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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 5, 11, 13, 14, 15 and 19-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication 2022/0230138 to Baek et al.
As concerns claim 1, an information processing method, comprising:
determining, in response to reception of first information (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams) at a first interface (0006-graphical user interfaces for managing items; 0034-user interfaces; 0142-interface; 0158-user interfaces), a first group (0006-teams of users, thus a “first” team/group) of the first information, and
determining at least one second group (0006-teams of users, thus a “second” team/group) based on the first group of the first information (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams),
wherein the first information is from a current user (0006-user accounts, thus users; 0055-content created by a user account; 0076-assign group content item based on identifying, semantic, metadata of content item; 0077-to selected teams), 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 (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams); and
sending a first message (0125-sharing information; 0128-sharing content item; 0141; BRI: “message” is given BRI interpretation and limitations from the specification are not read into the claims, information shared on a computer system/network is a “message” or the transfer of the information can be a “message”, the claim does not define what type of message (i.e. email, IM, etc.); 0155-distributed items) derived based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group (0130-which teams receive content item, “teams” thus a first and second group; 0141-provides team content collection to teams of user accounts);
wherein the first interface is an interface other than a communication interface (0006-graphical user interfaces for managing items; BRI: “communication interface” given BRI and not defined within the claim, Fig. 11, 1110-network interface can comprise a “communication interface”) of the first group and a communication interface of the second group (0006-graphical user interfaces for managing items; BRI: “communication interface” given BRI and not defined within the claim, Fig. 11, 1110-network interface can comprise a “communication interface”; 0146-additional interfaces),
the first information is information of an object (0035-content item-digital object);
determining at least one second group based on the first group of the first information comprises: determining at least one object-associated group (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams) 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 (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams); and
sending the first message based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group comprises:
sending, with a user identifier (0101-identifies user account that shares content item and user account that receives) of the current user being displayed, the first message in at least one of the first group and the at least one second group that the current user has not joined (0153-provided to multiple teams, which can include teams the user has not joined).
As concerns claim 14, an information processing method, comprising:
determining, in response to reception of first information (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams) at a communication interface (0006-graphical user interfaces for managing items; 0034-user interfaces; 0142-interface; 0158-user interfaces) of a first group (0006-teams of users, thus a “first” team/group), an identifier (0149-“Project Athos”, as an ex.) bound with the first group and a set of groups bound with the identifier (0153-belonging to teams, thus bound to a “first” group and a “second” group);
determining at least one second group based on an association relationship between the first group and respective groups in the set of groups (0006-teams of users, thus a “second” team/group; 0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams), wherein the first information is from a current user (0006-user accounts, thus users; 0055-content created by a user account; 0076-assign group content item based on identifying, semantic, metadata of content item; 0077-to selected teams), 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 (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams; identified by computer system); and
sending a first message (0125-sharing information; 0128-sharing content item; 0141; BRI: “message” is given BRI interpretation and limitations from the specification are not read into the claims, information shared on a computer system/network is a “message” or the transfer of the information can be a “message”, the claim does not define what type of message (i.e. email, IM, etc.); 0155-distributed items) based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group (0130-which teams receive content item, “teams” thus a first and second group; 0141-provides team content collection to teams of user accounts),
wherein
a first interface (0006-graphical user interfaces for managing items; 0034-user interfaces; 0142-interface; 0158-user interfaces) is used by the current user to send the first message to the first group and the at least one second group (0130-which teams receive content item, “teams” thus a first and second group; 0141-provides team content collection to teams of user accounts) to improve communication efficiency across different groups through the first interface,
the first information is information of an object (0035-content item-digital object);
determining at least one second group based on the first group of the first information comprises:
determining at least one object-associated group (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams; 0035-content item-digital object) 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 (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams); and
sending the first message based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group comprises:
sending, with a user identifier (0101-identifies user account that shares content item and user account that receives) of the current user being displayed, the first message in at least one of the first group and the at least one second group that the current user has not joined (0153-provided to multiple teams, which can include teams the user has not joined).
As concerns claim 19, an electronic device, comprising:
at least one memory (Fig. 11) and at least one processor (Fig. 11); 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 (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams) at a first interface (0006-graphical user interfaces for managing items; 0034-user interfaces), a first group (0006-teams of users, thus a “first” team/group) of the first information, and determine at least one second group (0006-teams of users, thus a “second” team/group) based on the first group of the first information, wherein the first information is from a current user (0006-user accounts, thus users; 0055-content created by a user account; 0076-assign group content item based on identifying, semantic, metadata of content item; 0077-to selected teams), 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 (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams); and
send a first message (0125-sharing information; 0128-sharing content item; 0141; BRI: “message” is given BRI interpretation and limitations from the specification are not read into the claims, information shared on a computer system/network is a “message” or the transfer of the information can be a “message”, the claim does not define what type of message (i.e. email, IM, etc.); 0155-distributed items) based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group (0130-which teams receive content item, “teams” thus a first and second group; 0141-provides team content collection to teams of user accounts);
wherein
the first interface is an interface other than a communication interface (0006-graphical user interfaces for managing items; BRI: “communication interface” given BRI and not defined within the claim, Fig. 11, 1110-network interface can comprise a “communication interface”) of the first group and a communication interface of the second group (0006-graphical user interfaces for managing items; BRI: “communication interface” given BRI and not defined within the claim, Fig. 11, 1110-network interface can comprise a “communication interface”),
the first information is information of an object (0035-content item-digital object);
determining at least one second group based on the first group of the first information comprises:
determining at least one object-associated group (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams) 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 (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams); and
sending the first message based on the first information to the first group and the at least one second group comprises:
sending, with a user identifier (0101-identifies user account that shares content item and user account that receives) of the current user being displayed, the first message in at least one of the first group and the at least one second group that the current user has not joined (0153-provided to multiple teams, which can include teams the user has not joined).
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 (0076-assign group content item based on identifying, semantic, metadata of content item; 0077-to selected teams; “associated” based on content item; “associated with” given BRI, does not provide any direct connection).
As concerns claim 4, the method according to claim 1, wherein the first information is information of an object (0035-content item-digital object), and at least one object-associated group which is associated with the first group via the object is configured with a first condition (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams);
and determining the at least one second group (0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams) 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 (0076-assign group content item based on identifying, semantic, metadata of content item), and determining, from among the at least one object-associated group, at least one condition-associated group configured with the first condition with the first information satisfying the first condition, the at least one second group including the at least one condition-associated group (0076-assign group content item based on identifying, semantic, metadata of content item).
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 (0028-parent nodes and child nodes that indicate relationships between teams, each child node it its own group); 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 11, the method according to claim 1, wherein the first information is first information of an object (0035-content item-digital object); the first 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 (0006-graphical user interfaces for managing items; 0034-user interfaces; 0142-interface; 0158-user interfaces).
As concerns claim 13, the method according to claim 1, wherein the first group is a group bound with the information processing interface or the first group is a group bound with a type of the first information (0076-assign group content item based on identifying, semantic, metadata of content item; 0077-to selected teams; 0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams; thus “bound” wherein the term is given the BRI and no limitations from the specification are read into the claims).
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 (0028-parent nodes and child nodes that indicate relationships between teams, each child node it its own 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 (0028-parent nodes and child nodes that indicate relationships between teams, each child node it its own 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 (“in response to” is an alternative limitation step, thus if the condition is not met it need not apply).
As concerns claim 20, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program codes stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor (Fig. 11), 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 an object (0035-content item-digital object); 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 (0076-assign group content item based on identifying, semantic, metadata of content item; 0077-to selected teams; 0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams).
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 (0076-assign group content item based on identifying, semantic, metadata of content item; 0077-to selected teams; 0006-identify which collaborative content items are relevant to which teams).
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 6-10 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 2022/0230138 to Baek et al. in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016/0127386 to Meredith et al.
Baek et al. ‘138 do not disclose:
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, the at least one second group including groups in the at least one first subscribing 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 condition in the first 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.
As concerns claim 8, the method according to claim 7, wherein the second condition is set in the first group; or the second condition is set in the second subscribing group.
As concerns claim 9, the method according to claim 1, wherein the first message includes an entry control for joining the first group.
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; 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.
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 the at least one second group including groups in the at least one first subscribing 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 information synchronization condition and the first information satisfying the information synchronization condition, and the at least one second group including groups in the at least one second subscribing group.
Meredith et al. ‘386 teach:
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 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 condition is set in the first group; or the second 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 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 information synchronization condition and the first information satisfying the information synchronization condition, and the at least one second group including groups in the at least one second subscribing group.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide the system of Baek et al. ‘138 with subscriptions, as taught by Meredith et al. ‘386, in order to manage content delivery.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 2022/0230138 to Baek et al. in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 2024/0267345 to Esnault et al.
Baek et al. ‘138 disclose:
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 (0153-system 102)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, and determining at least one second group 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.
Baek et al. ‘138 do not disclose a chatbot.
Esnault et al. ‘345 teach a chatbot (0048).
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 Baek et al. ‘138 with a chatbot, as taught by Esnault et al. ‘345, in order to provide a well-known communication agent.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 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
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 JOHN B WALSH whose telephone number is (571)272-7063. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30-3:30 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christopher L Parry can be reached at 571-272-8328. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JOHN B WALSH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2451
Prosecution Insights