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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant Arguments/Remarks of 06/03/2026 have been considered. No claims have been amended. No claims have been cancelled. No claims have been added. Claims 1-20 are still pending in this application, with claims 1, 10, and 16 being independent.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by McClung et al. (US Patent Application, Pub. No.: US 2008/0112398 A1).
In regards to claims 1, 10, and 16, McClung discloses a communication server system (e.g., communication system 10 or key system 200), a method, and a tangible machine-readable medium (See pg. 2, paragraph [0023]) comprising: one or more processors (e.g., platform 50); and one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media (See pg. 2, paragraph [0023]) storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the communication server system to: detect a call event (i.e., call request) relating to a telephone network identifier; dynamically link one or more active client accounts to a reservable private branch exchange (PBX) system (e.g., PBX 230) identifier based on first details (i.e., calling number/extension) of the call event and second details (i.e., called number/extension) of the one or more active client accounts (See pg. 3, paragraph [0030]), the PBX system employing a session initiation protocol (SIP) (See pg. 2-3, paragraph [0026]); and route call data between one or more devices associated with the active client accounts dynamically linked to the reservable PBX system identifier and a user device associated with the telephone network identifier (See pg. 3, paragraph [0031]).
In regards to claims 2, 11, and 17, McClung discloses the communication server system, method, and tangible machine-readable medium, wherein when the call event comprises an incoming call from the telephone network identifier, execution of the instructions further cause the communication server system to: receive the first details of the call event as part of the incoming call; identify the reservable PBX system identifier from the first details of the call event; retrieve a set of potential client accounts (i.e., calling or called numbers/extensions) that are associated with the reservable PBX system identifier in a database; and select the one or more active client accounts from the set of potential client accounts (See pg. 3, paragraph [0033]).
In regards to claims 3, 12, and 18, McClung discloses the communication server system, method, and tangible machine-readable medium, wherein execution of the instructions further cause the communication server system to: select the one or more active client accounts from the set of potential client accounts by identifying which ones of the set of potential client accounts are associated with currently active users (See pg. 3, paragraph [0033]).
In regards to claim 4, McClung discloses the communication server system, wherein the first details of the call event that identify the reservable PBX system identifier include a telephone extension number (i.e., calling or called number/extension) (See pg. 3, paragraph [0030]).
In regards to claim 5, McClung discloses the communication server system, wherein the first details of the call event that identify the reservable PBX system identifier include a selection from a telephone menu system (i.e., selection of devices 20a-20f) (See pg. 2, paragraph [0025]).
In regards to claims 6, 13, and 19, McClung discloses the communication server system, method, and tangible machine-readable medium, wherein when the call event comprises an outgoing call to the telephone network identifier, execution of the instructions further cause the communication server system to: receive the first details of the call event as part of the outgoing call; identify the one or more active client accounts from the first details of the call event; identify a site assignment for the one or more active client accounts; and identify the reservable PBX system identifier from a list of available telephone network identifiers based on the site assignment (See pg. 3, paragraph [0031]).
In regards to claims 7, 14, and 20, McClung discloses the communication server system, method, and tangible machine-readable medium, wherein execution of the instructions further cause the communication server system to: search all SIP trunks of the PBX system that are associated with the site assignment and a parent region of the site assignment for the list of available telephone network identifiers (See pg. 2-3, paragraph [0026]); select the reservable PBX system identifier as a first available identifier identified from the SIP trunks that are associated with the site assignment (See pg. 3, paragraph [0031]); and select the reservable PBX system identifier as a first available identifier identified from the SIP trunks that are associated with the parent region of the site assignment when the SIP trunks that are associated with the site assignment fail to include any available telephone network identifiers (See pg. 2-3, paragraph [0026] and pg. 4, paragraph [0045]).
In regards to claims 8 and 15, McClung discloses the communication server system and method, wherein execution of the instructions further cause the communication server system to route the call data between the one or more devices associated with the active client accounts dynamically linked to the reservable PBX system identifier and the user device associated with the telephone network identifier by: converting the call data between a first protocol associated with the one or more devices associated with the active client accounts and a second protocol associated with the user device (i.e., selection of devices 20a-20f or converting between audio and/or video) (See pg. 2, paragraph [0025]).
In regards to claim 9, McClung discloses the communication server system, wherein the one or more devices associated with the active client accounts includes a server configured to provide a web based audio/visual conferencing platform through which the call data is routed (See pg. 2, paragraph [0025]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06/03/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In response to Applicant’s argument that McClung does not disclose, teach, or suggest dynamically linking “one or more active client accounts” to a “reservable” PBX system identifier based on “first details of the call event and second details of the one or more active client accounts”, Examiner respectfully disagrees. McClung does disclose, teach, and suggest dynamically linking one or more active client accounts to a reservable private branch exchange (PBX) system (e.g., PBX 230) identifier based on first details (i.e., calling number/extension) of the call event and second details (i.e., called number/extension) of the one or more active client accounts (See pg. 3, paragraph [0030] – [0031]). Therefore, the calling number and called number, of McClung, are linked based on the reserved PBX system 230 and lines 242a and 244a, which are specifically reserved for the requested call. The claims merely disclose “one or more active client accounts”. The claims do not indicate the use of just multiple client accounts. There can simply just be one client account. Furthermore, McClung discloses that PBX system (e.g., PBX 230) is reserved, and that lines 242a and 244a, are also reserved for the call, along with PBX 230. McClung specifically teaches … when a user at telephone 210 sends a call request to a user at telephone 212, circuit 260 through line 240, CSC 220, line 245, PBX 230, and lines 242a and 244a are reserved. Because lines 242a and 244a are reserved, an indicator corresponding to lines 242a and 244a on telephones 212 and 214 will become active. If a user at telephone 212 accepts the call request by answering the telephone, a communication session is established and circuit 260 will be reserved until either the user at telephone 210 or user at telephone 212 decides to terminate the session by hanging up the telephone. If a user at telephone 212 decides to reject the call request by not answering, then circuit 260 remains reserved, and the indicator corresponding to line 242a and 244a remains active, until the user at telephone 210 decides to terminate the call request. Therefore, circuit 260 is reserved from the time a call request is sent through the duration of the call. [0032] Once a circuit is reserved, it is unavailable for other communication sessions until it is released. A circuit is released when either a call request is terminated or a communication session is terminated. For instance, when circuit 260 is reserved, line 240 and line 242a and 244a are unavailable to establish a circuit for another communication session. Thus, because line 240 is reserved for circuit 260, a user at telephone 214 could not establish a communication session with the user at telephone 210 over line 244a when the call has been answered by telephone 212.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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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