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 .
Claims StatusClaims 1, 26 & 27 filed 03/30/2026 have been amended. Claims 1-3, 5-7, 9, 11, 16, 18-24, 26 & 27 are pending and have been rejected.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant asserts that Wang did not mention determining “the information type of the first information comprising at least one of a task progress, a task objective and a task report” as recited in amended Claim 1.
However, the Examiner used the Lynch reference in order to disclosed the feature mentioned above. Lynch et al (U.S. Publication 2014/0164305) in paragraph 0053, shows multiple virtual agents may interact with each other in formulating a task to be performed and/or in performing the task, wherein each virtual agent have access to various types of information regarding the respective user.
As it is Applicant's right to claim as broadly as possible their invention, it is also the Examiner's right to interpret the claim language as broadly as possible. It is the Examiner's position that the detailed functionality that allows for Applicant's invention to overcome the prior art used in the rejection, fails to differentiate in detail how these features are unique. It is clear that Applicant must be able to submit claim language to distinguish over the prior arts used in the above rejection sections that discloses distinctive features of Applicant's claimed invention. It is suggested that Applicant compare the original specification and claim language with the cited prior art used in the rejection section above or the remark section below to draw an amended claim set to further the prosecution.
Failure for Applicant to narrow the definition/scope of the claims and supply arguments commensurate in scope with the claims implies the Applicant's intent to broaden claimed invention.
Based on the rationale explained above, the Examiner disagrees with the prior arts being silent to the claimed embodiment.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. Claims 1-3, 6, 7, 9, 23, 24, 26 & 27 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (U.S. Publication 2017/0288887), hereinafter ‘Wang’ in view of Lynch et al (U.S. Publication 2014/0164305), hereinafter ‘Lynch’.
As to claim 1, Wang discloses an information processing method, comprising: determining, in response to first information of a target object inputted by a current user, a first information identifier of the first information based on at least one of the target object, information type of the first information and the current user, the information type of the first information describing a role of the first information (Wang, see [0043-0044], chat message inputted by participant, wherein message contains information, such as a message sender and a sending time of the chat message, a group name of a group corresponding to the dialog box, identifiers of participants of the group. See [0047], information associated with each chat message is combined to one combined message. See [0049], each forwarded chat message appears with one or more pieces of its associated information (e.g., an identifier of the message sender) to indicate that the chat message is a forwarded message originally authored by somebody else other than the user of the first user account); and sending a first message derived based on the first information to at least one first target group (Wang, see [0043-0044], sending message to a group in the dialog the instant messaging application); wherein the first target group is a group determined from among a set of groups based on the first information identifier (Wang, see [0080], the dialog box is a dialog box used by each participant in the group, the topic name of the combined message may be “synchronous chat record of a “group name”, and the ‘group name’ herein is a name of a specific group), wherein a group in the set of groups has at least one group identifier bound, and the group identifier bound with the group has a mapping relationship with an information identifier of information (Wang, [0089], in the dialog box of group chat, multiple emoticons sent by another participant, and the user wants to forward the emoticons to another friend of the user, to express current multiple feelings of the user by using the emoticons (e.g., comment/sentiment)); and determining the first target group based on the first information identifier and the mapping relationship (Wang, see fig. [0105], obtain module obtains message content, group name of a group, identifiers of participants of the group, etc.), wherein one information identifier has a mapping relationship with a plurality of group identifiers of groups (Wang, see [0049], each forwarded chat message has associated information (e.g., an identifier of the message sender). See [0068], message content is obtained and is associated with identifiers of participants of the group); and the group identifier of one group has a mapping relationship with a plurality of group information identifiers (Wang, see [0105], group name of the group and identifier of participants of the group). Wang is silent to and the information type of the first information comprising at least one of a task progress, a task objective and a task report. However, Lynch discloses and the information type of the first information comprising at least one of a task progress, a task objective and a task report (Lynch, see [0053], multiple virtual agents may interact with each other in formulating a task to be performed and/or in performing the task, wherein each virtual agent have access to various types of information regarding the respective user). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang in view of Lynch in order to further modify the method for forwarding messages using an instant messaging application from the teachings of Wang with the method for implementing a virtual agent from the teachings of Lynch. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would allow provided for virtual agent recommendation for multiple persons (Lynch – 0003).
As to claim 2, Wang in view of Lynch discloses everything disclosed in claim 1. Wang further discloses determining a second target group associated with the first information (Wang, see [0043-0044], message contains information, such as a message sender and a sending time of the chat message, a group name of a group corresponding to the dialog box, identifiers of participants of the group. Message from dialog box can be send and received by a group); and sending the first message to the second target group (Wang, see [0043-0044], chat message in dialog box is sent to a group).
As to claim 3, Wang in view of Lynch discloses everything disclosed in claim 2. Wang further discloses wherein determining the second target group associated with the first information comprises: determining the second target group based on at least one of the first information and/or an input interface where the first information is inputted (Wang, see [0043-0044], chat message inputted by participant, wherein message contains information, such as a message sender and a sending time of the chat message, a group name of a group corresponding to the dialog box, identifiers of participants of the group).
As to claim 6, Wang in view of Lynch discloses everything disclosed in claim 1. Wang further discloses wherein the current user inputs the first information in an information input interface (Wang, see [0042-0043], the first user can input a chat message and select to send the chat message in a dialog box that is displayed on an electronic device held by the first user); the information input interface is an interface other than communication interfaces of groups in the set of groups (Wang, see [0042-0044], users can message each other, wherein the messages contain content and associated information of each selected chat, such as a message sender and a sending time of the chat message, a group name of a group corresponding to the dialog box, identifiers of participants of the group); or the current user inputs the first information in a communication interface of a group in the set of groups.
As to claim 7, Wang in view of Lynch discloses everything disclosed in claim 1. Wang further discloses wherein determining the first information identifier of the first information based on at least one of the target object, information type of the first information and the current user comprises: determining types and number of pieces of sub-identifier information included in the first information identifier based on the information type of the first information, wherein the first information identifier includes at least one piece of sub-identifier information (Wang, see [0042-0044], users can message each other, wherein the messages contain content and associated information of each selected chat, such as a message sender and a sending time of the chat message, a group name of a group corresponding to the dialog box, identifiers of participants of the group); and determining contents of the sub-identifier information in the first information identifier based on at least one of the target object, the information type of the first information and the current user (Wang, see [0042-0044], users can message each other, wherein the messages contain content and associated information of each selected chat, such as a message sender and a sending time of the chat message, a group name of a group corresponding to the dialog box, identifiers of participants of the group).
As to claim 9, Wang in view of Lynch discloses everything disclosed in claim 1. Wang further discloses wherein the first target group is associated with at least one of the target object, the information type of the first information and the current user (Wang, see [0042-0044], users can message each other, wherein the messages contain content and associated information of each selected chat, such as a message sender and a sending time of the chat message, a group name of a group corresponding to the dialog box, identifiers of participants of the group).
As to claim 23, Wang in view of Lynch discloses everything disclosed in claim 1. Wang further discloses further comprising at least one of displaying, in response to the first information having a set level, in the first message a first flag corresponding to the level of the first information; displaying, in response to the target object having a set class, in the first message a second flag corresponding to the class of the target object; and the first information being information of the target object, and in response to the first information being a first preset type of information of the target object, displaying in the first message a third flag (Wang, see [0049], forwarded chat message can contain visual cues (e.g., font size/style, foreground/background color, border line style, etc.)). As to claim 24, Wang discloses everything disclosed in claim 1. Lynch further discloses wherein the first information is project-related information, and the information type of the first information is a project tracking record, a project demand or a project report; or the first information is task-related information, and the information type of the first information is a task progress, a task objective or a task report (Lynch, see [0031], virtual agent in a multiparty conversation between participants can be programmed to use a record of a prior virtual agent interaction to facilitate formulating a task to be performed and/or performing the task).
As to claim 26, Wang discloses an electronic device, comprising: at least one memory and at least one processor (Wang, see [0016-0017], processors and memory); wherein the at least one memory stores program codes that, in response to execution by the at least one processor (Wang, see [0018], the memory storing one or more programs, the one or more programs being configured to be executed by the one or more processors, and the one or more programs including an instruction used to perform operations), cause the electronic device to: determine, in response to first information of a target object inputted by a current user, a first information identifier of the first information based on at least one of the target object, information type of the first information and the current user, the information type of the first information describing a role of the first information (Wang, see [0043-0044], chat message inputted by participant, wherein message contains information, such as a message sender and a sending time of the chat message, a group name of a group corresponding to the dialog box, identifiers of participants of the group); and send a first message derived based on the first information to at least one first target group (Wang, see [0043-0044], sending message to a group in the dialog the instant messaging application); wherein the first target group is a group determined from among a set of groups based on the first information identifier (Wang, see [0080], the dialog box is a dialog box used by each participant in the group, the topic name of the combined message may be “synchronous chat record of a “group name”, and the ‘group name’ herein is a name of a specific group), wherein a group in the set of groups has at least one group identifier bound, and the group identifier bound with the group has a mapping relationship with an information identifier of information (Wang, [0089], in the dialog box of group chat, multiple emoticons sent by another participant, and the user wants to forward the emoticons to another friend of the user, to express current multiple feelings of the user by using the emoticons (e.g., comment/sentiment)); and determining the first target group based on the first information identifier and the mapping relationship (Wang, see fig. [0105], obtain module obtains message content, group name of a group, identifiers of participants of the group, etc.), wherein one information identifier has a mapping relationship with a plurality of group identifiers of groups (Wang, see [0049], each forwarded chat message has associated information (e.g., an identifier of the message sender). See [0068], message content is obtained and is associated with identifiers of participants of the group); and the group identifier of one group has a mapping relationship with a plurality of information identifiers (Wang, see [0105], group name of the group and identifier of participants of the group). Wang is silent to and the information type of the first information comprising at least one of a task progress, a task objective and a task report. However, Lynch discloses and the information type of the first information comprising at least one of a task progress, a task objective and a task report (Lynch, see [0053], multiple virtual agents may interact with each other in formulating a task to be performed and/or in performing the task, wherein each virtual agent have access to various types of information regarding the respective user). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang in view of Lynch in order to further modify the method for forwarding messages using an instant messaging application from the teachings of Wang with the method for implementing a virtual agent from the teachings of Lynch. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would allow provided for virtual agent recommendation for multiple persons (Lynch – 0003).
As to claim 27, Wang discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having program codes stored thereon which (Wang, see [0018], the one or more programs including an instruction used to perform operations), when executed by a computer, cause the computer to: determine, in response to first information of a target object inputted by a current user, a first information identifier of the first information based on at least one of the target object, information type of the first information and the current user, the information type of the first information describing a role of the first information (Wang, see [0043-0044], chat message inputted by participant, wherein message contains information, such as a message sender and a sending time of the chat message, a group name of a group corresponding to the dialog box, identifiers of participants of the group); and send a first message derived based on the first information to at least one first target group (Wang, see [0043-0044], sending message to a group in the dialog the instant messaging application); wherein the first target group is a group determined from among a set of groups based on the first information identifier (Wang, see [0080], the dialog box is a dialog box used by each participant in the group, the topic name of the combined message may be “synchronous chat record of a “group name”, and the ‘group name’ herein is a name of a specific group), wherein a group in the set of groups has at least one group identifier bound, and the group identifier bound with the group has a mapping relationship with an information identifier of information (Wang, [0089], in the dialog box of group chat, multiple emoticons sent by another participant, and the user wants to forward the emoticons to another friend of the user, to express current multiple feelings of the user by using the emoticons (e.g., comment/sentiment)); and determining the first target group based on the first information identifier and the mapping relationship (Wang, see fig. [0105], obtain module obtains message content, group name of a group, identifiers of participants of the group, etc.), wherein one information identifier has a mapping relationship with a plurality of group identifiers of groups (Wang, see [0049], each forwarded chat message has associated information (e.g., an identifier of the message sender). See [0068], message content is obtained and is associated with identifiers of participants of the group); and the group identifier of one group has a mapping relationship with a plurality of information identifiers (Wang, see [0105], group name of the group and identifier of participants of the group). Wang is silent to and the information type of the first information comprising at least one of a task progress, a task objective and a task report. However, Lynch discloses and the information type of the first information comprising at least one of a task progress, a task objective and a task report (Lynch, see [0053], multiple virtual agents may interact with each other in formulating a task to be performed and/or in performing the task, wherein each virtual agent have access to various types of information regarding the respective user). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang in view of Lynch in order to further modify the method for forwarding messages using an instant messaging application from the teachings of Wang with the method for implementing a virtual agent from the teachings of Lynch. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would allow provided for virtual agent recommendation for multiple persons (Lynch – 0003).
Claims 5, 10-12, 16, 18 & 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (U.S. Publication 2017/0288887), hereinafter ‘Wang’ in view of Lynch et al (U.S. Publication 2014/0164305), hereinafter ‘Lynch’ & Lee et al (U.S. Publication 2004/0015548), hereinafter ‘Lee’. As to claim 5, Wang in view of Lynch discloses everything disclosed in claim 1, but is silent to wherein sending the first message derived based on the first information to at least one first target group comprises: sending the first information and the first information identifier to a server, so that the server determines the at least one first target group from among the set of groups based on the first information identifier and sends the first message derived based on the first information to the first target group. However, Lee discloses wherein sending the first message derived based on the first information to at least one first target group comprises: sending the first information and the first information identifier to a server, so that the server determines the at least one first target group from among the set of groups based on the first information identifier and sends the first message derived based on the first information to the first target group (Lee, see [0052-0055], outbound chat messages go to the server complex for transmission to the targeted recipients, wherein recipients can be users or groups). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang in view of Lynch and Lee in order to further modify the method for forwarding messages using an instant messaging application from the teachings of Wang with the method for implementing a virtual agent from the teachings of Lynch and the method for presenting chat group sessions at wireless mobile terminals from the teachings of Lee. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would allow textually presenting real-time conversations (e.g., chat threads) on the displays of mobile units (Lee – 0002).
As to claim 11, Wang in view of Lynch & Lee discloses everything disclosed in claim 1. Lee further discloses wherein the group identifier includes at least one piece of sub-identifier information, and the information identifier of the information includes at least one piece of the sub-identifier information (Lee, see [0041], message received contains buddy list identifier and recipients user identifier); and the mapping relationship is determined based on the sub-identifier information of the group identifier and the sub-identifier information included in the information identifier (Lee, see [0041], receiving a message targeted to a recipient designated by the receiving user's identifier. Message also contains buddy list identifier in order to send the message to the targeted recipient as in inbound message with the public nickname and public short name of the sender).
As to claim 16, Wang in view of Lynch & Lee discloses everything disclosed in claim 10. Lee further discloses wherein the group identifier bound with the group includes a tag identifier, and the information identifier includes the tag identifier (Lee, see [0041], message indicates a recipient designated by the receiving user's identifier and buddy identifier); and the target object has a corresponding tag, the first information identifier includes a tag identifier generated based on the tag of the target object, the set of groups includes a third group, and a group identifier of the third group includes a tag identifier (Lee, see [0041] and fig. 4, message includes information regarding message, recipients ID and thread ID); and in a case that the first information identifier includes the tag identifier included in the group identifier of the third group, the first target group includes the third group (Lee, see fig. 6, message includes information regarding message, recipients ID, group name).
As to claim 18, Wang in view of Lynch discloses everything disclosed in claim 2, but is silent to wherein the first message includes an entry control for joining the second target group. However, Lee discloses wherein the first message includes an entry control for joining the second target group (Lee, see [0052], a buddy list display with its entries sorted by group, wherein the group entries and their member buddies are listed. See [0059], chat messages arrive as entries, wherein the buddy list entry is a special entry referencing the list of buddies currently selected in the buddy list). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang in view of Lynch and Lee in order to further modify the method for forwarding messages using an instant messaging application from the teachings of Wang with the method for implementing a virtual agent from the teachings of Lynch and the method for presenting chat group sessions at wireless mobile terminals from the teachings of Lee. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would allow textually presenting real-time conversations (e.g., chat threads) on the displays of mobile units (Lee – 0002).
As to claim 19, Wang in view of Lynch discloses everything disclosed in claim 1, determining, in response to a sharing operation, a sharing target object, and sending the first message to the sharing target object. However, Lee discloses determining, in response to a sharing operation, a sharing target object, and sending the first message to the sharing target object (Lee, see [0045], fig. 6, buddy list message contains message, recipients ID, group name). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang in view of Lynch and Lee in order to further modify the method for forwarding messages using an instant messaging application from the teachings of Wang with the method for implementing a virtual agent from the teachings of Lynch and the method for presenting chat group sessions at wireless mobile terminals from the teachings of Lee. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would allow textually presenting real-time conversations (e.g., chat threads) on the displays of mobile units (Lee – 0002).
Claims 20, 21 & 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (U.S. Publication 2017/0288887), hereinafter ‘Wang’ in view of Lee et al (U.S. Publication 2018/0152411), hereinafter ‘Ko’. As to claim 20, Wang in view of Lynch discloses everything disclosed in claim 1, but is silent to wherein in a case that an input interface where the first information is inputted is a communication interface of a group in the set of groups, the method is performed by a chatbot joining the group in the set of groups; or in a case that the input interface where the first information is inputted is a page of the target object displayed in a mini program, the mini program performs the determining a first information identifier of the first information based on at least one of the target object, information type of the first information and the current user, and the mini program sends the first message to the first target group via the chatbot joining the group in the set of groups. However, Ko discloses wherein in a case that an input interface where the first information is inputted is a communication interface of a group in the set of groups, the method is performed by a chatbot joining the group in the set of groups; or in a case that the input interface where the first information is inputted is a page of the target object displayed in a mini program, the mini program performs the determining a first information identifier of the first information based on at least one of the target object, information type of the first information and the current user, and the mini program sends the first message to the first target group via the chatbot joining the group in the set of groups (Ko, see [0047], multiple users join a specific group, where the client bot set as friend of the plurality of users who are group members of a specific group). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang in view of Ko in order to further modify the method for forwarding messages using an instant messaging application from the teachings of Wang with the method for implementing a virtual agent from the teachings of Lynch and the method for providing a chat service using a client bot from the teachings of Ko. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would allow providing a chat service using a client bot registered as a friend in response to joining a specific group (Ko – 0001).
As to claim 21, Wang in view of Lynch discloses everything disclosed in claim 1, but is silent to wherein in a case that the current user inputting the first information has joined the first target group, the first message is sent in the first target group via an account of the current user, otherwise, the first message is sent in the first target group via a chatbot; or the first message is sent in the first target group via the chatbot. However, Ko discloses wherein in a case that the current user inputting the first information has joined the first target group, the first message is sent in the first target group via an account of the current user, otherwise, the first message is sent in the first target group via a chatbot; or the first message is sent in the first target group via the chatbot (Ko, see [0074-0075], user terminal can input data, chat content through the chat room in which the client bot can participate and respond). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang in view of Ko in order to further modify the method for forwarding messages using an instant messaging application from the teachings of Wang with the method for implementing a virtual agent from the teachings of Lynch and the method for providing a chat service using a client bot from the teachings of Ko. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would allow providing a chat service using a client bot registered as a friend in response to joining a specific group (Ko – 0001).
As to claim 22, Wang in view of Lynch discloses everything disclosed in claim 1, but is silent to wherein an identifier of the current user is displayed in the first message sent via the chatbot. However, Ko discloses wherein an identifier of the current user is displayed in the first message sent via the chatbot (Ko, see [0077], the client bot searches for a user corresponding to the user ID and provide the user terminal with personal group data (a profile) of the user as content). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang in view of Ko in order to further modify the method for forwarding messages using an instant messaging application from the teachings of Wang with the method for implementing a virtual agent from the teachings of Lynch and the method for providing a chat service using a client bot from the teachings of Ko. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would allow providing a chat service using a client bot registered as a friend in response to joining a specific group (Ko – 0001).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 TANIA M PENA-SANTANA whose telephone number is (571)270-0627. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8am to 4pm EST.
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/TANIA M PENA-SANTANA/Examiner, Art Unit 2443
/CHRISTOPHER B ROBINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2443
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