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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the user identifier of the current user being displayed must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claims 1, 3-16 and 19-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016/0127386 to Meredith et al. in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 2024/0089231 to Jiang et al.
Meredith et al. ‘386 disclose:
As concerns claim 1, an information processing method, comprising:
determining, in response to reception of first information (0037) at a first interface (Fig. 6; Fig. 8; 0046), a first group (0029-tracks membership, group; 0043-group names) of the first information, and
determining at least one second group (0029-sub-group; 0035) based on the first group of the first information (0029-tracks membership of group, sub-groups),
wherein the first information is from a current user (0037-sending machine of a user, thus a “current user”), and the at least one second group is determined based on the first group of the first information rather than being determined by the current user (0036-0037-determined by system and service); and
sending a first message (0037; 0046) derived based on the first information to the first group (0037-group) and the at least one second group (0035; 0037-group, would include sub-group; 0042-entire group, group and sub-group);
wherein the information processing interface is an interface other than a communication interface (Fig. 6, 62; separate from machines 60, 70, 68, 66) of the first group (0037-machine of a first group member) and a communication interface of the second group (0037-another member machine of a sub-group), wherein
the first information is information of an object (0037); and
determining at least one second group based on the first group of the first information comprises: determining at least one object-associated group (name of group) which is associated with the first group via the object, the at least one group including groups in the at least one object-associated group (0031-sub-groups of group; 0029-tracks membership; 0030-tracks addresses of machines; 0035-sub-groups fall within group);
sending the first message based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group comprises: sending the first message in at least one group of the first group (sending to “at least one” group, thus does not require both groups as claimed; 0035; 0037-group, would include sub-group; 0037-0038-determine if member of group; 0042-entire group, group and sub-group) and the at least one second group that the current user has not joined, with a user identifier of the current user being displayed.
As concerns claim 14, an information processing method, comprising:
determining, in response to reception of first information at a communication interface of a first group, an identifier bound with the first group and a set of groups bound with the identifier (0029-tracks membership of group, sub-groups);
determining at least one second group based on an association relationship between the first group and respective groups in the set of groups (0035-sub-groups fall within group), wherein the first information is from a current user (0037-sending machine of a user, thus a “current user”), and the at least one second group is determined based on an associated relationship between the first group and respective groups in the set of groups rather than being determined by the current user (0036-0037-determined by system and service); and
sending a first message (0046-messages) derived based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group (0035-sub-groups fall within group),
wherein an information processing interface (0052-0053-hardware, software and ASIC, display device, input device) is used by the current user to send the first message to the first group and the at least one second group to improve communication efficiency across different groups through the information processing interface (0046-0048-messaging, groups, sub-groups), wherein
the first information is information of an object (0037); and
determining at least one second group based on the first group of the first information comprises: determining at least one object-associated group (name of group) which is associated with the first group via the object, the at least one second group including groups in the at least one object-associated group (0031-sub-groups of group; 0029-tracks membership; 0030-tracks addresses of machines; 0035-sub-groups fall within group);
sending the first message based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group comprises: sending the first message in at least one group of the first group (sending to “at least one” group, thus does not require both groups as claimed; 0035; 0037-group, would include sub-group; 0037-0038-determine if member of group; 0042-entire group, group and sub-group) and the at least one second group that the current user has not joined, with a user identifier of the current user being displayed.
As concerns claim 19, an electronic device, comprising:
at least one memory (Fig. 8) and at least one processor (Fig. 8); wherein the at least one memory stores program codes that, in response to execution by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to:
determine, in response to reception of first information at a first interface (Fig. 6; Fig. 8; 0046), a first group (0029-tracks membership, group; 0043-group names) of the first information, and determine at least one second group (0035; 0037-group, would include sub-group) based on the first group of the first information,
wherein the first information is from a current user (0037-sending machine of a user, thus a “current user”), and the at least one second group is determined based on the first group of the first information rather than being determined by the current user (0036-0037-determined by system and service); and
send a first message (0037; 0046) derived based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group (0035; 0037-group, would include sub-group);
wherein the information processing interface is an interface other than a communication interface of the first group and a communication interface of the second group (Fig. 6, 62; separate from machines 60, 70, 68, 66), wherein
the first information is information of an object (0037); and
determining at least one second group based on the first group of the first information comprises: determining at least one object-associated group (name of group) which is associated with the first group via the object, the at least one second group including groups in the at least one object-associated group (0031-sub-groups of group; 0029-tracks membership; 0030-tracks addresses of machines; 0035-sub-groups fall within group);
sending the first message based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group comprises: sending the first message in at least one group of the first group (sending to “at least one” group, thus does not require both groups as claimed; 0035; 0037-group, would include sub-group; 0037-0038-determine if member of group; 0042-entire group, group and sub-group) and the at least one second group that the current user has not joined, with a user identifier of the current user being displayed.
Meredith et al. ‘386 do not disclose:
with a user identifier of the current user being displayed.
Jiang et al. ‘231 teach:
with a user identifier of the current user being displayed (0189-0190-identifier of user displayed; Fig. 3, User 1, User a, User b, User c; 0245; 0152-identifiers of users, avatar, displayed in interface).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide the system of Meredith et al. ‘386, with user identifiers, as taught by Jiang et al. ‘231, in order to provide a mechanism to easily identify the corresponding user to posted messages.
Meredith et al. ‘386 further disclose:
As concerns claim 3, the method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second group comprises a group associated with the first group via the object and associated with other groups via other objects (0035-sub-groups fall within group).
As concerns claim 4, the method according to claim 1, wherein the first information is information of an object (0043-group name), and at least one object-associated group which is associated with the first group via the object is configured with a first preset condition (0037-determines if member of group (which is a “preset condition”));
and determining the at least one second group (0031-sub-groups of group; 0029-tracks membership; 0030-tracks addresses of machines; 0035-sub-groups fall within group) based on the first group of the first information comprises: determining the at least one object-associated group which is associated with the first group via the object (0029-tracks membership, group; 0043-group names), and determining, from among the at least one object-associated group, at least one condition-associated group configured with the first preset condition with the first information satisfying the first preset condition, the at least one second group including the at least one condition-associated group (0037-determines if member of group (which is a “preset condition”)).
As concerns claim 5, the method according to claim 1, wherein determining at least one second group based on the first group of the first information comprises that in response to that the first group of the first information is a general group having sub- groups, the second group excludes the sub-groups (another sub-group that does not include another sub-group, thus is distinct; 0037-members of sub-groups); or in response to that the first group of the first information is a sub-group of a general group, the at least one second group includes the general group.
As concerns claim 6, the method according to claim 1, wherein determining at least one second group based on the first group of the first information comprises: determining at least one first subscribing group having subscribed to the first group based on a subscription relationship of the first group (0027-subscribers to the group; 0029-subscribed), the at least one second group including groups in the at least one first subscribing group (0027; 0029-subscribed to sub-group, which is sub-group of group).
As concerns claim 7, the method according to claim 1, wherein determining at least one second group based on the first group of the first information comprises: determining, based on a subscription relationship of the first group, at least one second subscribing group having subscribed to messages satisfying a second preset condition in the first group (0027; 0029-subscribed to sub-group, which is sub-group of group; thus “preset condition” second group is subgroup of a first, main group), the at least one second group including groups in the at least one second subscribing group, and the first information satisfying the second preset condition (0027; 0029-subscribed to sub-group, which is sub-group of group; thus “preset condition” second group is subgroup of a first, main group).
As concerns claim 8, the method according to claim 7, wherein the second preset condition is set in the first group; or the second preset condition is set in the second subscribing group (0027; 0029-subscribed to sub-group, which is sub-group of group; thus “preset condition” second group is subgroup of a first, main group).
As concerns claim 9, the method according to claim 1, wherein the first message includes an entry control for joining the first group (0031-request membership).
As concerns claim 10, the method according to claim 1, wherein in response to that the current user creating the first information has joined the first group, the first message is sent in the first group via an account of the current user (0031-subscibed member machine shares communications); otherwise, the first message is sent in the first group via a chatbot, with the user identifier of the current user being displayed; and/or, in response to that the current user has joined the second group, the first message is sent in the second group via the account of the current user; otherwise, the first message is sent in the second group via the chatbot, with the user identifier of the current user being displayed; or, the first message is sent in the first group and the second group via the chatbot, with the user identifier of the current user being displayed. (Note: “otherwise” and “or” are alternative conditional statements that do not require the limitation to be satisfied).
As concerns claim 11, the method according to claim 1, wherein the first information is first information of an object (0037); the information processing interface includes an information input interface that includes an information input interface of the object displayed in a mini program; or an information input interface of the object in a data system (0029-computing machines; 0037; Fig. 6-“data system”).
As concerns claim 12, the method according to claim 11, wherein in response to that the information input interface is the information input interface of the object displayed in the mini program, the mini program performs the determining, in response to reception of first information at an information processing interface, a first group of the first information, and determining at least one second group based on the first group of the first information, and the mini program sends the first message derived based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group via a chatbot;
or in response to that the information input interface is the information input interface of the object in the data system, a predetermined module (0046) in the data system performs the determining, in response to reception of first information at an information processing interface, a first group of the first information (0029-tracks membership of group, sub-groups), and determining at least one second group (0029-tracks membership of group, sub-groups) based on the first group of the first information, and the predetermined module sends the first message derived based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group via a chatbot (0030-software on machines).
As concerns claim 13, the method according to claim 1, wherein the first group is a group bound with the information processing interface (0037-0038-determines membership/ “bound”); or the first group is a group bound with a type of the first information.
As concerns claim 15, the method according to claim 14, wherein determining at least one second group based on the association relationship between the first group and respective groups in the set of groups comprises that the set of groups includes a general group and at least one sub-group (0035-sub-groups fall within group); in response to that the first group is the general group, the at least one second group excludes sub-groups of the general group; and in response to that the first group is a sub-group, the at least one second group includes the general group of the sub-group. (Note: the limitation of “in a case that” is not a positive limitation, thus the corresponding limitations are interpreted as alternative language which need not be addressed if not selected).
As concerns claim 16, the method according to claim 14, wherein determining at least one second group based on the association relationship between the first group and respective groups in the set of groups comprises: determining, based on a subscription relationship of the first group, at least one first subscribing group having subscribed to the first group from among the set of groups (0027-subscribers to the group; 0029-subscribed), the at least one second group including groups in the at least one first subscribing group (0027; 0029-subscribed to sub-group, which is sub-group of group);
or, determining, based on a subscription relationship of the first group, at least one first subscribing group having subscribed to the first group from among the set of groups, and determining at least one second subscribing group from among the at least one first subscribing group, the second subscribing group being configured with a preset information synchronization condition and the first information satisfying the preset information synchronization condition, and the at least one second group including groups in the at least one second subscribing group.
As concerns claim 20, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program codes stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor (Fig. 8), causes the processor to perform the method according to claim 1 (See rejection of claim 1 above).
As concerns claim 21, the electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the first information is information of a object (0029-tracks membership, group; 0043-group names); and wherein the electronic device being caused to determine the at least one second group based on the first group of the first information includes being caused to determine at least one object-associated group which is associated with the first group via the object, the at least one second group including groups in the at least one object-associated group (0035; 0037-group, would include sub-group).
As concerns claim 22, the electronic device according to claim 21, wherein the at least one second group comprises a group associated with the first group via the object and associated with other groups via other objects (0035-sub-groups fall within group).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed January 16, 2016 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant’s arguments are directed to newly amended limitations that have been addressed in the rejection cited above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN B WALSH whose telephone number is (571)272-7063. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30-3:30 pm.
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/JOHN B WALSH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2451