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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/01/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant argues that the cited references do not disclose the newly added limitations. The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Warrick discloses storing the television setup criteria as a television setup option in a registry of smart home devices on the server computer for use by the smart home application. For example, Warrick discloses that a user profile may be stored in a user profile server and it has entertainment content preferences; see at least paragraphs 0115-0117. Further, Warrick discloses enabling interaction of the user with a control application. For example, Warrick discloses that the entertainment devices utilized by the guest are customized according to the guest profile so the guest can use the device; see at least paragraphs 0118-0120.
Barrilleaux discloses the interaction of the user with a control application running on the network-enabled display device and providing the television setup option for selection by the user by including the television setup option in a user interface of the control application. For example, Barrilleaux discloses a configuration user interface is rendered on a client device and allows the user to specify digital media service providers, such as Zulu, Amazon Prime…etc. and describe media player devices which will be used to consume the digital media. The user interface also allows the user to provide authentication credentials associated with each of the media service providers, allows interaction with the user and allow the user to select options; see at least Fig. 2 and paragraphs 0027-0030.
Claims 1, 19, 27 and 34-35 have been amended, claims 9, 11-18 and 28-33 have been previously canceled.
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.
Claims 1-5, 10, 19-21, 26-27 and 34-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Warrick of record in view of Barrilleaux (US 2021/0271772) and further in view of Patrick (US 2017/0195698).
Regarding claim 1, Warrick discloses a method comprising:
receiving, by a server computer, television setup criteria for a smart home application associated with an account of a user of the smart home application (user profile has entertainment and content preferences; see at least Fig. 11 and paragraphs 0115-0117. Furthermore, a home configuration can be used in a hotel and the device can be the mobile phone of the user; see at least paragraphs 0061-0062 and 0111);
storing the television setup criteria as a television setup option in a registry of smart home devices on the server computer for use by the smart home application (a user profile may be stored in a user profile server and it has entertainment content preferences; see at least paragraphs 0115-0117. Furthermore, a home configuration can be used in a hotel and the device can be the mobile phone of the user; see at least paragraphs 0061-0062 and 0111);
receiving, by the server computer and from a network-enabled display device, a request to log into the account of the user (the user can sign in or authenticates an entertainment device; see at least Fig. 11 and paragraphs 0116 and 0139);
in response to logging into the account of the user:
enabling interaction of the user with a control application (the entertainment devices utilized by the guest are customized according to the guest profile so the guest can use the device; see at least paragraphs 0118-0120); and
receiving an indication of a selection of the television setup option (retrieving guest history and profile; see at least Fig. 11 and paragraphs 0117-0118); and
in response to receiving the indication of the selection of the television setup option:
facilitating use of a streaming service application for the streaming service on the network-enabled display (the streamed content on the TV of the hotel is setup based on the user profile until the user checks out of the hotel; see at least Fig. 11 and paragraphs 0119-0122); and
establishing a temporary mode of operation for the network-enabled display device based on the television setup criteria, the temporary mode allowing the playing of media content by the stream service application (the streamed content on the TV of the hotel is setup based on the user profile until the user checks out of the hotel; see at least Fig. 11 and paragraphs 0119-0122).
Warrick is not clear about the television setup criteria including login credentials for the user as a subscriber to a streaming service and using the login credentials for the user, interaction of the user with a control application running on the network-enabled display device, providing the television setup option for selection by the user by including the television setup option in a user interface of the control application, facilitating an installation of a streaming service application and allowing the playing of media by the streaming service application installed on a network-enabled device.
Barrilleaux discloses the television setup criteria including login credentials for the user as a subscriber to a streaming service and using the login credentials for the use, interaction of the user with a control application running on the network-enabled display device and providing the television setup option for selection by the user by including the television setup option in a user interface of the control application; a configuration user interface is rendered on a client device and allows the user to specify digital media service providers, such as Zulu, Amazon Prime…etc. and describe media player devices which will be used to consume the digital media. The user interface also allows the user to provide authentication credentials associated with each of the media service providers, allows interaction with the user and allow the user to select options; see at least Fig. 2 and paragraphs 0027-0030.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Warrick by the teachings of Barrilleaux by having the above limitations so to be able to discover availability of digital media titles from multiple digital media service providers; see at least the Abstract.
Warrick by the teachings of Barrilleaux are not clear about facilitating an installation of a streaming service application and allowing the playing of media by the streaming service application installed on a network-enabled device.
Patrick discloses a similar invention an discloses the above missing limitation; installing one or more applications on a set top box assigned to a guest to allow watching content; see at least paragraphs 0074, 0082, 0090-0091, 0097 and 0105.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Warrick in view of Barrilleaux by the teachings of Patrick by having the above limitations so to be able to authenticate an provide application access via a hotel management system; see at least paragraph 0004.
Regarding claim 2, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick disclose the method of claim 1,
wherein the network-enabled display device is a first network-enabled display device; and
wherein a television application for a casting device is associated with the user of the smart home application, the casting device being for a home mode of operation of a second network-enabled display device (Warrick; a home configuration can be used in a hotel and the device can be the mobile phone of the user; see at least paragraphs 0061-0062 and 0111).
Regarding claim 3, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick disclose the method of claim 2, wherein the temporary mode of operation for the first network-enabled display device is based on the first network-enabled display device being in a location of the user that is different from the location of the casting device (Warrick; see at least paragraphs 0061-0062 and 0111).
Regarding claim 4, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick disclose the method of claim 3, wherein the home mode of operation for the second network-enabled display device is based on the casting device being interfaced with the second network-enabled display device (Warrick; see at least paragraphs 0061-0062 and 0111).
Regarding claim 5, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick disclose the method of claim 4, wherein the casting device is in a home of the user and the location of the user is a travel accommodation (Warrick; see at least paragraphs 0061-0062 and 0111).
Regarding claim 10, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick disclose the method of claim 1, wherein facilitating the installation of the streaming service application for the streaming service on the network-enabled display device using the login credentials for the user that are included in the television setup criteria comprises:
accessing a streaming service platform for the streaming service application for the streaming service (Patrick; see at least paragraphs 0065 and 0097);
facilitating a downloading of the streaming service application from the streaming service platform to the network-enabled display device for installation on the network-enabled display device (Patrick; see at least paragraphs 0065 and 0097); and
providing a deep link for the streaming service application installed on the network- enabled display device, the deep link for use with back end authentication when logging into the streaming service application on the network-enabled display device using the login credentials for the user as the subscriber to the streaming service that are included in the television setup criteria (the combination of Warrick; see at least paragraphs 0084-0085, 0094, 0097 and 0104 and Barrilleaux’s authentication; see at least the rejection of claim 1 and the app store of Patrick; as above).
Claim 19 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 1, wherein the mobile device is met by Warrick; paragraphs 0060-0061.
Regarding claim 20, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick disclose the method of claim 19, further comprising:
receiving an indication of the use of the television setup criteria by the network-enabled display device (Warrick; see at least the rejection of claim 1); and
generating an entry in the smart home application identifying the network-enabled display device (Warrick; see at least Fig. 3 and paragraph 0036).
Regarding claim 21, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick disclose the method of claim 20, further comprising:
receiving a selection of the entry in the smart home application identifying the network- enabled display device; and
displaying, in a user interface of the smart home application, an option to allow logging out of the account on the network-enabled display device (Warrick; in terms of deleting the configuration of the TV; see at least paragraphs 0036, 0050, 0122, 0128 and 0140).
Regarding claim 26, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick disclose the method of claim 19,
wherein the network-enabled display device is a first network-enabled display device (see at least the rejection of claim 2);
wherein the temporary location of the user is a travel accommodation, and the television setup criteria is for a temporary mode of operation for the first network-enabled display device (see at least the rejection of claim 2); and
wherein a location of the casting device is a home of the user, and the casting device is interfaced with a second network-enabled display device for a home mode of operation for the second network-enabled display device (see at least the rejection of claim 4).
Claim 27 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 1.
Claim 34 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 19.
Claim 35 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 10.
Claims 6-8 and 22-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick and further in view of Sabarish (US 2020/0057862).
Regarding claim 6, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick disclose the method of claim 1, and most of the claim; when the GPS of a user indicates they are more than a predetermined distance away from the hotel, the configuration of the user is deleted and the user profile keeps track of the different devices used at different locations; see at least Fig. 3, paragraphs 0036, 0050, 0122, 0128 and 0140, but are not clear about reminding the user to log out of the account of the user on a device.
Sabarish discloses the above missing limitation; authorized user will be notified and can use the system to log out of an application; see at least 0031.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick by the teachings of Sabarish by having the above limitations so to be able to provide a user access management from anywhere and prevent intruders; see at least the Abstract.
Regarding claim 7, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick and further in view of Sabarish disclose the method of claim 6,
wherein the mobile computing device of the user includes the smart home application; and
wherein the smart home application provides the indication and the reminder (the combination of Warrick’s mobile device and Sabarish’s application; see at least the rejection of claim 7).
Regarding claim 8, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick and further in view of Sabarish disclose the method of claim 7, further comprising based on facilitating the installation of the at least one streaming service application on the network-enabled display device, providing, to the smart home application, an identifier for the network-enabled display device (Warrick; see at least Fig. 3 and paragraphs 0036 and 0050 and the installation of Patrick).
Claim 22 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 6.
Regarding claim 23, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick and further in view of Sabarish disclose the method of claim 22, wherein displaying, on a display of the mobile computing device, the message reminding the user to log out of the account of the user on the network-enabled display device further comprises determining that the mobile computing device is located outside of the threshold distance from the location of the network-enabled display device for a period of time that meets or exceeds a predetermined timeframe (see at least the rejection of claim 6).
Regarding claim 24, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick and further in view of Sabarish disclose the method of claim 22, further comprising:
generating, by the smart home application, the message reminding the user to log out of the account of the user on the network-enabled display device (see at least the rejection of claim 6).
Regarding claim 25, Warrick in view of Barrilleaux and further in view of Patrick and further in view of Sabarish disclose the method of claim 22, wherein determining that the mobile computing device of the user is located outside of the threshold distance is based on global positioning system (GPS) coordinates associated with the mobile computing device and the network-enabled display device (Warrick; see at least paragraphs 0052, 0122 and 0134).
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 YASSIN ALATA whose telephone number is (571)270-5683. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7-4 ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nasser Goodarzi can be reached at 571-272-4195. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YASSIN ALATA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2426
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