DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 09 April 2026 has been entered.
The claims filed on 04/09/2026 are entered and acknowledge. Claims 1 and 12 are amended. Claims 1-20 are currently pending in the instant application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 12 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2, 8-9, 11-13 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al Pub. No.: (US 2024/0143140 A1) (hereinafter “Kim”) in view of Deets et al Pat. No.: (US 10,678,401 A1) (hereinafter "Deets”).
With respect to claim 1. Kim discloses a content sharing method executed by a computer device, wherein:
the computer device comprises at least one processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions included in a memory (computing device includes processor and memory [0187[);
the content sharing method comprises (displaying content of second chatroom on first chatroom [0016]):
receiving, by the at least one processor in accordance with a setting of an openchat, content of another openchat, the content being created based on one or more selected messages included in a chatroom of the another openchat, the content being managed by a server communicatively connected to the computer device so as to be associated with the another openchat (new messages/content of the second chatroom are displayed in the first chatroom, while the first chatroom is currently displayed on the terminal device [0122], [0124-0126], [0128-0130], [0053-0055], [0077]. Displaying contents from the second chatroom on the display of the first chatroom based on message from the second chatroom [0055-0056], [0124-0126]. Displaying content of the second chatroom on the display of the first chatroom may be set in advance by the users [0066], [0131-0137]. The chat system may include a chat service server [0049-0050]);
providing, by the at least one processor, the content of the another openchat through at least one page of the openchat, wherein the content of the another open chat is generated using at least one of the maim messages selected among a plurality of messages transmitted in the another open chat, and (new messages/content of the second chatroom are displayed on the first chatroom, while the first chatroom is currently displayed on the terminal device [0122], [0124-0126], [0128-0130], [0053-0055], [0077]. Receiving and displaying messages from the second chat rooms [0055-0056], [0124-0126]);
However, Kim does not explicitly disclose the main messages are selected so that an interval is ensured between any two main messages of the main messages, the interval being at least one of
a time interval between timestamps of any two main messages being at least a predetermined minimum time intervals; or
a number of messages transmitted in the another openchat between any two main messages being at least a predetermined minimum number;
Deets discloses a time interval between timestamps of any two main messages being at least a predetermined minimum time intervals; or
a number of messages transmitted in the another openchat between any two main messages being at least a predetermined minimum number (highlight messages are determined based on the timestamps associated with the messages. Increasing in activity between messages indicates that the message is a highlighted message [Col 12 lines 54- Col 13 lines 15]. Additionally, user’s absence for a threshold amount of time based on timestamp determines the highlighted messages for the users, and determining the number or preceding and succeeding electronic messages [Col 21 lines 65- Col 22 lines 40], [Col 23 lines 3-49]);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim in view of Deets in order to have a main messages selected based on a time interval between timestamps of any two main messages being at least a predetermined minimum time intervals; or
a number of messages transmitted in the another openchat between any two main messages being at least a predetermined minimum number;
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would update a group messages while user is absence with highlighted content for the users [Deets: Col 1 lines 47-67].
With respect to claim 2. Kim-Deets discloses the content sharing method of claim 1 as set forth above.
Kim discloses wherein the providing comprises displaying the content of the another openchat on at least one page of a chatroom and a main screen of the openchat (new messages/content of the second chatroom are displayed in the first chatroom [0122], [0126], [0128], [0053-0055], [0077]).
With respect to claim 8. Kim-Deets discloses the content sharing method of claim 1 as set forth above.
Kim discloses wherein the content of the another openchat is created using a main message selected from among the messages included in the chatroom of the another openchat (using the first message of the second chat room to display in the first chatroom that satisfies a predefined condition [0019], [0132]).
With respect to claim 9. Kim-Deets discloses the content sharing method of claim 8 as set forth above.
Kim discloses wherein the main message is selected based on at least one of a number of concurrent participants and a number of messages a same time zone in the chatroom of the another openchat, an average stay time, and a keyword included in a message (filtering and displaying only essential messages of the second chatroom to the user on the first chatroom [0008], [0132]).
With respect to claims 11, they do not teach or further define over the limitations in claims 1, respectively. Therefore claim 11 is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 1.
With respect to claims 12-13, and 19-20 they do not teach or further define over the limitations in claims 1-2 and 8-9 respectively. Therefore claims 12-13 and 19-20 are rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claims 1-2 and 8-9.
Claims 3-4, and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al Pub. No.: (US 2024/0143140 A1) (hereinafter “Kim”) in view of Deets et al Pat. No.: (US 10,678,401 A1) (hereinafter "Deets”) as applied to claims 1-2, 8-9, 11-13 and 19-20 above, further in view of Harper et al Pub. No.: (US 2020/0192743 A1) (hereinafter "Harper”).
With respect to claim 3. Kim-Deets discloses the content sharing method of claim 1 as set forth above.
Kim discloses receiving the content of the another openchat (new messages/content of the second chatroom are displayed in the first chatroom [0122], [0126], [0128], [0053-0055], [0077]);
However, Kim-Deets does not explicitly disclose wherein the receiving comprises receiving the content of the another openchat through a content bot invited by an administrator of the openchat;
Harper discloses receiving the content of another openchat through a content bot invited by an administrator of the openchat (a bot being used in a chatroom to determined when approval is made from chat participants, and the approval is communicated by the bot to other services [0041-0042]. Bot may be used to investigate incident and relay the results to the personnel, owners, vendors, etc. [0018], [0034], [0084-0085]);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim-Deets in view of Harper in order to receive content from a content bot;
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would automatically identify relevant message or automate approval process [Harper: 0042].
With respect to claim 4. Kim-Deets-Harper discloses The content sharing method of claim 3 as set forth above.
Kim discloses wherein the providing comprises displaying the content of the another openchat in the form of a conversation message through the chatroom of the openchat (new messages/content of the second chatroom are displayed in the first chatroom [0122], [0126], [0128], [0053-0055], [0077]);
However, Kim-Deets does not explicitly wherein the providing comprises displaying the content of the another openchat in the form of a conversation message of the content bot through the chatroom of the openchat
Harper discloses disclose wherein the providing comprises displaying the content of the another openchat in the form of a conversation message of the content bot through the chatroom of the openchat (using content bot to identify incidents or approval and relaying it to the personnel, owners, vendors, etc. workspace [0018], [0034], [0084-0085], [0041-0042]);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim-Deets in view of Harper in order to receive content from a content bot;
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would automatically identify relevant message or automate approval process [Harper: 0042].
With respect to claims 14-15, they do not teach or further define over the limitations in claims 3-4, respectively. Therefore claims 14-15 are rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claims 3-4.
Claims 5-7 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al Pub. No.: (US 2024/0143140 A1) (hereinafter “Kim”) in view of Deets et al Pat. No.: (US 10,678,401 A1) (hereinafter "Deets”) as applied to claims 1-2, 8-9, 11-13 and 19-20 above, in view of Yamamoto et al Pub. No.: (US 2003/0037110 A1) (hereinafter "Yamamoto”).
With respect to claim 5. Kim-Deets discloses the content sharing method of claim 1 as set forth above.
Kim does not explicitly disclose wherein the receiving comprises receiving the content of the another openchat (new messages/content of the second chatroom are displayed in the first chatroom [0122], [0126], [0128], [0053-0055], [0077]);
However, Kim-Deets does not explicitly disclose wherein the receiving comprises receiving the content of the another openchat for which a subscription is set by an administrator;
Yamamoto discloses receiving the content of the another openchat for which a subscription is set by an administrator (subscription for subscribers who wants to be notified if a chatroom is created that agrees with the subscribers [Claim 17]);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim-Deets in view of Yamamoto in order to receive content of the other open chat in which a subscription is set by administrator;
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would provide content of interest for the subscribed users [Yamamoto: 0183].
With respect to claim 6. Kim-Deets-Yamamoto discloses the content sharing method of claim 5 as set forth above.
Kim discloses wherein the providing comprises providing the content of the another openchat as a list view or a grid view in a specific space on a main screen of the openchat (providing the content of the second chatroom in the first chatroom as a list (providing the content from other chat room as a list view [0154-0158], [0163]).
With respect to claim 7. Kim-Deets-Yamamoto discloses the content sharing method of claim 6 as set forth above.
Kim discloses wherein the providing comprises displaying the content of the another openchat included in the list view or the grid view in a sequential and continuous browsing form (providing the content from other chat room as a list view based on the priority list of a frequency of new messages in the chatrooms [0154-0158], [0163]).
With respect to claims 16-18, they do not teach or further define over the limitations in claims 5-7, respectively. Therefore claims 16-18 are rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claims 5-7.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al Pub. No.: (US 2024/0143140 A1) (hereinafter “Kim”) in view of Deets et al Pat. No.: (US 10,678,401 A1) (hereinafter "Deets”) as applied to claims 1-2, 8-9, 11-13 and 19-20 above, further in view of Gupta et al Pat. No.: (US 10,721,513 A1) (hereinafter "Gupta”).
With respect to claim 10. Kim-Deets discloses the content sharing method of claim 8 as set forth above.
Kim discloses main message is selected based on predefined filter of the another openchat (filtering and displaying only essential messages of the second chatroom to the user on the first chatroom [0008], [0132]).
However, Kim-Deets does not explicitly disclose main message is selected based on an average view time of users participating in the chatroom of the another openchat;
Gupta discloses main message is selected based on an average view time of users participating (determining the average view time of the promotional message to determine whether to select that message to provide to subsequent users [Col 2 lines 36-57], [Col 1 lines 25-39]);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim-Deets in view of Gupta in order to selected the message based on the average time view of the user’s participation in the openchat;
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it would provide content of interest to the users [Gupta: Col 1 lines 11-21].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THAO DUC DUONG whose telephone number is (571)272-2350. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9-5.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Gillis can be reached on (571)272-7952. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/T. D./
Examiner, Art Unit 2446
/MICHAEL A KELLER/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2446
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