Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) claims 13-24 have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
Examiner has brought in Basra (2015/0288997) to disclose the newly amended feature.
Claim Objections
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 14 is dependent on canceled claim 12. In claim 14, line 1, change “claim 12” to –claim 13--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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) 13-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Gao (2009/0265743) in view of Basra (2015/0288997).
As for claims 13 and 20, Gao discloses a managing method for managing access, by a reader, to televised content, wherein the method is implemented by the reader and comprises:
obtaining, for given content, a set of multicast distribution channels associated with respective distribution times that are temporally spaced apart (Each multicast channel plays the program on a cyclic basis. There is always an nVOD multicast channel that plays the program from the beginning. When the user selects the program, the closest nVOD channel in time is selected so that the user can watch the program from the beginning while at the same time conserving network resources by not having to use unicast streams for each user device that selects a stream; [0022], [0025], [0059], [0135], [0149]-[0151]),
making a content access request including selecting a multicast distribution channel chosen from said set ([0114], [0022], [0025], [0059], [0135], [0149]-[0151])
However, Gao fails to disclose:
wherein a number of the multicast distribution channels in the set varies depending on the content;
In an analogous art, Basra discloses:
wherein a number of the multicast distribution channels in the set varies depending on the content (Content popularity is monitored. Based on the content usage, multicast data channels are provisioned; [0014], [0036], [0038], [0039], [0040], [0046], [0049]);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gao’s invention to include the abovementioned limitation, as taught by Basra, for the advantage of providing popular content without inundating a network.
As for claim 14, Gao discloses wherein the channel selected to receive the content is the channel the content distribution time of which is closest to a time of the content access request ([0025], [0048], [0065], [0072], [0120]).
As for claim 15, Gao discloses wherein the channel selected to receive the content is the channel the content distribution time of which precedes a time of the content access request ([0162]).
As for claim 16, Gao discloses wherein the channel selected to receive the content is the channel the content distribution time of which is to come ([0177], [0186]).
As for claim 17, Gao discloses comprising deleting a distribution channel when playback of the content on that channel has ended ([0076], [0080]).
As for claim 18, Gao discloses wherein all the distribution times are included in data representative of a program guide (EPG; [0042], [0055], [0114], [0120]).
Claim 19 contains the limitations of claim 13 and is analyzed as previously discussed with respect to that claim. Claim 19 additionally discloses the following:
selecting a multicast distribution channel chosen from said set following a content access request ([0114], [0022], [0025], [0059], [0135], [0149]-[0151]).
As for claims 21, 22, and 24, Gao discloses method for managing distribution of content having a scheduled distribution time, wherein the method comprises:
creating, for given content, a set of multicast distribution channels associated with respective distribution times that are temporally spaced apart (Each multicast channel plays the program on a cyclic basis. There is always an nVOD multicast channel that plays the program from the beginning. When the user selects the program, the closest nVOD channel in time is selected so that the user can watch the program from the beginning while at the same time conserving network resources by not having to use unicast streams for each user device that selects a stream; [0022], [0025], [0059], [0135], [0149]-[0151]),
receiving a datum representative of a distribution time chosen from said set ([0046], [0051], [0057], [0064], [0065], [0074], [0198]); and
transmitting the content via the channel associated with the chosen distribution time ([0114], [0022], [0025], [0059], [0135], [0149]-[0151]).
However, Gao fails to disclose:
wherein a number of the multicast distribution channels in the set varies depending on the content;
In an analogous art, Basra discloses:
wherein a number of the multicast distribution channels in the set varies depending on the content (Content popularity is monitored. Based on the content usage, multicast data channels are provisioned; [0014], [0036], [0038], [0039], [0040], [0046], [0049]);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gao’s invention to include the abovementioned limitation, as taught by Basra, for the advantage of providing popular content without inundating a network.
As for claim 23, Gao discloses wherein the entity is implemented in a server ([0022], [0025]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUMAIYA A CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-8567. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00-3:00 PM.
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, NATHAN FLYNN can be reached at (571)272-1915. 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.
SUMAIYA A. CHOWDHURY
Examiner
Art Unit 2421
/SUMAIYA A CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2421
Prosecution Insights