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 § 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.
Claim(s) 21, 25-28, 31, 33, 34, 37, 38, and 40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Case (US Patent Application, Pub. No.: US 2011/0117891 A1).
In regards to claims 21, 27, and 34, Case discloses a method, a non-transitory computer readable medium, and a system, comprising: routing a first call (placing a call to a destination, See [0064]), from a first calling device (mobile computing device 110, See Figs. 1A-1C, [0028]-[0030], [0064]) to a first telephone number (See Fig. 5A, call to a destination, the phone number for a call bridge, See Fig. 5A, [0070]) associated with a first software user (call to destination, wherein the destination telephone number corresponds to an extension number(s) required for a conference call, See Figs. 4B-C, 5A, [0062], [0064]-[0068], [0071]-[0074]), to a first conferencing software instance associated with the first software user (call bridge, See Figs. 1 and 5A, [0070]) according to a telephonic selection of a first menu option (See 510, 520, Figs. 5A-5B, [0070], [0072]) presented to a user of the first calling device during the first call (call to destination, wherein the destination telephone number corresponds to an extension number(s) required for a conference call, and in response to the conference call to the destination, the caller is prompted via user interface 520 to send additional digits associated with the call to the telephone number, See Figs. 4B-C, 5A, [0062], [0064]-[0068], [0070]-[0074]); and routing a second call (placing a call to a destination, see [0064]), from a second calling device (mobile computing device 110, See Figs. 1A-1C, [0028]-[0030], [0064]. The examiner notes that the citations for routing the first call and second call are the same. Case discloses multiple mobile computing devices 110 connecting to the phone network (and performing said method disclosed by Case), via one or more networks, thus differentiating between the mobile device that is the first calling device and mobile device that is the second calling device) to a second telephone number (See Fig. 5A, call to a destination, the phone number for a call bridge, See Fig. 5A, [0070]) associated with a second software user (call to destination, wherein the destination telephone number corresponds to an extension number(s) required for a conference call, See Figs. 4B-C, 5A, [0062], [0064]-[0068], [0071]-[0074]), to a second conferencing software instance associated with the second software user (call bridge, See Figs. 1 and 5A, [0070]) according to a telephonic selection of a second menu option (See 510, 520, Figs. 5A-5B, [0070], [0072]) presented to a user of the second calling device during the second call (call to destination, wherein the destination telephone number corresponds to an extension number(s) required for a conference call, and in response to the conference call to the destination, the caller is prompted via user interface 520 to send additional digits associated with the call to the telephone number, See Figs. 4B-C, 5A, [0062], [0064]-[0068], [0070]-[0074]).
In regards to claim 25, Case discloses the method, wherein routing the first call to the first conferencing software instance associated with the first software user according to the telephony selection of the first menu option presented to the user of the first calling device during the first call comprises: determining that the user of the first calling device is on a participant list for a conference associated with the first conferencing software instance (call to destination, wherein the destination telephone number corresponds to an extension number(s) required for a conference call, and in response to the conference call to the destination, the caller is prompted via user interface 520 to send additional digits associated with the call to the telephone number, See Figs. 4B-C, 5A, [0062], [0064]-[0068], [0070]-[0074]).
In regards to claim 26, Case discloses the method, wherein the second software user is a customer of a software platform (call to destination, wherein the destination telephone number corresponds to an extension number(s) required for a conference call, See Figs. 4B-C, 5A, [0062], [0064]-[0068], [0071]-[0074]) and the first software user is an individual device operator of the customer (call bridge, See Figs. 1 and 5A, [0070]).
In regards to claim 28, Case discloses the non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein routing the first call to the first conferencing software instance associated with the first software user according to the telephony selection of the first menu option presented to the user of the first calling device during the first call comprises: opening a channel between the first calling device and the first conferencing software instance (call to destination, wherein the destination telephone number corresponds to an extension number(s) required for a conference call, See Figs. 4B-C, 5A, [0062], [0064]-[0068], [0071]-[0074]).
In regards to claims 31 and 37, Case discloses the non-transitory computer readable medium and system, wherein the first call is routed to the first conferencing software instance based on a participant list for a conference associated with the first conferencing software instance including the user of the first calling device (call to destination, wherein the destination telephone number corresponds to an extension number(s) required for a conference call, and in response to the conference call to the destination, the caller is prompted via user interface 520 to send additional digits associated with the call to the telephone number, See Figs. 4B-C, 5A, [0062], [0064]-[0068], [0070]-[0074]).
In regards to claims 33 and 40, Case discloses the non-transitory computer readable medium and system, wherein the first call and the second call are routed and the first conferencing software instance and the second conferencing software instance are facilitated by a unified communications as a service software platform (various communication protocols and switching mechanism are used to connect calls) (See Fig. 1A, [0026] – [0027]).
In regards to claim 38, Case discloses the system, wherein a first channel is opened between the first calling device and the first conferencing software instance and a second channel is opened between the second calling device and the second conferencing software instance (call to destination, wherein the destination telephone number corresponds to an extension number(s) required for a conference call, and in response to the conference call to the destination, the caller is prompted via user interface 520 to send additional digits associated with the call to the telephone number, See Figs. 4B-C, 5A, [0062], [0064]-[0068], [0070]-[0074]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 22-24, 29, 30, 32, 35, 36, and 39 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Case (US Patent Application, Pub. No.: US 2011/0117891 A1) as applied to claims 21, 25-28, 31, 33, 34, 37, 38, and 40 above, and further in view of Creamer et al. (US Patent Application, Pub. No.: US 2004/0122941 A1).
In regards to claims 22, 30, and 35, Case discloses all of the claims 22, 30, and 35 limitations, except the method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and system, comprising: presenting, to the first calling device in connection with the first call, a first interactive voice response menu including the first menu option; and presenting, to the second calling device in connection with the second call, a second interactive voice response menu including the second menu option. Creamer, however, does disclose presenting, to the first calling device (i.e., user or caller) in connection with the first call, a first interactive voice response menu (menu/options customized to that particular caller/user) including the first menu option; and presenting, to the second calling device (i.e. another/different user or caller) in connection with the second call, a second interactive voice response menu (menu/options customized for that particular caller/user) including the second menu option (See [0010] and [0031]). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to incorporate these features within the system, as a way of providing a method and a system for customizing interactive voice response (IVR) menus.
In regards to claim 23, Case discloses all of claim 23 limitations, except the method, wherein the first interactive voice response menu includes a third menu option associated with the second conferencing software instance. Creamer, however, does disclose wherein the first interactive voice response menu includes a third menu option associated with the second conferencing software instance (the navigational IVR options have hierarchical levels, the caller/user may select the option that sends them to more options, See [0039] – [0040] and [0042]). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to incorporate these features within the system, as a way of providing a method and a system for customizing interactive voice response (IVR) menus.
In regards to claims 24, 32, and 36, Case discloses all of claims 24, 32, and 36 limitations, except the method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and system, comprising: upon an end of an expiration date or an expiration time associated with the first menu option, removing the first menu option from the first interactive voice response menu. Creamer, however, does disclose upon an end of an expiration date or an expiration time associated with the first menu option, removing the first menu option from the first interactive voice response menu (the system determines the number of times that a particular menu node/option is selected and based on that information, and may take out or do not include the menu option/mode that is not used as frequently) (See [0035]). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to incorporate these features within the system, as a way of providing a method and a system for customizing interactive voice response (IVR) menus.
In regards to claims 29 and 39, Case discloses all of claims 29 and 39 limitations, except the non-transitory computer readable medium and system, the operations detecting a disconnection of the first calling device from the first call; and presenting, at the first calling device during a new call from the first calling device to the first telephone number, a menu option to reconnect to the first conferencing software instance. Creamer, however, does disclose the operations detecting a disconnection of the first calling device from the first call; and presenting, at the first calling device during a new call from the first calling device to the first telephone number, a menu option to reconnect to the first conferencing software instance (the IVR menu processor 220 can connect the user directly to the previously requested telephone extension) (See [0032]). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to incorporate these features within the system, as a way of providing a method and a system for customizing interactive voice response (IVR) menus.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THJUAN KNOWLIN ADDY whose telephone number is (571)272-7486. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM - 5:00PM Mon-Fri.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ahmad Matar can be reached at (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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/THJUAN K ADDY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693
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