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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on August 16, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hoover et al. (US 2013/0155169 A1).
As to claim 1, Hoover discloses a method [Paragraph 0013], comprising:
receiving, at a virtual meeting platform, a first custom media item provided by a first user of a virtual meeting between a plurality of participants, the plurality of participants comprising the first user [“The virtual conference platform services include recording images into a virtual environment of a plurality user perspectives, virtual environment and avatars to enable effective communication.” Paragraph 0015];
generating a customized virtual meeting invite for the virtual meeting, wherein the customized virtual meeting invite comprises: the first custom media item provided by the first user, and a reference to the virtual meeting [“The request for virtual conference includes the use of a graphical user interface configure e to create invite to other user to join and collect preference information (customized).” Paragraph 0016];
causing the customized virtual meeting invite to be provided to one or more participants of the plurality of participants [“The request causes the virtual conference platform to initiate a request to join along with preference information (customized).” Paragraph 0016]; and
responsive to obtaining an indication of a participant of the one or more participants interacting with the reference to the virtual meeting of the customized virtual meeting invite, instantiating the virtual meeting [“The other users invited select a specific platform based on their request and the conference platform selects a virtual platform inputted by the user who created and initiated the virtual conference.” Paragraph 0041].
As to claim 2, Hoover discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first custom media item comprises at least one of: video data [“The typical video conferencing systems rely on a single user perspective. The examiner chooses this limitation because of the simple or.” Paragraph 0020].
As to claim 3, Hoover discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the customized virtual meeting invite comprises at least one of: a data file configured to cause a presentation of a notification on a client device [“An avatar is used in creating a graphical representation of a human user. The examiner chooses this limitation because of the simple or.” Paragraph 0019].
As to claim 4, Hoover discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: the first custom media item is stored on a cloud storage platform [“The main memory is also store in the network data file (cloud storage) of the users.” Paragraph 0024]; and
the customized virtual meeting invite comprising the first custom media item includes the customized virtual meeting invite comprising a reference to access the first custom media item in the cloud storage platform [“The virtual conference platform base on the user invited selects the environment imputed by the user from the network (cloud storage).” Paragraph 0041].
As to claim 5, Hoover discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the reference to the virtual meeting comprises a link to the virtual meeting [“The network provides a network link to the communication interface for the virtual meeting.” Paragraph 0060].
As to claim 6, Hoover discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, at the virtual meeting platform, a second custom media item provided by the first user [“A second user imputes an image bigger than the first user.” Paragraph 0034]; and
updating the customized virtual meeting invite to include the second custom media item [The avatars that represent the user has been added (updated to the collaboration information.” Paragraph 0034].
As to claim 7, Hoover discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first user comprises a host of the virtual meeting [The network link provides a connection to a host computer for the first user.” Paragraph 0060].
As to claim 8, Hoover discloses a system [700 on FIG. 7], comprising:
a memory [705 on FIG. 7]; and
a processing device [703 on FIG. 7], coupled to the memory, configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at a virtual meeting platform, a first custom media item provided by a first user of a virtual meeting between a plurality of participants, the plurality of participants comprising the first user [“The virtual conference platform services include recording images into a virtual environment of a plurality user perspectives, virtual environment and avatars to enable effective communication.” Paragraph 0015],
generating a customized virtual meeting invite for the virtual meeting, wherein the customized virtual meeting invite comprises: the first custom media item provided by the first user, and a reference to the virtual meeting [“The request for virtual conference includes the use of a graphical user interface configure e to create invite to other user to join and collect preference information (customized).” Paragraph 0016],
causing the customized virtual meeting invite to be provided to one or more participants of the plurality of participants [“The request causes the virtual conference platform to initiate a request to join along with preference information (customized).” Paragraph 0016], and
responsive to obtaining an indication of a participant of the one or more participants interacting with the reference to the virtual meeting of the customized virtual meeting invite, instantiating the virtual meeting [“The other users invited select a specific platform based on their request and the conference platform selects a virtual platform inputted by the user who created and initiated the virtual conference.” Paragraph 0041].
As to claim 9, Hoover discloses the system of claim 8, wherein the first custom media item comprises a theme [“The virtual conference platform select avatars based on the select environment (theme).” Paragraph 0044].
As to claim 10, Hoover discloses the system of claim 9, wherein the theme comprises a theme that indicates to a recipient of the customized virtual meeting invite an identity of the first user [“The user identified as an audience of a slide show includes a speaker.” Paragraph 0036].
As to claim 11, Hoover discloses the system of claim 8, wherein: the customized virtual meeting invite is configured to be saved to a calendar application of a participant of the one or more participants as a calendar event [“The user is invited to a round table discussion customize the virtual environment.” Paragraph 0018]; and
responsive to the participant interacting with the calendar event, the calendar application displays the first custom media item [“The virtual environment platform accesses the acquire data and display it to the user.” Paragraph 0018].
As to claim 12, Hoover discloses the system of claim 8, wherein: the first custom media item is stored on a cloud storage platform [“The main memory is also store in the network data file (cloud storage) of the users.” Paragraph 0024]; and
the customized virtual meeting invite comprising the first custom media item includes the customized virtual meeting invite comprising a reference to access the first custom media item in the cloud storage platform [“The virtual conference platform base on the user invited selects the environment imputed by the user from the network (cloud storage).” Paragraph 0041].
As to claim 13, Hoover discloses the system of claim 8, wherein the reference to the virtual meeting comprises a link to the virtual meeting [“The network provides a network link to the communication interface for the virtual meeting.” Paragraph 0060].
As to claim 14, Hoover discloses the system of claim 8, further comprising: receiving, at the virtual meeting platform, a second first custom media item provided by the first user [“A second user imputes an image bigger than the first user.” Paragraph 0034]; and
updating the customized virtual meeting invite to include the second first custom media item [The avatars that represent the user has been added (updated to the collaboration information.” Paragraph 0034].
As to claim 15, Hoover discloses the system of claim 8, wherein the first user comprises a host of the virtual meeting [The network link provides a connection to a host computer for the first user.” Paragraph 0060].
As to claim 16, Hoover discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processing device [Paragraph 0062], cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at a virtual meeting platform, a custom media item provided by a first user of a virtual meeting between a plurality of participants, the plurality of participants comprising the first user [“The virtual conference platform services include recording images into a virtual environment of a plurality user perspectives, virtual environment and avatars to enable effective communication.” Paragraph 0015];
generating a customized virtual meeting invite for the virtual meeting, wherein the customized virtual meeting invite comprises: the custom media item provided by the first user, and a reference to the virtual meeting [“The request for virtual conference includes the use of a graphical user interface configure e to create invite to other user to join and collect preference information (customized).” Paragraph 0016];
causing the customized virtual meeting invite to be provided to one or more participants of the plurality of participants [“The request causes the virtual conference platform to initiate a request to join along with preference information (customized).” Paragraph 0016]; and
responsive to obtaining an indication of a participant of the one or more participants interacting with the reference to the virtual meeting of the customized virtual meeting invite, instantiating the virtual meeting [“The other users invited select a specific platform based on their request and the conference platform selects a virtual platform inputted by the user who created and initiated the virtual conference.” Paragraph 0041].
As to claim 17, Hoover discloses the computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the custom media item comprises at least one of: video data [“The typical video conferencing systems rely on a single user perspective. The examiner chooses this limitation because of the simple or.” Paragraph 0020].
As to claim 18, Hoover discloses the computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the custom media item comprises a theme [“The virtual conference platform select avatars based on the select environment (theme).” Paragraph 0044].
As to claim 19, Hoover discloses the computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the customized virtual meeting invite comprises at least one of: a data file configured to cause a presentation of a notification on a client device [“An avatar is used in creating a graphical representation of a human user. The examiner chooses this limitation because of the simple or.” Paragraph 0019]
As to claim 20, Hoover discloses the computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein: the custom media item is stored on a cloud storage platform [“The main memory is also store in the network data file (cloud storage) of the users.” Paragraph 0024]; and
the customized virtual meeting invite comprising the custom media item includes the customized virtual meeting invite comprising a reference to access the custom media item in the cloud storage platform [“The virtual conference platform base on the user invited selects the environment imputed by the user from the network (cloud storage).” Paragraph 0041].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
Volkov et al. (US 2025/0365173 A1) discloses a method for participation, in a virtual meeting, of an absent invited virtual meeting user includes receiving input of a first user that has been invited to participate in the virtual meeting.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GERALD GAUTHIER whose telephone number is (571)272-7539. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CAROLYN R EDWARDS can be reached at (571) 270-7136. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GERALD GAUTHIER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2692
April 3, 2026
/CAROLYN R EDWARDS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2692
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