Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 04, 2026
Application No. 18/667,977

COLLABORATION SYSTEM INCLUDING MARKERS IDENTIFYING MULTIPLE CANVASES IN MULTIPLE SHARED VIRTUAL WORKSPACES

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
May 17, 2024
Priority
Oct 23, 2017 — continuation of 11/126,325 +2 more
Examiner
XIAO, DI
Art Unit
2178
Tech Center
2100 — Computer Architecture & Software
Assignee
Haworth Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
77%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 4m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 77% — above average
77%
Career Allowance Rate
466 granted / 603 resolved
+22.3% vs TC avg
Strong +22% interview lift
Without
With
+21.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 4m
Avg Prosecution
23 currently pending
Career history
626
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
8.2%
-31.8% vs TC avg
§103
57.7%
+17.7% vs TC avg
§102
17.0%
-23.0% vs TC avg
§112
14.2%
-25.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 603 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . 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 . 1. This action is responsive to communications: Application filed on May 17, 2024, and Drawings filed on May 17, 2024. 2. Claims 1–20 are pending in this case. Claim 1, 8, 17, 20 are independent claims. 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 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. Double Patenting 1. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969). A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b). The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13. The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/ patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/ patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer. Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over and anticipated by claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent 12019850B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1-20 under examination are anticipated, respectively, by claims 1-20 of the reference patent. Every limitation in the application under examination claims is recited in the conflicting reference patent claims, and the differences between the claims are highlighted below by bolding all limitations that differ, italicizing additional limitations, and underlining limitations that will be addressed below. Instant Application 12019850B2 1. A method for operating a server node including a processor, the method comprising: providing, to a client node displaying a portion of a virtual workspace , at least part of a log of entries identifying: a location of a predefined canvas within another virtual workspace and represented by a marker associated with coordinates and spatial dimensions of the predefined canvas and representing the predefined canvas within the other virtual workspace, regardless of whether a client node that created the predefined canvas is connected to the other workspace; and object locations in the other virtual workspace, wherein a defined area in the other virtual workspace includes an object, and wherein an entry, in the log of entries, provided to the client node comprises data specifying the location of the predefined canvas that is represented by the marker and that includes at least a portion of the defined area. 1. A method for operating a server node including a processor, the method comprising: providing, to a client node displaying a portion of a virtual workspace, at least part of a log of entries identifying: a location of a predefined canvas within another virtual workspace and represented by at least one marker selected from multiple markers wherein an entry in the log comprises data specifying: coordinates of the location, within the other virtual workspace, of the predefined canvas that is represented by the at least one selected marker and that includes the defined area, regardless of whether creators of the predefined canvases are actively viewing any of the predefined canvases; objects; and object locations in the other virtual workspace, wherein a defined area in the other virtual workspace includes an object for display by the client node, wherein an entry in the log comprises data specifying: coordinates of the location, within the other virtual workspace, of the predefined canvas that is represented by the at least one selected marker and that includes the defined area. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing metadata associated with a particular canvas, of the predefined canvases, within the other virtual workspace. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing metadata associated with a particular canvas, of the predefined canvases, within the other virtual workspace. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata includes an access list identifying users that are permitted to display objects having locations within the particular canvas. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata includes an access list identifying users that are permitted to display objects having locations within the particular canvas. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata includes a title of the particular canvas. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata includes a title of the particular canvas. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata identifies one or more contextual menu items associated with the particular canvas. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata identifies one or more contextual menu items associated with the particular canvas. 6. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata includes a zoom-in indicator indicating that the client node is to display objects included in the particular canvas using a zoom-in level while still allowing the displayed objects to remain displayed by the client node in their entirety. 6. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata includes a zoom-in indicator indicating that the client node is to display objects included in the particular canvas using a zoom-in level while still allowing the displayed objects to remain displayed by the client node in their entirety. 7. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata includes information that links the particular canvas to a different canvas that is within the other virtual workspace and that is associated with the particular canvas. 7. The method of claim 2, wherein the metadata includes information that links the particular canvas to a different canvas that is within the other virtual workspace and that is associated with the particular canvas. 8. A server node, the server node comprising: a processor configured with logic to implement operations comprising: providing, to a client node displaying a portion of a virtual workspace, at least part of a log of entries identifying: a location of a predefined canvas within another virtual workspace and represented by a marker associated with coordinates and spatial dimensions of the predefined canvases and representing the predefined canvas within the other virtual workspace, regardless of whether a client node that created the predefined canvases is connected to the other workspace; and object locations in the other virtual workspace, wherein a defined area in the other virtual workspace includes an object, and wherein an entry, in the log of entries, provided to the client node comprises data specifying the location of the predefined canvas that is represented by the marker and that includes at least a portion of the defined area. 8. A server node, the server node comprising: a processor configured with logic to implement operations comprising: providing, to a client node displaying a portion of a virtual workspace, at least part of a log of entries identifying: a location of a predefined canvas within another virtual workspace and represented by at least one marker selected from multiple markers representing predefined canvases within both the virtual workspace and in the other virtual workspace, regardless of whether creators of the predefined canvases are actively viewing any of the predefined canvases; and object locations in the other virtual workspace, wherein a defined area in the other virtual workspace includes an object for display by the client node, and wherein an entry in the log comprises data specifying: coordinates of the location, within the other virtual workspace, of the predefined canvas that is represented by the at least one selected marker and that includes the defined area, 9. The server node of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured with logic to implement operations comprising storing metadata associated with a particular canvas within the other virtual workspace. 9. The server node of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured with logic to implement operations comprising: receiving metadata associated with a particular canvas within the other virtual workspace. 10. The server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata includes an access list identifying users that are permitted to display objects having locations within the particular canvas; and the operations further include prohibiting displaying of the objects having locations within the particular canvas when a user of the client node is not identified by the access list. 10. The server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata includes an access list identifying users that are permitted to display objects having locations within the particular canvas; and the operations further include prohibiting displaying of the objects having locations within the particular canvas when a user of the client node is not identified by the access list. 11. The server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata includes a title of the particular canvas; and the operations further include including the title of the particular canvas in a menu of markers. 11. The server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata includes a title of the particular canvas; and the operations further include including the title of the particular canvas in a menu of markers. 12. The server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata identifies a color corresponding to the particular canvas; and the operations further include providing data to allow display, by the client node, of a marker representing the particular canvas in the color identified by the metadata. 12. The server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata identifies a color corresponding to the particular canvas; and the operations further include providing data to allow display, by the client node, of a marker representing the particular canvas in the color identified by the metadata. 13. The server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata identifies one or more contextual menu items associated with the particular canvas; and the operations further include providing data to allow display, by the client node, of the one or more contextual menu items associated with the particular canvas. 13. The server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata identifies one or more contextual menu items associated with the particular canvas; and the operations further include providing data to allow display, by the client node, of the one or more contextual menu items associated with the particular canvas. 14. The server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata includes a zoom-in indicator; and the operations further include providing data to allow display of objects included in the particular canvas using a zoom-in level while still allowing the displayed objects to remain displayed by the client node in their entirety. 14. The server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata includes a zoom-in indicator; and the operations further include providing data to allow display of objects included in the particular canvas using a zoom-in level while still allowing the displayed objects to remain displayed by the client node in their entirety. 15. The server node of claim 9, wherein the metadata includes information that links the particular canvas to a different canvas that is within the other virtual workspace and that is associated with the particular canvas. 15. The server node of claim 9, wherein the metadata includes information that links the particular canvas to a different canvas that is within the other virtual workspace and that is associated with the particular canvas. 16. The server node of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured with logic to implement operations comprising: creating a canvas by: obtaining information identifying an area in the other virtual workspace that includes one or more objects and defines the canvas; and storing data representing the canvas, the stored data including metadata identifying a location and dimensions of the area within the other virtual workspace that defines the canvas; creating a marker associated with the canvas; and transmitting a message to other nodes, the transmitted message including the stored data representing the canvas and the marker associated with the canvas. 16. The server node of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured with logic to implement operations comprising: creating a canvas by: obtaining information identifying an area in the other virtual workspace that includes one or more objects and defines the canvas; and storing data representing the canvas, the stored data including metadata identifying a location and dimensions of the area within the other virtual workspace that defines the canvas; creating a marker associated with the canvas; and transmitting a message to other nodes, the transmitted message including the stored data representing the canvas and the marker. 17. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon, the program, when executed by a server node including a processor, causing the server node to perform operations comprising: providing, to a client node displaying a portion of a virtual workspace, at least part of a log of entries identifying: a location of a predefined canvas within another virtual workspace and represented by a marker associated with coordinates and spatial dimensions of the predefined canvas and representing the predefined canvas within the other virtual workspace, regardless of whether a client node that created the predefined canvas is connected to the other workspace; and object locations in the other virtual workspace, wherein a defined area in the other virtual workspace includes an object, and wherein an entry, in the log of entries, provided to the client node comprises data specifying the location of the predefined canvas that is represented by the marker and that includes at least a portion of the defined area. 17. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program recorded thereon, the program, when executed by a server node including a processor, causing the server node to perform operations comprising: providing, to a client node displaying a portion of a virtual workspace, at least part of a log of entries identifying: a location of a predefined canvas within another virtual workspace and represented by at least one marker selected from multiple markers representing predefined canvases within both the virtual workspace and in the other virtual workspace, regardless of whether creators of the predefined canvases are actively viewing any of the predefined canvases; and object locations in the other virtual workspace, wherein a defined area in the other virtual workspace includes an object for display by the client node, and wherein an entry in the log comprises data specifying: coordinates of the location, within the other virtual workspace, of the predefined canvas that is represented by the at least one selected marker and that includes the defined area, 18. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise storing metadata associated with a particular canvas, of the predefined canvases, within the other virtual workspace. 18. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise storing metadata associated with a particular canvas, of the predefined canvases, within the other virtual workspace. 19. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 18, wherein the metadata includes an access list identifying users that are permitted to display objects having locations within the particular canvas. 19. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium of claim 18, wherein: the metadata includes an access list identifying users that are permitted to display objects having locations within the particular canvas. 20. A method for operating a client node including a processor, the method comprising: displaying a portion of a virtual workspace; retrieving, from a server node, at least part of a log of entries identifying: a location of a predefined canvas within another virtual workspace and represented by a marker associated with coordinates and spatial dimensions of the predefined canvas and representing the predefined canvas within the other virtual workspace, regardless of whether a client node that created the predefined canvas is connected to the other workspace; and object locations in the other virtual workspace, wherein a defined area in the other virtual workspace includes an object, and wherein an entry, in the log of entries, retrieved from the server node comprises data specifying the location of the predefined canvas that is represented by the marker and that includes at least a portion of the defined area. 20. A method for operating a client node including a processor, the method comprising: displaying a portion of a virtual workspace; retrieving, from a server node, at least part of a log of entries identifying: a location of a predefined canvas within another virtual workspace and represented by at least one marker selected from multiple markers representing predefined canvases within both the virtual workspace and in the other virtual workspace, regardless of whether creators of the predefined canvases are actively viewing any of the predefined canvases; and object locations in the other virtual workspace, wherein a defined area in the other virtual workspace includes an object for display by the client node, and wherein an entry in the log comprises data specifying: coordinates of the location, within the other virtual workspace, of the predefined canvas that is represented by the at least one selected marker and that includes the defined area in the other virtual workspace As shown in the mapping above, claims 1-20 of the reference patent includes all the limitations of claims 1-20 of the instant application, while also reciting further limitations. The independent claims of the instant application changed some of the languages of the reference patent but teaches essentially the same limitations. Both the instant application and reference patent are teaching shared virtual work space where the user can see the location of other canvas using markers wherein the locations also include at least one object in the other user’s canvas with its location accessed by the user’s device. And the user can see the location markers of the other users whether or not they are connected or not. All the dependent claims teach the same limitations as well. Therefore, claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over and anticipated by claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent 12019850B2. Claim 3, 6, 7, 10, 14, 15, 16, 19 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under double patenting rejections set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. 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) 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 13, 17, 18, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tse et al., Pub. No.: 2016/0142471A1, in view of Belmar, Patent No.: 9971826B1, and further in view of Carlos, Pub. No.; 2016/0232647A1. With regard to claim 1: Tse discloses a method for operating a server node including a processor, the method comprising: providing, to a client node displaying a portion of a virtual workspace (see figure 3 for local canvases on different devices, paragraph 39 and 40: “The collaborative system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be used to share a collaborative workspace with multiple users. Each user can have his or her own computing device that can access the shared, collaborative workspace and display a portion of the collaborative workspace. For example, FIG. 3 is a diagram depicting an example of a shared workspace 320 that can be displayed on an interactive display device 102 and examples of portions of the shared workspace 320 that can be displayed on computing devices. In the example depicted in FIG. 3, the interactive display device 102 displays a graphical interface for a shared workspace 320 that depicts a virtual environment as a geographic map. The graphical interface for the shared workspace 320 displayed on the interactive display device 102 is visible to users of the computing devices 104a-104d. ”);, at least part of a log of entries identifying: a location of a predefined canvas within the virtual workspace and represented by a marker associated with coordinates and spatial dimensions (Tse wherein log tracks spatial dimension such as zoom level, paragraph 44: “A computing device can notify a processing device of the interactive display device 102 of a virtual position by transmitting data indicative of the virtual position to the processing device via a data network 108. The data indicative of the virtual position can include one or more of a coordinate set at the center of the displayed portion on the computing device, a zoom level, and a native resolution of the computing device. The shared workspace application 202 can use the data indicative of the virtual positions of the respective computing devices 104a-d to determine a respective portion of the shared workspace 320 viewed by each of the computing devices 104a-d”); of the predefined canvas and representing the predefined canvas within the virtual workspace (see token marker 302, 304, 306, 308, paragraph 46 and 47: “The collaborative system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 can be used to share a collaborative workspace with multiple users. Each user can have his or her own computing device that can access the shared, collaborative workspace and display a portion of the collaborative workspace. For example, FIG. 3 is a diagram depicting an example of a shared workspace 320 that can be displayed on an interactive display device 102 and examples of portions of the shared workspace 320 that can be displayed on computing devices. In the example depicted in FIG. 3, the interactive display device 102 displays a graphical interface for a shared workspace 320 that depicts a virtual environment as a geographic map. The graphical interface for the shared workspace 320 displayed on the interactive display device 102 is visible to users of the computing devices 104a-104d. ”); regardless of whether a client node that created the predefined canvas is connected to the workspace (see paragraph 63, wherein the system saves the position of users’ workspace and indicate where it has been, and only update the live position when new event occurs, paragraph 63:” Referring to FIG. 3, the interactive display device 102 can plot the virtual positions of the computing devices 104a-d via respective tokens 302, 304, 306, and 308 on a graphical interface corresponding to the shared workspace 320. One or more of the computing devices 104a-d can receive input changing the portion of the shared workspace that is to be displayed on the computing device. Each computing device can respond to this input by updating a graphical interface displayed on the computing device to reflect the changed position. Each computing device can also respond to this input by updating the virtual position associated with the computing device. The interactive display device 102 that monitors the computing devices 104a-d can receive data via a data network from the computing devices identifying the updated virtual positions. The interactive display device can update the location of the tokens associated with the updated virtual positions on the graphical interface corresponding to the shared workspace 320”); and wherein an entry, in the log of entries, provided to the client node comprises data specifying the location of the predefined canvas that is represented by the marker and that includes at least a portion of the defined area (see figure 6 wherein the user can select location represented by other’s token/marker and go to that location, paragraph 80: “FIG. 6 shows computing devices 104a, 104b associated with respective virtual positions 606, 608 in the shared workspace 320. The computing device 104a can receive input selecting a different portion of the shared workspace 320 corresponding to the location 602 having embedded linked content. The computing device 104a can respond to receiving the input by displaying the linked content. In this example, the linked content shown on computing device 104a includes an educational video of the Sea of Okhotsk. A user of the computing device 104b has moved the portion of the shared workspace 320 shown on his or her display to the location 604 of additional embedded linked content. In this example, the linked content can include narrative information on The Panama Canal, displayed on computing device 104b.”). Tse does not disclose the aspect wherein at least part of a log of entries identifying: object locations in the other virtual workspace, wherein a defined area in the other virtual workspace includes an object. However Belmar discloses the aspect herein at least part of a log of entries identifying: object locations in the other virtual workspace, wherein a defined area in the other virtual workspace includes an object (column 17 line 30 to line 54: “FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a front-end application synchronization example from the perspective of compute device 107 receiving a synchronization event object 507, according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, the compute device 107 can receive an event object 507 triggered by a change made to the position object on another compute device (e.g., compute device 105). In some implementations, the received event object 507 can contain a copy of an old value (e.g., position.lat=‘y’), a new value (e.g., position.lat=‘y+5’) and/or a differential from old value to new value (e.g., diff=‘5’). Each SHM Watch event listener identifies a specified path to the parameter to be synchronized and/or monitored, and a callback function that is executed in response to a change in the registered object. Thus, for example, a path to the SHM portion storing the position object to be monitored can be defined as a parameter when compute device 107 registers the SHM Watch event listener 501. Accordingly, the SHM path (in this case a pointer to node element “position”) specified in SHM Watch event listener 501 allows the compute device 107 to receive an event object (e.g., event object 507) when other compute devices (e.g., compute device 105) participating in a joint session of the front-end synchronized application make changes to the event source specified in the path (e.g., position node).”) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the filing was made to apply Belmar to Tse so the system can track the location of the objects from the other virtual workspace to keep the user to be more informed about the other workspace which would help with collaboration between the workspaces. Tse and Belmar do not disclose the aspect wherein the predefined canvas is within another virtual workspace. However Carlos discloses the aspect of display a list of markers representing predefined canvases within both the first virtual workspace and a second virtual workspace (see figure 7 for the list of workspaces, paragraph 84: "The preview window 570B may comprise a user-interface (UI) control for enabling a user to select between different shared workspaces of the project (as discussed above). In addition, for display systems 100 having displays 120 with aspect ratios less than the assigned aspect ratio, a panning feature of the preview window 570B may be enabled. In this regard, the preview engine 550B may display a local viewport boundary 720 in the preview window 570 that indicates a corresponding portion (sub-area) of the standard shared workspace currently displayed in the viewport window 560B. In the example of FIG. 7A, the local viewport boundary 720 is displayed as a semi-transparent rectangular overlay on top the preview shared workspace 710. In other embodiments, the local viewport boundary 720 may be displayed in a different manner and/or with a different visual appearance."); It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the filing was made to apply Carlos to Tse and Belmar to allow the user to access different workspaces which allow the user to see not just canvas from the same workspace but also from other workspaces as well as to be more informed about different workspaces. With regard to claim 2 and 9 and 18: Tse and Belmar and Carlos disclose the method of claim 1, further comprising storing metadata associated with a particular canvas, of the predefined canvases, within the virtual workspace (Tse paragraph 58: “Each of the computing devices 104a-d can be associated with a virtual position in the shared workspace 320. The virtual position can include a coordinate set defining a specific pixel or set of pixels in the shared workspace 320. The virtual position can also include a zoom level that indicates the amount of area around the specific coordinate set that is displayed on the computing device. In some aspects, the virtual position of the computing device can be stored in the memory of the computing device. The virtual position associated with the computing device indicates the specific portion of the shared workspace 320 that is shown on or otherwise associated with the computing device.”) the virtual workspace is the another virtual workspace (see figure 7 for the list of workspaces, paragraph 84: "The preview window 570B may comprise a user-interface (UI) control for enabling a user to select between different shared workspaces of the project (as discussed above). In addition, for display systems 100 having displays 120 with aspect ratios less than the assigned aspect ratio, a panning feature of the preview window 570B may be enabled. In this regard, the preview engine 550B may display a local viewport boundary 720 in the preview window 570 that indicates a corresponding portion (sub-area) of the standard shared workspace currently displayed in the viewport window 560B. In the example of FIG. 7A, the local viewport boundary 720 is displayed as a semi-transparent rectangular overlay on top the preview shared workspace 710. In other embodiments, the local viewport boundary 720 may be displayed in a different manner and/or with a different visual appearance."); It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the filing was made to apply Carlos to Tse and Belmar to allow the user to access different workspaces which allow the user to see not just canvas from the same workspace but also from other workspaces as well as to be more informed about different workspaces. With regard to claim 5: Tse and Belmar and Carlos disclose the method of claim 2, wherein the metadata identifies one or more contextual menu items associated with the particular canvas (Tse paragraph 76: “As another example, FIG. 5 depicts the interactive display device 102 displaying a query asking users to navigate to their country and share three facts. The second shared workspace 520 can include further hidden content, such as political facts or other information about each of the countries shown in the second shared workspace 520. The hidden content may not be displayed on the interactive display device 102. The hidden content can be viewed on one or more of the computing devices 104a-d. The computing devices 104a-d can respond to inputs indicating movement throughout the second shared workspace 520 by displaying various portions of the second shared workspace 520. For example, the computing devices 104a-d may display various facts about the countries corresponding to virtual positions associated with the computing devices 104a-d. For example, in response to receiving input from the users for navigating the second shared workspace 520, the computing devices 104a-d can display previously hidden content such, for example, as the national flags of countries corresponding to the virtual positions of the computing devices 104a-d. As shown in FIG. 5, computing devices 104a-d can select certain flags, and the flag selections 530 are presented to the interactive display device 102.”). Claim 8 is rejected for the same reason as claim 1. With regard to claim 13: Tse and Belmar and Carlos disclose The server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata identifies one or more contextual menu items associated with the particular canvas; and the operations further include providing data to allow display, by the client node, of the one or more contextual menu items associated with the particular canvas (Tse paragraph 76: “As another example, FIG. 5 depicts the interactive display device 102 displaying a query asking users to navigate to their country and share three facts. The second shared workspace 520 can include further hidden content, such as political facts or other information about each of the countries shown in the second shared workspace 520. The hidden content may not be displayed on the interactive display device 102. The hidden content can be viewed on one or more of the computing devices 104a-d. The computing devices 104a-d can respond to inputs indicating movement throughout the second shared workspace 520 by displaying various portions of the second shared workspace 520. For example, the computing devices 104a-d may display various facts about the countries corresponding to virtual positions associated with the computing devices 104a-d. For example, in response to receiving input from the users for navigating the second shared workspace 520, the computing devices 104a-d can display previously hidden content such, for example, as the national flags of countries corresponding to the virtual positions of the computing devices 104a-d. As shown in FIG. 5, computing devices 104a-d can select certain flags, and the flag selections 530 are presented to the interactive display device 102.”). Claim 17 is rejected for the same reason as claim 1. Claim 20 is rejected for the same reason as claim 1. Claims 4, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tse et al., Pub. No.: 2016/0142471A1, in view of Belmar and Carlos and further in view of Bakhash, Pub. No.: 2007/0070066A1. With regard to claim 4: Tse and Belmar and Carlos do not disclose the aspect wherein the metadata includes a title of the particular canvas. However Bakhash discloses the aspect wherein the metadata includes a title of the particular canvas (paragraph 152:” In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a compass (or database module) application is provided. The user is allowed to click at least one button on the compass (while immersed in a three-dimensional interactive space) and assign one or multiple names to a viewpoint (as defined as a location or visual perspective in the local coordinate system or three-dimensional space). The user may then view the three-dimensional image associated with the viewpoint and save this viewpoint (or visual perspective) along with its corresponding name in a file whose content or data can be accessed by the compass. In one embodiment of the present invention, the compass acts as an electronic combination lock, whereby the combination or sequence of one or multiple names assigned by the user and added to the dials of the compass identify the stored location.”) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to apply Bakhash to Tse and Belmar and Carlos to allow the user to assign viewport name to better organize and identify viewports. With regard to claim 11: Tse and Belmar and Carlos do not disclose the server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata includes a title of the particular canvas; and the operations further include including the title of the particular canvas in a menu of markers. However Bakhash discloses the aspect wherein the metadata includes a title of the particular canvas (paragraph 152:” In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a compass (or database module) application is provided. The user is allowed to click at least one button on the compass (while immersed in a three-dimensional interactive space) and assign one or multiple names to a viewpoint (as defined as a location or visual perspective in the local coordinate system or three-dimensional space). The user may then view the three-dimensional image associated with the viewpoint and save this viewpoint (or visual perspective) along with its corresponding name in a file whose content or data can be accessed by the compass. In one embodiment of the present invention, the compass acts as an electronic combination lock, whereby the combination or sequence of one or multiple names assigned by the user and added to the dials of the compass identify the stored location.”); and the operations further include including the title of the particular canvas in a menu of markers (paragraph 70: “As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 11, the tab called Web Browsers 453 is selected, revealing the Web Browsers menu below it, and the name of the viewpoint of the webpage (shown in the main window or virtual space) whose URL is http://www.yahoo.com and whose viewpoint name as it relates to the compass 440 is "http://www.yahoo.com--Yahoo!" 442. More specifically, listed in the menu of the compass 440 are the names of four viewpoints of the webpages (shown in the main window or virtual space) whose URLs are http://www.yahoo.com, http://www.google.com, http://www.ebay.com, and http://www.msn.com and whose viewpoint names as they relate to the compass (and are listed as such) are "http://www.vanoo.com--Yahoo!" 442, "http://www.google.com--Google" 443, "http://www.ebay.com--ebay" 444 and "http://www.msn.com--MSN" 445. In this way, the end user can use the programmatic access or helper applications (450-461) to have their content staged in a 3D virtual space, can have the viewpoint representation of their content automatically indexed and organized in the compass 440, and can have a linear representation of the graphical events in the compass 440 indexed on the timeline 340 via 3D icons (502, 504, 506, 508).”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to apply Bakhash to Tse and Belmar and Carlos to allow the user to assign viewport name to better organize and identify viewports. Claim 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tse et al., Pub. No.: 2016/0142471A1, in view of Belmar and Carlos and further in view of Parker, et al., Pub. No.: 2016/0085381A1. With regard to claim 12: Tse and Belmar and Carlos do not disclose the server node of claim 9, wherein: the metadata identifies a color corresponding to the particular canvas; and the operations further include providing data to allow display, by the client node, of a marker representing the particular canvas in the color identified by the metadata. However Parker discloses the aspect wherein the metadata identifies a color corresponding to the particular canvas; and the operations further include providing data to allow display, by the client node, of a marker representing the particular canvas in the color identified by the metadata. (Parker paragraph 53: “The third method provides a way to notify a user of activity elsewhere on the infinite canvas, and to allow synchronization of views in response. Typically, the synchronization is achieved using the "Sync View" mode previously described. For example, with an infinite canvas, other users may create content in areas outside a single user's viewport. FIG. 13 depicts a user viewport 1300. When another user is drawing on the canvas (off-screen with respect to the canvas 1300), an off-screen "activity indicator" 1302 is displayed in the viewport to provide the user an indication of such activity. Preferably, the off-screen activity indicator is color-coded to provide a cue to the user regarding which other user is taking the action. Each participating user preferably is assigned a different color by the system for this purpose. As shown in FIG. 13, there are three (3) other users adding or modifying content to the canvas, and their relative positions on the canvas are indicated by the placement of the activity indicators. A particular activity indicator thus preferably is color-coordinated to the user taking the action at that location. The activity indicator may be "activated" for a configurable time period, during which it may be selected by the user. Thus, and in this embodiment, the activity indicator functions like a "Sync View" button. Preferably, the button is a "one-time" action in that tapping on the off-screen activity monitor shifts the current user's viewport to match that of the other user, but preferably it does not necessarily auto-enable Sync View going forward.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the filing was made to apply Parker to Tse and Belmar and Carlos so the user can easily identify different canvas of the different other users using different colors wherein each color can be used to identify a user to help the user differentiate them better. Pertinent Arts The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Laukkanenr, Pub. No.: US 20140282229 A1, A computer program product for providing a graphical user interface for displaying of and enabling cooperative use of resources on a display of a computing device includes computer readable code means, the computer readable code means when executed by a processor device, being configured to provide an environment, the environment being configured to represent the resources on the display of the computing device, provide a first viewport to at least a portion of the environment on the display of the computing device, enable a resource to be added to the environment and be viewed within the first viewport and enable the resource to be acted upon within the first viewport. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DI XIAO whose telephone number is (571)270-1758. The examiner can normally be reached 9Am-5Pm est M-F. 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, Stephen Hong can be reached at (571) 272-4124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /DI XIAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2178
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Prosecution Timeline

May 17, 2024
Application Filed
Apr 10, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

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1-2
Expected OA Rounds
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3y 4m (~1y 4m remaining)
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