DETAILED ACTION
1. Claims 1-19 are pending.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
3. Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA on 5/15/2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the CN202310544812.1 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The IDS filed 8/16/2024 and 12/12/2025 are considered.
Claim Interpretation
MPEP 2111.04 recites “The broadest reasonable interpretation of a method (or process) claim having contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition(s) precedent are not met” and “The broadest reasonable interpretation of a system (or apparatus or product) claim having structure that performs a function, which only needs to occur if a condition precedent is met, requires structure for performing the function should the condition occur”.
5. Claim 7 recites the contingent limitation, “in a case where the first data processing operation and the second data processing operation are same type of processing operation…”. Accordingly, claim 7 is examined in view of MPEP 2111.04. As claim 7 is a method claim and the condition of the contingent limitation is not required to be met, e.g. the first data operation and second data operation are not a same type, the steps “generating second atomic operation information based on the fourth cell and a calling of the citation information; sending the fourth cell and the citation information to the second client, so that the second client updates the collaboration table according to the fourth cell and the citation information” are not required to be performed. The examiner recommends amending the claim to no longer recite the contingent limitation and instead recite the limitation in a positive light e.g. “wherein the second data processing operation and the first data processing are a same type of processing operation”.
Claim Objections
6. Claims 7 and 10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 7 line 5, “are same type” should recite “are a same type”.
In claim 10 line 5, “is same type” should recite “is a same type”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
7. Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 19 depends from claim 6 and claim 19 recites identical subject matter as claim 6. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
8. Claim(s) 1-9 and 11-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Simon et al. (US 2016/0162461 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Simon discloses a method for processing collaborative table data, wherein the method is applied to a first client, and the method comprises (Paragraph 0025 lines 1-2: collaborative spreadsheets edited by multiple users):
acquiring a first data processing operation of a user on a first cell and a second cell in a collaboration table, wherein the second cell is one or more cells to be processed (Fig. 3A element 308 and Paragraph 0041 lines 5-6: user Alice copies contents of first cells to second cells);
generating first atomic operation information based on the first data processing operation, wherein the first atomic operation information comprises the second cell and citation information (Fig. 3B element 327b and Paragraph 0046 lines 9-14: pending change is generated that includes the copy operation with the second cells, revision #, and client originating the change);
sending the second cell and the citation information to a second client, so that the second client updates the collaboration table according to the second cell and the citation information (Fig. 3D element 346, Paragraph 0055 lines 1-3, Paragraph 0055 lines 13-14, and Paragraph 0056 lines 8-9: the pending change is provided to user Bob which causes Bob’s device to apply the pending change to update the collaborative spreadsheet at Bob’s device).
In regard to claim 2, Simon discloses wherein the citation information comprises a citation identifier and a citation content, and the citation identifier is in one-to-one correspondence with the citation content (Fig. 3B element 327b and Paragraph 0046 lines 9-14: pending change includes the copy operation with the second cells (e.g. citation content) and client originating the change (e.g. identifier)).
In regard to claim 3, Simon discloses wherein the citation information is a dictionary, the citation identifier is a keyword of the dictionary, and the citation content is a value of the dictionary (Fig. 3B element 327b and Paragraph 0046 lines 9-14: pending change (e.g. dictionary) includes the copy operation with the second cells (e.g. value) and client originating the change (e.g. keyword)).
In regard to claim 4, Simon discloses wherein the citation content comprises cell citation information (Fig. 3B element 327b and Paragraph 0046 lines 9-14: pending change includes the copy operation with the second cells (e.g. cell citation information)).
In regard to claim 5, Simon discloses wherein the first cell and the second cell are represented by R1C1 citation styles, and the cell citation information is determined based on relative position information between a R1C1 citation style corresponding to the first cell and a R1C1 citation style corresponding to the second cell (Paragraph 0024 lines 7-9 and Paragraph 0073: the copied content can include a relative reference (e.g. R2C5) that defines a relative position of a cell containing the reference to anther cell).
In regard to claim 6, Simon discloses wherein the first processing operation comprises: copying a content of the first cell and pasting it into the second cell; or filling the second cell based on the content of the first cell (Fig. 3A element 308 and Paragraph 0041 lines 5-6: user Alice copies contents of first cells to second cells).
NOTE: Claim 7 recites a contingent limitation where the condition is not required to be met and therefore steps reliant on the condition are not required to be performed, see above Claim Interpretation. Accordingly, the limitations “in a case where the first data processing operation and the second data processing operation are same type of processing operations, generating second atomic operation information based on the fourth cell and a calling of the citation information; sending the fourth cell and the citation information to the second client, so that the second client updates the collaboration table according to the fourth cell and the citation information” are not given patentable weight.
In regard to claim 7, Simon discloses wherein the method further comprises: acquiring a second data processing operation of a user on a third cell and a fourth cell in the collaboration table, wherein the fourth cell is one or more cells to be processed (Paragraph 0042 lines 3-5: insert row between rows 1 and 2 which would include inserting a cell e.g. (fourth cell) in between two existing cells (e.g. third cells));
In regard to claim 8, Simon discloses a method for processing collaborative table data, wherein the method is applied to a second client, and the method comprises (Paragraph 0025 lines 1-2: collaborative spreadsheets edited by multiple users):
receiving first atomic operation information sent by a first client, wherein the first atomic operation information is generated by the first client based on a first data processing operation of a user on a first cell and a second cell in a collaboration table, and the second cell is one or more cells to be processed, and the first atomic operation information comprises the second cell and citation information (Fig. 3A element 308, Fig. 3B element 327b, Paragraph 0041 lines 5-6, Paragraph 0046 lines 9-14: user Alice copies contents of first cells to second cells and pending change is generated that includes the copy operation with the second cells, revision #, and client originating the change);
updating the collaboration table based on the second cell and the citation information (Fig. 3D element 346, Paragraph 0055 lines 1-3, Paragraph 0055 lines 13-14, and Paragraph 0056 lines 8-9: the pending change is provided to user Bob which causes Bob’s device to apply the pending change to update the collaborative spreadsheet at Bob’s device).
In regard to claim 9, Simon discloses wherein updating the collaboration table based on the second cell and the citation information comprises: deserializing the citation information to acquire a deserialization result; updating the collaboration table based on the second cell and the deserialization result (Paragraph 0052 lines 9-14, Paragraph 0053 lines 8-9, Paragraph 0055 lines 13-14, and Paragraph 0056 lines 8-9: The pending change correspond to Alice’s copy operation is transformed (e.g. deserialized) against an insertion operation performed by Bob, and provided to user Bob which causes Bob’s device to apply the pending change to update the collaborative spreadsheet at Bob’s device).
In regard to claim 11, Simon discloses an electronic device, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is configured for storing instructions or computer programs; the processor is configured for executing the instructions or computer programs in the memory, so that the electronic apparatus executes the method according to claim 1 (Fig. 12, Paragraph 0092, Paragraph 0093, Paragraph 0095, Paragraph 0097, and Paragraph 0099).
In regard to claim 12, Simon discloses an electronic device, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is configured for storing instructions or computer programs; the processor is configured for executing the instructions or computer programs in the memory, so that the electronic apparatus executes the method according to claim 8 (Fig. 12, Paragraph 0092, Paragraph 0093, Paragraph 0095, Paragraph 0097, and Paragraph 0099).
In regard to claim 13, Simon discloses a computer-readable storage medium, wherein instructions are stored on the computer-readable storage medium, and when the instructions are executed by a device, the device is caused to perform the method according to claim 1 (Paragraphs 0099-0101).
In regard to claim 14, Simon discloses a computer-readable storage medium, wherein instructions are stored on the computer-readable storage medium, and when the instructions are executed by a device, the device is caused to perform the method according to claim 8 (Paragraphs 0099-0101).
In regard to claim 15, Simon discloses wherein the first processing operation comprises: copying a content of the first cell and pasting it into the second cell; or filling the second cell based on the content of the first cell (Fig. 3A element 308 and Paragraph 0041 lines 5-6: user Alice copies contents of first cells to second cells).
In regard to claim 16, Simon discloses wherein the first processing operation comprises: copying a content of the first cell and pasting it into the second cell; or filling the second cell based on the content of the first cell (Fig. 3A element 308 and Paragraph 0041 lines 5-6: user Alice copies contents of first cells to second cells).
In regard to claim 17, Simon discloses wherein the first processing operation comprises: copying a content of the first cell and pasting it into the second cell; or filling the second cell based on the content of the first cell (Fig. 3A element 308 and Paragraph 0041 lines 5-6: user Alice copies contents of first cells to second cells).
In regard to claim 18, Simon discloses wherein the first processing operation comprises: copying a content of the first cell and pasting it into the second cell; or filling the second cell based on the content of the first cell (Fig. 3A element 308 and Paragraph 0041 lines 5-6: user Alice copies contents of first cells to second cells).
In regard to claim 19, Simon discloses wherein the first processing operation comprises: copying a content of the first cell and pasting it into the second cell; or filling the second cell based on the content of the first cell (Fig. 3A element 308 and Paragraph 0041 lines 5-6: user Alice copies contents of first cells to second cells).
Allowable Subject Matter
9. Claim 10 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.
In regard to claim 10, the prior art of record, alone or in combination, fails to disclose the limitations of claim 10 in combination with the other elements recited. In particular, the subject matter of claim 10 requires receiving a second atomic operation information from the first client that is generated by the first client based on a second data processing operation that is a same type as the first data processing operation, where the citation information that was included as part of the first atomic operation is included with the second atomic operation information and the updating based on the second operation data processing operation is performed based the deserialization result with respect to the citation information of the first data processing operation, which is not disclosed by Simon, or any of the other cited references, alone or in combination.
Conclusion
10. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hariri et al. (US 2022/0050961 A1), see at least the abstract, Fig. 6A-6C, Fig. 9, and Paragraphs 0173-0182.
Hunter et al. (US 2017/0330149 A1), see at least Fig. 3 and Paragraph 0047.
Reeves et al. (US 9734139 B2), see at least Col. 16 lines 24-30 and Column 18 line 56- Column 19 line 14.
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS S ULRICH whose telephone number is (571)270-1397. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Fred Ehichioya can be reached at (571)272-4034. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Nicholas Ulrich/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2179