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 . The present office action is responsive to communication received 8/30/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 11/26/2025 was filed after the mailing date of the application no. 18/821,767 on 08/30/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim interpretation U.S.C. 112 (f)
This application includes one or more claim limitations that use the word “means” or “step” but are nonetheless not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph because the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure, materials, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “a communication device configured for receiving … transmitting …” and “ a processing device configured for analyzing the first data based on a rule data” in claim 11.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are not being interpreted to cover only the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant intends to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to remove the structure, materials, or acts that performs the claimed function; or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) does/do not recite sufficient structure, materials, or acts to perform the claimed function.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1, 5-8, 10-11, and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 102(a) (2) as being anticipated by Fishkov et al. (US 20240330501).
Regarding claim 1,
Fishkov teaches a method of facilitating secure communication, the method comprising:
receiving, using a communication device, a first data from a first user device;
[Conference management server 750 may be configured to receive information from user devices 720 over network 740 (Fishkov et al., paragraph 76, user device sending the data)]
[For example, conference management server 750 may be configured to analyze images, video signals, and audio signals sent by users 730A-730E, and analyze the received content (Fishkov et al., paragraph 76, sent by users)]
[The selective encryption system receives one or more images for a video stream that is to be distributed to different user devices over a data network. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 12)]
analyzing, using a processing device, the first data based on a rule data;
[Detecting (at 506) the sensitive data in the first set of regions includes analyzing the image data in each region according to a set of differentiating criteria. The analysis may include comparing the image data in each region to the differentiating criteria (Fishkov et al., paragraph 51, the rule data being the differentiating criteria)]
generating, using the processing device, a manipulated data based on the analyzing;
[detecting and encrypting the sensitive image data based on motion within the sensitive image data prevents attackers from determining the identities, expressions, responses, and/or dialog of the one or more persons in the images or video stream. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 14, encrypting data may be interpreted to manipulating it)]
and transmitting, using the communication device, the manipulated data to a second user device.
[Distributing (at 114) the selectively encrypted image includes transmitting one or more data packets for the encrypted and compressed image data of the selectively encrypted image to recipient device 103 over a data network. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 33)]
Regarding claim 11,
Fishkov teaches A system for facilitating secure communication, the system comprising:
a communication device configured for:
receiving a first data from a first user device;
[Conference management server 750 may be configured to receive information from user devices 720 over network 740 (Fishkov et al., paragraph 76, user device sending the data)]
[For example, conference management server 750 may be configured to analyze images, video signals, and audio signals sent by users 730A-730E, and analyze the received content (Fishkov et al., paragraph 76, sent by users)]
[The selective encryption system receives one or more images for a video stream that is to be distributed to different user devices over a data network. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 12)]
and transmitting the first data to a second user device based on an analyzing;
[Distributing (at 114) the selectively encrypted image includes transmitting one or more data packets for the encrypted and compressed image data of the selectively encrypted image to recipient device 103 over a data network. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 33)]
and a processing device configured for analyzing the first data based on a rule data.
[Detecting (at 506) the sensitive data in the first set of regions includes analyzing the image data in each region according to a set of differentiating criteria. The analysis may include comparing the image
Regarding claim 19,
Fishkov teaches a method of facilitating secure communication, the method comprising:
receiving, using a communication device, a first data from a first user device;
[Conference management server 750 may be configured to receive information from user devices 720 over network 740 (Fishkov et al., paragraph 76, user device sending the data)]
[For example, conference management server 750 may be configured to analyze images, video signals, and audio signals sent by users 730A-730E, and analyze the received content (Fishkov et al., paragraph 76, sent by users)]
[The selective encryption system receives one or more images for a video stream that is to be distributed to different user devices over a data network. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 12)]
analyzing, using a processing device, the first data based on a rule data;
[Detecting (at 506) the sensitive data in the first set of regions includes analyzing the image data in each region according to a set of differentiating criteria. The analysis may include comparing the image data in each region to the differentiating criteria (Fishkov et al., paragraph 51)]
and transmitting, using the communication device, the first data to a second user device.
[Distributing (at 114) the selectively encrypted image includes transmitting one or more data packets for the encrypted and compressed image data of the selectively encrypted image to recipient device 103 over a data network. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 33)]
Regarding claim 20,
Fishkov teaches a method of facilitating secure communication, the method comprising:
receiving, using a communication device, a first data from a first user device;
[Conference management server 750 may be configured to receive information from user devices 720 over network 740 (Fishkov et al., paragraph 76, user device sending the data)]
[For example, conference management server 750 may be configured to analyze images, video signals, and audio signals sent by users 730A-730E, and analyze the received content (Fishkov et al., paragraph 76, sent by users)]
[The selective encryption system receives one or more images for a video stream that is to be distributed to different user devices over a data network. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 12)]
analyzing, using a processing device, the first data based on a rule data;
[Detecting (at 506) the sensitive data in the first set of regions includes analyzing the image data in each region according to a set of differentiating criteria. The analysis may include comparing the image data in each region to the differentiating criteria (Fishkov et al., paragraph 51)]
generating, using the processing device, a manipulated data based on the analyzing;
[detecting and encrypting the sensitive image data based on motion within the sensitive image data prevents attackers from determining the identities, expressions, responses, and/or dialog of the one or more persons in the images or video stream. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 14)]
and transmitting, using the communication device, the manipulated data to a second user device.
[Distributing (at 114) the selectively encrypted image includes transmitting one or more data packets for the encrypted and compressed image data of the selectively encrypted image to recipient device 103 over a data network. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 33)]
Regarding claim 5 and 14,
Fishkov discloses the method of claim 1 and the system of claim 11,
wherein the first data comprises a video data corresponding to a face of a first user corresponding to the first user device, wherein the generating of the manipulated data comprises blurring of the video data, wherein the rule data comprises an indication of facial data as being sensitive.
[The AI/ML techniques are trained with examples of sensitive image data, and may be used to refine the selection and encryption of sensitive image data to specific parts of the body or face (Fishkov et al., paragraph 16, specific body part may be face)]
[the image may be one in a sequence of images that is captured by a camera on a user device (Fishkov et al., paragraph 23, the image is taken by a camera on a user device and it is of a first user)]
[selective encryption system 100 performs the selective encryption on image data representing user faces that are detected using facial detection. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 34, the encryption is done on the user face representing blurring of face)]
Regarding claim 6 and 15,
Fishkov discloses The method of claim 1 and the system of claim 11,
wherein the first data comprises an audio data corresponding to a voice of a first user corresponding to the first user device, wherein the generating of the manipulated data comprises modifying the audio data, wherein the modifying results in non-identification of the first user based on the manipulated data, wherein the rule data comprises an indication of the audio data as being sensitive.
[In some embodiments, selective encryption system 100 distributes (at 114) the selectively encrypted images of the video stream with an encrypted audio stream. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 33)]
[conference management server 750 may be configured to analyze images, video signals, and audio signals sent by users 730A-730E, and analyze the received content for generating corresponding notifications to the users. In some embodiments, conference management server 750 runs one or more instances of selective encryption system 100, and performs the selective encryption and decryption on behalf of user devices 720A-720E. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 76)]
Regarding claim 7 and 16,
Fishkov discloses The method of claim 1 and the system of claim 11,
wherein the rule data comprises an indication of an application,
wherein a part of the first data is originated from the application, wherein the manipulated data does not comprise the part of the first data originated from the application.
[As another example, user devices 720C and 720E include mobile devices such as a tablet or a smartphone having display and video/audio capture capabilities. User devices 720A-720E may also include one or more software applications that facilitate the user devices to engage in communications, such as IM, text messages, EMAIL, VOIP, video conferences, with one another. In some embodiments, user devices 720A-720E implement and run different instances of selective encryption system 100 to allow for the exchange of the selectively encrypted images and video content directly between user devices 720A-720E. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 79)]
Regarding claim 8 and 17,
Fishkov discloses The method of claim 1 and the system of claim 11,
wherein, at least one of the analyzing of the first data and the generating of the manipulated data is based on at least one artificial intelligence model.
[The AI/ML techniques analyze the image data, and differentiate (at 306) specific objects, movements, and/or features in the image data that are associated with sensitive information and/or are classified as sensitive. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 39)]
Regarding claim 10 and 18,
Fishkov discloses The method of claim 1 and the system of claim 11,
wherein the generating of the manipulated data comprises encrypting a part of the first data to obtain an encrypted data, wherein the manipulated data comprises the encrypted data in place of the part of the first data.
[encrypting image data involves scrambling that image data. The scrambling of the image data may prevent existing image or video compression techniques from identifying redundant or common pixel color values, detecting motion between common regions of different frames, and/or determining other commonality in an image or between images (Fishkov et al., paragraph 20)]
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Fishkov et al. (US 20240330501) in view of Thota et al. (US 20150381578).
Regarding claim 3,
Fishkov teaches the method of claim 1,
wherein the receiving of the first data is performed through a first communication network,
[The selective encryption system receives one or more images for a video stream that is to be distributed to different user devices over a data network. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 12)]
Fishkov fails to explicitly disclose receiving an indication of the first communication network from the first user device, wherein the rule data comprises the indication of the first communication network, wherein the manipulated data does not comprise the first data.
However analogous art Thota discloses
receiving an indication of the first communication network from the first user device
[each rule 605, 610, or 615 has a rule identifier set 620 and a rule attribute set 625. For the logical-network rules 605, the rule identifiers 620 in some embodiments are logical network identifiers (e.g., virtual network identifiers (VNIs) of VXLAN-based logical networks, or virtual distributed router identifiers (VDRIs) of a logical router). (Thota et al., paragraph 78, each rule has a network id which is an indication of the network)]
[the processor 450 receives or specifies an encryption rule (Thota et al., paragraph 74, rule contains the network id and its being received)]
wherein the rule data comprises the indication of the first communication network, wherein the manipulated data does not comprise the first data.
[each rule 605, 610, or 615 has a rule identifier set 620 and a rule attribute set 625. For the logical-network rules 605, the rule identifiers 620 in some embodiments are logical network identifiers (e.g., virtual network identifiers (VNIs) of VXLAN-based logical networks, or virtual distributed router identifiers (VDRIs) of a logical router). (Thota et al., paragraph 78, each rule has a network id which is an indication of the network)]
Fishkov and Thota are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of data encryption. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the instant application effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Fishkov to incorporate the teachings of Thota et al. to include receiving an indication of the first communication network from the first user device, wherein the rule data comprises the indication of the first communication network, wherein the manipulated data does not comprise the first data, in order to help identify the type of encryption/decryption. (Thota et al., column 4, lines 16- 23)]
Claims 4 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Fishkov et al. (US 20240330501) in view of Mirth et al. (US 12461509).
Regarding claims 4 and 13,
Fishkov discloses The method of claim 1 and the system of claim 11, but fails to explicitly disclose receiving, using the communication device, a modified rule data from the first user device, wherein the analysis of the first data is further based on the modified rule data.
However in an analogous art Mirth discloses receiving, using the communication device, a modified rule data from the first user device, wherein the analysis of the first data is further based on the modified rule data.
[Once security policies 408, or updates to security policies, have been implemented and/or enforced, new data 410 may be collected and transmitted back to the service provider 30, either directly or via the enterprise system 324. The service provider 30 may use the new data 410 to retrain and/or refine the security policy and development engine 406, or to evaluate the revised security policies 408. (Mirth et al., column 13, lines 44-51)]
Fishkov and Mirth are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of data encryption. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the instant application effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Fishkov to incorporate the teachings of Mirth et al. to include receiving, using the communication device, a modified rule data from the first user device, wherein the analysis of the first data is further based on the modified rule data, in order to help improve the AI-based security policy development engine. (Mirth et al., column 4, lines 16- 23)]
Claim 2, 9, and 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Shan et al. (US 20180157822) in view of Clauss et al. (US 20210042805).
Regarding claims 2 and 12,
Fishkov discloses the method of claim 1 and the system of claim 11, wherein the manipulated data does not comprise any identification data associated with a first user corresponding to the first user device.
[detecting and encrypting the sensitive image data based on motion within the sensitive image data prevents attackers from determining the identities, expressions, responses, and/or dialog of the one or more persons in the images or video stream. (Fishkov et al., paragraph 14)]
Fishkov fails to explicitly disclose receiving, using the communication device, an anonymization request data from the first user device, wherein the rule data comprises the anonymization request data.
However in an analogous art Clauss discloses receiving, using the communication device, an anonymization request data from the first user device, wherein the rule data comprises the anonymization request data
[owner 102 may submit the privacy directive without receiving a request, as part of his initial submission of a new personal data stream, as a request to add a privacy directive to an existing personal data stream, and/or as a request to modify an earlier privacy directive. After receiving the privacy directive from owner 102, trusted data bank 122 may extract the preferences expressed therein, and/or apply them owner 102's personal data stream. (Clauss et al., paragraph 68, request to add privacy can be interpreted as anonymization request)]
Fishkov and Clauss are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of data encryption. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the instant application effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Fishkov to incorporate the teachings of Clauss et al. to include receiving, using the communication device, an anonymization request data from the first user device, wherein the rule data comprises the anonymization request data, in order to keep tabs on the type of information that is being shared and receiving an alert to the sharing of any unwanted personal data or identifying information that one may no longer wish to share. (Clauss et al., paragraph 88))]
Regarding claim 9,
Fishkov discloses The method of claim 1, but fails to explicitly disclose generating, using the processing device, an alert data based on an indication of a sharing action performed by a first user of the first user device, wherein the rule data comprises the indication of the sharing action; and transmitting, using the communication device, the alert data to the first user device.
However in an analogous art Clauss discloses generating, using the processing device, an alert data based on an indication of a sharing action performed by a first user of the first user device, wherein the rule data comprises the indication of the sharing action; and transmitting, using the communication device, the alert data to the first user device.
[This view is useful for an owner of personal data streams to keep tabs on the type of information he or she is sharing, and will alert them to the sharing of any unwanted personal data or identifying information that they may no longer wish to share. (Clauss et al., paragraph 88)]
Fishkov and Clauss are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of data encryption. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the instant application effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Fishkov to incorporate the teachings of Clauss et al. to include receiving, using the communication device, a modified rule data from the first user device, wherein the analysis of the first data is further based on the modified rule data, in order to keep tabs on the type of information that is being shared and receiving an alert to the sharing of any unwanted personal data or identifying information that one may no longer wish to share. (Clauss et al., paragraph 88))]
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zimmerman et al. (US 12197620) discloses detecting anomalies in images, extracting personal data from the image and encrypting the personal data and then later comparing the decrypted personal data to other personal data stored.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL ELAHIAN whose telephone number is (703) 756-1284. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday from 7:30am to 5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Catherine Thiaw can be reached at telephone number 571-270-1138. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/D.E./DANIEL ELAHIAN, Examiner, Art Unit 2407
/Catherine Thiaw/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2407 12/12/2025