DETAILED ACTION
The action is responsive to the Application filed on 06/28/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending in the case. Claims 1, 6, 11 and 16 are independent claims.
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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, INFORMATION PROCESSING SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM FOR GROUP STORAGE WITH EXPIRATION DATE.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. During examination, the claims must be interpreted as broadly as their terms reasonably allow (In re American Academy of Science Tech Center, 367 F.3d 1359, 1369, 70 U.S.P.Q.2d 1827, 1834 (Fed. Cir. 2004)). Claim 16 recites "a recording medium," which is not comprehensively defined by the specification. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim drawn to a computer readable medium covers forms of transitory propagating signals per se in view of the ordinary and customary meaning of computer readable media, particularly when the specification fails to expressly exclude them. Transitory propagating signals are non-statutory subject matter. (In re Nuijten, 500 F.3d 1346, 1356-57, 84 U.S.P.Q.2d 1495, 1502 (Fed. Cir. 2007)) (transitory embodiments are not directed to statutory subject matter). See also Subject Matter Eligibility of Computer Readable Media (1351 Off. Gaz. Pat. Office 212 (Feb. 23, 2010)). Examiner suggests adding the word "non-transitory." Claims 17-20 are rejected under the same rationale since they depend from claim 16. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 3-6, 8-11, 13-16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lobo et al. (US 20150100503 A1, hereinafter Lobo).
As to claim 1, Lobo discloses an information processing apparatus comprising a hardware processor (“The computing device 1800 includes a processor 1802,” Lobo paragraph 0297) that:
generates, in accordance with a command by a specific user, a storage region that is for storing information used by a plurality of users who belong to a specific group and that is set with an expiration date ("Each context list 102 is tailored to a specific user or group of users and contains one or more contexts (namely, contextual collaboration 104)," Lobo paragraph 0163; "Workspaces (i.e., individual contextual collaboration) that are shared with other users are made available to these users to which the users can contribute and share information, documents, and resources. The users may include those that are within the same organization/business domain(s), as well as users external to such organization/domain(s)," Lobo paragraph 0102; "In some implementations, to create a contextual collaboration, the user specifies only a collaboration name. Referring still to FIG. 1, the system, in some implementations, graphically renders a text input 212 and widget 214 to create a new collaboration. Additional information and settings for the contextual collaboration (e.g., collaboration description, users, files/documents, priority level, permissions, favorite, expiration date, states, tasks, and other configurations as described herein), can be added," Lobo paragraph 0154, user specifies collaboration name and expiration date to create a contextual collaboration workspace that allows users in the contextual collaboration workspace to share documents and resources (i.e., a storage region)); and
displays an icon that corresponds to the storage region on screens of terminals that are respectively operated by the plurality of users until the expiration date arrives ("In some implementations, the method 300 includes creating a context list of contextual collaboration specific to a user (302). A context list may be created for each user associated with the enterprise (e.g., employees of the enterprise, guests of the enterprise, administrators of the enterprise, etc.). Each context list 102 is tailored to a specific user or group of users and contains one or more contexts (namely, contextual collaboration 104). Each contextual collaboration 104 includes one or more projects, meetings, conferences, events, collaborations, ventures, tasks, and/or research endeavors," Lobo paragraph 0163; "A context list is updated for a given user by eliminating any expired contexts or by adding new contexts associated with a user or previously-created contexts that are newly associated with the user (310). In some implementations, the expired contexts are displayed in a separate workspace (i.e., an expired or archived workspace) separate from the active collaboration/contexts. Updating the context list, in some implementations, includes concealing or not displaying contexts that have aged beyond a predetermined time, limiting the number of displayed contexts to a given number or data size, or limiting initial display of contexts to a given number or data size of contexts while revealing older contexts upon further scroll-down or other user feedback," Lobo paragraph 0173; Lobo Figure 1 102, 104a, 104b, 104c, 104d, displaying graphical representations 104a-104d of the contextual collaboration workspaces and removing a contextual collaboration workspace from view when it is expired according to the expiry date).
As to claim 3, Lobo further discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hardware processor disposes at a same rank the icon and a second icon that is disposed in each of the screens ("In some implementations, the method 300 includes creating a context list of contextual collaboration specific to a user (302). A context list may be created for each user associated with the enterprise (e.g., employees of the enterprise, guests of the enterprise, administrators of the enterprise, etc.). Each context list 102 is tailored to a specific user or group of users and contains one or more contexts (namely, contextual collaboration 104). Each contextual collaboration 104 includes one or more projects, meetings, conferences, events, collaborations, ventures, tasks, and/or research endeavors," Lobo paragraph 0163; Lobo Figure 1 102, 104a, 104b, 104c, 104d, displaying graphical representations 104a-104d of multiple contextual collaboration workspaces).
As to claim 4, Lobo further discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hardware processor hides the icon after the expiration date arrives ("A context list is updated for a given user by eliminating any expired contexts or by adding new contexts associated with a user or previously-created contexts that are newly associated with the user (310). In some implementations, the expired contexts are displayed in a separate workspace (i.e., an expired or archived workspace) separate from the active collaboration/contexts. Updating the context list, in some implementations, includes concealing or not displaying contexts that have aged beyond a predetermined time, limiting the number of displayed contexts to a given number or data size, or limiting initial display of contexts to a given number or data size of contexts while revealing older contexts upon further scroll-down or other user feedback," Lobo paragraph 0173, removing a contextual collaboration workspace from view when it is expired according to the expiry date).
As to claim 5, Lobo further discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the expiration date is set in accordance with a command from the specific user ("In some implementations, to create a contextual collaboration, the user specifies only a collaboration name. Referring still to FIG. 1, the system, in some implementations, graphically renders a text input 212 and widget 214 to create a new collaboration. Additional information and settings for the contextual collaboration (e.g., collaboration description, users, files/documents, priority level, permissions, favorite, expiration date, states, tasks, and other configurations as described herein), can be added," Lobo paragraph 0154, user specifies contextual collaboration workspace expiration date).
As to claim 6, Lobo discloses an information processing system, comprising: an information processing apparatus (“The computing device 1800 includes a processor 1802,” Lobo paragraph 0297); and a terminal that is operated by a user who belongs to a specific group (“Users may access an enterprise system 602 via a network 604 from a computing device 606a-c. In some implementations, the computing device 606a-c is configured with a client application that allows the user to access all the available features and functions provided by the enterprise system 602,” Lobo paragraph 0180),
wherein the information processing apparatus:
generates, in response to operation of the terminal by a specific user who belongs to the specific group, a storage region in a storage that is managed by the information processing apparatus, wherein the storage region is for storing information used by a plurality of users who belong to the specific group, and is set with an expiration date ("Each context list 102 is tailored to a specific user or group of users and contains one or more contexts (namely, contextual collaboration 104)," Lobo paragraph 0163; "Workspaces (i.e., individual contextual collaboration) that are shared with other users are made available to these users to which the users can contribute and share information, documents, and resources. The users may include those that are within the same organization/business domain(s), as well as users external to such organization/domain(s)," Lobo paragraph 0102; "In some implementations, to create a contextual collaboration, the user specifies only a collaboration name. Referring still to FIG. 1, the system, in some implementations, graphically renders a text input 212 and widget 214 to create a new collaboration. Additional information and settings for the contextual collaboration (e.g., collaboration description, users, files/documents, priority level, permissions, favorite, expiration date, states, tasks, and other configurations as described herein), can be added," Lobo paragraph 0154, user specifies collaboration name and expiration date to create a contextual collaboration workspace that allows users in the contextual collaboration workspace to share documents and resources (i.e., a storage region)); and
displays an icon that corresponds to the storage region on display screens of the terminals that are respectively operated by the plurality of users until the expiration date arrives ("In some implementations, the method 300 includes creating a context list of contextual collaboration specific to a user (302). A context list may be created for each user associated with the enterprise (e.g., employees of the enterprise, guests of the enterprise, administrators of the enterprise, etc.). Each context list 102 is tailored to a specific user or group of users and contains one or more contexts (namely, contextual collaboration 104). Each contextual collaboration 104 includes one or more projects, meetings, conferences, events, collaborations, ventures, tasks, and/or research endeavors," Lobo paragraph 0163; "A context list is updated for a given user by eliminating any expired contexts or by adding new contexts associated with a user or previously-created contexts that are newly associated with the user (310). In some implementations, the expired contexts are displayed in a separate workspace (i.e., an expired or archived workspace) separate from the active collaboration/contexts. Updating the context list, in some implementations, includes concealing or not displaying contexts that have aged beyond a predetermined time, limiting the number of displayed contexts to a given number or data size, or limiting initial display of contexts to a given number or data size of contexts while revealing older contexts upon further scroll-down or other user feedback," Lobo paragraph 0173; Lobo Figure 1 102, 104a, 104b, 104c, 104d, displaying graphical representations 104a-104d of the contextual collaboration workspaces and removing a contextual collaboration workspace from view when it is expired according to the expiry date).
As to claim 8, it is substantially similar to claim 3 and is therefore rejected using the same rationale as above.
As to claim 9, it is substantially similar to claim 4 and is therefore rejected using the same rationale as above.
As to claim 10, it is substantially similar to claim 5 and is therefore rejected using the same rationale as above.
As to claim 11, Lobo discloses an information processing method that is executed by an information processing apparatus, the information processing method comprising:
generating, in accordance with a command by a specific user, a storage region that is for storing information used by a plurality of users who belong to a specific group and that is set with an expiration date ("Each context list 102 is tailored to a specific user or group of users and contains one or more contexts (namely, contextual collaboration 104)," Lobo paragraph 0163; "Workspaces (i.e., individual contextual collaboration) that are shared with other users are made available to these users to which the users can contribute and share information, documents, and resources. The users may include those that are within the same organization/business domain(s), as well as users external to such organization/domain(s)," Lobo paragraph 0102; "In some implementations, to create a contextual collaboration, the user specifies only a collaboration name. Referring still to FIG. 1, the system, in some implementations, graphically renders a text input 212 and widget 214 to create a new collaboration. Additional information and settings for the contextual collaboration (e.g., collaboration description, users, files/documents, priority level, permissions, favorite, expiration date, states, tasks, and other configurations as described herein), can be added," Lobo paragraph 0154, user specifies collaboration name and expiration date to create a contextual collaboration workspace that allows users in the contextual collaboration workspace to share documents and resources (i.e., a storage region)); and
displaying an icon that corresponds to the storage region on each of the screens of terminals that are respectively operated by the plurality of users until the expiration date arrives ("In some implementations, the method 300 includes creating a context list of contextual collaboration specific to a user (302). A context list may be created for each user associated with the enterprise (e.g., employees of the enterprise, guests of the enterprise, administrators of the enterprise, etc.). Each context list 102 is tailored to a specific user or group of users and contains one or more contexts (namely, contextual collaboration 104). Each contextual collaboration 104 includes one or more projects, meetings, conferences, events, collaborations, ventures, tasks, and/or research endeavors," Lobo paragraph 0163; "A context list is updated for a given user by eliminating any expired contexts or by adding new contexts associated with a user or previously-created contexts that are newly associated with the user (310). In some implementations, the expired contexts are displayed in a separate workspace (i.e., an expired or archived workspace) separate from the active collaboration/contexts. Updating the context list, in some implementations, includes concealing or not displaying contexts that have aged beyond a predetermined time, limiting the number of displayed contexts to a given number or data size, or limiting initial display of contexts to a given number or data size of contexts while revealing older contexts upon further scroll-down or other user feedback," Lobo paragraph 0173; Lobo Figure 1 102, 104a, 104b, 104c, 104d, displaying graphical representations 104a-104d of the contextual collaboration workspaces and removing a contextual collaboration workspace from view when it is expired according to the expiry date).
As to claim 13, it is substantially similar to claim 3 and is therefore rejected using the same rationale as above.
As to claim 14, it is substantially similar to claim 4 and is therefore rejected using the same rationale as above.
As to claim 15, it is substantially similar to claim 5 and is therefore rejected using the same rationale as above.
As to claim 16, Lobo discloses a recording medium storing a program executed by a computer, wherein the program causes the computer to:
generate, in accordance with a command by a specific user, a storage region that is for storing information used by a plurality of users who belong to a specific group and that is set with an expiration date ("Each context list 102 is tailored to a specific user or group of users and contains one or more contexts (namely, contextual collaboration 104)," Lobo paragraph 0163; "Workspaces (i.e., individual contextual collaboration) that are shared with other users are made available to these users to which the users can contribute and share information, documents, and resources. The users may include those that are within the same organization/business domain(s), as well as users external to such organization/domain(s)," Lobo paragraph 0102; "In some implementations, to create a contextual collaboration, the user specifies only a collaboration name. Referring still to FIG. 1, the system, in some implementations, graphically renders a text input 212 and widget 214 to create a new collaboration. Additional information and settings for the contextual collaboration (e.g., collaboration description, users, files/documents, priority level, permissions, favorite, expiration date, states, tasks, and other configurations as described herein), can be added," Lobo paragraph 0154, user specifies collaboration name and expiration date to create a contextual collaboration workspace that allows users in the contextual collaboration workspace to share documents and resources (i.e., a storage region)); and
display an icon that corresponds to the storage region on screens of terminals that are respectively operated by the plurality of users until the expiration date arrives ("In some implementations, the method 300 includes creating a context list of contextual collaboration specific to a user (302). A context list may be created for each user associated with the enterprise (e.g., employees of the enterprise, guests of the enterprise, administrators of the enterprise, etc.). Each context list 102 is tailored to a specific user or group of users and contains one or more contexts (namely, contextual collaboration 104). Each contextual collaboration 104 includes one or more projects, meetings, conferences, events, collaborations, ventures, tasks, and/or research endeavors," Lobo paragraph 0163; "A context list is updated for a given user by eliminating any expired contexts or by adding new contexts associated with a user or previously-created contexts that are newly associated with the user (310). In some implementations, the expired contexts are displayed in a separate workspace (i.e., an expired or archived workspace) separate from the active collaboration/contexts. Updating the context list, in some implementations, includes concealing or not displaying contexts that have aged beyond a predetermined time, limiting the number of displayed contexts to a given number or data size, or limiting initial display of contexts to a given number or data size of contexts while revealing older contexts upon further scroll-down or other user feedback," Lobo paragraph 0173; Lobo Figure 1 102, 104a, 104b, 104c, 104d, displaying graphical representations 104a-104d of the contextual collaboration workspaces and removing a contextual collaboration workspace from view when it is expired according to the expiry date).
As to claim 18, it is substantially similar to claim 3 and is therefore rejected using the same rationale as above.
As to claim 19, it is substantially similar to claim 4 and is therefore rejected using the same rationale as above.
As to claim 20, it is substantially similar to claim 5 and is therefore rejected using the same rationale as above.
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 2, 7, 12 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lobo et al. (US 20150100503 A1, hereinafter Lobo) in view of McLean (US 20150012639 A1, hereinafter McLean).
As to claim 2, Lobo discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, however Lobo does not appear to explicitly disclose a limitation wherein the specific group is a class to which a course is to be taught.
McLean teaches a limitation wherein the specific group is a class to which a course is to be taught ("In one embodiment, for example, a sociology professor in a university teaches a graduate course having a class of 50 students. The professor places a set of files, each file including a recently published sociology research paper, in a cloud storage directory for her students and asks each student to prepare a presentation on a sociology topic of his/her selection based on the published research papers. The professor connects to a cloud storage server managing the cloud storage directory and creates a group that includes her students as group members via a graphical user interface provided by the cloud storage server. The professor then associates the new group with the cloud storage directory and generates a configurable file-access policy for the files in the cloud storage directory," McLean paragraph 0020).
Accordingly it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Lobo to include a classroom group as taught by McLean. One would have been motivated to make such a combination so that the finished product could support more kinds of use cases, thus enhancing the utility of the finished product.
As to claim 7, it is substantially similar to claim 2 and is therefore rejected using the same rationale as above.
As to claim 12, it is substantially similar to claim 2 and is therefore rejected using the same rationale as above.
As to claim 17, it is substantially similar to claim 2 and is therefore rejected using the same rationale as above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20190386841 A1 to Yoshida et al. discloses an information processing system, information processing apparatus and information processing method where a shared board for a group of users can be generated, setting an expiry date for the shared board and deleting the shared board when the expiry date occurs;
US 20180081927 A1 to Soryal et al. discloses temporary shared storage where a temporary shared storage with a specified expiration date can be created and deleting the temporary shared storage when the expiration date occurs;
US 20080301141 A1 to Banjou discloses a computer readable medium and information processing system where a group storage is created for a group of users, specifying a time limit for some users in the group of users and revoking access for the some users when the time limit occurs; and
US 20070136423 A1 to Gilmore et al. discloses methods, systems and media for managing a collaboration space where a user can indicate an expiration date for a shared collaboration space and deleting the collaboration space when the expiration date occurs.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL SAMWEL whose telephone number is (313) 446-6549. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 8:00-6:00 EST.
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/DANIEL SAMWEL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2171
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