIG. 6, 670 profile view screen, ¶0098, displaying the profile item on the second users terminal screen)
However, Ham does not explicitly teach receiving, via a server, a series of inputs interacting with the profile item from a terminal of a second account;
identifying a number of inputs in the series of inputs;
identifying a visual effect to be rendered as a function of the identified number of inputs in the series of inputs; and
causing the visual effect corresponding to the number of inputs in the series of inputs to be added to the displayed profile view of the first account on a screen of the terminal of the first account and a screen of the terminal of the second account without replacing the profile view of the first account.
From a related technology Song teaches receiving, via a server, (FIG. 51, Server 3420) a series of inputs interacting with the profile item (FIG. 15 or 16, ¶0056 and ¶0061, receiving a set of inputs, for example a double click) from a terminal (FIG. 51, terminal comprising electronic device 3410) of a second account; (FIG. 3, user account)
identifying a number of inputs in the series of inputs; (¶0061, wherein determining the particular set of inputs, for example, a single click, a long press, or a double click)
identifying a visual effect to be rendered as a function of the identified number of inputs in the series of inputs; (FIG. 15 or 16, menu 200, ¶0061, identifying a visual effect, for example menu 200 containing options, to be rendered based on the inputs) and
causing the visual effect corresponding to the number of inputs in the series of inputs to be added to the displayed profile view of the first account on a screen of the terminal of the first account and a screen of the terminal of the second account without replacing the profile view of the first account. (FIG. 15 or 16, ¶0056 and ¶0061, causing the visual effect to be added to the profile without replacing the profile view)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Ham to further collecting interacts from secondary profiles in order to better connect and provide information across users as desired.
Claim 2 Ham in view of Song and Moon teaches Claim 1, and further teaches wherein the profile item further comprises at least one of a third item indicating a number of times the first item is touched by another account or a fourth item indicating a number of views of a profile. (Ham, ¶0062, wherein the item comprise the number of views or number of clicks, i.e. touched, by the profile)
Claim 11 Ham in view of Song teaches Claim 1, wherein the second item comprises at least one of text, a slider bar, a slider pointer capable of receiving a drag input, an image displayed on the slider pointer, or an emoticon displayed on the slider pointer. (Ham, FIG. 6, profile item 675, ¶0098-¶0099, wherein the profile item comprises at least text)
Claim 18 Ham in view of Song teaches Claim 1, and further teaches based on a plurality of profiles corresponding to the first account existing:
creating profile views corresponding to each of the plurality of profiles; (Ham, FIG. 2, step 210 and 220, ¶0064-¶0066, determining a profile item applicable to the profile view based on user selection for a plurality of profile views) and
determining at least one profile item to be displayed for each of the profile views based on an input signal received from the terminal of the first account. (Ham, FIG. 6, 670 profile view screen, ¶0098, displaying the profile item on the second users terminal screen)
Claim 19 is taught by Ham in view of Song as described for Claim 1.
Claim 21 is taught by Ham in view of Song as described for Claim 1.
Claim 22 Ham in view of Song, Teach Claim 1, and further teaches wherein the visual effect is an overlay added to a portion of the display of the profile view of the first account. (Song, ¶0061, a visual effect, for example an overlay menu 200 containing options, to be rendered based on the inputs)
Claims 23-24 are taught by Ham in view of Song as described for Claim1.
3. Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ham et al. (US 20210118013 A1) in view of Song et al. (US 20150089660 A1) and in further view of Baker et al (US 20210067476 A1).
Claim 3 Ham in view of Song teaches Claim 1, but does not explicitly teach wherein the first item comprises an emoticon indicating emotion.
From a related technology, Baker teaches a first item comprises an emoticon indicating emotion. (FIG. 2D, emoticon 270, ¶0037, wherein the item comprises an emoticon)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Ham in view of Tsai to incorporate well-known visual elements such as emoticons as applied to profiles in the teachings of Baker in order to more effectively facilitate desired user profiles and displays in an efficient manner.
4. Claims 4 and 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ham et al. (US 20210118013 A1) in view of Song et al. (US 20150089660 A1) and in further view of Moon et al. (US 20230064599 A1).
Claim 4 Ham in view of Song teaches Claim 1, and further teaches increasing a number of times the first item is touched and displaying the visual effect corresponding to the plurality of consecutive touch inputs on the screen. (Ham, ¶0062, wherein the item comprise the number of views or number of clicks, i.e. touch inputs)
However, Ham view of Song does not explicitly teach and further teaches wherein profile item includes the first item (Moon, ¶0039, touch based interaction items) and the series of inputs is a series of consecutive touch inputs, (Moon, FIG. 13, step 1311, ¶0134, receiving a series of input(s) related to profile item)
receiving the series of consecutive touch inputs at the coordinate at which the first item is provided; (Moon, FIG. 13, step 1311, ¶0134, receiving a series of input(s) related to profile item, wherein the inputs are received at the profile item, i.e. the coordinates)
determining that the series of consecutive touch inputs are received at a regular time interval; (Moon, FIG. 13, step 1311, ¶0134, determining the interval of the inputs)
From a related technology, Moon teaches wherein profile item includes the first item (Moon, ¶0039, touch based interaction items) and the series of inputs is a series of consecutive touch inputs, (Moon, FIG. 13, step 1311, ¶0134, receiving a series of input(s) related to profile item)
receiving the series of consecutive touch inputs at the coordinate at which the first item is provided; (Moon, FIG. 13, step 1311, ¶0134, receiving a series of input(s) related to profile item, wherein the inputs are received at the profile item, i.e. the coordinates)
determining that the series of consecutive touch inputs are received at a regular time interval; (Moon, FIG. 13, step 1311, ¶0134, determining the interval of the inputs)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Ham to incorporate visual effects based on inputs as described by Moon in order to further enrich profile presentation.
Claim 6 Ham in view of Song teaches Claim 1, but does not explicitly teach displaying an emoticon in the first item on at least one coordinate of the profile view.
From a related technology, Moon teaches displaying an emoticon in the first item on at least one coordinate of the profile view. (Moon, FIG. 13, step 1323, ¶0134, displaying an emoticon at profile item, i.e. the coordinate of the profile item)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Ham to incorporate visual effects based on inputs as described by Moon in order to further enrich profile presentation.
Claim 7 Ham in view of Song and Moon teaches Claim 6, and further teaches wherein a size of the emoticon displayed on the at least one coordinate is determined based on a selected first reference, (Moon, ¶0134, wherein the size is determined based on a first reference, being the emotion contents) wherein the at least one coordinate is determined based on a selected second reference. (Ham, ¶0049, wherein the at least coordinate is determined based on a second reference, being the user input)
5. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ham et al. (US 20210118013 A1) in view of Song et al. (US 20150089660 A1) and Moon et al. (US 20230064599 A1) and in further view of Baker et al (US 20210067476 A1).
Claim 5 Ham in view of Song and Moon teaches Claim 4, but does not explicitly teach wherein the visual effect comprises an effect in which at least one emoticon in the first item is displayed.
From a related technology, Baker teaches a visual effect comprises an effect in which at least one emoticon in the first item is displayed. (FIG. 2D, emoticon 270, ¶0037, wherein the item comprises an emoticon)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Ham in view of Tsai to incorporate well-known visual elements such as emoticons as applied to profiles in the teachings of Baker in order to more effectively facilitate desired user profiles and displays in an efficient manner.
6. Claims 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ham et al. (US 20210118013 A1) in view of Song et al. (US 20150089660 A1) and in further view of Lee et al. (US 20160259526 A1),
Claim 8 Ham in view of Song teaches Claim 1, but does not explicitly teach moving an emoticon from a first coordinate to a second coordinate that is different from the first coordinate of the profile view based on the series of inputs related to the profile item.
From a related technology, Lee teaches moving an emoticon from a first coordinate to a second coordinate that is different from the first coordinate of the profile view based on the series of inputs related to the profile item. (FIG. 8, ¶0030 and ¶0088, moving an emoticon to a second position based on user interactions related to the profile)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ham in view of Moon to incorporate the emoticon handling techniques described in Lee in order to provide a more interactive user experience via an efficient usage of network resources.
Claim 9 Ham in view of Song and Lee teaches Claim 8, and further teaches wherein the first coordinate is positioned above the second coordinate in a vertical direction, x-axis coordinates of the first coordinate and the second coordinate are the same, and the second coordinate is comprised in an area where a profile image is displayed on the profile view. (Lee, ¶0088, wherein the movement can comprise a downward movement, i.e. wherein the first coordinate would be above the second coordinate)
Claim 10 Ham in view of Song and Lee teaches Claim 8, and further teaches wherein the moving of the emoticon from the first coordinate to the second coordinate that is different from the first coordinate comprises moving the emoticon from the first coordinate to the second coordinate while changing the emoticon. (Lee, ¶0088, wherein the emoticon can be both moved and changed)
7. Claims 12 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ham et al. (US 20210118013 A1) in view of Song et al. (US 20150089660 A1) and in further view of Kumar et al. (US 20210233287 A1).
Claim 12 Ham in view of Song teaches Claim 1, but does not explicitly teach receiving a slider input from the coordinate at which the second item is provided; and
causing the visual effect corresponding to the slider input to be displayed on at least one of the screen of the terminal of the first account or the screen of the terminal of the second account.
From a related technology, Kumar teaches receiving a slider input from the coordinate at which the second item is provided; (¶0062, a slider input) and
causing the visual effect corresponding to the slider input to be displayed on at least one of the screen of the terminal of the first account or the screen of the terminal of the second account. (¶0062, creating a visual effect based on the slider input)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Ham in view of Moon to further incorporate the teachings of Kumar to utilize a well-known interface option, such as a slider, to provide greater user input controls to efficiently utilize network resource.
Claim 15 Ham in view of Song and Kumar teaches Claim 12, and further teaches based on the slider input including an input moving in a first direction; (¶0062, wherein the slide input is received in at least a first direct)
displaying an emoticon corresponding to the first direction at a selected coordinate on at least one of the screen of the first account or the screen of the second account; (Kumar, ¶0062, displaying the emoticon at the corresponding coordinate) and
maintaining a horizontal width of a slider bar and increasing a vertical width of a slider bar as a slider pointer moves in the first direction. (Kumar, ¶0062, altering the size of the image based on the slider input)
Claim 16 Ham in view of Song and Kumar teaches Claim 12, and further teaches determining a size of an emoticon displayed on the screen based on a degree of movement of a slider pointer. (Kumar, ¶0062, altering the size of the image based on the slider input)
Claim 17 Ham in view of Song and Kumar teaches Claim 12, and further teaches displaying profile images of the other account on a slider pointer. (Kumar, ¶0062, displaying images related to the account based on the slider)
8. Claims 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ham et al. (US 20210118013 A1) in view of Song et al. (US 20150089660 A1) and Kumar et al. (US 20210233287 A1) and in further view of Baker et al (US 20210067476 A1).
Claim 13 Ham in view of Song and Kumar teaches Claim 12, but does not explicitly teach wherein the visual effect comprises an effect in which an emoticon is displayed at a selected coordinate on at least one of the screen of the terminal of the first account or the screen of the terminal of the second account.
From a related technology, Baker teaches a visual effect comprises an effect in which an emoticon is displayed at a selected coordinate on the screen of the terminal of the first account or the screen of the terminal of the second account. (FIG. 2D, emoticon 270, ¶0037, wherein the item comprises an emoticon, wherein the coordinate is inherently selected along with the emoticon)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Ham in view of Tsai to incorporate well-known visual elements such as emoticons as applied to profiles in the teachings of Baker in order to more effectively facilitate desired user profiles and displays in an efficient manner.
Claim 14 Ham in view of Song, Kumar and Baker teaches Claim 13, and further teaches wherein the selected coordinate is a coordinate determined to be displayed in a middle of an x-axis of the screen and a middle of a y-axis of the screen on which the profile view is displayed. (Baker, FIG. 2D, emoticon 270, ¶0037, wherein the item comprises an emoticon at the center of the screen, i.e. the middle of an x-axis and a y-axis)
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 CHRISTOPHER PALACA CADORNA whose telephone number is (571)270-0584. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00-7:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, John Follansbee can be reached at (571) 272-3964. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER P CADORNA/Examiner, Art Unit 2444
/JOHN A FOLLANSBEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2444
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