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 Office Action is responsive to: Application filed 27 Mar. 2024
Claims 1-20 are pending in this case. Claims 1 and 11 are independent claims
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 03/27/2024 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(3)(i) because it does not include a concise explanation of the relevance, as it is presently understood by the individual designated in 37 CFR 1.56(c) most knowledgeable about the content of the information, of each reference listed that is not in the English language. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered.
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)(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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Haramati et al. (Pub. No.: US 2021/0157978 A1; Filed: Feb. 12, 2020) (hereinafter “Haramati”).
Regarding independent claims 1 and 11, Haramati disclose a computing system, comprising:
a processor (0010-0011); and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing computer-executable
instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the processor to (0010-0011):
determine that a time-limited action is active (0682-0683);
detect a trigger condition representing a change in interaction focus (0190; 0350; 0416);
in response to detecting the trigger condition:
generate a notification indicating remaining time associated with
the time-limited action (0292; 0452);
provide the notification to an output interface associated with a
computing device (0314-0315).
Regarding dependent claims 2 and 12, Haramati disclose the computing system of claims 1 and 11 respectively, wherein determining that the time-limited action is active comprises determining that a user is currently interacting with a user interface and wherein the trigger condition is detected based on interactions with the user interface (0292; 0452).
Regarding dependent claims 3 and 13, Haramati disclose the computing system of claims 2 and 12 respectively, wherein detecting the trigger condition comprises determining that the user has:
moved a cursor from one text field to another text field (0354; 0408);
selected or de-selected a checkbox (0519);
selected an item from a drop-down menu (0339-0340; 0374; 0378);
scrolled past a user interface (UI) element such that the UI element moves out of
view (0280); or
paused for greater than a threshold length of time.
Regarding dependent claims 4 and 14, Haramati disclose the computing system of claims 1 and 11 respectively, wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the processor to obtain a first scheduled notification of the remaining time associated with the time-limited action, wherein generating the notification comprises modifying the first scheduled notification to indicate the remaining time at a time of detecting the trigger condition (0292; 0452).
Regarding dependent claims 5 and 15, Haramati disclose the computing system of claims 4 and 14 respectively, wherein the first scheduled notification is a notification that is scheduled to be presented via a user interface at regular intervals starting from a time when the user first initiated the time-limited action (0545; 0692-0693).
Regarding dependent claims 6 and 16, Haramati disclose the computing system of claims 1 and 11 respectively, wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the processor to determine that a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since start of the time-limited action and wherein the notification is generated in response to determining that the predetermined amount of time has elapsed and detecting the trigger condition (0682-0683).
Regarding dependent claims 7 and 17, Haramati disclose the computing system of claims 1 and 11 respectively, wherein the notification comprises an audible reminder of the remaining time and wherein providing the notification comprises inserting the notification in speech output of a screen reader program at a point corresponding to a time of detecting the trigger condition (0332; 01204).
Regarding dependent claims 8 and 18, Haramati disclose the computing system of claims 1 and 11 respectively, wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the processor to:
determine, based on a predictive model, that the interaction focus will not change
prior to expiry of a time limit associated with the time-limited action (0544-0545; 0687)); and
in response to determining that the interaction focus will not change, force an
interrupt of a timer for the time-limited action (0544-0545; 0687-0692).
Regarding dependent claims 9 and 19, Haramati disclose the computing system of claims 8 and 11 respectively, wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the processor to, in response to determining that the interaction focus will not change, pause a count by the timer or add additional time to the timer (0687).
Regarding dependent claims 10 and 20, Haramati disclose the computing system of claims 1 and 11 respectively, wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the processor to modify a schedule of notifications for the time-limited action responsive to providing the notification to the output interface (0314-0315; 0545; 0692-0693).
NOTE
It is noted that any citations to specific, pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the reference 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. See MPEP 2123.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES J DEBROW whose telephone number is (571)272-5768. The examiner can normally be reached on 09:00 - 06:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William Bashore can be reached on 571-272-4088. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/James J Debrow/
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2174
571-272-5768