DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to the Request for Continued Examination filed on 09/16/2026. Claims 1, 7, 12, 15, and 18 were amended. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the case.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claims contain subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. The original specification does not appear to offer sufficient support for: “wherein the indication to transition the browser tab that is inactive causes the browser tab that is inactive, while remaining inactive, to replace the webpage displayed in the browser tab with the other webpage in the same browser tab and without opening an additional browser tab” in independent claim 1; “wherein the indication to transition the display that is inactive causes the display that is inactive, while remaining inactive, to replace the content stage displayed by the display with the other content stage in the same display and without opening an additional display” in independent claim 7; and “wherein the indication to transition the display that is inactive causes the display that is inactive, while remaining inactive, to replace the content stage displayed by the display with the other content stage in the same display and without opening an additional display” in independent claim 15.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. The latest added limitations of independent claims 1, 7, and 15 mentioned above in the USC 112(a) rejection also introduce corresponding indefiniteness issues. As currently recited, each of the independent claims would appear to attempt to “replace”/update the contents of an actively displayed tab/display while at the same time requiring that the tab/display that does the replacing “remain inactive.” The apparent contradiction of these functionalities (how can a tab possibly remain inactive while at the same time actively replace the current display?) makes it so that the Office cannot be appraised of the actual scope/metes and bounds of the independent claims, and therefore a comprehensive search cannot be performed. The claims should be revised carefully in order to comply with 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s prior art arguments have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection presented above.
Conclusion
It is noted that any citation to specific pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the references should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. In re Heck, 699 F.2d 1331, 1332-33, 216 U.S.P.Q. 1038, 1039 (Fed. Cir. 1983) (quoting In re Lemelson, 397 F.2d 1006, 1009, 158 U.S.P.Q. 275, 277 (C.C.P.A. 1968)).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALVARO R CALDERON IV whose telephone number is (571)272-1818. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday (8:30am - 5:00pm).
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/ALVARO R. CALDERON IV/
Examiner
Art Unit 2171
/KIEU D VU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2171
