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 § 103
1.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.
2.Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mehmeri et al. (US 20250028579) in view of MURATA et al. (WO 2023122533).
Regarding claims 1, 8 and 15, Mehmeri discloses a method comprising: providing a virtual meeting user interface (UI) (Paragraph: 0035: Mehmeri discusses a user interface (UI) of a virtual meeting) comprising a plurality of regions each presenting a visual item corresponding to a video stream generated by one of a plurality of client devices of a plurality of participants of a virtual meeting (Paragraphs: 0057, 0066 and fig.1, 110, 112, 130A-N: Mehmeri discusses how a multiple regions that enable presentation of visual items corresponding to video streams of client devices provided to platform during the virtual meeting); receiving a first request from a first participant of the plurality of participants of the virtual meeting to share a first media item with other participants of the virtual meeting (Paragraphs: 0050, 0107 and 0125: Mehmeri discusses how a participant of the meeting may share a document, textual data, or video data by typing a question or a note into a chat box provided at a user-interface (UI) for the participant, or choosing to share their UI display (e.g., share their screen) to other participants of the virtual meeting; and how a request by one or more participants of the virtual meeting and perform one or more tasks in response to the request); and causing the first media item to be presented within the first region of the virtual meeting UI (Paragraphs: 0142 and 0144: Mehmeri discusses how the system cause the one or more of the displayed video streams be rearranged in the UI for presentation within the focus region).
Mehmeri discloses the invention set forth above but does not specifically point out “identifying, in a virtual meeting UI, a first region presenting a visual item corresponding to a video stream generated by a first client device of the first participant”
MURATA however discloses identifying, in a virtual meeting UI, a first region presenting a visual item corresponding to a video stream generated by a first client device of the first participant (Paragraphs: 0038, 0044 and fig.4: MURATA discusses three display regions that each can display one or more of the virtual video data streams associated with the virtual meeting identifier (i.e. identifying in a virtual meeting UI); and how one display region displays the first virtual video stream representing the entire image capture area (i.e. a first region presenting a visual item corresponding to a video stream), and a second different display region displays the sixth virtual video data stream representing the recognized object being the writing surface and a third display region different from the first and second display regions displays the second through fourth video data streams associated with each of the respective Users).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention of Mehmeri, and modify a system to identify, in a virtual meeting UI, a first region presenting a visual item corresponding to a video stream generated by a first client device of the first participant, as taught by MURATA, thus allowing to assigns, manages and uses different identifiers in order to facilitate communication in this environment that allows remote users to have enhanced control over the field of view captured at the one location by an image capture device, as discussed by MURATA.
Considering claims 2, 9, and 16, MURATA further discloses the method of claims 1, 8 and 15 wherein the first request to share the first media item is received in response to detecting a user input corresponding to the first participant moving the first media item from a first position that is outside of the virtual meeting UI to a second position within the virtual meeting UI (Paragraphs: 0044, 0029, 0064 and fig.4, 402, 404: MURATA discusses how the system cause that video data stream to be displayed within the first display region 402 and causing the previously displayed video data stream to stop being displayed and present the previous video data stream within the second display region, i.e. moving the first media item from a first position that is outside of the virtual meeting to a second position within the virtual meeting).
Considering claims 3, 10 and 17, Mehmeri discloses the method a claims 1,8 and 15 further comprising: providing, for presentation within the first region of the virtual meeting UI (Paragraph: 0140-0141), a UI indicator indicating that the first media item displayed within the first region of the virtual meeting UI is shared media content associated with the first participant (Paragraphs: 0082-0083 and 0107: Mehmeri discloses how the system allow the virtual assistant to detect that a participant has provided audio data and/or has shared the document, textual data, video, etc.).
Considering claims 4, 11 and 18, Mehmeri discloses the method of claims 1, 8 and 15 wherein the first media item comprises a video item, and the method further comprises providing, for presentation within the first region of the virtual meeting UI, one or more playback controls usable to interact with the video item (Paragraphs: 0104, 0192 and fig.2A).
Considering claims 5, 12 and 19, MURATA further discloses the method of claims 1, 8 and 15 further comprising: receiving a second request from the first participant to share a second media item with other participants of the virtual meeting; providing, for presentation within the first region of virtual meeting UI, a second media item in place of the first media item (Paragraph: 0064 and fig.4, 402, 404: MURATA discusses how a user can select the icon causing the user interface generator to request the video stream of the whiteboard and cause that video data stream to be displayed within the first display region 402 and causing the previously displayed video data stream to stop being displayed); and providing one or more UI elements for display within the virtual meeting UI, wherein the one or more UI elements are useable by the first participant to switch between displaying the first and the second media items within the first region of the virtual meeting UI Paragraphs: (Paragraphs: 0064, 0029, 0044 and fig.4, 402, 404).
Considering claims 6, 13 and 20, Mehmeri discloses the method of claims 1, 8 and 15 further comprising: automatically adjusting an aspect ratio of the first region of the virtual meeting UI to match an aspect ratio of the first media item (Paragraphs: 0097, 0147 and fig.2A: Mehmeri discusses how the system automatically without any user input specifying which video stream is to be displayed at the region within the UI ).
Considering claims 7 and 14, Mehmeri discloses the method of claims 1 and 8, wherein causing the first media item to be presented within the first region of the virtual meeting UI comprises causing the first media item to be presented within the first region of virtual meeting UI together with the visual item corresponding to the video stream generated by the first client device or in place of the visual item corresponding to the video stream generated by the first client device (Paragraphs: 0140, 0142, 0144 and fig.2B, 260: Mehmeri discusses how the system cause the one or more of the displayed video streams be rearranged in the UI for presentation within the focus region; and how a layout with a focus region, a subregion, and a side region, to illustrate visual items).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YOSEF K LAEKEMARIAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5149. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30-6:30 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Duc Nguyen can be reached at (571) 272-7503. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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YOSEF K. LAEKEMARIAM
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2651
/YOSEF K LAEKEMARIAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691
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