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 .
This Office Action is in response to application filed on July 23, 2024.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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Claims 1, 6, 9, 10, 15 and 17 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 2, 6 and 11 of U.S. Patent No. 12,073,210 in view of Zundel et al. (US 6,543,006).
With respect to Claims 1, U.S. Patent No. 12,073,210 discloses:
A computing system comprising:
a memory configured to store processor executable instructions for an application development platform and a context-aware undo-redo service of the application development platform; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the processor executable instructions to cause the computing system to: (Claim 1, lines 1-9, “A computing device comprising: a memory configured to store processor executable instructions for an application development platform and a context-aware undo-redo service of the application development platform; and a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the processor executable instructions to cause the computing device to:”)
receive a first invocation of an undo operation with respect to a computer project; (Claim 1, lines 10-11; “receive a first invocation of an undo operation with respect to environment variables, wherein the environment variables are values that are entered by a user via a particular form that is displayed within a particular screen of a computer application”)
U.S. Patent No. 12,073,210 does not disclose:
identifying an active context comprising configuration changes to the computer project and circumstance associated with the configuration changes in response to the first invocation;
determining whether a current screen comprises the active context;
implementing a change to the current screen based on the active context when the current screen comprises the active context, the change comprising reversing environment variables displayed within the current screen;
and restoring a most recent change of the configuration changes based on receiving a redo operation invocation with respect to the environment variables displayed.
However, Zundel et al. disclose:
identifying an active context comprising configuration changes to the computer project and circumstance associated with the configuration changes in response to the first invocation; (identifying each affected document (active context) based on a transaction history (configuration changes and circumstance associated with the configuration changes), Column 9, lines 15-27)
determining whether a current screen comprises the active context; (program display can be adjusted (current screen comprises the active context) so that each affected document is temporarily displayed while relevant transactions are undone, Column 9, lines 25-27)
implementing a change to the current screen based on the active context when the current screen comprises the active context, the change comprising reversing environment variables displayed within the current screen; (program display can be adjusted (current screen comprises the active context) so that each affected document is temporarily displayed while relevant transactions are undone (reversing environment variables), Column 9, lines 25-27)
and restoring a most recent change of the configuration changes based on receiving a redo operation invocation with respect to the environment variables displayed. (Undoing the undo transaction, e.g., performing a redo operation, would bring program state back to as it existed at transaction boundary, Column 6, lines 44-46; a user may elect, at transaction TN 110, to undo all transactions back to transaction T2 104, the beginning of which is the end 112 of T1 102, and then subsequently decide to redo transactions through transaction T10 (restoring a most recent change), Column 8, lines 11-15)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching of Zundel et al. into the teaching of U.S. Patent No. 12,073,210 to include identifying an active context comprising configuration changes to the computer project and circumstance associated with the configuration changes in response to the first invocation, determining whether a current screen comprises the active context, implementing a change to the current screen based on the active context when the current screen comprises the active context, the change comprising reversing environment variables displayed within the current screen and restoring a most recent change of the configuration changes based on receiving a redo operation invocation with respect to the environment variables displayed in order to provide automatic support for undoing, redoing and aborting transactions in a programming environment without confusing a user. (Columns 1 and 9, lines 6-9 and 18-27 respectively)
With respect to Claim 6, U.S. Patent No. 12,073,210 discloses:
The computing system of claim 1, wherein the environment variables comprise values that are entered by a user via a particular form that is within one of the current screen or a second screen of the computer project. (Claim 1, lines 11-14; “wherein the environment variables are values that are entered by a user via a particular form that is displayed within a particular screen of a computer application”)
With respect to Claim 9, U.S. Patent No. 12,073,210 discloses:
The computing system of claim 1, wherein the processor executable instructions cause the computing system to navigating to a second screen of the computer project. (Claim 2, lines 1-5; “The computing device of claim 1, wherein the context-aware undo-redo service comprises processor executable instructions adapted to control and implement the undo operation, a redo operation, and record and utilize an active context of the computer application”)
Claims 10 and 15 are method claims similar to the computing system claims 1 and 6 above and thus, are rejected for the same reasons in view of claim 6 of U.S. Patent No. 12,073,210.
Claim 17 is a computing program product claim similar to the computing system claim 1 above and thus, is rejected for the same reasons in view of claim 11 of U.S. Patent No. 12,073,210.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Zundel et al. (US 6,543,006).
With respect to Claim 1, Zundel et al. disclose:
a memory configured to store processor executable instructions for an application development platform and a context-aware undo-redo service of the application development platform; (see Figure 7; memory 308, Column 14, lines 59-67))
and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the processor executable instructions to cause the computing system to: (see Figure 7; processor 306 coupled to memory 308, Column 14, lines 59-67)
receive a first invocation of an undo operation with respect to a computer project; (receiving an undo operation for a CAD assembly document A (computer project) that contains two parts, each respectively located in incorporating documents B and C, Column 9, lines 12-15)
identifying an active context comprising configuration changes to the computer project and circumstance associated with the configuration changes in response to the first invocation; (identifying each affected document (active context) based on a transaction history (configuration changes and circumstance associated with the configuration changes), Column 9, lines 15-27)
determining whether a current screen comprises the active context; (program display can be adjusted (current screen comprises the active context) so that each affected document is temporarily displayed while relevant transactions are undone, Column 9, lines 25-27)
implementing a change to the current screen based on the active context when the current screen comprises the active context, the change comprising reversing environment variables displayed within the current screen; (program display can be adjusted (current screen comprises the active context) so that each affected document is temporarily displayed while relevant transactions are undone (reversing environment variables), Column 9, lines 25-27)
and restoring a most recent change of the configuration changes based on receiving a redo operation invocation with respect to the environment variables displayed. (Undoing the undo transaction, e.g., performing a redo operation, would bring program state back to as it existed at transaction boundary, Column 6, lines 44-46; a user may elect, at transaction TN 110, to undo all transactions back to transaction T2 104, the beginning of which is the end 112 of T1 102, and then subsequently decide to redo transactions through transaction T10 (restoring a most recent change), Column 8, lines 11-15)
With respect to Claim 2, all the limitations of Claim 1 have been addressed above; and Zundel et al. further disclose:
wherein the processor executable instructions cause the computing system to navigating to a second screen of the computer project. (program display can be adjusted so that each affected document is temporarily displayed (navigate to a second screen) while relevant transactions are undone, Column 9, lines 25-27)
With respect to Claim 3, all the limitations of Claim 2 have been addressed above; and Zundel et al. further disclose:
wherein the computing system navigates to the second screen of the computer project based on the circumstance associated with the configuration changes when the current screen does not comprise the active context. (program display can be adjusted so that each affected document is temporarily displayed (navigate to a second screen/current screen does not have the active context/is not relevant) while relevant transactions are undone, Column 9, lines 25-27)
With respect to Claim 4, all the limitations of Claim 1 have been addressed above; and Zundel et al. further disclose:
wherein the processor executable instructions cause the computing system to receive a second invocation of an undo operation with respect to environment variables displayed within a second screen subsequent to navigating to the second screen. (program display can be adjusted so that each affected document is temporarily displayed (after navigating to the second screen) while relevant transactions are undone (second invocation of an undo operation/performing the undo operation), Column 9, lines 25-27)
With respect to Claim 5, all the limitations of Claim 1 have been addressed above; and Zundel et al. further disclose:
wherein the processor executable instructions cause the computing system to implement a change to a second screen based on the active context in response to a second invocation of an undo operation. (program display can be adjusted so that each affected document is temporarily displayed (second screen) while relevant transactions are undone (second invocation of an undo operation/implement a change), Column 9, lines 25-27)
With respect to Claim 6, all the limitations of Claim 1 have been addressed above; and Zundel et al. further disclose:
wherein the environment variables comprise values that are entered by a user via a particular form that is within one of the current screen or a second screen of the computer project. (identified transactions (environment variables) are operations where a user has directed that some change be made to a CAD model, (values entered by a user via a particular form), Column 4, lines 14-18; transactions can include a user's selection of a triangle creation operation, selection of where within a drawing to place the triangle, as well as sizing and attribute selections (environment variables) within the CAD environment (particular form), Column 6, lines 30-33)
With respect to Claim 7, all the limitations of Claim 1 have been addressed above; and Zundel et al. further disclose:
wherein the circumstance associated with the configuration changes comprise a stack of most recent circumstances of the application development platform, a user interface of the application development platform, and configuration changes made to the application development platform and the user interface. (A transaction (circumstance) is roughly a group of actions (stack of most recent circumstances) which are effectively inseparable, such that they are all either done or all not done. Generally, identified transactions are operations where a user has directed that some change be made to a CAD model. (configuration change made to the application development platform) Unidentified transactions are behind the scenes or automatic actions. For example, there are events related to a mouse, such as move, button click, or drag events, that generate events, but are not recognized by the user as a transaction per se. (configuration change made to the user interface) (An event is essentially a notification to a program that some action has occurred.) Unidentified transactions can also include changes to how the model is viewed, but which do not actually change the model itself, as well as program responses to user actions, which include displaying the outcome of an operation by modifying a graphics scene to show a different view, dynamically rotating the model, highlighting selected objects, etc., Column 4, lines 14-29)
With respect to Claim 8, all the limitations of Claim 1 have been addressed above; and Zundel et al. further disclose:
wherein the processor executable instructions cause the computing system to record the active context in a form or organized within a data structure stored in the memory. (State changes are recorded by the transaction system using bulletins (record the active context in a form or organized within a data structure) wherein a bulletin is required to be able to build a list of all state (e.g. memory) changes that occurred for the bulletin, so that the memory changes can be applied to result in a final memory state corresponding to the bulletin's initial state, Column 8, lines 2-11)
With respect to Claim 9, all the limitations of Claim 1 have been addressed above; and Zundel et al. further disclose:
wherein the context-aware undo-redo service comprises processor executable instructions adapted to control and implement the undo operation, a redo operation, and record and utilize the active context of a computer application. (program developer is preparing a CAD application program with the API. A CAD program, being a highly complex and resource intensive application, illustrates the flexibility of the claimed memory-based approach to reversion tracking. The term "reversion" is intended to include operation of the invention as incorporated into an API or other development environment. The terms "undo", "redo" and "abort" (undo operation/redo operation) refer to operations performed by the CAD program written with the API. Undo means to take a CAD design to a previous state. Redo means to undo an undo operation, e.g., to restore program operation to a later program state. Abort, similar to undo, means to stop a program operation and restore program operation to a known previous state, and to forget the changes made during the stopped program operation., Column 3, lines 53-67; State changes are recorded by the transaction system using bulletins and used for undo/redo operations (record and utilize the active context of a computer application), Column 8, lines 2-11)
Claims 10-16 are method claims corresponding to the system claims above (Claims 1-7) and, therefore, are rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejections of Claims 1-7.
Claims 17-20 are computing program product claims corresponding to the system claims above (Claims 1-4) and, therefore, are rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejections of Claims 1-4.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hatch (US 11,003,839) discloses a smart interface with facilitated input and mistake recovery.
Arisa Sakamoto et al. (“Method for Visualizing Undone Operations Based on Changes on Desktop Screen”, Mar 2014) discloses notifying a user that an undo operation is not visible.
Schultz et al. (US 9,329,762) discloses reversing editing operations in media-rich projects.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LANNY N UNG whose telephone number is (571)270-7708. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 6am-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bradley Teets can be reached at 571-272-3338. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LANNY N UNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2197
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