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 .
This action is in response to applicant’s amendment/arguments filed on 04/08/2026. Claims 1-7, 9-21, 28 and 29 have been amended. Currently, claims 1-29 are pending. This action is made FINAL.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments/amendments with respect to amended claims 1, 28 and 29 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Response to Amendments
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 9-11, 16, 17, 19, 21-23, 28 and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Mori et al. (US 20210195014 A1).
Consider claim 1, Mori discloses an electronic device (read as communication equipment 100, which is cellular communication user equipment (UE), figures 1 and 2, par [0032] and [0051]) comprising:
a display (read as display 112 in touch panel display 110, figure 2, par [0044]-[0046]); and
at least one circuitry (read as controller 190, figure 2, par [0051] and [0062]-[0063]), wherein the at least one circuitry
acquires, from a communication network divided into a plurality of slices, each slice among the plurality of slices corresponding to a service type, a plurality of identifiers, each identifier among the plurality of identifiers assigned to a respective slice of the plurality of slices via a communication interface (read as controller 190 obtaining network related information through cellular interface 151, where the 5GC has plural slices, each slice has an allocated S-NSSAI, and each slice is associated with SST, figures 2-4, par [0036]-[0037], [0057], [0067]-[0071]), and
displays, based on the plurality of identifiers, an icon corresponding to a plurality of service types provided by the communication network on the display (read as controller 190 using acquired S-NSSAI information to specify provided service type information and present graphical buttons B11 to B16 or B21 to B26 on display 112, where the highlighted button graphics identify multiple provided service types for the detected cellular communication network, figures 3, 4 and 6, par [0075], [0079], [0088]-[0095] and [0103]-[0108]).
Consider claim 2, as applied to claim 1 above, Mori discloses wherein the icon at least one of: identifies the plurality of service types and indicates a number of the plurality of service types (read as buttons B11 to B16 and B21 to B26 that visually distinguish (highlighted) the provided service types from the unprovided service types, which identify the plurality of service types, figure 6, par [0106]-[0108]).
Consider claim 9, as applied to claim 1 above, Mori discloses wherein icon indicates a quality of communication with the communication network (read as icon X and icon Y with metering indication, figures 10A-10C, par [0121]-[0124]).
Consider claim 10, as applied to claim 1 above, Mori discloses wherein the at least one circuitry displays the icon based on a predetermined operation (read as controller 190 displays button graphics B11 to B16 and B21 to B26 when touch panel 11 accepts flick or tap operation, figures 2, 6, 12A to 15B, par [0130]-[0131]).
Consider claim 11, as applied to claim 10 above, Mori discloses wherein the at least one circuitry displays a third image different from the icon on the display, and displays the icon based on a predetermined operation associated with the third image displayed on the display (read as icon X and icon Y as displayed images different from service-type button graphics, and controller 190 displays service type detail regions containing buttons B11 to B16 or buttons B21 to B26 in response to a flick or tap operation associated with upper portion 114, icon X or icon Y, figures 6 and 10A to 15B, figures [0106]-[0107], [0120]-[0121] and [0129]-[0134]).
Consider claim 16, as applied to claim 1 above, Mori discloses wherein the icon identifies the plurality of service types (read as controller 190 specifying provided service type candidates and displaying service type button graphics B11 to B16 and B21 to B26, where the highlighted buttons identify the provided service types, figures 4-6, par [0106]-[0108], and more details in par [0079]-[0095]).
Consider claim 17, as applied to claim 16 above, Mori discloses wherein the at least one circuitry displays the plurality of service types based on a predetermined operation associated with the icon displayed on the display (read as controller 190 displaying icon X and icon Y on display 112, then displaying plurality of service type buttons graphics B11 to B16 or B21 to B26 when controller 19 accepts a flick or tap operation associated with upper portion 114, icon X or icon Y, figures 10A-15B, par [0127]-[0131]).
Consider claim 19, as applied to claim 16 above, Mori discloses wherein the at least one circuitry performs, based on a user operation to select a service type of the plurality of service types identified by the icon, on/off control of use of communication via a slice corresponding to the selected service type (read as user selection of a displayed service type button, transmission of a provision request with Requested NSSAI for that selected service type, and switching the selected button from unprovided display to provided display; the S-NSSAI identifies the slice corresponding to the selected service type, the provision request and display state switch (unprovided to provided) corresponds to enabling use of communication via the slice corresponding to the selected service type, figures 6, 8A, 8B and 9, par [0037], [0071], [0106]-[0107] and [0111]-[0114]).
Consider claim 21, as applied to claim 1 above, Mori discloses a notifier, wherein the at least one circuitry determines, based on the plurality of identifiers acquired via the communication interface, whether the communication network includes a predetermined service type, and if the communication network includes the predetermined service type, notifies such inclusion via the notifier (read as controller 190 using acquired S-NSSAI and slice/service type (SST) values to determine whether a detected cellular communication network provides predetermined service types such as eMBB, URLLC, mIoT, or other services, and visually notifying the inclusion on display 112 by highlighting the corresponding service type buttons, figures 4-6, par [0071], [0089], [0091], [0093], [0095] and [0106]-[0108]).
Consider claim 22, as applied to claim 21 above, Mori discloses wherein the predetermined service type is a service type uniquely recommended for the electronic device (read as the service types that are recommended for the device, figure 6, par [0106]-[0107]).
Consider claim 23, as applied to claim 21 above, Mori discloses wherein the predetermined service type is a service type uniquely recommended for at least one application executed in the electronic device (read as any one of the service types that are recommended for the device for use, figure 6, par [0106]-[0107]).
Consider claim 28, Mori discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program causing a computer installed in an electronic device equipped with a display to execute processing (read as storage 140 and a program recorded on a non transitory recording medium, where the program causes a computer to execute processes performed by communication 100 having display 112 and controller 190, figure 2, par [0051]-[0056], [0062] and [0137]) comprising:
acquiring, from a communication network divided into a plurality of slices, each slice among the plurality of slices corresponding to a service type, a plurality of identifiers, each identifier among the plurality of identifiers assigned to a respective one of the plurality of slices via a communication interface (read as controller 190 obtaining network related information through cellular interface 151, where the 5GC has plural slices, each slice has an allocated S-NSSAI, and each slice is associated with SST, figures 2-4, par [0036]-[0037], [0057], [0067]-[0071]), and
displaying, based on the plurality of identifiers, an icon corresponding to a plurality of service types provided by the communication network on the display (read as controller 190 using acquired S-NSSAI information to specify provided service type information and present graphical buttons B11 to B16 or B21 to B26 on display 112, where the highlighted button graphics identify multiple provided service types for the detected cellular communication network, figures 3, 4 and 6, par [0075], [0079], [0088]-[0095] and [0103]-[0108]).
Consider claim 29, Mori discloses a display method in an electronic device equipped with a display (read as an operation of communication 100 having display 112, and controls acquisition and display of cellular network service information, figures 1-3, par [0032], [0044]-[0046], [0064]-[0067], [0075] and [0103]), figure 2, par [0044]-[0046]), comprising:
acquiring, from a communication network divided into a plurality of slices, each slice among the plurality of slices corresponding to a service type, a plurality of identifiers, each identifier among the plurality of identifiers assigned to a respective one of the plurality of slices via a communication interface (read as controller 190 obtaining network related information through cellular interface 151, where the 5GC has plural slices, each slice has an allocated S-NSSAI, and each slice is associated with SST, figures 2-4, par [0036]-[0037], [0057], [0067]-[0071]), and
displaying, based on the plurality of identifiers, an icon corresponding to a plurality of service types provided by the communication network on the display (read as controller 190 using acquired S-NSSAI information to specify provided service type information and present graphical buttons B11 to B16 or B21 to B26 on display 112, where the highlighted button graphics identify multiple provided service types for the detected cellular communication network, figures 3, 4 and 6, par [0075], [0079], [0088]-[0095] and [0103]-[0108]).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 3, 12-14 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori et al. (US 20210195014 A1) in view of Marcellino et al. (US 20090305732 A1).
Consider claim 3, as applied to claim 2 above, Mori discloses the claimed invention above and wherein the icon identifies the plurality of service types (read as controller 190 using S-NASSI and SST values to specify provided services types and displaying graphical buttons B11 to B16 and buttons B21 to B26 that visually identify those provided service types on display 112, figure 6, par [0103]-[0108]) but does not specifically disclose indicates the number of the plurality of service types.
Nonetheless, Marcellino discloses numeral badge display, where icon badges uses numerals and can be updated by incrementing a number, which provides a compact count for a displayed icon, figures 7-9, par [0077]-[0078], [0081] and [0090]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Marcellino into the teachings of Mori, to modify Mori’s service type buttons using Marcellino’s numeral badge display, in order to present the count without manual service counting by the user.
Consider claim 12, as applied to claim 1 above, Mori discloses the claimed invention above and wherein the icon identifies the plurality of service types (read as controller 190 using S-NASSI and SST values to specify provided services types and displaying graphical buttons B11 to B16 and buttons B21 to B26 that visually identify those provided service types on display 112, figure 6, par [0103]-[0108]) but does not specifically disclose wherein the icon indicates a number of the plurality of slices that satisfies a predetermined condition.
Nonetheless, Marcellino discloses numeral badge display, where icon badges uses numerals and can be updated by incrementing a number, which provides a compact count for a displayed icon; for example, the icon badge 750, which is represented as a numeral and overlaps the text message application icon 720, may represent the number of unread text messages (e.g., three text messages) or the number of new text messages (i.e. predetermined condition), figures 7-9, par [0077]-[0078], [0081] and [0090]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Marcellino into the teachings of Mori, to modify Mori’s service type buttons using Marcellino’s numeral badge display, in order to present the count without manual service counting by the user.
Consider claim 13, as applied to claim 12 above, , Mori, as modified by Marcellino, discloses wherein the number of the plurality of slices satisfying the predetermined condition is a number of slices used before by the electronic device (read as the icon badge 750, which is represented as a numeral and overlaps the text message application icon 720, may represent the number of unread text messages (e.g., three text messages) or the number of new text messages (i.e. predetermined condition), figures 7-9, par [0081] of Marcellino).
Consider claim 14, as applied to claim 12 above, , Mori, as modified by Marcellino, discloses wherein the number of the plurality of slices satisfying the predetermined condition is a number of slices that satisfies a predetermined communication amount or communication frequency (read as the icon badge 750, which is represented as a numeral and overlaps the text message application icon 720, may represent the number of unread text messages (e.g., three text messages) or the number of new text messages (i.e. predetermined condition), figures 7-9, par [0081] of Marcellino).
Consider claim 20, as applied to claim 1 above, Mori discloses the claimed invention above and wherein the icon identifies the plurality of service types (read as controller 190 using S-NASSI and SST values to specify provided services types and displaying graphical buttons B11 to B16 and buttons B21 to B26 that visually identify those provided service types on display 112, figure 6, par [0103]-[0108]) but does not specifically disclose a notifier, wherein the at least one circuitry determines, based on the plurality of identifiers acquired via the communication interface, whether a number of the plurality of slices corresponding to the communication network is changed, and if the number of the plurality of slices corresponding to the communication network is changed, notifies such change via the notifier
Nonetheless, Marcellino discloses numeral badge display, where icon badges uses numerals and can be updated by incrementing a number, which provides a compact count for a displayed icon; for example, the icon badge 750, which is represented as a numeral and overlaps the text message application icon 720, may represent the number of unread text messages (e.g., three text messages) or the number of new text messages (i.e. predetermined condition), figures 7-9, par [0077]-[0078], [0081] and [0090]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Marcellino into the teachings of Mori, to modify Mori’s slice display using Marcellino’s numeral badge display, in order to present the count without manual service counting by the user.
Claims 4 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori et al. (US 20210195014 A1) in view of Maciocci et al. (US 20120249741 A1).
Consider claim 4, as applied to claim 1 above, Mori discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose wherein the display includes a display member having light transmissivity, and the at least one circuitry displays the icon on a display surface of the display member, the icon being viewed in a space that is visible through the display member.
Nonetheless, Maciocci discloses semitransparent head mounted display operation in which virtual object 14 is projected into the visible scene or free space through a partially transparent display, which provides the transmissive display surface and space viewed through that display, figure 1, par [0070], [0072] and [0078].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Maciocci into the teachings of Mori, to modify Mori’s service type display using Maciocci’s transparent display technology, in order to improve usability and situational awareness without blocking the user’s view.
Consider claim 6, as applied to claim 4 above, Mori, as modified by Maciocci, discloses the claimed invention above and wherein the at least one circuitry displays, on the display, the icon (read as controller 190 displaying service type buttons on display 112, including buttons B11 to B16 and buttons B21 to B26, figure 6, par [0103]-[0108]) but does not specifically disclose wherein the at least one circuitry displays, on the display, a second image different from the icon and located in the space, displays the icon while the icon is fixed in a predetermined position on the display and a user and the icon always face each other, and displays the second image in a posture corresponding to an angle at which the user views the second image.
Nonetheless, Maciocci further discloses the virtual object 14 as a separate spatial image whose perspective, size and orientation change with the user’s view, and further discloses connecting a visual object to the head mounted display position, which provides a fixed user facing display object, figure 1, par [0072]-[0073], [0076] and [0078].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further incorporate the teachings of Maciocci into the teachings of Mori, which modified by Maciocci, to modify the service type display using Maciocci’s spatial display modes, in order to keep service icons/buttons visible while spatial objects remain perspective correct.
Claims 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori et al. (US 20210195014 A1) in view of Anderson (US 20190371064 A1).
Consider claim 5, as applied to claim 1 above, Mori discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose a camera that photographs a space, wherein the at least one circuitry displays, on the display, an image of the space photographed by the camera and the icon superimposed on the image of the space.
Nonetheless, Anderson discloses a camera/environment sensor 102 capturing a real screen/real environment, and displaying the camera-captured image of the real-world space on the display, and further superimposing/overlaying a virtual image on the camera image of the real-world scene/space, figure 1, par [0009], [0033] and [0045 ]-[0048].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Anderson into the teachings of Mori, to modify Mori’s service type display using Anderson’s camera scene superimposition/overlay technique, in order to consolidate multiple display outputs into a single visual interface and reduce the need for separate screens or display modes.
Claims 7 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori et al. (US 20210195014 A1) in view of Maciocci et al. (US 20120249741 A1), and in further view of Kochi (US 20130201185 A).
Consider claim 7, as applied to claim 4 above, Mori, as modified by Maciocci, discloses wherein the at least one circuitry displays, on the display, the icon (read as controller 190 displaying service type buttons on display 112, including buttons B11 to B16 and buttons B21 to B26, figure 6, par [0103]-[0108]) but does not specifically disclose an object image having a first surface and a second surface located in the space, displays the first icon on the first surface, and displays a third image different from the icon on the second surface.
Nonetheless, Kochi discloses virtual displaying system with virtual book 31 and page surfaces such as pages 29.3 and 29.4, where different virtual content is defined on different pages and maintains its relation to the page surface as the book is manipulated, figures 11B to 11E and 12, par [0059]-[0061].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further incorporate the teachings of Kochi into the teachings of Mori, which modified by Maciocci, to modify the service information display using Kochi’s virtual page surface technique, in order to present different service content on different object faces (see par [0059] of Kochi).
Consider claim 18, as applied to claim 4 above, Mori, as modified by Maciocci, discloses wherein the at least one circuitry displays, on the display, the icon (read as controller 190 displaying service type buttons on display 112, including buttons B11 to B16 and buttons B21 to B26, figure 6, par [0103]-[0108]) but does not specifically disclose an object image having a first surface and a second surface located in the space, displays the icon on the first surface, and displays a fifth image indicating the plurality of service types on the second surface.
Nonetheless, Kochi discloses virtual displaying system with virtual book 31 and page surfaces such as pages 29.3 and 29.4, where different virtual content is defined on different pages and maintains its relation to the page surface as the book is manipulated, including graphic regions 30 and text regions 32 on the displayed book surface, figures 11B to 11E and 12, par [0059]-[0061].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further incorporate the teachings of Kochi into the teachings of Mori, which modified by Maciocci, to modify the service information display using Kochi’s virtual page surface technique, in order to present different service content on different object faces (see par [0059] of Kochi).
Claim 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori et al. (US 20210195014 A1) in view of Maciocci et al. (US 20120249741 A1), and in further view of Kochi (US 20130201185 A), and in further view of Salter (US 20140368535 A1).
Consider claim 8, as applied to claim 7 above, Mori, as modified by Maciocci and Kochi, discloses the clamed invention above but does not specifically disclose wherein the at least one circuitry switches, based on a predetermined operation, between a first setting in which the object image is displayed while the first surface or the second surface is fixed on the display and the first surface or the second surface always faces a user, and a second setting in which the object image is displayed in a posture corresponding to an angle at which the user views the object image.
Nonetheless, Salter discloses HUD 460 switching from body locked behavior, where the display stay in a predefined position relative to the user to world locked behavior, where the user can view the object from different positions and perspectives after the user looks toward it for a predetermined period, figures 8-14, par [0078] and [0086]-[0088].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further incorporate the teachings of Salter into the teachings of Mori, which modified by Maciocci and Kochi, to modify two surface virtual service object display using Salter’s hybrid HUD switching, in order to keep status content user facing until selected for spatial viewing (see par [0078] of Salter).
Claim 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori et al. (US 20210195014 A1) in view of Marcellino et al. (US 20090305732 A1), and in further view of Asthana et al. (US 20220124609 A1).
Consider claim 15, as applied to claim 12 above, Mori, as modified by Marcellino, discloses wherein the number of the plurality of slices satisfying the predetermined condition (read as the icon badge 750, which is represented as a numeral and overlaps the text message application icon 720, may represent the number of unread text messages (e.g., three text messages) or the number of new text messages (i.e. predetermined condition), figures 7-9, par [0081] of Marcellino) but does not specifically disclose the predetermined condition is a number of slices that satisfies a predetermined quality of communication.
Nonetheless, Asthana discloses QoS slice information, where S-NSSAI and PDU session information are received, services are updated with QoS rules, Session AMBR and network slice information, and icons are updated using QFIs and GBR associated with PDU sessions, figures 2, 3 and 12, par [0085]-[0086] and [0122].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Asthana into the teachings of Mori, which modified by Marcellino, to modify number updating/increment using Asthana’s numeral badge display, in order to show slice status tied to promised QoS value.
Claims 24 and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori et al. (US 20210195014 A1) in view of Schreiner et al. (US 20120302224 A1).
Consider claim 24, as applied to claim 1 above, Mori discloses wherein, when the communication network is a local cellular communication network (read as indicating the service/communication area is “Local 5G” of the local cellular communication network 220, figure 6, par [0106]) but does not specifically disclose the at least one circuitry acquires, via the communication interface, owner information indicating an owner of a license corresponding to the local cellular communication network, and displays, based on the owner information, a sixth image indicating the owner on the display.
Nonetheless, Schreiner discloses mobile operator identification data 350 identifying the operator associated with network service and configuration data 355 including logos, trademarks and branding graphic elements for displaying at mobile computing device 310, which corresponds to owner identifying information and the owner indicating display image, figure 3, par [0032], ]0037]-[0041], [0051] and [0054].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Schreiner into the teachings of Mori, to modify the local network display using Schreiner’s operator branding data display, in order to identify the local network operator to the user.
Consider claim 25, as applied to claim 24 above, Mori, as modified by Schreiner, discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose wherein the at least one circuitry displays, based on a predetermined operation associated with the sixth image displayed on the display, an image on the display (read as controller 190 displaying network details on display 112 in response to operation input associated with icon X and icon Y, and indicating the service/communication area is “Local 5G” of the local cellular communication network 220, figure 6, par [0106] and [0129]-[0134]) but does not specifically disclose a guide image enabling access to the owner on the display.
Nonetheless, Schreiner further discloses the configuration data 355 being displayed including mobile operator web addresses of one or more websites of the identified mobile operator, browser bookmarks, contact information and an application download option, which corresponds to displayed guide information enabling access to the mobile operator, par [0051] and [0055].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further incorporate the teachings of Schreiner into the teachings of Mori, which modified by Schreiner, to modify the local network information display using Schreiner’s operator access information display, in order to open contact or web access for the displayed operator in case the user wants to learn more about the operator.
Claim 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori et al. (US 20210195014 A1) in view of Wang et al. (US 20190037409 A1).
Consider claim 26, as applied to claim 1 above, Mori discloses wherein, when the communication network is a local cellular communication network (read as the network type “Local 5G” of the local cellular communication network 220, figure 6, par [0106]) but does not specifically disclose the at least one circuitry acquires, via the communication interface, communication area information indicating a communication area of the local cellular communication network, and displays, based on the communication area information, a seventh image indicating the communication area on the display.
Nonetheless, Wang discloses network slice information organized by geographical locations, including identifiers such as RAN IDs, cell IDs, area IDs, network IDs and GPS coordinates, and presenting discovered slices with identifiers via user interfaces for user selection, which corresponds to an area slice indication, par [0048] and [0061]-[0062].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Wang into the teachings of Mori, to modify the local network display using Wang’s geographic slice information with identifiers, in order to identify the local network operator to the user and show the user where local slice services are available.
Claim 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mori et al. (US 20210195014 A1) in view of Wang et al. (US 20190037409 A1), and in further view of Davis et al. (US 20150156609 A1).
Consider claim 27, as applied to claim 26 above, Mori, as modified by Wang, discloses wherein the at least one circuitry displays, based on a predetermined operation associated with the seventh image displayed on the display, an image (network slice information organized by geographical locations, including identifiers such as RAN IDs, cell IDs, area IDs, network IDs and GPS coordinates, and presenting discovered slices with identifiers via user interfaces for user selection, which corresponds to an area slice indication, par [0048] and [0061]-[0062] of Wang) but does not specifically disclose a map image indicating the communication area on the display.
Nonetheless, Davis discloses navigation application 145 rendering map images on display 138 in response to user commands, including a map of network coverage area 204 corresponding to a geographic region or wireless network foodprint, figures 2-5, par [0025]-[0030] and [0040].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Davis into the teachings of Mori, which modified by Wang, to modify the area details display using Davis’s coverage area map feature, in order to show the selected network area on a map to the user.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Junpeng Chen whose telephone number is (571) 270-1112. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., EST.
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, Anthony S Addy can be reached on 571-272-7795. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/Junpeng Chen/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
Prosecution Insights