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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/19/2023 and 05/29/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements is being considered by the examiner.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al. (US 2020/0196111 A1; “Yang”).
Regarding claim 1, Yang teaches an information interaction method, comprising:
determining at least one target group in response to a preset team creation operation, wherein the at least one target group is a group that has been created before the team creation operation [Yang ¶¶ 0072-0074: at step 302: creator, e.g., any user, sends creating request, with group members selected by the creator (i.e. a preset team creation operation), wherein according to group members selected by the creator for the cooperative group (here, a cooperative group is analogous to a target group, or the alternative groups may be considered target groups), displaying groups to which the group members belong, the displayed groups serving as alternative groups (i.e. target groups are determined based on preset team creation operation)]; and
creating a team by determining a team member set based on members comprised in the at least one target group, wherein the team is associated with at least one information interaction tool, and information in the at least one information interaction tool is acquirable by at least a part of members in the team member set [Yang ¶ 0075, Fig. 3: configuring a plurality of alternative groups selected by the creator as related groups of the cooperative group (i.e. creating teams), wherein configuring related groups by using a cooperative group limits group member to be within the related groups, thereby preventing group members from other groups from joining and preventing the leakage of communication contents (here, each of the alternative groups is formed from the cooperative group, i.e., accessible by at least some members of the cooperative group); ¶ 0085, Fig. 8: the EIM client 1 (i.e. information interaction tool) may display to user a cooperative group enterprise selecting interface 800].
Regarding claim 2, Yang teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the information interaction tool comprises a group [Yang ¶ 0080: EIM client 1 may be associated with EIM friends (i.e. a group)]; and
the method further comprises: associating the at least one target group with the created team [Yang ¶ 0075, Fig. 3: configuring a plurality of alternative groups (i.e. creating teams) selected by the creator as related groups of the cooperative group (i.e. the created team is associated with the cooperative group)].
Regarding claim 17, Yang teaches an electronic device, comprising:
one or more processors; and a storage means configured to store one or more programs; the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, causing the one or more processors to [Yang ¶ 0143, Fig. 24: electronic device comprises a processor 2402 and memory 2408/non-volatile memory 2410, e.g., computer-readable media, wherein the processor 2402 reads a corresponding computer program from the non-volatile memory 2410 into the memory 2408 and then runs it]:
determine at least one target group in response to a preset team creation operation, wherein the at least one target group is a group that has been created before the team creation operation [Yang ¶¶ 0072-0074: at step 302: creator, e.g., any user, sends creating request, with group members selected by the creator (i.e. a preset team creation operation), wherein according to group members selected by the creator for the cooperative group (here, a cooperative group is analogous to a target group, or the alternative groups may be considered target groups), displaying groups to which the group members belong, the displayed groups serving as alternative groups (i.e. target groups are determined based on preset team creation operation)]; and
create a team by determining a team member set based on members comprised in the at least one target group, wherein the team is associated with at least one information interaction tool, and information in the at least one information interaction tool is acquirable by at least a part of members in the team member set [Yang ¶ 0075, Fig. 3: configuring a plurality of alternative groups selected by the creator as related groups of the cooperative group (i.e. creating teams), wherein configuring related groups by using a cooperative group limits group member to be within the related groups, thereby preventing group members from other groups from joining and preventing the leakage of communication contents (here, each of the alternative groups is formed from the cooperative group, i.e., accessible by at least some members of the cooperative group); ¶ 0085, Fig. 8: the EIM client 1 (i.e. information interaction tool) may display to user a cooperative group enterprise selecting interface 800].
Regarding claim 18, Yang teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium, storing a computer program thereon, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements [Yang ¶ 0143, Fig. 24: electronic device comprises a processor 2402 and memory 2408/non-volatile memory 2410, e.g., computer-readable media, wherein the processor 2402 reads a corresponding computer program from the non-volatile memory 2410 into the memory 2408 and then runs it]:
determining at least one target group in response to a preset team creation operation, wherein the at least one target group is a group that has been created before the team creation operation [Yang ¶¶ 0072-0074: at step 302: creator, e.g., any user, sends creating request, with group members selected by the creator (i.e. a preset team creation operation), wherein according to group members selected by the creator for the cooperative group (here, a cooperative group is analogous to a target group, or the alternative groups may be considered target groups), displaying groups to which the group members belong, the displayed groups serving as alternative groups (i.e. target groups are determined based on preset team creation operation)]; and
creating a team by determining a team member set based on members comprised in the at least one target group, wherein the team is associated with at least one information interaction tool, and information in the at least one information interaction tool is acquirable by at least a part of members in the team member set [Yang ¶ 0075, Fig. 3: configuring a plurality of alternative groups selected by the creator as related groups of the cooperative group (i.e. creating teams), wherein configuring related groups by using a cooperative group limits group member to be within the related groups, thereby preventing group members from other groups from joining and preventing the leakage of communication contents (here, each of the alternative groups is formed from the cooperative group, i.e., accessible by at least some members of the cooperative group); ¶ 0085, Fig. 8: the EIM client 1 (i.e. information interaction tool) may display to user a cooperative group enterprise selecting interface 800].
Regarding claim 19, The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the information interaction tool comprises a group [Yang ¶ 0080: EIM client 1 may be associated with EIM friends (i.e. a group)]; and
the one or more processors are further caused to: associate the at least one target group with the created team [Yang ¶ 0075, Fig. 3: configuring a plurality of alternative groups (i.e. creating teams) selected by the creator as related groups of the cooperative group (i.e. the created team is associated with the cooperative group)].
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.
Claim(s) 7, 12-13, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Wu (US 2020/0244610 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Yang teaches the method according to claim 1, however, does not explicitly disclose
However, in a similar field of endeavor, [] teaches wherein determining the at least one target group in response to the preset team creation operation comprises: presenting a first control on a first group interface of a first group; and determining the first group as the target group in response to an operation on the first control on the first group interface [Wu ¶¶ 0109-0100: user may select multiple other user accounts/groups as recipients for the message within send-to interface 1200, the user sees a create group interface 1202 appear that allows the user to create a group of the selected other users, and makes a chat flow 1204 available for the group (here, a control is presented to a user interface, wherein a target group consists of the selected user accounts/groups)].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of creating an instant messaging group based on a cooperative group as taught by Yang, with the method of presenting preexisting groups to a user that may be selected for subsequent chat group creation as taught by Wu. The motivation to combine these references would be improve chat messaging organization and functionality [Wu ¶¶ 0002-0003].
Regarding claim 12, Yang teaches the method according to claim 1, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein determining the team member set based on the members in the at least one target group comprises: determining the team member set based on a member union of the at least one target group.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Wu teaches wherein determining the team member set based on the members in the at least one target group comprises: determining the team member set based on a member union of the at least one target group [Wu ¶¶ 0109-0100: user may select multiple other user accounts/groups as recipients for the message within send-to interface 1200, the user sees a create group interface 1202 appear that allows the user to create a group of the selected other users, and makes a chat flow 1204 available for the group (here, a group is formed from the selected user/groups, wherein a number of selected users may form a members of a target group, and the group is subsequently formed with those members, wherein the created group contains all the selected members, i.e., a union of the single set of members)].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of creating an instant messaging group based on a cooperative group as taught by Yang, with the method of presenting preexisting groups to a user that may be selected for subsequent chat group creation as taught by Wu. The motivation to combine these references would be improve chat messaging organization and functionality [Wu ¶¶ 0002-0003].
Regarding claim 13, Yang teaches the method according to claim 2, however, does not explicitly disclose further comprising: presenting a management control for the target group on a team management interface corresponding to the team, wherein the management control is configured to manage the target group.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Wu teaches presenting a management control for the target group on a team management interface corresponding to the team, wherein the management control is configured to manage the target group [Wu ¶ 0109: on the confirmation page, the user can deselect names and name the group. The user can hit a confirmation button above the keyboard to commit the changes and generate the group if it does not exist (i.e. a management control allowing for addition/deletion of target group members associated with team creation)].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of creating an instant messaging group based on a cooperative group as taught by Yang, with the method of presenting preexisting groups to a user that may be selected for subsequent chat group creation as taught by Wu. The motivation to combine these references would be improve chat messaging organization and functionality [Wu ¶¶ 0002-0003].
Regarding claim 15, Yang teaches the method according to claim 1, further comprising: presenting a team creation success notification in response to determining that the team is created successfully, wherein the team creation success notification comprises a team present page link; and presenting a team present interface corresponding to the team in response to a triggering operation on the team present page link [Wu ¶ 0109: when a user selects a create group interface 1292, the user is taken to chat flow 1294 and the group is automatically created as shown by view 1212 (here, successful group creation presents a chat interface of the group chat)].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of creating an instant messaging group based on a cooperative group as taught by Yang, with the method of presenting preexisting groups to a user that may be selected for subsequent chat group creation as taught by Wu. The motivation to combine these references would be improve chat messaging organization and functionality [Wu ¶¶ 0002-0003].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-6, 8-11, 14, and 20-21 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN P COX whose telephone number is (571)272-2728. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4PM 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, Michael Thier can be reached at 5712722832. 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.
/BRIAN P COX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474
Prosecution Insights