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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC §103
2. 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 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahn et al (Pub. No.: US 2022/0353464 A1; hereinafter Ahn) in view of Swierk et al (Pub. No.: US 2022/0239848 A1; hereinafter Swierk)
Consider claims 1, 12, and 13, Ahn clearly shows and discloses a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium and an information processing device comprising: an acquisition configured to: acquire first sensing information of a first user acquired by using a sensing device and acquire second sensing information of a second user from a second sensing device, while the first user and the second user are performing conversation online ( a video call session between a first terminal and a second terminal, transmitting at least one of a first video and a first sound obtained from the first terminal corresponding to a first user to the second terminal, receiving, by the first terminal, at least one of a second video and a second sound obtained from the second terminal corresponding to a second user the gyro sensor 120 may include a sensor for detecting movement of an object using a gyroscope, an inertial sensor, or an acceleration sensor) (paragraphs: 0011, 0045, 0050, 0053, 0057-0058, 0094); and an information processing unit that specifies a disclosure level of information to be transmitted and received between the first user and the second user based on a situation of the first user and a situation of the second user corresponding to the first sensing information and the second sensing information, respectively (detecting, by the first terminal, a specific event during the video call session, determining, by the first terminal, whether an inappropriate element is included in the first video or the first sound in response to the detecting of the specific event, such as he specific event may include an event in which a face of the first user disappears at a velocity exceeding a threshold velocity from the first video obtained by the first terminal) (paragraphs: 0013, 0014, 0017, 0020, 0022-0024, 0080 and fig. 7); however, Ahn does not specifically disclose another example for an acquire first sensing information of a first user acquired by using a sensing device and acquire second sensing information of a second user from a second sensing device, while the first user and the second user are performing conversation online, wherein the first sensing information and the second sensing information are acquired while the first user and the second user are performing-in an online conversation; configured to: specify a situation of the first user based on the first sensing information; specify a situation of the second user based on the second sensing information: and specify a disclosure level of information to be transmitted and received between the first user and the second user, based on the specified situation of the first user and the specified situation of the second.
In the same field of endeavor, Swierk clearly specifically discloses an acquire first sensing information of a first user acquired by using a sensing device and acquire second sensing information of a second user from a second sensing device, while the first user and the second user are performing conversation online, wherein the first sensing information and the second sensing information are acquired while the first user and the second user are performing-in an online conversation (meeting metrics for the MMCA describing performance of that application and videoconference participant identification data or context of the videoconference session in some embodiments. These input values may be gathered from the video camera and a plurality of sensors. the UMD software module may determine changes in distance levels at various portions of the persons or objects detected in the scanned area in front of the video camera (for video conference both the first user and the second user have cameras/sensors for determining) and appearing in the videoframe. In this way, unusual movement in the scanned area and in the videoframe may be determined, the intelligent videoframe privacy monitoring system may determine background motion. With this level of information identifying videoconference interruptions such as a user's absence, plural faces, or background motion,) (paragraphs: 0016, 0021,0026, 0104, 0166, fig. 8); configured to: specify a situation of the first user based on the first sensing information; specify a situation of the second user based on the second sensing information: and specify a disclosure level of information to be transmitted and received between the first user and the second user, based on the specified situation of the first user and the specified situation of the second (determine changes in distance levels at various portions of the persons or objects detected in the scanned area in front of the video camera and appearing in the videoframe. In this way, unusual movement in the scanned area and in the videoframe may be determined. Thus, the intelligent videoframe privacy monitoring system may determine background motion. With this level of information identifying videoconference interruptions such as a user's absence, plural faces, or background motion, the intelligent videoframe privacy monitoring system may proceed to blocks 814 and 816 to determine what optimized videoframe privacy adjustments to make, if any) (paragraphs: 0140 and 0166)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to incorporate the teaching of Swierk into teaching of Ahn for the purpose of dynamically switch audio source of participant when there is a failure of an audio or video device in order to maintain consistent voice quality during the video conference.
Consider claim 2, Ahn and Swierk clearly show the information processing device, further comprising a communication control unit configured to control, based on the disclosure level, a type and an amount of the information to be transmitted and received between the first user and the second user (Ahn: paragraphs: 0089-0091).
Consider claim 3, Ahn and Swierk clearly show the information processing device, wherein each of the first sensing device and the second sensing device is one of a microphone, a camera, or a sensor (Ahn: paragraph: 0050 and 0058).
Consider claim 4, Ahn and Swierk clearly show the information processing device, wherein the first user is a speaker who speaks to the second user, the second user is a listener who listens to a speech from the first user, and the information processing unit is further configured to: determine, as the situation of the first user, whether the first user wants to know information of the second user based on the first sensing information and the second sensing information; and determine, as the situation of the second user, whether the second user wants to transmit the information of the second user based on the first sensing information and the second sensing information (Ahn: paragraph: 0011-0015).
Consider claim 5, Ahn and Swierk clearly show the information processing device, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to: specify communication details between the first user and the second user based on the first sensing information and the second sensing information; and determine the situation of the first user based on the specified communication details (Ahn: paragraph: 0091- 0092, 0096, and 0097).
Consider claim 6, Ahn and Swierk clearly show the information processing device, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to: specify an external environment of the second user based on the second sensing information; and determine the situation of the first user based on the specified external environment (Ahn: paragraph: 0011-0016, 0091- 0092, 0096, and 0097).
Consider claims 7, Ahn and Swierk clearly show the information processing device, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to: specify whether the second sensing information includes specific information that confirms an unpleasant situation with respect to the first user; and determine the situation of the first user based on a result of the specification whether the second sensing information includes the specific information (Ahn: paragraph: 0091- 0092, 0096, and 0097).
Consider claims 8 and 20, Ahn and Swierk clearly show the information processing device, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to: specify an external environmental factor of the second user based on the second sensing information; and determine the situation of the second user based on the specified external environmental factor (Ahn: paragraph: 0091- 0092, 0096, and 0097).
Consider claims 9 and 18, Ahn and Swierk clearly show the information processing device, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to: specify one of an appearance or a health condition of the second user based on the second sensing information; and determine the situation of the second user based on the one of the specified appearance or the health condition of the second user (Ahn: paragraph: 0083-0084, 0086, and 0089).
Consider claim 10, Ahn and Swierk clearly show the information processing device, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to: specify a behavioral state of the second user based on the second sensing information; and determine the situation of the second user based on the specified behavioral state (Ahn: paragraph: 0091- 0092, 0096, and 0097).
Consider claim 11, Ahn and Swierk clearly show the information processing device, wherein the information processing unit is further configured to: specify an emotional expression of the second user based on the second sensing information; and determine the situation of the second user based on the specified emotional expression (Ahn: paragraph: 0091- 0092, 0096, and 0097).
Response to Arguments
The present Office Action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed on April 10, 2026. Applicants amended claims 1-13. Claims 1-13 are now pending in the present application.
Applicant argues on the Applicant’s Response that Ahn and Swierk failed to teach the limitation "specify a situation of the first user based on the first sensing information; specify a situation of the second user based on the second sensing information: and specify a disclosure level of information to be transmitted and received between the first user and the second user, based on the specified situation of the first user and the specified situation of the second.”
The Examiner respectfully disagrees with Applicants’ arguments, Swierk teaches meeting metrics for the MMCA describing performance of that application and videoconference participant identification data or context of the videoconference session in some embodiments. These input values may be gathered from the video camera and a plurality of sensors. the UMD software module may determine changes in distance levels at various portions of the persons or objects detected in the scanned area in front of the video camera (for video conference both the first user and the second user have cameras/sensors for determining) and appearing in the videoframe. In this way, unusual movement in the scanned area and in the videoframe may be determined, the intelligent videoframe privacy monitoring system may determine background motion. With this level of information identifying videoconference interruptions such as a user's absence, plural faces, or background motion,) (paragraphs: 0016, 0021,0026, 0104, 0166, fig. 8)
Swierk teaches determine changes in distance levels at various portions of the persons or objects detected in the scanned area in front of the video camera and appearing in the videoframe. In this way, unusual movement in the scanned area and in the videoframe may be determined. Thus, the intelligent videoframe privacy monitoring system may determine background motion. With this level of information identifying videoconference interruptions such as a user's absence, plural faces, or background motion, the intelligent videoframe privacy monitoring system may proceed to blocks 814 and 816 to determine what optimized videoframe privacy adjustments to make, if any) (paragraphs: 0140 and 166). As a result, Ahn and Swierk teaches all the limitation of claims 1-13
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Amal Zenati whose telephone number is 571- 270- 1947. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00 -5:00 M-F.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ahmad Matar can be reached on 571- 272- 7488. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571- 273-8300.
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/AMAL S ZENATI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693
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