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
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(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kato et al (10268648) in view of Alsina et al (20140282755).
Consider Claim 1. Kato teaches a key device (See Fig. 1 box 1-1 e.g. wireless speaker as key device) including a communication tag ([0085] “the wireless speaker 1 may be provided with a short-range wireless communication function, for example, RFID,”, e.g. RFID as communication tag, Kato); configured to store a first playlist ([Fig 3, e.g. box 12 playlist storage unit as first playlist, Kato) and to output audio content related to the communication tag ([0012] “a music list of music data belonging to a genre associated “, e.g. communication tag as genre, Kato) based on the first playlist (See Fig 3, e.g. Box 12 playlist storage unit as storing first playlist, Kato); a server (Fig. 1, Box 3 Media Server, Kato) configured to store a second playlist and to manage the first playlist based on the second playlist ([0048] “The playlist storage unit 12 stores the playlist received by the playlist reception unit 11 from the playlist creation terminal “, e.g. playlist storage unit can store a first or second playlist and manage first or second playlist, Kato).
Kato does not clearly teach a user device/main device configured to update the second playlist by accessing the second playlist, wherein if the second playlist is updated, the server provides a playlist update message to the main device, and wherein the main device updates the first playlist by comparing the first playlist and the updated second playlist with each other.
Alsina teaches a user device/main device ([0100] “Typical examples of such form factors include laptops, smart phones,”, e.g. user device/main device in form of laptop or smart phones, Alsina) configured to update the second playlist by accessing the second playlist ([0010] “When the media queue is updated, the server (or user device) can increment the version number of the media queue”, e.g. playlist saved in server interpreted as second playlist, Alsina), wherein if the second playlist is updated, the server provides a playlist update message ([0046] “communication can include pushing notifications (i.e., server records, update records…”, Alsina) to the main device, and wherein the main device updates the first playlist by comparing the first playlist and the updated second playlist with each other ([0073] “Contents such as playback records that are new or have been updated when compared to the contents of the stored media queue”, e.g playback record interpreted as first playlist, stored media queue interpreted as second playlist”, Alsina).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Alsina into the teachings of Kato, to enable seamless integration across multiple devices for media playback with minimum difficulty.
Consider Claim 2. Alsina clearly teaches determining missing data ([0035] “ missing media items on any or all client devices”, Alsina), which is not included in the first playlist, of audio content included in the second playlist by comparing audio content included in the first playlist and audio content included in the second playlist with each other ([0073] “ Contents such as playback records that are new or have been updated when compared to the contents of the stored media queue”, e.g. See Fig. 5 Box 520 comparing media queue (first playlist) with stored media queue (second playlist), Alsina).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Alsina into the teachings of Kato, to enable seamless integration across multiple devices for media playback with minimum difficulty.
Consider Claim 3. Alsina clearly teaches requesting the missing data from the server ([0035] “server 102 can facilitate providing the first user with access to any such missing media item”, e.g. user requests data and in return server provides media item, Alsina);
being provided with the missing data from the server ([0035] “server 102 may locate in the server media file library 112 the digital media file for the digital media item that is missing from one of the client devices”, e.g. digital media file interpreted as missing data, Alsina);
and determining the audio content ([0080] “a credits portion of the media item, a title screen of the media item”, Alsina) of the first playlist and a playback order of the audio content of the first playlist with reference to the updated second playlist ([0044] “Once the playback metadata manager 114 of server 102 has determined to update the server record, the playback metadata manager 114 may update the media queue in the accounts storage”, e.g. metadata manager of server as second playlist, media queue referring to first playlist, Alsina).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Alsina into the teachings of Kato, to enable seamless integration across multiple devices for media playback with minimum difficulty.
Consider Claim 4. Kato clearly teaches identifier information about the key device ([0085] “attaching a QR code (trademark) representing the ID of the own wireless speaker 1 to the wireless speaker”, Kato), and wherein the main device further stores the identifier information related to the first playlist ([0054] “playlist transmission destination ID is the ID of the own wireless speaker... stores the playlist in the playlist storage unit 12 (Step S 203 ).”, Kato).
Consider Claim 5. Alsina teaches the server provides the update message to the main device ([0056] “When an update is received, client device 300 can generate notification “, Alsina) by using a messaging protocol based on a message queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) ([0046] “The communication can include pushing notifications (i.e., server records, update records, or other playback metadata relating to the resumed playback of media content)”, e.g server/update records interpreted as a form of messaging protocol, Alsina).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Alsina into the teachings of Kato, to enable seamless integration across multiple devices for media playback with minimum difficulty.
Consider Claim 6. Alsina teaches the main device comprises a caching module ([0084] “The system 900 can copy data from the memory 915 and/or the storage device 930 to the cache 912 for quick access by the processor 910.”, Alsina) configured to temporarily store playback information about audio content being outputted ([0054] “The playback metadata manager 114 of server computer 102 may store the updated media queue”, Alsina) and identifier information that corresponds to the audio content being outputted ([-0056] “ transmitting of the updated playback record or media queue from the server computer 102 to the remote client 120B may provide for display of the media content”, e.g. audio content interpreted as media content, display interpreted as identifier information, Alsina).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Alsina into the teachings of Kato, to enable seamless integration across multiple devices for media playback with minimum difficulty.
Consider Claim 7. Kato clearly teaches output the audio content related to the communication tag in case that the key device is loaded ([0051] “with the playlist stored in the playlist storage unit 12 to output the music data from the speaker unit 16 .”, e.g. key device being speaker unit, See fig 1. Box 1-2 speaker unit containing RFID, Kato), related to the communication tag ([0085] “wireless communication function, for example, RFID”, Kato) in case that the [key device] is unloaded.
Kato does not clearly teach and output the audio content in accordance with a playback environment of the audio content at a time when the [key device] is unloaded by using the caching module in case that the [key device] is loaded again.
Alsina clearly teaches and output the audio content in accordance with a playback environment ([0064] “instruct the client device to begin playback of the media item via a default media player application”, e.g. playback interpreted as playback environment, Alsina) of the audio content at a time when the [key device] is unloaded by using the caching module in case that the [key device] is loaded again ([0064] “instruct the client device to begin playback of the media item via a default media player application”, Alsina).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Alsina into the teachings of Kato, to enable seamless integration across multiple devices for media playback with minimum difficulty.
Consider Claim 8. Alsina clearly teaches a sensing module ([0076] “After displaying the GUI object, process 600 can detect an interaction with a GUI object. “, e.g. a process detecting interaction with GUI object involves hardware component or physical sensor which reads on sensing module, Alsina); a storage module (See fig. 1, Box 118 playback metadata storage as storage module, Alsina) configured to store first identifier information ([0027] “device identification numbers may be electronically stored within each client device”, e,g, first identifier information interpreted as device identification, Alsina) and a first playlist ([0023] “When selected, a media playback application stored on the device is launched “, e.g. media playback as first playlist, Alsina) about the first identifier information; an output module (See Fig. 9, Box 635 output device, Alsina) configured to output audio content in accordance with the first playlist; and a processing module (See Fig. 9, Box 910 processor, Alsina) configured to update the first playlist in accordance with a playlist update message from a server ([045] “The server 102 may communicate to the second client device …The communication can include pushing notifications (i.e., server records, update records”, Alsina), wherein the processing module is configured to: receive the playlist update message from the server ([0046] “ In a pull example, the playback metadata manager 114 of server 102 may receive a first read request”, Alsina), receive, from the server, a hash value of a second playlist stored in the server ([0070] “The playback records received can be compared against existing playback records in the media queue”, e.g. second playlist interpreted as media queue as media queue is maintained or stored by the server, Alsina), and determine whether to perform an update procedure of the [first playlist] by comparing a hash value of the [first playlist] stored in the storage module with the received hash value of the second playlist (0073] “Alternatively if the received media queue is more current, the stored media queue is updated at 540… updating the stored media queue includes replacing the stored media queue with the received media queue.”, e.g. received media queue as first playlist, stored media queue as second playlist, updating both playlists include comparing hash values, See Fig 5. Below, Alsina).
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Alsina does not clearly teach configured to extract identifier information by detecting a communication tag.
Kato clearly teaches configured to extract identifier information by detecting a communication tag ([0085] “wireless communication function, for example, RFID”, Kato).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Alsina into the teachings of Kato, to enable seamless integration across multiple devices for media playback with minimum difficulty.
Consider Claim 9. Alsina clearly teaches receive the second playlist from the server ([0071] “The media queue can be received from a server “, e.g. second playlist interpreted as media queue, Alsina)
determine missing data ([0035] “server 102 may locate in the server media file library 112 the digital media file for the digital media item that is missing”, Alsina), which is not included in the [first playlist], of audio content included in the second playlist by comparing the first playlist and the second playlist with each other ([0073] “Contents such as playback records that are new or have been updated when compared to the contents of the stored media queue”, e.g playback record interpreted as first playlist, stored media queue interpreted as second playlist”, Alsina), be provided with the missing data from the server, and update the first playlist by using the missing data and the second playlist ([0045] “Accordingly, the playback metadata manager 114 of server 102 may access and/or retrieve and/or update the playback records or media queue relating to the first user.”, Alsina).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Alsina into the teachings of Kato, to enable seamless integration across multiple devices for media playback with minimum difficulty.
Consider Claim 10. Alsina clearly teaches a caching module ([0084] “The system 900 can copy data from the memory 915 and/or the storage device 930 to the cache 912 for quick access by the processor 910.”, Alsina) configured to temporarily store playback information about audio content being outputted ([0054] “The playback metadata manager 114 of server computer 102 may store the updated media queue”, Alsina) through the output module (See Fig. 9, Box 635 output device, Alsina) and the first identifier information ([0027] “device identification numbers may be electronically stored within each client device”, e,g, first identifier information interpreted as device ID, Alsina).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Alsina into the teachings of Kato, to enable seamless integration across multiple devices for media playback with minimum difficulty.
Conclusion
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/VIET NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2691
/DUC NGUYEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2691
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