DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This action is in response to the preliminary amendment filed on 4/22/2024. Claims 1-14,16 are pending and have been considered below.
Claim construction/interpretation: Claim 1 [method claim] recites the following limitations;
“when receiving a first incoming call from a third electronic device, in response to the first incoming call, presenting an incoming call interface of the first incoming call”
“when receiving a second incoming call event sent from the second electronic device, in response to the second incoming call event, presenting an incoming call interface of a second incoming call”
These are contingent/conditional limitation(s). The contingent/conditional limitations are not positively recited in the claim(s) and are thus only executed [or performed or implemented], when the condition is true/met.
[See, (MPEP 2111.04) II. CONTINGENT LIMITATIONS
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.]
In present claim 1, for instance first the step of, presenting an incoming call interface of the first incoming call; and the second step of, presenting an incoming call interface of a second incoming call, is/are only performed ‘when receiving’ and ‘in response to’; otherwise this step is not performed, and the prior art is not required to teach this/these elements when the condition is not met.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (WO 2022007848; see translation).
Regarding claim 1:
Wang discloses an incoming call display method (abstract; figures), wherein the method is performed by a first electronic device, a short-distance communication connection is established between the first electronic device and a second electronic device (para 8, partially reproduced herein with emphasis, see translation {a first Bluetooth device and a second Bluetooth device}; figures [smartwatch and mobile phone]), the first electronic device and the second electronic device both have an independent mobile communication capability (para 8 {first Bluetooth device carries a SIM card or eSIM module with a first number, and the second Bluetooth device carries a SIM card or eSIM module with a second number}; figs), and the method comprises:
when receiving a first incoming call from a third electronic device, in response to the first incoming call, presenting an incoming call interface of the first incoming call, wherein the incoming call interface of the first incoming call displays a phone number of a calling party of the first incoming call ([note: see claim construction above, for contingent limitations]; para 14,22,89); and
when receiving a second incoming call event sent from the second electronic device, in response to the second incoming call event, presenting an incoming call interface of a second incoming call, wherein the incoming call interface of the second incoming call displays a phone number of a calling party of the second incoming call, a device name and/or a device type of the second electronic device, and a first incoming call mark, and the first incoming call mark indicates that the second incoming call is an incoming call that is received by the second electronic device and forwarded to the first electronic device ([note: see claim construction above]; para 90-92; para 237; figures; and see throughout the disclosure).
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 2-5,14,16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (WO 2022007848) in view of Wang (CN 114422639; Wang ‘639 hereinafter).
Regarding claim 2:
Wang discloses an incoming call display method (see abstract; figures), wherein the method is performed by a first electronic device, a short-distance communication connection is established between the first electronic device and a second electronic device (see figures; the smartwatch 300 [equivalent to the second electronic device] establishes a Bluetooth connection with the cell phone 400 [equivalent to the first electronic device]), the first electronic device does not have an independent mobile communication capability, the second electronic device has the independent mobile communication capability (figs), and the method comprises:
receiving a second incoming call event sent by the second electronic device, wherein the second incoming call event is generated by the second electronic device based on a second incoming call received by the second electronic device (figures ; para 182,332 [the smartwatch 300 receives an incoming call from the network device 23, and upon receipt of the incoming call by the smartwatch 300, a first incoming call interface is displayed on which incoming call information, functional icons or controls may be displayed]); and
in response to the second incoming call event, presenting an incoming call interface of the second incoming call, wherein the incoming call interface of the second incoming call displays a phone number of a calling party of the second incoming call, a device name and/or a device type of the second electronic device, and a first incoming call mark, and the first incoming call mark indicates that the second incoming call is an incoming call that is received by the second electronic device and forwarded to the first electronic device (para 172-183 [the smartwatch 300 sends the incoming call notification message to the cell phone 400 via the Bluetooth connection, the phone 400 receives the incoming call notification message over the Bluetooth connection (equivalent to receiving a second incoming call event sent by the second electronic device generated by the second electronic device based on a second incoming call received by the second electronic device), the handset 400, in response to the incoming call notification message, executing an incoming call reminder, displaying a second incoming call interface (equivalent to an incoming call interface presenting a second incoming call in response to the second incoming call event) on the display screen of the handset 400, the second incoming call interface may include incoming call information, such as incoming call names, incoming call numbers, etc., and a function icon, the second incoming call interface may also display a hint message, to indicate that the current incoming call is an incoming call of the smartwatch 300 (a phone number of a caller of the second incoming call, a device name and/or device model of the second electronic device, and a first incoming call sign are displayed on an incoming call interface equivalent to the second incoming call, the first incoming call flag indicates that the second incoming call is an incoming call received by the second electronic device and forwarded to the first electronic device]; figures; and see throughout the disclosure).
Wang discloses all of the subject matter as described above, except for specifically teaching that first electronic device does not have independent mobile communication capabilities.
However, Wang ‘639 in the same field of endeavor discloses a system and method for information displaying wherein first electronic device receives a call request from the second electronic device, the wearable device receives the first information and the second information from the first electronic device, the first information is for indicating an incoming call event, the second information identifies identity information to which the second electronic device corresponds, the display of the first interface by the wearable device may also allow the user to perceive the incoming electricity in time and may obtain identity information of the second electronic device from the second information, which may also be a smart band, and an augmented reality (AR) wearable device, etc. (both the smart band and the AR device are electronic devices without independent communication capability) (page 4 para 3- page 16, para 8; see figures 1-23; and throughout).
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 use teachings of Wang ‘639 in Wang in order to improve the problem that the electronic device may not cause the user to perceive and process the incoming call when the electronic device is connected to the incoming call (KSR: Combining Prior Art Elements According to Known Methods to Yield Predictable Results).
Regarding claim 3:
Wang discloses all of the subject matter as described above wherein Wang ‘639 discloses the incoming call interface of the second incoming call further displays subscriber identification module SIM card information of a phone number of an answering party corresponding to the second incoming call in the second electronic device (page 12, para 2 – para 16 [when the function transfer request is received by the first device, transmit a SIM card information read instruction to the second device, the SIM card information read instruction is to acquire SIM card information of the second device from the second device, the first device according to SIM card information of the second device, conducting wireless communication corresponding to a SIM card of the second device, the first device transmitting a response message to the first paging request to the base station, obtaining incoming call information corresponding to the first paging request, and the first device conducting an incoming call alert of the SIM card of the second device in accordance with the incoming call information corresponding to the first paging request]; and throughout).
Regarding claim 4:
Wang discloses all of the subject matter as described above wherein the device name and/or the device type of the second electronic device and the SIM card information are alternately displayed in the incoming call interface of the second incoming call (para 229,348 [incoming call notification message.. it may include more content, such as the caller's name, number location information, operator information]; figs; and throughout).
Regarding claim 5:
Wang discloses all of the subject matter as described above wherein the incoming call interface of the second incoming call is presented in a display of the first electronic device in a full-screen display manner, or is presented in the display of the first electronic device in a notification bar display manner (figs 8,10,13-14; and throughout).
Regarding claim 14:
Wang discloses all of the subject matter as described above wherein receiving a call making operation of the user; and in response to the call making operation, invoking the mobile communication capability of the second electronic device to make a call, and presenting a call making interface, wherein the call making interface displays a called phone number and the device name and/or the device type of the second electronic device (para 130,137 [number, type]; figs 6,8; and throughout).
Regarding claim 16:
Wang discloses all of the subject matter as described above wherein an electronic device, wherein the electronic device comprises: one or more processors (para 156, 188-199; figures); and one or more memories (para 166-170), wherein the one or more memories store one or more programs, and when the one or more programs are executed by the processor, the electronic device is enabled to perform the method according to claim 2 (para 169,172;190; and see throughout the disclosure).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-13 are 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.
Zhao et al. (US 2025/0023980) discloses a system and method for incoming call processing.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HIRDEPAL SINGH whose telephone number is (571)270-1688. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00-5:00 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hannah S Wang can be reached on (571) 272-9018. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HIRDEPAL SINGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631
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