DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 1-16 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1, 13, 14, 15, and 16 recite the limitation “each associated with detailed information to be presented to a user.” It is unclear what “each” specifically refers to.
The term “predetermined probability” in claim 5, and “probabilities” in claims 6-9 are relative terms which render the claims indefinite. The term “predetermined probability” and “probabilities” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Claim 5 recites “adjusting a result of the classification such that at least one of two adjacent rows, which are adjacent to one another, among the plurality of rows becomes the second row.” It is unclear how at least one of two adjacent rows, which are adjacent to one another, among the plurality of rows becomes the second row.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the row". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the respective priorities". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 10-11 and 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cirillo et al. (“Cirillo”, Pat. No. US 12,475,506).
Per claim 1, Cirillo teaches a display control method that is performed by at least one processor of a computer including a memory storing a program that is executed by the processor, comprising:
(a) determining, in accordance with a predetermined rule, from among a plurality of images (i) each associated with detailed information to be presented to a user and (ii) arranged and displayed on a list screen, a target image for which supplementary information included in the detailed information is to be displayed (col. 10, lines 20-24…A success code (i.e., there is an offer matches the item) is generated for the identification information and the system 100 uses this information to determine that the Highlight should be placed on, over, or near one or more specific elements in the web page (i.e. a predetermined rule). col. 17, lines 42-48…if the store metadata indicates it is a sports good store, the list of stores that should be fetched is other sports good stores (i.e. a predetermined rule). In another example, if the store metadata indicates it is a department store, the list of stores that should be fetched is other department stores, and potentially similar retailers stores, online-only stores that may sell similar goods (i.e. a predetermined rule); col. 17, line 66-col. 18, lines 8…alters the appearance an Internet-featured product (i.e. target image) by displaying the matched item objects along with the Internet-featured product. In some embodiments, the system may insert a color tag on, near, or overlap with the product image (i.e. target image) to indicate there is/are other merchants selling the same product. In some embodiments, the tag is inserted to the webpage, indicating the amount would be saved if the user chooses to buy the product from another merchant);
(b) causing a display to display the list screen where the plurality of images is arranged (fig. 8, which show listing of plurality of product images); and
(c) causing the display to display, at a position on the list screen, the supplementary information having a content related to the detailed information associated with the target image, the position corresponding to the target image (col. 16, lines 8-22…the interactive data unit 808, may indicate that the current Internet-featured item 810 offers the lowest price for the same product across participating merchants. For example, the interactive data unit 808 (i.e. the supplementary information) shows “Best price” with a merchant identifier for “Amazon”. In some embodiments, an interactive data unit 812 (i.e. the supplementary information) may show that there are several different merchants offering the same product, and invite a user to interact with the interactive data unit 812 to view the different prices offered by these merchants. As depicted in FIG. 8, the interactive data unit 812 may show “compare (4)”, which indicates there are four (4) different merchants offering the same product. The interactive data unit 812 may be expanded, when a user interacts with it, to show the different merchants and their offered prices for this product.).
Per claim 2, Cirillo teaches the display control method according to claim 1, further comprising, in response to a user operation to select the supplementary information displayed on the list screen, causing the display to display a screen for presenting the detailed information including the supplementary information (col. 15, line 63 - col. 16, line 22… As depicted in FIG. 8, if a user clicks on the tag, (e.g., part of the tag, merchant identifier, etc.), the interactive data unit 806 may expand to show the difference between prices provided by different merchants. The expanded presentation may comprise the prices each merchants offer, and additional information such as a membership benefits. In some embodiments, a URL link may be inserted in the expanded presentation to redirect a user to further information regarding offers, benefits, rewards, etc. The URL link may also redirect the user to the lower-price offerors' website, such as other merchants' websites. As depicted in FIG. 8, the interactive data unit 812 may show “compare (4)”, which indicates there are four (4) different merchants offering the same product. The interactive data unit 812 may be expanded, when a user interacts with it, to show the different merchants and their offered prices for this product.).
Per claim 3, Cirillo teaches the display control method according to claim 1, wherein the (a) determining includes determining the target image such that a ratio of a number of the target image to a number of the plurality of images is equal to or less than a reference ratio of less than 1 (as depicted in fig. 8, a ration of a number of the target image, for example, 804, 806, 808 and/or 812 to all the images is less than one.)
Per claim 10, Cirillo teaches the display control method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of images is an image of an item among a plurality of items in a predetermined database, wherein the detailed information associated with each of the plurality of images includes at least one of: statistical information with at least part of the plurality of items as a population; and item information that describes the item of the image, and wherein the supplementary information has a content related to the statistical information or the item information (Cirillo, col. 15, line 44 – col. 16, line 6…The browser extension 104 or mobile device application 108 may feature one or more interactive data unit 804 on or near the provide image to indicate there is another merchant selling the same product with lower price. As depicted in FIG. 8, a colored (e.g., pink) tag is inserted to the webpage, for example, the tag may indicate the amount would be saved if the user chooses to buy the product from another merchant…as shown by interactive data unit 806 shown in FIG. 8, if a user clicks on the tag, (e.g., part of the tag, merchant identifier, etc.), the interactive data unit 806 may expand to show the difference between prices provided by different merchants. The expanded presentation may comprise the prices each merchants offer, and additional information such as a membership benefits. Col. 16, lines 10-25…the interactive data unit 808 shows “Best price” with a merchant identifier for “Amazon”. In some embodiments, an interactive data unit 812 may show that there are several different merchants offering the same product, and invite a user to interact with the interactive data unit 812 to view the different prices offered by these merchants. As depicted in FIG. 8, the interactive data unit 812 may show “compare (4)”, which indicates there are four (4) different merchants offering the same product. The interactive data unit 812 may be expanded, when a user interacts with it, to show the different merchants and their offered prices for this product. This feature of price comparison allows a user to compare prices with high clarity and ease).
Per claim 11, the modified Cirillo teaches the display control method according to claim 10, wherein the statistical information is statistical information based on a statistical indicator combined with an attribute of the user or statistical information with part of the plurality of items as a population, the part having an attribute corresponding to an attribute of the item of the target image (Cirillo, col. 15, line 44 – col. 16, line 6…The browser extension 104 or mobile device application 108 may feature one or more interactive data unit 804 on or near the provide image to indicate there is another merchant selling the same product with lower price. As depicted in FIG. 8, a colored (e.g., pink) tag is inserted to the webpage, for example, the tag may indicate the amount would be saved if the user chooses to buy the product from another merchant…as shown by interactive data unit 806 shown in FIG. 8, if a user clicks on the tag, (e.g., part of the tag, merchant identifier, etc.), the interactive data unit 806 may expand to show the difference between prices provided by different merchants. The expanded presentation may comprise the prices each merchants offer, and additional information such as a membership benefits. Col. 16, lines 10-25…the interactive data unit 808 shows “Best price” with a merchant identifier for “Amazon”. In some embodiments, an interactive data unit 812 may show that there are several different merchants offering the same product, and invite a user to interact with the interactive data unit 812 to view the different prices offered by these merchants. As depicted in FIG. 8, the interactive data unit 812 may show “compare (4)”, which indicates there are four (4) different merchants offering the same product. The interactive data unit 812 may be expanded, when a user interacts with it, to show the different merchants and their offered prices for this product. This feature of price comparison allows a user to compare prices with high clarity and ease).
Claims 13-16 individually is rejected under the same rationale as claim 1.
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) 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cirillo et al. (“Cirillo”, Pat. No. US 12,475,506), Samuel (Pat. No. US 11,200,740), and Gonsalves et al. (“Gonsalves”, Pub. No. 2012/0191577).
Per claim 4, Cirillo teaches the display control method according to claim 1, further comprising causing the display to arrange and display the plurality of images so as to form a plurality of rows on the list screen (fig. 8 show plurality of product images are arranged on different rows), but does not teach wherein the (c) causing includes causing the display to display the supplementary information between adjacent rows, which are adjacent to one another, among the plurality of rows, and wherein the (a) determining includes determining the target image such that a number of the target image included in each of the plurality of rows is one at maximum.
However, Samuel teaches displaying the supplementary information between adjacent rows (fig. 2B; col. 13, lines 31-46; which show non-image content 118(1) is displayed between adjacent rows after input to interface control 122(3).) Gonsalves, teaches determining includes determining the target image such that a number of the target image included in each of the plurality of rows is one at maximum (fig. 1C show provide description 156 “most popular” item displayed on a row; In addition, [0075] shows some of the product descriptions 156 can be displayed between rows). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the teaching of Samuel and Gonsalves in the invention of Cirillo in order to allow the user to selectively display non-image content or not displaying non-image content to save screen space, and in order to provide the user with non-image content description of most popular item to assist the user in making purchasing decision of the one or more items.
Per claim 5, the modified Cirillo teaches the display control method according to claim 4, further comprising: classifying each of the plurality of rows as a first row or a second row according to a predetermined probability and adjusting a result of the classification such that at least one of two adjacent rows, which are adjacent to one another, among the plurality of rows becomes the second row, wherein the (a) determining includes: for each row classified as the first row after the adjustment, determining one image as the target image from among one or more images arranged in the row among the plurality of images, and for each row classified as the second row after the adjustment, not determining the target image (Gonsalves, fig. 1C show provide description 156 “most popular” item on a first row and “most popular” is not displayed on the second row.)
Claim(s) 6-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cirillo et al. (“Cirillo”, Pat. No. US 12,475,506), and Gonsalves et al. (“Gonsalves”, Pub. No. 2012/0191577).
Per claim 6, Cirillo teaches the display control method according to claim 1, wherein the detailed information associated with each of the plurality of images includes at least one type of the supplementary information with respective priorities set, wherein the (c) causing includes causing the display to display, among the at least one type of the supplementary information included in the detailed information associated with the target image, one type of the supplementary information on the list screen, the one type being determined according to probabilities corresponding to the respective priorities (fig. 6; col. 16, lines 8-22… the interactive data unit 808 (i.e. the supplementary information) shows “Best price” (i.e. lowest price priority) with a merchant identifier for “Amazon”), and
Cirillo does not specifically teach at least one type of the supplementary information among a plurality of types of the supplementary information.
However, Gonsalves further teach another type of the supplementary information (fig. 1C show provide description 156 “most popular” item (i.e. most popular priority) on a row). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the teaching of Gonsalves in the invention of Cirillo in order to provide the user with content description of most popular item to assist the user in making purchasing decision of a product.
Per claim 7, the modified Cirillo teaches the display control method according to claim 6, further comprising: determining, for each of the plurality of images, one type of the supplementary information according to the probabilities from among the at least one type of the supplementary information included in the detailed information associated with each of the plurality of images and causing the display to arrange and display the plurality of images so as to form a plurality of rows on the list screen, and wherein the (a) determining include determining, for each row of the plurality of rows, one image at maximum as the target image from among at least one image for which the one type of the supplementary information determined has a highest priority among one or more images arranged in the row among the plurality of images (Cirllow. fig. 6; col. 16, lines 8-22… the interactive data unit 808 (i.e. the supplementary information) shows “Best price” (i.e. lowest price priority) with a merchant identifier for “Amazon” displayed on a row. Gonsalves, fig. 1C show provide description 156 “most popular” item (i.e. most popular priority) displayed on a row).
Per claim 8, the modified Cirillo teaches the display control method according to claim 6, further comprising: redetermining, for each of the plurality of images, one type of the supplementary information according to the probabilities each time the list screen is displayed, and causing the display to display the supplementary information with a result of the redetermination reflected (Cirillo, col. 7, line 54 – col. 8, line 3… The form alteration delivery engine 126 may alter an appearance of any data fields associated with the interactive data units in real-time or near real-time. That is, the appearance of the data fields associated with the interactive data units may be updated in real-time based on user's interaction with the interactive data units. In some embodiments, once the items that matches with one or more interactive data units are presented on a visible screen for a user, the form alteration delivery engine 126 alters the appearance of the items images of the items. As used herein, “real-time”may also include near real-time or substantially real-time. Real-time can include a response time of less than 1 second, tenths of a second, hundredths of a second, or a millisecond. Real-time can also refer to the simultaneous or substantially simultaneous occurrence of a first event (e.g., attribution) relative to a second event (e.g., data becoming available or otherwise accessible).
Per claim 9, the modified Cirillo teaches the display control method according to claim 7, further comprising: redetermining, for each of the plurality of images, one type of the supplementary information according to the probabilities each time the list screen is displayed and causing the display to display the supplementary information with a result of the redetermination reflected (Cirillo, col. 7, line 54 – col. 8, line 3… The form alteration delivery engine 126 may alter an appearance of any data fields associated with the interactive data units in real-time or near real-time. That is, the appearance of the data fields associated with the interactive data units may be updated in real-time based on user's interaction with the interactive data units. In some embodiments, once the items that matches with one or more interactive data units are presented on a visible screen for a user, the form alteration delivery engine 126 alters the appearance of the items images of the items. As used herein, “real-time”may also include near real-time or substantially real-time. Real-time can include a response time of less than 1 second, tenths of a second, hundredths of a second, or a millisecond. Real-time can also refer to the simultaneous or substantially simultaneous occurrence of a first event (e.g., attribution) relative to a second event (e.g., data becoming available or otherwise accessible).
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cirillo et al. (“Cirillo”, Pat. No. US 12,475,506), Logan et al. (“Logan”, Pub. No. US 2010/0131455).
Per claim 12, Cirillo teaches the display control method according to claim 1, but does no teach wherein the (a) determining includes determining the target image by giving, among the plurality of images, an image with no viewing record of the user having viewed the detailed information associated with the image priority over an image with a viewing record of the user having viewed the detailed information associated with the image.
Logan teaches indicating such as by the presence of special icons, fonts, colors, or otherwise, those items that remain un-viewed by the user, see [0171]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the teaching of Logan in the invention of Cirillo in order encourage/ensure a user to view an item that is un-view by the user.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nations et al. (Pub. No. 2015/0058180) discloses integrated online and physical location merchandizing.
Snodgrass et al. (Pat. No. US 8,478,662) discloses customized electronic books with supplemental content.
Inquiries
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANH T VU whose telephone number is (571)272-4073. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7AM - 3:30PM.
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/THANH T VU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2179