DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the application filed 01/21/2026. Claims 1 – 9 are pending and have
been examined.
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 – 7 and 9 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Response to Amendment
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because it is directed towards an abstract mental process under the BRI. The abstract idea is not integrated into a practical application and does not involve an improvement in technology and as such is directed towards patent ineligible subject matter. The identified claim limitation(s) that recite(s) an abstract idea do/does not fall within the enumerated groupings of abstract ideas in Section I of the 2018 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance published in the Federal Register (84 FR 50) on January 7, 2019. Nonetheless, the claim limitation(s) is/are being treated as reciting an abstract idea because the abstract idea is not integrated into a practical application and does not involve an improvement in technology and as such is directed towards patent ineligible subject matter. For example, in regards to Claim 9, a user can collect conference schedule information including identification information of a scheduled online conference and information about conference time zone, wherein the scheduled online conference is participated by a participant who wishes to participate in the online conference from the mobile entity, determine a seating arrangement in the mobile entity that the participant boards based on conference schedule information, and present the determined seat arrangement to the participant when the participant boards the mobile entity. The processor and/or server does not provide any significantly more.
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 (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 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.
Claims 1, 7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (CN Pub. No. 118301135, hereinafter “Zhou”) in view of Melis et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0205257, hereinafter “Melis”).
Regarding Claim 1, Zhou teaches
A conference support system (see Zhou Page 3, online conference access system) comprising a second processor (see Zhou Page 8, FIG6 shows a computing device for vehicle maintenance according to one embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that the computing device 600 can be implemented to implement the function of the online conference access method 100 for vehicles in FIG1. As can be seen from FIG6, the computing device 600 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 601 (e.g., a processor), which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to computer program instructions stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 602 or computer program instructions loaded from a storage unit 608 to a random access memory (RAM) 603),
the second processor being configured to collect conference schedule information including identification information of a scheduled online conference and information about conference time zone (see Zhou Page 2 - 3, an information acquisition unit configured to acquire schedule information of a vehicle user via an in-vehicle networking device; an information determination unit, configured to determine whether the schedule information includes online conference information; an information extraction and reminder unit, configured to extract the online meeting information from the schedule information in response to the schedule information including the online meeting information, and to remind the vehicle user of a meeting based on the online meeting information, the online meeting information includes at least one of an online meeting access number, an online meeting number and an online meeting network address, an online meeting topic and an online meeting time period, and providing a meeting reminder to the vehicle user based on the online meeting information, and Page 5, online conference information may include any information related to the online conference, including but not limited to the online conference access number or the online conference network address, the online conference number, the online conference time period (such as the start time and the end time), the conference software name, the participants, the organizer, the online conference theme, etc., Page 4, The vehicle's in-vehicle networking device (such as T-BOX) communicates with the OEM's cloud server via a mobile network (such as 4G, 5G network), which may automatically set time zone, and Page 8, FIG6 shows a computing device for vehicle maintenance according to one embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood that the computing device 600 can be implemented to implement the function of the online conference access method 100 for vehicles in FIG1. As can be seen from FIG6, the computing device 600 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 601 (e.g., a processor), which can perform various appropriate actions and processes according to computer program instructions stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 602 or computer program instructions loaded from a storage unit 608 to a random access memory (RAM) 603), wherein the scheduled online conference is participated by a participant who wishes to participate in the online conference from a mobile entity (see Zhou Page 1, in which user participates in online meeting in vehicle in which they are automatically reminded of the meeting time and can dial into meeting),
Zhou does not expressively teach
a first processor being configured to:
before a conference start time of the conference, determine, based on the conference schedule information, a seat arrangement for the participant in the mobile entity that the participant boards, the seat arrangement individually indicating one seat for the participant among a plurality of seats in the mobile entity; and
present the determined seat arrangement to the participant when the participant boards the mobile entity.
However, Melis teaches
a first processor (see Melis Paragraph [0025], Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic view of the system 100 of the present invention is shown. The system generally comprises a processor 120 or any similar means to process electronic data. In a preferred embodiment, the processor 120 will be embodied into a computer for ease of utilization) being configured to:
before a conference start time of the conference, determine, based on the conference schedule information, a seat arrangement for the participant in the area that the participant enters, the seat arrangement individually indicating one seat for the participant among a plurality of seats in the area (see Melis Paragraph [0025], Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic view of the system 100 of the present invention is shown. The system generally comprises a processor 120 or any similar means to process electronic data. In a preferred embodiment, the processor 120 will be embodied into a computer for ease of utilization, Paragraph [0026], [0026] The system 100 further comprises an electronic reader 140. The reader 140 can be any electronic device which can read computer readable information. Preferably, the reader 140 is a RFID tag reader which are generally known in the art. The use of other readers such as a magnetic card reader, a barcode reader, an optical character recognition reader, an embedded chip reader and the like is also contemplated. The reader is in electronic communication with the processor 120, Paragraph [0028], Finally, the system 100 comprises an electronic database 180 which contains information about each attendee. The minimal information stored in the database 180 are the identification number of the attendee, its name and its seating assignment. Understandably, other relevant information could be stored in the database for other purposes. The database 180 is also in electronic communication with the processor 120, Paragraph [0030], Now referring to FIG. 2, the display 160 of the system 100 is adapted to display information sent by the processor 120, Paragraph [0031], As an attendee which is wearing a badge 10 enters the reading range of the reader 140, the identification number stored in the computer readable portion of the badge 10 is read. The identification number is then sent to the processor 120 which requests, from the database 180, the name and the seating assignment information of the attendee associated with the identification number. The database 180 then sends this information to the processor 120, Paragraph [0032], Upon reception of the information from the database 180, the processor 120 translates the information into graphical information which are then sent to the display 160 to be preferably superposed on the representation of the room, Paragraph [0015], The identification number is then sent to the processor. The processor then looks in the electronic database for the relevant information concerning the attendee such as his/her name and his/her seating assignment, therefore seating arrangement is stored in database before event); and
present the determined seat arrangement to the participant when the participant enters the area (see Melis Paragraph [0030], Now referring to FIG. 2, the display 160 of the system 100 is adapted to display information sent by the processor 120, Paragraph [0031], As an attendee which is wearing a badge 10 enters the reading range of the reader 140, the identification number stored in the computer readable portion of the badge 10 is read. The identification number is then sent to the processor 120 which requests, from the database 180, the name and the seating assignment information of the attendee associated with the identification number. The database 180 then sends this information to the processor 120, Paragraph [0032], Upon reception of the information from the database 180, the processor 120 translates the information into graphical information which are then sent to the display 160 to be preferably superposed on the representation of the room, Paragraph [0015], The identification number is then sent to the processor. The processor then looks in the electronic database for the relevant information concerning the attendee such as his/her name and his/her seating assignment, therefore seating arrangement is stored in database before event).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claimed invention to combine the teaching of conference system including a processor that collects conference information to enable participants to join online conferences from a mobile entity (as taught in Zhou), with a system that includes a processor, in which the processor determines and presents a seat arrangement to a participant of an event (as taught in Melis), the motivation being to provide participants a dynamic and interactive display to present seating arrangements in order to allow updating as needed in the moment, and save time finding their assigned seat (see Melis Paragraphs [0005] – [0007]).
Regarding Claim 7, Zhou in view of Melis teaches
The conference support system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor presents the determined seat arrangement to the participant, with a speaker or a display device provided in the mobile entity (see Melis Paragraph [0025], Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic view of the system 100 of the present invention is shown. The system generally comprises a processor 120 or any similar means to process electronic data. In a preferred embodiment, the processor 120 will be embodied into a computer for ease of utilization, Paragraph [0026], [0026] The system 100 further comprises an electronic reader 140. The reader 140 can be any electronic device which can read computer readable information. Preferably, the reader 140 is a RFID tag reader which are generally known in the art. The use of other readers such as a magnetic card reader, a barcode reader, an optical character recognition reader, an embedded chip reader and the like is also contemplated. The reader is in electronic communication with the processor 120, Paragraph [0028], Finally, the system 100 comprises an electronic database 180 which contains information about each attendee. The minimal information stored in the database 180 are the identification number of the attendee, its name and its seating assignment. Understandably, other relevant information could be stored in the database for other purposes. The database 180 is also in electronic communication with the processor 120, Paragraph [0030], Now referring to FIG. 2, the display 160 of the system 100 is adapted to display information sent by the processor 120, Paragraph [0031], As an attendee which is wearing a badge 10 enters the reading range of the reader 140, the identification number stored in the computer readable portion of the badge 10 is read. The identification number is then sent to the processor 120 which requests, from the database 180, the name and the seating assignment information of the attendee associated with the identification number. The database 180 then sends this information to the processor 120, Paragraph [0032], Upon reception of the information from the database 180, the processor 120 translates the information into graphical information which are then sent to the display 160 to be preferably superposed on the representation of the room, Paragraph [0015], The identification number is then sent to the processor. The processor then looks in the electronic database for the relevant information concerning the attendee such as his/her name and his/her seating assignment, therefore seating arrangement is stored in database before event).
Regarding Claim 9, it is rejected similarly as Claim 1. The method can be found in Zhou (Page 1, method).
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (CN Pub. No. 118301135, hereinafter “Zhou”) in view of Melis et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0205257, hereinafter “Melis”) and Xu et al. (CN Pub. No. 215944402, hereinafter “Xu”).
Regarding Claim 2, Zhou in view of Melis teach all the limitations of claim 1, but does not expressively teach
The conference support system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor divides a compartment of the mobile entity into multiple indoor regions, based on the conference schedule information, and determines the seat arrangement so that participants who participate in the same online conference are seated in the same indoor region.
However, Xu teaches
The conference support system according to claim 1, wherein the first processor divides a compartment of the mobile entity into multiple indoor regions, based on the conference schedule information, and determines the seat arrangement so that participants who participate in the same online conference are seated in the same indoor region (see Xu Figure 2 and Page 1, in which a vehicle has two sets of partitions, dividing a driving area, a meeting area, and an operation area, in which the people located in the meeting area (same indoor region) are in the same meeting).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claimed invention to combine the teaching of a vehicle with an integrated audio-visual communications system that assigns seats to users in the vehicle and extracts and utilizes a user’s conference schedule information (as taught in Zhou in view of Melis), with dividing areas of a vehicle for designated areas for conferencing (as taught in Xu), the motivation being to provide an isolated area for a meeting that offers privacy and promotes focus among attendees (see Xu Page 1).
Regarding Claim 3, Zhou in view of Melis and Xu teaches
The conference support system according to claim 2, wherein
the first processor determines the seat arrangement so that any non-participant who does not participate in any online conference is seated in the same indoor region (see Xu Figure 2 and Page 1, in which a vehicle has two sets of partitions, dividing a driving area, a meeting area, and an operation area, in which the people located in the meeting area (same indoor region) are in the same meeting, and people that are located in the driving area or operation area are not participating in meeting).
Claims 4, 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (CN Pub. No. 118301135, hereinafter “Zhou”) in view of Melis et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0205257, hereinafter “Melis”), Xu et al. (CN Pub. No. 215944402, hereinafter “Xu”) and Nakamura et al. (JP Pub. No. H0511780, hereinafter “Nakamura”).
Regarding Claim 4, Zhou in view of Melis and Xu teach all the limitations of claim 2, but does not expressively teach
The conference support system according to claim 2, further comprising:
one or more directional speakers provided in the compartment of the mobile entity, wherein the first processor is configured to control sound output from the directional speaker into the compartment,
the first processor controls the sound output from the directional speaker to mute sound transmitted from one indoor region to other indoor regions, in the other indoor regions.
However, Nakamura teaches
The conference support system according to claim 2, further comprising:
one or more directional speakers provided in the compartment of the mobile entity (see Nakamura Paragraph [0012], FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram in which a speech privacy protection device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a VIP vehicle. In this embodiment, two voice detection microphones 21 and 2 2 are arranged as a first sensor for detecting the voice of the passenger in the rear seat, for example, in the vicinity of the headrest in the rear seat, and the passenger (driver) in the front seat. Two error detection microphones 91 and 92 as second sensors disposed in the vicinity, and two (or one) speaker 81 as sounding means disposed near the headrest of the driver in the front seat, for example. 8 and an adaptive control circuit 3 serving as a control means for generating a canceling sound from the speakers 81 and 82 so that the voice of the passenger in the rear seat cannot be heard by the driver in the front seat. The speakers 81 and 82 may also be used as car audio speakers), wherein the first processor is configured to control sound output from the directional speaker into the compartment (see Nakamura Paragraph [0012], FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram in which a speech privacy protection device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a VIP vehicle. In this embodiment, two voice detection microphones 21 and 2 2 are arranged as a first sensor for detecting the voice of the passenger in the rear seat, for example, in the vicinity of the headrest in the rear seat, and the passenger (driver) in the front seat. Two error detection microphones 91 and 92 as second sensors disposed in the vicinity, and two (or one) speaker 81 as sounding means disposed near the headrest of the driver in the front seat, for example. 8 and an adaptive control circuit 3 serving as a control means for generating a canceling sound from the speakers 81 and 82 so that the voice of the passenger in the rear seat cannot be heard by the driver in the front seat. The speakers 81 and 82 may also be used as car audio speakers),
the first processor controls the sound output from the directional speaker to mute sound transmitted from one indoor region to other indoor regions, in the other indoor regions (see Nakamura Paragraph [0019], voice signals of passengers (in one indoor region) are detected and canceling sounds are emitted from speaker(s) so that a passenger/ driver in front seat (second indoor region) cannot hear conversation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claimed invention to combine the teaching of a vehicle with an integrated audio-visual communications system that assigns seats to users in the vehicle in a designated meeting area and extracts and utilizes a user’s conference schedule information (as taught in Zhou in view of Melis and Xu), with using directional speakers in a vehicle to prevent a conversation to be heard by a non-participant of the conversation (as taught in Nakamura), the motivation being to provide privacy to personnel participating in a conversation by ensuring it cannot be heard by non-participants in the same vehicle (see Nakamura Paragraph [0002]).
Regarding Claim 5, Zhou in view of Melis, Xu and Nakamura teach
The conference support system according to claim 2, further comprising:
one or more directional speakers provided in the compartment of the mobile entity (see Nakamura Paragraph [0012], FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram in which a speech privacy protection device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a VIP vehicle. In this embodiment, two voice detection microphones 21 and 2 2 are arranged as a first sensor for detecting the voice of the passenger in the rear seat, for example, in the vicinity of the headrest in the rear seat, and the passenger (driver) in the front seat. Two error detection microphones 91 and 92 as second sensors disposed in the vicinity, and two (or one) speaker 81 as sounding means disposed near the headrest of the driver in the front seat, for example. 8 and an adaptive control circuit 3 serving as a control means for generating a canceling sound from the speakers 81 and 82 so that the voice of the passenger in the rear seat cannot be heard by the driver in the front seat. The speakers 81 and 82 may also be used as car audio speakers), wherein the first processor is configured to control sound output from the directional speaker into the compartment (see Nakamura Paragraph [0012], FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram in which a speech privacy protection device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a VIP vehicle. In this embodiment, two voice detection microphones 21 and 2 2 are arranged as a first sensor for detecting the voice of the passenger in the rear seat, for example, in the vicinity of the headrest in the rear seat, and the passenger (driver) in the front seat. Two error detection microphones 91 and 92 as second sensors disposed in the vicinity, and two (or one) speaker 81 as sounding means disposed near the headrest of the driver in the front seat, for example. 8 and an adaptive control circuit 3 serving as a control means for generating a canceling sound from the speakers 81 and 82 so that the voice of the passenger in the rear seat cannot be heard by the driver in the front seat. The speakers 81 and 82 may also be used as car audio speakers),
the first processor controls the sound output from the directional speaker to mute, in the one indoor region, sound transmitted from the other indoor regions (see Nakamura Paragraph [0019], voice signals of passengers (in one indoor region) are detected and canceling sounds are emitted from speaker(s) so that a passenger/ driver in front seat (second indoor region) cannot hear conversation).
Regarding Claim 6, Zhou in view of Melis, Xu and Nakamura teach
The conference support system according to claim 4, wherein
the first processor controls sound output from the directional speaker to mute, in one indoor region, voice of a person sitting in one seat at a position of a person sitting in another seat, and/or mute voices of persons sitting in other seats at a position of a person sitting in one seat (see Nakamura Paragraph [0012], FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram in which a speech privacy protection device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied to a VIP vehicle. In this embodiment, two voice detection microphones 21 and 2 2 are arranged as a first sensor for detecting the voice of the passenger in the rear seat, for example, in the vicinity of the headrest in the rear seat, and the passenger (driver) in the front seat. Two error detection microphones 91 and 92 as second sensors disposed in the vicinity, and two (or one) speaker 81 as sounding means disposed near the headrest of the driver in the front seat, for example. 8 and an adaptive control circuit 3 serving as a control means for generating a canceling sound from the speakers 81 and 82 so that the voice of the passenger in the rear seat cannot be heard by the driver in the front seat. The speakers 81 and 82 may also be used as car audio speakers and Paragraph [0019], voice signals of passengers (in one indoor region/seat) are detected and canceling sounds are emitted from speaker(s) so that a passenger/ driver in front seat (second indoor region/seat) cannot hear conversation).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Refer to PTO-892, Notice of References Cited for a listing of analogous art.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARISSA A JONES whose telephone number is (703)756-1677. The examiner can normally be reached Telework M-F 6:30 AM - 4:00 PM CT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Duc Nguyen can be reached at 5712727503. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CARISSA A JONES/ Examiner, Art Unit 2691
/DUC NGUYEN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2691
Prosecution Insights