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 .
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-9, 20-22, and 24-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Forstall et al. (US Pub 2008/0168361) in view of Yang et al. (US Pub 2016/0066277).
Regarding claim 1, Forstall discloses a communication system comprising:
a first device, wherein the first device is making a first call with a third device (para 0158; figs. 13A, 13B); and
Forstall does not disclose a second device, wherein the second device is configured to:
display a first interface, wherein the first interface comprises an icon of a first application;
display a second interface in response to an operation of a user on the icon of the first application; and
sending, by the second device, a dialing instruction to the first device in response to an operation of the user of inputting a target number and dialing on the second interface, wherein the dialing instruction carries the target number;
wherein the first device is configured to: send a call request to a fourth device in response to the dialing instruction and establishes a second call between the second device and the fourth device through the first device, wherein the fourth device is a device corresponding to the target number;
displaying, by the fourth device, a third interface in response to the call request, wherein the third interface comprises a first control; and
establishing, by the fourth device, a second call with the second device through the first device in response to an operation of the user on the first control.
Yang discloses a second device, wherein the second device is configured to:
display a first interface, wherein the first interface comprises an icon of a first application (see para 0224, 0232-0233; fig. 7b and 8b);
display a second interface in response to an operation of a user on the icon of the first application (see para 0224, 0234; fig.7b -734, 8b-832); and
sending, by the second device, a dialing instruction to the first device in response to an operation of the user of inputting a target number and dialing on the second interface, wherein the dialing instruction carries the target number (see para 0226, 0234; fig. 7b-736 – the wearable 704 being the second device and smartphone 702 is first device);
wherein the first device is configured to: send a call request to a fourth device in response to the dialing instruction and establishes a second call between the second device and the fourth device through the first device, wherein the fourth device is a device corresponding to the target number (see para 0226 - call to Contact Z on the fourth device);
displaying, by the fourth device, a third interface in response to the call request, wherein the third interface comprises a first control (the fourth device can answer the call using the UI – example shown 11C-1130 as is the standard in modern smartphones); and
establishing, by the fourth device, a second call with the second device through the first device in response to an operation of the user on the first control (para 0228 and fig. 7E- 770 – the second call being from the wearable 704 and fourth device thru the smartphone 702).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Forstall with the teachings of Yang in order to have versatile user interface that provides a user efficient with control over aspects of phone call operations occurring on one or across multiple devices (Yang, para 0041).
Regarding claim 2, Forstall discloses wherein when the first device comprises a subscriber identification module SIM card (para 0090), the first device is further configured to:
before the second call is successfully established, set the first call to call hold in response to the dialing instruction (13C – obvious that calls will be hold when calling a new outgoing call when existing call is ongoing);
display a fourth interface, wherein the fourth interface comprises a second control (see para 0163 and fig. 13-f, elements 3038, 3040); and
after the second call is established, merge the first call and the second call in response to an operation of the user on the second control, to form a third call (para 0146, 0157, 0163, fig. 13e).
Regarding claim 3, the combination Forstall and Yang discloses wherein when the first device comprises one SIM card (Forstall, para 0090), the first device is further configured to:
before the second call is successfully established, set the first call to call hold in response to the dialing instruction (Forstall, 13C – obvious that calls will be hold when calling a new outgoing call when existing call is ongoing); and
send first call status information to the second device;
wherein the second device further configured to:
display a fifth interface based on the first call status information, wherein the fifth interface comprises a third control; and
send a call merging instruction to the first device in response to an operation of the user on the third control;
the second device is further configured to: after the second call is established, merge the first call and the second call to form a fourth call in response to the call merging instruction, wherein during the fourth call, call data between the second device and the third device or the fourth device is forwarded through the first device (Forstall, see para 0146, 0157, 0163 and fig. 13-f, elements 3038, 3040 and Yang, para 0226-0028 –Yang discloses using second device to make a call with a UI and Forstall discloses concepts of merging calls and therefore, it would have been obvious to have the same UI of merging calls in the second device to perform merging of calls).
Regarding claim 5, Yang discloses wherein the first device is further configured to:
display a sixth interface in response to receiving an incoming call from the fourth device, wherein the sixth interface comprises a fourth control;
forward the incoming call to the second device; and
establish a fifth call between the first device and the fourth device in response to receiving an operation of the user on the fourth control;
display a seventh interface in response to receiving the incoming call, wherein the seventh interface comprises a fifth control; and
send a first instruction to the first device in response to receiving an operation of the user on the fifth control; and
wherein the first device is further configured to establish a sixth call between the first device and the fourth device in response to receiving the first instruction, and forward call data between the second device and the fourth device during the sixth call (see para 0254-064 and figs. 11a, 11c – user can answer call on phone or watch).
Regarding claim 6, the combination Forstall and Yang discloses wherein when the first device comprises only one SIM card, the first device is further configured to:
set the first call to call hold in response to receiving the operation of the user on the fourth control (Forstall, 13C – obvious that calls will be hold when calling a new outgoing call when existing call is ongoing);
display an eighth interface, wherein the eighth interface comprises a sixth control; and
merge the fifth call and the first call in response to an operation of the user on the sixth control, to form a seventh call (Forstall, see para 0146, 0157, 0163 and fig. 13-f, elements 3038, 3040 and Yang, para 0226-0028 –Yang discloses using second device to make a call with a UI and Forstall discloses concepts of merging calls).
Regarding claim 7, Forstall discloses wherein the sixth interface further comprises a control for managing the first call, and the first device is further configured to:
display a ninth interface in response to an operation of the user on the control for managing the first call, wherein the ninth interface comprises a seventh control;
hang up the first call and display a tenth interface in response to an operation of the user on the seventh control, wherein the tenth interface comprises an eighth control; and
establish the fifth call between the first device and the fourth device in response to an operation of the user on the eighth control (see fig. 13K, 3030 – End Call+ Answer).
Regarding claim 8, see rejection of claim 6 (Forstall, see para 0146, 0157, 0163 and fig. 13-f, elements 3038, 3040 and Yang, para 0226-0028 –Yang discloses using second device to make a call with a UI and Forstall discloses concepts of merging calls and therefore, it would have been obvious to have the same UI of merging calls in the second device to perform merging of calls).
Regarding claim 9, see rejection of claims 5 and 7 (Forstall, see fig. 13K, 3030 – End Call+ Answer and Yang, see para 0254-064 and figs. 11a, 11c – user can answer call on phone or watch –Yang discloses using second device to receive a call with a UI and Forstall discloses concepts of receiving a second call by ending the first call and answering the second call and therefore, it would have been obvious to have the same UI of accepting calls when already in a call in the second device).
Regarding claims 20 and 26, see rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claims 21 and 27, see rejection of claim 2.
Regarding claims 22 and 28, see rejection of claim 3.
Regarding claims 24, see rejection of claim 5.
Regarding claims 25, see rejection of claim 5.
Claims 4, 12, 23, and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Forstall et al. (US Pub 2008/0168361) in view of Yang et al. (US Pub 2016/0066277) and in further view of Kasilya Sudarsan et al. (US Pub 2016/0014579).
Regarding claim 4, Forstall in view of Yang discloses the system of claim 1.
Forstall in view of Yang does not disclose wherein the first device comprises a first SIM card and a second SIM card,
when the second call is a call on the first SIM card, the first device is further configured to: merge the first call and the second call to form a third call after the second call is established; or
when the second call is a call on the second SIM card, the second device is further configured to make the second call with the fourth device through the first device after the second call is established, the first device is further configured to make the first call with the third device.
Kasilya Sudarsan discloses wherein the first device comprises a first SIM card and a second SIM card,
when the second call is a call on the second SIM card, the second device is further configured to make the second call with the fourth device through the first device after the second call is established, the first device is further configured to make the first call with the third device (para 0102-0103; fig. 7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Forstall in view of Yang with the teachings of Kasilya Sudarsan in order to have added capability of using dual sim card and talking/listening on two active voice calls at the same time (Kasilya Sudarsan, para 0003).
Regarding claim 12, Forstall in view of Yang discloses the system of claim 1.
Forstall in view of Yang does not disclose wherein when the first device and the second device each are not making a call, and the first device comprises the first SIM card and the second SIM card, the first device is further configured to:
receive a first incoming call and a second incoming call successively, wherein the first incoming call is an incoming call corresponding to the first SIM card, and the second incoming call is an incoming call corresponding to the second SIM card;
display a fourteenth interface in response to receiving the first incoming call, wherein the fourteenth interface comprises a control for answering or hanging up the first incoming call; and
forward the second incoming call to the second device; and
the second device is further configured to display a fifteenth interface in response to receiving the second incoming call, wherein the fifteenth interface comprises a control for answering or hanging up the second incoming call..
Kasilya Sudarsan discloses wherein when the first device and the second device each are not making a call, and the first device comprises the first SIM card and the second SIM card, the first device is further configured to:
receive a first incoming call and a second incoming call successively, wherein the first incoming call is an incoming call corresponding to the first SIM card, and the second incoming call is an incoming call corresponding to the second SIM card;
display a fourteenth interface in response to receiving the first incoming call, wherein the fourteenth interface comprises a control for answering or hanging up the first incoming call; and
forward the second incoming call to the second device; and
the second device is further configured to display a fifteenth interface in response to receiving the second incoming call, wherein the fifteenth interface comprises a control for answering or hanging up the second incoming call (see fig. 5, 6, and 7 and corresponding paragraphs – discloses multi-sim device receiving a first call and second call and second call may be sent to a second device paired with the phone).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Forstall in view of Yang with the teachings of Kasilya Sudarsan in order to have added capability of using dual sim card and talking/listening on two active voice calls at the same time (Kasilya Sudarsan, para 0003).
Regarding claims 23 and 29, see rejection of claim 4.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NAFIZ E HOQUE whose telephone number is (571)270-1811. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5.
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/NAFIZ E HOQUE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693
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