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 .
1. This communication is responsive to the Amendment filed 6/25/2026.
2. Claims 1 and 3-19 are pending in this application. Claims 1, 11 and 12 are independent claims. In the instant Amendment, claims 1, 11-12 and 16 were amended. This is a Non-Final action on the RCE filed 6/25/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
4. Claim(s) 1 and 3-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al (“Jung” US 2020/0366509) in view of Joo et al (US 2017/0289074) and further in view of Chang (KR 20170120477).
Regarding claim 1, Jung discloses a method for a user terminal to display a chat room based on location information (see the Abstract; e.g. “displaying a chatroom that uses a user location as a chatroom joining condition”), the method comprising:
displaying a map for a specific geographic area (see fig 9, 900);
displaying a first object corresponding to a first chat room in association with the map (see fig 9, icons 910 and 920), the first chat room being associated with first location information (see paragraph [0101]; e.g., joinable chatroom based on a location of the client device 210), and the first location information and the specific geographic area satisfying a predetermined condition (see paragraph [0096]; e.g., keyword and location as joining condition);
receiving an interaction on the first object (see fig 12 and paragraphs [0106]-[0107]; e.g., “in response to a selection on a single specific chatroom among the chatrooms displayed on the screen from the user of the client device 210, the processor 212 may provide an introduction screen 1200 of the selected specific chatroom.”); and
displaying information regarding the first chat room (see fig 12 and paragraphs [0106]-[0107]; e.g., “the processor 212 may provide an introduction screen 1200 of the selected specific chatroom. The introduction screen 1200 may include, for example, a name, a tag, administrator information, and a number of participants of the selected chatroom, and may include a join request interface 1201 for inputting a join request.”).
Jung does not expressly disclose wherein the first location information includes information about a geographic area associated with the first chat room, and wherein a maximum allowable radius of the geographic area associated with the first chat room is determined based on at least a theme of the first chat room, the maximum allowable radius being a maximum radius that a user is permitted to set for the geographic area associated with the first chat room.
However, Joo discloses wherein the first location information includes information about a geographic area associated with the first chat room (see figs 5-8 and 20-21; e.g., and paragraphs [0121]-[0137] and paragraphs [0210]-[0224]; e.g., “configure a geofence on the basis of contact groups (e.g. company, family, or friend) in the contact list. Attribute information of the group of the sender may indicate a contact group.”). It would have been obvious to an artisan before the effective filing date of the present invention to include Joo’s teachings in Jung’s user interface in an effort to provide a more user-friendly interface that simplifies user engagement.
Moreover, Chang discloses wherein a maximum allowable radius of the geographic area associated with the first chat room is determined based on at least a theme of the first chat room, the maximum allowable radius being a maximum radius that a user is permitted to set for the geographic area associated with the first chat room (see fig 5; e.g. “According to an embodiment of the present invention, not only the maximum radius distance 502 but also at least one recommendation condition (for example, an age range 503, a type of occupation A group of members having the same number of members as the number of the group members), and the recommendation condition may be set in advance”). It would have been obvious to an artisan before the effective filing date of the present invention to include Chang’s teachings in Jung’s user interface in an effort to provide a more user-friendly interface that simplifies user engagement.
Regarding claim 3, Jung discloses wherein: attribute information of the first chat room comprises information regarding a creator of the chat room (see paragraphs [0003] and [0087]; e.g., host information; creator).
Regarding claim 4, Jung discloses wherein the predefined relationship comprises at least one of: a relationship of subscribing or bookmarking the chat room, a friendship relationship with the creator within a chat service where the chat room is operated, a relationship based on co-participation in any other chat room operated within the chat service, or a relationship with a conversation history with the creator within the chat service (see paragraphs [0003] and [0087]; e.g., friend/contact lists are well-known in the art).
Regarding claim 5, Jung discloses wherein: attribute information further comprises information regarding at least one of a keyword, the theme, or a chat room type (see paragraph [0096]; e.g., keyword and location as joining condition).
Regarding claim 6, Jung discloses wherein the first location information further comprises at least one of location coordinate information, address information, or route information (see paragraphs [0081] and [0088]; e.g., geofence).
Regarding claim 7, Jung discloses wherein the displaying of the first object comprises displaying the first object at a location corresponding to the first location information on the map (see fig 9 and paragraph [0101]).
Regarding claim 8, Jung discloses wherein in the displaying of the first object, the first object is displayed according to a predetermined layout in an area distinct from the map (see fig 11 and paragraph [0102]-[0104]).
Regarding claim 9, Jung discloses wherein the displaying of the information regarding the chat room comprises: executing a chat application corresponding to the chat service where the chat room is operated; and displaying a chat window of the chat room through the chat application (see fig 12 and paragraphs [0106]-[0107]).
Regarding claim 10, Jung discloses further comprising displaying a second object corresponding to a second chat room in association with the map, the second chat room being associated with second location information, and the second location information and the specific geographic area satisfy a predetermined condition, wherein the first object and the second object are distinguished and displayed based on a predefined criterion (see fig 9 and paragraph [0095]; e.g., a chat room icon within a predetermined distance from a location has a different size, shape or color than a chat room icon outside of the predetermined distance from the location).
Claim 11 is similar in scope to claim 1 and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 12 is similar in scope to claim 1 and is therefore rejected under similar rationale.
Regarding claim 13, Jung discloses further comprising acquiring an information provision condition regarding other users to receive the information regarding the first chat room through the map from the first user terminal, wherein providing the information regarding the first object is performed when it is determined that the second user satisfies the information provision condition (see paragraph [0096]; also see paragraphs [0003] and [0087]; e.g., friend/contact lists are well-known in the art).
Regarding claim 14, Jung discloses wherein: the size of the geographic area is limited based on the information provision condition (see paragraph [0096]; also see paragraphs [0003] and [0087]).
Regarding claim 15, Jung discloses wherein: the size of the geographic area is limited based on at least one of the first location information and the attribute information of the first chat room (see paragraphs [0088] and [0224]; e.g., “geofence is configured around the company and contact group information (indicated by indicia 2310) is set to “company””).
Regarding claim 16, Joo discloses identifying a displaying condition regarding attribute information of the first chat room, determining the theme of the first chat room based on the attribute information, and defining a maximum size of the specific geographic area for displaying the first chat room according to the theme of the first chat room (see figs 5-8 and 20-21; e.g., and paragraphs [0121]-[0137] and paragraphs [0210]-[0224]; e.g., user sets size of geofence based on a subset of members of a company attending a meeting).
Regarding claim 17, Joo discloses adjusting the maximum size of the specific geographic area differently depending on a location category of the specific geographic area (see figs 5-8 and 20-21; e.g., and paragraphs [0121]-[0137] and paragraphs [0210]-[0224]; e.g., member locations can be either company, home and church; geofencing can be set for each area. User can set size of geofence).
Regarding claim 18, Joo discloses wherein the location category comprises an urban area and a suburban area, and wherein a maximum size of the specific geographic area in the urban area is smaller than that of the suburban area (see figs 5-8 and 20-21; e.g., and paragraphs [0121]-[0137] and paragraphs [0210]-[0224]; e.g., member locations can be either company, home and church- each of which could be interpreted as either urban or suburban; geofencing can be set for each area. User can set size of geofence).
Regarding claim 19, discloses suppressing display of the first object to reduce overlap between a plurality of chat room objects on the map and prevent rendering of chat room objects irrelevant to a current user context (see paragraphs [0095] and [0101]; e.g., distinguish between joinable icons and non joinable icons based on maximum radius; well-known in the art to reduce or prevent irrelevant objects from display).
Response to Arguments
5. Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) 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
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bael et al (US 2018/0324895).
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RASHAWN N TILLERY whose telephone number is (571)272-6480. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00a - 5:30p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William L Bashore can be reached at (571) 272-4088. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RASHAWN N TILLERY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2174
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