CTNF 18/790,895 CTNF 87365 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. DETAILED ACTION This is a reply to the application filed on 7/31/2024, in which, claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1, 16, and 20 are independent. When making claim amendments, the applicant is encouraged to consider the references in their entireties, including those portions that have not been cited by the examiner and their equivalents as they may most broadly and appropriately apply to any particular anticipated claim amendments. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Drawings The drawings filed on 7/31/2024 are accepted. Specification The disclosure filed on 7/31/2024 is accepted. Response to Arguments In communications filed on 2/27/2026, claims 1-20 are presented for examination. Claims 1, 16, and 20 are independent. Applicant has elected, with travers, Group II, claims 1, 3, 10, 12-14, 16, 18, and 20. Amended claim(s): 7 Applicants’ arguments, see Applicant Arguments/Remarks filed 2/27/2026, with respect to Election/Restriction requirement have been considered but are unpersuasive. Species restriction is proper where the claims cover multiple patentably distant species and a serious search/examination burden exists. MPEP § 808.01. The Election/Restriction Requirement (mailed 12/31/24) clearly identified generic claims (claims 1, 16, and 20), clearly listed each claimed species groups (Groups I-IX), and provided rationale for the species being independent or distinct, and not obvious variants. For example, Group I species are drawn to a device and method wherein the component is a sensor configured to collect sensitive data about a user whereas Group II are drawn to a device and method wherein the component is a camera configured to collect image data, which is independent or distinct and not obvious variant of Group I, III- IX species. Similarly, Group III claims are drawn to a device and method wherein the component is a microphone configure to capture audio data, which is independent or distinct and not obvious variant of Group I, II, and IV-IX species. Note that Group I species is concerned with collecting sensitive data about a user while none of the other species collect sensitive data about a user. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1, 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20140123208 A1 (hereinafter ‘Plage’) . As regards claim 1 , Plage (US 20140123208 A1) discloses: A computing device (Plage: Fig. 1), comprising: user interface; (Plage: Fig. 1, component 22) and user interface pipeline circuitry coupled to the user interface and configured to (Plage: Fig. 1): process a set of data received from a first source to produce an output for the user interface of the computing device; (Plage: Figs. 1, 3-6, ¶19-¶20, ¶27-¶35, i.e., various sources (i.e., gesture, audio, video, camera) of data to be outputted through user interfaces) receive, from a second source, an indication that a component of the computing device has been activated; and (Plage: Figs. 1, 3-6, ¶19-¶20, ¶27-¶35, i.e., monitoring activation of sensors) prior to presenting the output via the user interface, insert, into the output, an indicator of the component being activated. (Plage: Figs. 1, 3-6, ¶19-¶20, ¶27-¶42, i.e., indicating a warning on the display device when unauthorized component activation is detected) As regards claim 3 , Plage discloses the computing device of claim 1, wherein the component is a camera configured to collect image data. Plage: Figs. 1, 3-6, ¶19-¶20, ¶27-¶35) Claim Objections Claim 10 is objected. Claim recites allowable subject matter: “wherein the user interface pipeline circuitry includes an extraction stage configured to: extract data corresponding to where the indicator is inserted into the output to confirm that the indicator remains inserted into the output prior to the output being presented via the user interface” not taught by prior art taken alone or in combination. Claim would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the respective base claims and any intervening claims. Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-07 AIA 07-97 12-51-07 Claim s 16-20 are allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Claim 16 limitation: “extract, from the output prior to presenting the output via the user interface, data corresponding to where an indicator is inserted into the output to indicate that a component of the computing device has been activated” in combination with other limitations not taught by prior art taken alone or in combination. 13-03 AIA The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Claim 20 limitation: “extracting, by a second stage of the user interface pipeline circuitry from the output, data corresponding to where the indicator is inserted to confirm that indicator remains inserted” in combination with other limitations not taught by prior art taken alone or in combination . Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.” Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SYED A ZAIDI whose telephone number is (571)270-5995. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday: 5:30AM-5:30PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Nickerson can be reached at (469) 295-9235. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /SYED A ZAIDI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2432 Application/Control Number: 18/790,895 Page 2 Art Unit: 2432 Application/Control Number: 18/790,895 Page 3 Art Unit: 2432 Application/Control Number: 18/790,895 Page 4 Art Unit: 2432 Application/Control Number: 18/790,895 Page 5 Art Unit: 2432 Application/Control Number: 18/790,895 Page 6 Art Unit: 2432 Application/Control Number: 18/790,895 Page 7 Art Unit: 2432
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