DETAILED ACTION
This communication is responsive to Amendment, filed 07/27/2026.
Claims 1-20 are pending in this application. In the Amendment, claims 1, 8 and 15 have been amended. This action is made Final.
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, 4-9, 11-16 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sarafa et al. (“Sarafa”, Pub. No. 2018/0241871), Kinnunen et al. (“Kinnunen”, Pub. No. US 2010/0110105), and Voss ( Pub. No. 2021/0041998).
Per claim 1, Sarafa teaches a system comprising:
at least one processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, configure the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from a device of a user, an indication of first user input to select recipients for a message generated by the user ([0085]… The ephemeral content interface may include an interactable element 108 allowing new ephemeral content to be generated or selected. Upon selecting the interactable element 108, the application may display an interface for generating or selecting content; [0099]… capturing or selecting media (e.g., as was done in FIG. 1C) may cause a sharing interface 132 to be displayed, as shown in FIG. 1E. The sharing interface 132 may include a first portion 134 allowing the sending user to transmit the media as ephemeral content to a selected group of users in the sender's contacts list);
in response to receiving the indication of first user input, causing the device to display a recipient selection interface with a respective cell for each of the plural candidate recipients ([0098]; [0099]; [0100]; [0101]; fig. 1E shows one or more sets of candidate recipients 134, 136 and 138).
wherein each respective cell for the plural candidate recipients is user-selectable to add a recipient for the message, wherein each respective cell for the plural candidate recipients includes an avatar (fig. 1E; [0101]…Selection elements 140-i may be provided in connection with each potential entity with whom the media may be shared. Upon selecting the selection elements 140-i, the selection elements may be updated to indicate that the entity has been selected for inclusion. The user may select multiple different entities to receive the content. ), and
Sarafa does not specifically teach determining a first set of candidate recipients from among plural candidate recipients, based on each candidate recipient within the first set of candidate recipients having a respective active content collection, each respective content collection comprising plural media content items, and determining a second set of candidate recipients from among the plural candidate recipients, based on each candidate recipient within the second set of candidate recipients having available location data; wherein the recipient selection interface differentiates display of the respective cells for the first set of candidate recipients, and further differentiates display of the respective cells for the second set of candidate recipients, wherein the avatar for each candidate recipient within the first set of candidate recipients is user-selectable to perform an action other than adding a recipient for the message; receiving, from the device, an indication of second user input selecting the avatar for a first candidate recipient within the first set of candidate recipients; and causing, in response to receiving the indication of second user input, the device to display a friendship profile page associated with the first candidate recipient and the user, rather than adding the first candidate recipient as a recipient for the message.
However, Kinnunen teaches determining a first set of candidate recipients from among plural candidate recipients, based on each candidate recipient within the first set of candidate recipients having a respective active content collection, each respective content collection comprising plural media content items, and determining a second set of candidate recipients from among the plural candidate recipients, based on each candidate recipient within the second set of candidate recipients having available location data ([0048]; [0049]; [0051]; [0058]; [0059]; which show determining information relevant attributes corresponding to the location and/or communication event associated with associated with one or more contacts. Furthermore, utilizing different color frames 430 to show location and/or communication event that is recent, or not recent (i.e. active or not active) associated with one or more contacts. In addition, information collection (i.e. content collection) such as the location, time, shared objects, images, and/or communication messages are associated with one or more contacts. ), and
wherein the recipient selection interface differentiates display of the respective cells for the first set of candidate recipients, and further differentiates display of the respective cells for the second set of candidate recipients figs. 4 and 5; [0051]; [0052]; [0054]; 0055]; which show differentiating display of the respective cells for a first set of contact (i.e. fig. 4) and the second set of contacts (i.e. Fig. 5) with information relevant attributes corresponding to the locations and recipient within the first set of candidate recipients is user-selectable to perform an action other than adding a recipient for the message ([0057]… The overlay 90 may also include an indicator 610 to identify a selected user contact. Additionally, a relevance information attribute (e.g., a color, etc.) may be associated with the selected information associated with the user contact. The user may thus navigate the overlay 90 to select an object associated with a user contact. As such, the background layer or map 88 may be seamlessly and/or automatically navigated to the last known location associated with the selected user contact, and an object may be provided approximately or exactly at the last known location of the selected user contact indicative of the last known location. In this regard, the background layer or map 80 may activate (e.g., highlighted, enlarged, color may be changed) the object associated with the selected user contact.; [0058]… the object associated with a selected user contact (e.g., object 620) may be highlighted and may include the time of creation of the message. The object may also include an indicator 630 providing information relating to the status of the selected user contact (e.g., active or inactive).).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the teaching of Kinnunen in the invention of Saraf in order to provide the user with information relevant attributes corresponding to the locations and communication events associated with one or more contacts. Thus, this would highlight or emphasize recent activities associated with one or more individuals to allow the user to share media with individuals that the user has recently communicated with
Voss teaches receiving, from the device, an indication of second user input selecting the avatar for a first candidate recipient within the first set of candidate recipients and causing, in response to receiving the indication of second user input, the device to display a friendship profile page associated with the first candidate recipient and the user, rather than adding the first candidate recipient as a recipient for the message [0079]…In some embodiments, in response to receiving a user selection (e.g., if the user taps) of the graphical user interface region 610 (or a portion of the graphical user interface region 610, such as the name 614, avatar 616, or context activity information 612), a friendship profile is presented. The friendship profile represents prior interactions the given user and the selected user (Samantha J) have had in the past. For example, the friendship profile includes a list of videos or images shared by the two users, previously exchanged messages that one or both of the users have saved, and/or a list of friends the two users have in common.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the teaching Voss in invention of the modified Saraf because doing so would to improve user access to profile page of another user to quickly gain more information on prior interactions associated with the user and the another user.
Per claim 2, the modified Sarafa teaches the system of claim 1, but does not teach wherein the recipient selection interface differentiates display for the first set of candidate recipients by including a ring around the avatars for the first set of candidate recipients. However, Sarafa further teaches in another embodiment, a ring around a thumbnail associated with a contact (Sarafa, [0089]… The thumbnail 114-i may include an indicator 116-i indicating whether the link is active or inactive. For example, the indicator 116-i may be a ring around the thumbnail 114-i that changes color depending on the link status (e.g., green or blue for active, black or red for inactive) or otherwise changes or disappears when the link becomes inactive. The indicator 116-i may otherwise graphically distinguish the status of the content (e.g., appending a checkmark for an active link, generating a glow effect around an active link, etc.).; [0090]… In the example depicted in FIG. 1B, the ring of each indicator 116-i is broken into a number n of segments. The number of segments of the indicator 116-i may represent a number of content items available from or associated with the user identified in conjunction with the thumbnail 114-i. For example, the indicator 116-1 indicates that six ephemeral content items are currently available from the user Jane. Meanwhile, the indicator 116-2 indicates that two ephemeral content items are currently available from the user Joe. The thumbnail 114-i displayed may correspond to a most-recent content item available from the identified user). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the teaching of a ring shape presentation in the invention of the modified Saraf in order to provide the user with a circular frame around an avatar of the modified Safara as choice of implementation to provide the user with a different shape of thumbnail presentation of the user and/or to provide the user with ring shape with a number of segments indicator to represent number of content items that are available associated with a contact.
Per claim 4, the modified Safara teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the recipient selection interface differentiates display for the first set of candidate recipients by including text, indicating a time the respective active content collection was created, within the respective cells for the first set of candidate recipients (Kinnunent, figs. 5A and 5B, [0054]…a time reference 550 associated with the event (e.g., how long ago the event was recorded and/or updated)).
Per claim 5, the modified Safara teaches the system of claim 1, wherein the recipient selection interface differentiates display for the second set of candidate recipients by including text, indicating a location and time last seen based on the respective available location data, within the respective cells for the second set of candidate recipients (Kinnunent, fig. 4, [0051]… last known location 440 of the user contact(s), and/or a time reference 450 associated with the location).
Per claim 6, the modified Safara teaches the system of claim 5, but does not teaches wherein the respective cells for the plural candidate recipients include full-width cells and split-width cells. However, Kinnunen further teaches wherein the respective cells for the plural candidate recipients include full-width cells and split-width cells (Kinnunen, figs. 4, 5A-5B and 6; which show full cells of fig. 4 and 5A-5B, split-width cells of fig. 6). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the teaching of split-width cells in invention of the modified Saraf in order to provide the user with smaller size cells for the plurality of contacts in order to save screen space occupied by the plurality of contacts.
Per claim 7, the modified Safara teaches the system of claim 6, wherein the text is included in the full-width cells and not included in the split-width cells (Kinnunen, figs. 4, 5A-5B and 6; which show text are included in cells of fig. 4 and 5A-5B, but not in cells of fig. 6).
Claims 8-9 and 11-14 are rejected under the same rationale as claims 1-2 and 4-7 respectively.
Claims 15-16 and 18-20 are rejected under the same rationale as claims 1-2 and 4-6 respectively.
Claim(s) 3, 10 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sarafa et al. (“Sarafa”, Pub. No. 2018/0241871), Kinnunen et al. (“Kinnunen”, Pub. No. US 2010/0110105), Voss ( Pub. No. 2021/0041998), and Peiris et al. (Pub. No. US 2018/0295092).
Per claim 3, the modified Sarafa teaches the system of claim 2, comprising changing the ring color for the first candidate having active or inactive content ([0089]), but does not teach wherein the ring for the first candidate recipient changes color after automatically advancing through the plural media content items of the respective active content collection associated with the first candidate recipient.
However, Peiris teaches automatically advancing through the plural media content items of the respective active content collection associated with the first candidate recipient ([0086]… In some embodiments, these unseen ephemeral messages are played (or displayed) chronologically in the order they were received, for example, through an immersive content viewer 440 as illustrated in the example of FIG. 4D. In some embodiments, the immersive content viewer 440 presents all unseen ephemeral messages that were exchanged through the unified message thread first followed by all unseen non-ephemeral messages that were exchanged through the same unified message thread). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the teaching of Peiris in the modified Saraf in order to provide the user with visual indicator to highlight content items that are active or inactive.
Claim 10 is rejected under the same rationale as claim 3.
Claim 17 is rejected under the same rationale as claim 3.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the amendment have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bi et al. (Pub No. US 2023/0353652) discloses retrieving personalized content items based on the level of interactivity and contextual information associated with the task, and sending instructions to the client system for presenting the personalized content items during the idle time, wherein the personalized content items have the determined level of interactivity.
Inquiries
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANH T VU whose telephone number is (571)272-4073. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 7AM - 3:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Fred Ehichioya can be reached at (571) 272-4034. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THANH T VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2179
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