DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
This action is response to communication filed on 03/03/2026.
Claims 1-5 and 7-14 are pending in this action.
Claim 6 has been cancelled.
This action is Non-Final.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1,3-5 and 7-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S Pub. No. 2018/0048764 A1 to HALTOM et al. (hereafter “HALTOM”) in view of U.S Pub. No. 2007/0127656 A1 to Citron et al. (hereinafter “Citron”).
Regarding claim 1, HALTOM teaches a processing method of a call set-up request message transmitted by a calling terminal to a called terminal in a communication network, the network comprising an item of communication equipment configured to receive the message, wherein the method is implemented at the item of communication equipment (Fig.4 step 410 and paragraph [0050]; calling party device 210 can call called party device 230 by sending a request to establish a connection with called party device 230) and comprises:
updating an information field of the message by inserting additional caller identification information obtained from at least one first data table (Fig.1D, Fig.4, step 440, paragraphs [0015] and [0060]; as shown in FIG. 4, process 400 can include modifying the caller information based on determining that the caller information satisfies the criterion (block 440)); and
transmitting the updated message to the called terminal (Fig 1D, Fig.4, Paragraphs [0014], [0019] and [0050]; call handling platform can route the call (e.g., the request to establish a connection with the called party device), with the modified caller information, to the called party device).
However, HALTOM does not explicitly teach the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call.
In the same field of endeavor, Citron discloses the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call (paragraphs [0020], [0022]; caller A's phone number (or originating device 201a) is associated with B (or called number B) to provide customized information. In the depicted examples, the association between the numbers reflects the parties' family relationship. In certain embodiments, a user contacts database is maintained to identify caller A as "Son" on the display of B's phone 203a. Alternatively, when B calls A, B is identified as "Mother" on A's device 201b. The user contacts database).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify HALTOM’s teaching with a feature of the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call as taught by Citron in order to provide customized caller identification information for a phone call from a calling party to a called party, and for providing a customized identifier such as name, nickname, relationship identifier such as mother, father, son and daughter, and group identifier such as family, college, company, service provider and team, and routing information (paragraph [0015], Citron).
Regarding claim 3, HALTOM teaches the processing method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: receiving a request to add additional information associated with the caller’s telephone number from the calling terminal, the request comprising the telephone number and the information and storing the information in the first table in association with the telephone number (paragraphs [0018]- [0022]; call handling platform can utilize the feedback information to modify or update the predetermined criteria (e.g., a time of day, a time range, a pattern, a ranking, a list of caller numbers and/or caller names, a presence of predetermined words, and/or the like).
Regarding claim 4, HALTOM teaches the processing method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises the coding of at least one of the items of information obtained in the form of a code comprising a sequence of text- type characters surrounded by two occurrences of a key-type character, the key-type character being associated with a predetermined additional caller identification information (paragraphs [0015]-[0016] and [0017]; character field can include a variety of information added to the caller information, such as one or more numbers (e.g., 1, 2, 3, . . . ), one or more letters (e.g., a, b, c, A, B, C, . . . ), one or more characters (e.g., !, @, #, $, %, ̂, &, *, . . . ), one or more words, a combination of one or more numbers, letters, characters, and/or words, other displayable output).
Regarding claim 5, HALTOM teaches a transmission method of a call set-up request message by a calling terminal to a called terminal in a communication network (paragraph [0038]; called party device 230 can include a device capable of initiating and participating in a call (e.g., a voice call or a video call) with calling party device 210 via network 240), wherein the method is implemented at the calling terminal and comprises, prior to transmitting the message (paragraph [0040]; two or more devices shown in FIG. 2 can be implemented within a single device, or a single device shown in FIG. 2 can be implemented as multiple, distributed devices): transmitting a request to record additional caller identification information in a first data table stored in the communication network, in association with a caller telephone number (Fig 1D, Fig.4, Paragraphs [0014], [0019] and [0050]; call handling platform can route the call (e.g., the request to establish a connection with the called party device), with the modified caller information, to the called party device), the additional caller identification information being intended to be used by an item of communication equipment configured to receive the call set-up request message, to enrich it at least using the information contained in the first table (Fig.1D, Fig.4, step 440, paragraphs [0015] and [0060]; as shown in FIG. 4, process 400 can include modifying the caller information based on determining that the caller information satisfies the criterion (block 440));and to retransmit it to the called terminal (Fig. 1D, Fig.4, paragraphs [0010], [0028] and [0072]; call handling decision can include forwarding the call and the modified caller information to called party device).
However, HALTOM does not explicitly teach transmission to the communication network of a request to update the first table, the update request comprising at least one item of context information of the call.
In the same field of endeavor, Citron discloses transmission to the communication network of a request to update the first table, the update request comprising at least one item of context information of the call (paragraphs [0020], [0022] and [0048]; SIP call processing elements 405, 406 optionally update the signaling information according to policy to include the new called number, caller number and caller name information. The call is then signaled to VoIP TA 407. This signal includes, but is not limited to, a SIP INVITE signal).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify HALTOM’s teaching with a feature of transmission to the communication network of a request to update the first table, the update request comprising at least one item of context information of the call as taught by Citron in order to provide customized caller identification information for a phone call from a calling party to a called party, and for providing a customized identifier such as name, nickname, relationship identifier such as mother, father, son and daughter, and group identifier such as family, college, company, service provider and team, and routing information (paragraph [0015], Citron).
Regarding claim 7, HALTOM teaches a receiving method of a call set-up request message by a called terminal transmitted by a calling terminal in a communication network, wherein the method is implemented at the called terminal (Fig.4 step 410 and paragraph [0050]; calling party device 210 can call called party device 230 by sending a request to establish a connection with called party device 230) and comprises, upon reception of the message:
extracting additional information relating to a user of the calling terminal from an information field of the received message (Fig.1D, Fig.4, step 440, paragraphs [0015] and [0060]; as shown in FIG. 4, process 400 can include modifying the caller information based on determining that the caller information satisfies the criterion (block 440)); and
triggering at least one action comprising a notification of the information to a user of the called terminal when the call is presented (Fig 1D, Fig.4, Paragraphs [0014], [0019] and [0050]; call handling platform can route the call (e.g., the request to establish a connection with the called party device), with the modified caller information, to the called party device).
However, HALTOM does not explicitly teach the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call.
In the same field of endeavor, Citron discloses the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call (paragraphs [0020], [0022]; caller A's phone number (or originating device 201a) is associated with B (or called number B) to provide customized information. In the depicted examples, the association between the numbers reflects the parties' family relationship. In certain embodiments, a user contacts database is maintained to identify caller A as "Son" on the display of B's phone 203a. Alternatively, when B calls A, B is identified as "Mother" on A's device 201b. The user contacts database).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify HALTOM’s teaching with a feature of the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call as taught by Citron in order to provide customized caller identification information for a phone call from a calling party to a called party, and for providing a customized identifier such as name, nickname, relationship identifier such as mother, father, son and daughter, and group identifier such as family, college, company, service provider and team, and routing information (paragraph [0015], Citron).
Regarding claim 8, HALTOM teaches the receiving method according to the preceding claim 7, wherein at least one of the additional items of information relating to the call is encoded in the form of a sequence of text-type characters surrounded by two occurrences of a key-type character (paragraphs [0067]; call handling platform 220 can modify or supplement the content of one or more fields (e.g., the caller name field or the caller number field) within the caller information to indicate that the caller information satisfies a criterion), in that the method comprises the decoding of the item of information, the decoding comprising identification of the key-type character and in that the method comprises the determination of at least one notification action triggered at least depending on the identified key-type character (paragraphs [0067]-[0069] call handling platform 220 can insert a character or a set of characters at a position (e.g., the start, the end, and/or the like) of one or more caller information fields (e.g., the caller name field or the caller number field) to indicate that the caller information satisfies a criterion and provide the information to the called party device).
Regarding claim 9, HALTOM teaches a device for processing a call set-up request message transmitted by a calling terminal to a called terminal in a communication network, the network comprising an item of communication equipment configured to receive the message (Fig.4 step 410 and paragraph [0050]; calling party device 210 can call called party device 230 by sending a request to establish a connection with called party device 230), wherein the device is configured to implement at the item of communication equipment (paragraph [0040]; two or more devices shown in FIG. 2 can be implemented within a single device, or a single device shown in FIG. 2 can be implemented as multiple, distributed devices): updating an information field of the message by inserting additional caller identification information obtained from at least a first table (call handling table) (Fig.1D, Fig.4, step 440, paragraphs [0015] and [0060]; as shown in FIG. 4, process 400 can include modifying the caller information based on determining that the caller information satisfies the criterion (block 440)); and transmitting the updated message to the called terminal (Fig 1D, Fig.4, Paragraphs [0014], [0019] and [0050]; call handling platform can route the call (e.g., the request to establish a connection with the called party device), with the modified caller information, to the called party device).
However, HALTOM does not explicitly teach the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call.
In the same field of endeavor, Citron discloses the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call (paragraphs [0020], [0022]; caller A's phone number (or originating device 201a) is associated with B (or called number B) to provide customized information. In the depicted examples, the association between the numbers reflects the parties' family relationship. In certain embodiments, a user contacts database is maintained to identify caller A as "Son" on the display of B's phone 203a. Alternatively, when B calls A, B is identified as "Mother" on A's device 201b. The user contacts database).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify HALTOM’s teaching with a feature of the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call as taught by Citron in order to provide customized caller identification information for a phone call from a calling party to a called party, and for providing a customized identifier such as name, nickname, relationship identifier such as mother, father, son and daughter, and group identifier such as family, college, company, service provider and team, and routing information (paragraph [0015], Citron).
Regarding claim 10, HALTOM teaches a device for transmitting a call set-up request message by a calling terminal to a called terminal in a communication network (paragraph [0038]; called party device 230 can include a device capable of initiating and participating in a call (e.g., a voice call or a video call) with calling party device 210 via network 240), wherein the device is configured to implement at the calling terminal, prior to transmitting the message (paragraph [0040]; two or more devices shown in FIG. 2 can be implemented within a single device, or a single device shown in FIG. 2 can be implemented as multiple, distributed devices): transmitting a request to record additional caller identification information in a first data table, stored in the communication network, in association with a caller telephone number, the additional caller identification information being intended to be used by an item of communication equipment configured to receive the call set-up request message, to enrich it at least using the information contained in the first table (paragraphs [0070]-[0072]; call handling platform 220 can compare the modified caller information with a call handling data structure (e.g., a table) that provides call handling decisions, as described in connection with FIG. 1C. In such implementations, call handling platform 220 can determine a call handling decision for the call based on comparing the modified caller information with the call handling data structure) and to retransmit it to the called terminal (Fig. 1D, Fig.4, paragraphs [0010], [0028] and [0072]; call handling decision can include forwarding the call and the modified caller information to called party device).
However, HALTOM does not explicitly teach the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call.
In the same field of endeavor, Citron discloses the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call (paragraphs [0020], [0022]; caller A's phone number (or originating device 201a) is associated with B (or called number B) to provide customized information. In the depicted examples, the association between the numbers reflects the parties' family relationship. In certain embodiments, a user contacts database is maintained to identify caller A as "Son" on the display of B's phone 203a. Alternatively, when B calls A, B is identified as "Mother" on A's device 201b. The user contacts database).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify HALTOM’s teaching with a feature of the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call as taught by Citron in order to provide customized caller identification information for a phone call from a calling party to a called party, and for providing a customized identifier such as name, nickname, relationship identifier such as mother, father, son and daughter, and group identifier such as family, college, company, service provider and team, and routing information (paragraph [0015], Citron).
Regarding claim 11, HALTOM teaches a device for receiving a call set-up request message by a called terminal transmitted by a calling terminal in a communication network, wherein the device is configured to implement at the called terminal (Fig.4 step 410 and paragraph [0050]; calling party device 210 can call called party device 230 by sending a request to establish a connection with called party device 230) and comprises, upon reception of the message: extracting additional information relating to a user of the calling terminal from an information field of the received message (Fig.1D, Fig.4, step 440, paragraphs [0015] and [0060]; as shown in FIG. 4, process 400 can include modifying the caller information based on determining that the caller information satisfies the criterion (block 440)); and triggering at least one action comprising a notification of the information to a user of the called terminal when the call is presented (Fig 1D, Fig.4, Paragraphs [0014], [0019]-[0020] and [0050]; call handling platform can route the call (e.g., the request to establish a connection with the called party device), with the modified caller information, to the called party device. Further, the call handling platform can provide, to the called party device, a signal that causes the called party device to display particular information (e.g., a certain color, a flashing light, and/or the like), emit a sound, and/or the like, based on the call handling decision. In some implementations, the call handling platform can provide an error message to the calling party device, based on the call handling decision).
However, HALTOM does not explicitly teach the additional caller identification information comprising at least one item of context information of the call.
In the same field of endeavor, Citron discloses the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call (paragraphs [0020], [0022]; caller A's phone number (or originating device 201a) is associated with B (or called number B) to provide customized information. In the depicted examples, the association between the numbers reflects the parties' family relationship. In certain embodiments, a user contacts database is maintained to identify caller A as "Son" on the display of B's phone 203a. Alternatively, when B calls A, B is identified as "Mother" on A's device 201b. The user contacts database).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify HALTOM’s teaching with a feature of the additional caller identification information comprises at least one item of context information of the call as taught by Citron in order to provide customized caller identification information for a phone call from a calling party to a called party, and for providing a customized identifier such as name, nickname, relationship identifier such as mother, father, son and daughter, and group identifier such as family, college, company, service provider and team, and routing information (paragraph [0015], Citron).
Regarding claim 12, HALTOM teaches an item of communication equipment comprising a process and a data table (IDB) of a communication network, wherein the data table comprises records associating at least additional caller identification information of a caller with a telephone number of this caller (paragraphs [0015], [0051] a call information data structure (e.g., a line information database (LIDB), and/or the like) associated with call handling platform 220 stores caller identification information); and transmit the updated message to the called party (Fig 1D, Fig.4, Paragraphs [0014], [0019] and [0050]; call handling platform can route the call (e.g., the request to establish a connection with the called party device), with the modified caller information, to the called party device).
However, HALTOM does not explicitly teach wherein the processor is configured to receive a call set-up request message transmitted by a calling terminal directed to a called terminal in the communication network and the processor is configured to: update an information field of the message by inserting additional caller identification information obtained from the data table.
In the same field of endeavor, Citron discloses wherein the processor is configured to receive a call set-up request message transmitted by a calling terminal directed to a called terminal in the communication network and the processor is configured to: update an information field of the message by inserting additional caller identification information obtained from the data table (paragraphs [0020], [0022]; caller A's phone number (or originating device 201a) is associated with B (or called number B) to provide customized information. In the depicted examples, the association between the numbers reflects the parties' family relationship. In certain embodiments, a user contacts database is maintained to identify caller A as "Son" on the display of B's phone 203a. Alternatively, when B calls A, B is identified as "Mother" on A's device 201b. The user contacts database).
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify HALTOM’s teaching with a feature of wherein the processor is configured to receive a call set-up request message transmitted by a calling terminal directed to a called terminal in the communication network and the processor is configured to: update an information field of the message by inserting additional caller identification information obtained from the data table as taught by Citron in order to provide customized caller identification information for a phone call from a calling party to a called party, and for providing a customized identifier such as name, nickname, relationship identifier such as mother, father, son and daughter, and group identifier such as family, college, company, service provider and team, and routing information (paragraph [0015], Citron).
Regarding claim 13, HALTOM teaches a system for managing a voice over IP call set-up request message transmitted by a calling terminal to a called terminal in a communication network, wherein the system comprises a processing device for processing a call set-up request message transmitted by a calling terminal to a called terminal in a communication network comprising an item of communication equipment configured to receive the message, a transmission device for transmitting a call set-up request message by a calling terminal to a called terminal in a communication network (Fig.4 step 410 and paragraph [0050]; calling party device 210 can call called party device 230 by sending a request to establish a connection with called party device 230), a receiving device for receiving a call set-up request message by a called terminal transmitted by a calling terminal in a communication network and a data table (paragraphs [0070]-[0072]; call handling platform 220 can compare the modified caller information with a call handling data structure (e.g., a table) that provides call handling decisions, as described in connection with FIG. 1C. In such implementations, call handling platform 220 can determine a call handling decision for the call based on comparing the modified caller information with the call handling data structure) according to claim 12, the processing device being configured to implement at the item of communication equipment:
updating an information field of the message by inserting additional caller identification information obtained from at least a first table (Fig.1D, Fig.4, step 440, paragraphs [0015] and [0060]; as shown in FIG. 4, process 400 can include modifying the caller information based on determining that the caller information satisfies the criterion (block 440)); and
transmitting the updated message to the called terminal; the transmission device being configured to implement at the calling terminal, prior to transmitting the message (Fig 1D, Fig.4, Paragraphs [0014], [0019] and [0050]; call handling platform can route the call (e.g., the request to establish a connection with the called party device), with the modified caller information, to the called party device):
transmitting a request to record additional caller identification information in a first data table, stored in the communication network, in association with a caller telephone number, the additional caller identification information being intended to be used by an item of communication equipment configured to receive the call set-up request message, to enrich it at least using the information contained in the first table and to retransmit it to the called terminal (Fig.1D, Fig.4, step 440, paragraphs [0015] and [0060]; as shown in FIG. 4, process 400 can include modifying the caller information based on determining that the caller information satisfies the criterion (block 440));and to retransmit it to the called terminal (Fig. 1D, Fig.4, paragraphs [0010], [0028] and [0072]; call handling decision can include forwarding the call and the modified caller information to called party device);
the receiving device being configured to implement at the called terminal and comprising, upon reception of the message (paragraph [0040]; two or more devices shown in FIG. 2 can be implemented within a single device, or a single device shown in FIG. 2 can be implemented as multiple, distributed devices):
extracting additional information relating to a user of the calling terminal from an information field of the received message (Fig.1D, Fig.4, step 440, paragraphs [0015] and [0060]; as shown in FIG. 4, process 400 can include modifying the caller information based on determining that the caller information satisfies the criterion (block 440)); and
triggering at least one action comprising a notification of the information to a user of the called terminal when the call is presented (Fig 1D, Fig.4, Paragraphs [0014], [0019] and [0050]; call handling platform can route the call (e.g., the request to establish a connection with the called party device), with the modified caller information, to the called party device).
Regarding claim 14, HALTOM teaches a processing circuit comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing program code instructions of a computer program for implementing the method according to any one of claim 1, when the computer program is executed by the processor (please see claim 1 rejection above).
Claim 2 is are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S Pub. No. 2018/0048764 A1 to HALTOM et al. (hereafter “HALTOM”) in view of in view of U.S Pub. No. 2007/0127656 A1 to Citron et al. (hereinafter “Citron”) in further view of U.S Pub. No. 2019/0199853 A1 to Bouvet et al. (hereinafter “Bouvet”).
Regarding claim 12, HALTOM does not teach the processing method according to claim 1, wherein, when no additional information is obtained from the first table, the update comprises the insertion of reputation information obtained from a second data table, into the call set-up request message.
In the same field of endeavor, Bouvet discloses wherein, when no additional information is obtained from the first table, the update comprises the insertion of reputation information obtained from a second data table, into the call set-up request message (paragraphs [00132]- [0133] and [0142]- [0143]; When server3 cannot identifier caller information in the SIP INVITE message, it forwards the INVITE to network 2, which included server4. Server 4 detects the presence of the certification information “info” in the P-Asserted-ID field, indicating that the belongs. Using the insertion module 4B, server4 extracts the certification information “info” from the P-Asserted-ID parameter and inserts it into a field of the SIP INVITE message that will be presented to the user U2.)
At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art to modify HALTOM’s teaching with a feature of when no additional information is obtained from the first table, the update comprises the insertion of reputation information obtained from a second data table, into the call set-up request message as taught by Bouvet in order to display trusted caller identification information to the called party, improving security, authenticity and user confidence in the call (paragraph [0008], Bouvet).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S Pub. No. 2005/0157859 A1 to Rodriguez et al. discloses the call set up message is determined to be forwarded to a switching system servicing a forward-to telephone device. Caller identification information of the called telephone device is inserted into a caller identification field of the call set up message (Abstract).
U.S Pub. No. 2011/0019808 A1 to Metz et al. discloses phone server inserts the replacement caller ID or default caller ID into the signaling stream of the pending telephone call. When the client answers the call, the replacement caller ID or default caller ID is displayed on the phone of the client (paragraphs [0006] and [0029]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AKELAW A TESHALE whose telephone number is (571)270-5302. The examiner can normally be reached 9 am -6pm.
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, FAN TSANG can be reached at (571) 272-7547. 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.
AKELAW TESHALE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2694
/AKELAW TESHALE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2694
Prosecution Insights