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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 02/26/2025 and 04/30/2025 is/are being considered by the examiner.
Preliminary Amendment
The preliminary amendment filed 01/07/2025 was entered. Claim 4 has been cancelled. Therefore, claims 1-3 and 5-20 remain pending in this application.
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) 1-3 and 5-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al. (EP 3,547,107 A1), hereinafter referred to as Choi, in view of Koo et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0297308), hereinafter referred to as Koo.
Regarding claim 1, Choi discloses an information processing method (Choi Fig. 8 shows a method), wherein the method comprises: displaying, by an electronic device, a first interface, wherein the first interface comprises a first area, a second area, and a first control in a first state (Choi Fig. 4 reference characters 10, 15, 20, and 51);
when the electronic device displays a second control and the first control in the first state at a first moment, recording, by the electronic device, a first voice, and displaying, in the first area, a text converted from the first voice ("According to certain embodiments, the memory may store instructions, when executed, causing the at least one processor to output a screen where a specified application is executed, the screen including a first interface for supporting to record a voice input via the at least one microphone and a second interface for supporting a content input of a user," Choi para [0061] lines 33-39 and "The processor 150 may convert the identified recording data into a text 51 and may output a third interface 50 including the converted text 51," Choi para [0049] lines 20-23);
when displaying the second control and the first control in the first state, receiving, by the electronic device, a first information entered by a user, and displaying the first information in the second area (Choi Fig. 3B reference character 20);
and recording, by the electronic device, the first voice, the text converted from the first voice, and the first information in a first file ("The method includes outputting a first screen where a specified application is executed, the first screen including a first interface for supporting to record a voice input to the electronic device and a second interface for supporting a content input of a user; pair and store in the memory each one of a plurality of recorded voice inputs to the first interface with a corresponding one of a plurality of content inputs to the second interface, thereby forming a voice-content pair, wherein the voice input and content input of each voice-content pair are contemporaneously recorded and received," Choi para [0008] lines 24-34).
However, Choi fails to disclose wherein the second control is used to indicate that recording is being performed, and the first control in the first state is used to indicate to convert a recorded voice into a text during recording; in response to an operation performed on the first control in the first state, when displaying the second control, switching, by the electronic device, a state of the first control to a second state, and stopping conversion of the recorded voice into the text, wherein the first control in the second state is used to indicate to pause conversion of the recorded voice into the text.
Koo teaches a method and system for displaying text associated with an audio file.
Koo teaches wherein the second control is used to indicate that recording is being performed, and the first control in the first state is used to indicate to convert a recorded voice into a text during recording (Koo Fig. 3C(b) reference character 1102 and Koo para [0072]);
in response to an operation performed on the first control in the first state, when displaying the second control, switching, by the electronic device, a state of the first control to a second state, and stopping conversion of the recorded voice into the text, wherein the first control in the second state is used to indicate to pause conversion of the recorded voice into the text (Koo Fig. 3C(a) and 3C(b) show that when the playback is paused/stopped, the conversion of speech to text is also paused/stopped).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Choi’s teaching of recording a voice and converting the voice to text as well as accepting input of information relating to the voice by incorporating Koo’s teaching of indicating that recording is being performed and utilizing a control to stop the conversion of recorded voice into text. Incorporating an indication of recording being performed would ensure that user’s only capture audio that they want to be converted into text, thereby allowing less mistakes to be made by users. Incorporating a control to stop the conversion of recorded voice into text would also allow for the same reduction of errors, as this allows the user to momentarily pause their session to ensure that they only capture audio that they want.
Regarding claim 2, Choi, in view of Koo, discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. Choi further discloses wherein the first area comprises a first subarea and a second subarea, the first subarea is used to display the second control, the second subarea is used to display the text converted from the voice, and when the electronic device displays the second control, the method further comprises replacing, by the electronic device, the second control with a third control in response to an operation performed on the second control (Choi Fig. 5 reference characters 10, 15, and 70).
However, Choi fails to disclose wherein the third control is used to indicate the electronic device to end voice recording; and after voice recording is ended, the first area does not comprise the second subarea when the electronic device does not obtain the text converted from the voice.
Koo teaches wherein the third control is used to indicate the electronic device to end voice recording ("Accordingly, the mobile terminal 100 monitors whether an audio recording end command is received, and terminates audio recording upon receiving the audio recording end command," Koo para [0080]);
and after voice recording is ended, the first area does not comprise the second subarea when the electronic device does not obtain the text converted from the voice (Koo Fig. 3C(a) and 3C(b) shows that when the recording is paused, the speech to text is also paused and not shown, i.e. it is hidden).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Choi’s teaching of recording a voice and converting the voice to text as well as accepting input of information relating to the voice by incorporating Koo’s teaching of using a control to end voice recording as well as not showing the area converting voice to text while the voice recording is ended. Indicating that voice recording is ended and not showing the area where active conversion of voice to text is performed allows the reduction of screen clutter and more clearly communicates the end of the recording session, thus allowing for more ease of use.
Regarding claim 3, Choi, in view of Koo, discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. Choi further discloses wherein the method further comprises: displaying, by the electronic device, a progress bar when the first voice is played back, wherein the progress bar is used to indicate a voice playback progress (Choi Fig. 3B reference characters 10 shows a progress bar);
and when a first identifier is displayed at a first location in the progress bar, displaying, by the electronic device, the first information in a third state, displaying a second information in the second area in a fourth state, and displaying the text converted from the voice recorded at the first moment, wherein the first identifier at the first location is used to indicate the electronic device to play back the voice recorded at the first moment, and an input time of the second information is a second moment, and the second moment is later than the first moment (Choi Fig. 3C reference characters 13 and 20 and Choi para [0045]).
Regarding claim 5, Choi, in view of Koo, discloses all of the limitations of claim 3. Choi further discloses wherein after the displaying second information in the second area in a fourth state, the method further comprises: displaying, by the electronic device, the second information in the third state in response to an operation performed on a fourth control ("In this regard, the first interface 10 may include a status bar indicating a state where recording data recorded during the certain time is played. The processor 150 may locate a movement bar 11 on a point (e.g., 00:02:47) where the identified recording data is played on the status bar. According to an embodiment, the first interface 10 may include at least one object for controlling to play recording data recorded during the certain time or stop the playback of the recording data. When a user input (e.g., touch) is applied to a play object in the state where the movement bar 11 is located on the point (e.g., 00:02:47) where the identified recording data is played, the processor 150 may control an input/output device (e.g., an input/output device 120 of FIG. 2) (e.g., a speaker) to output a voice starting from the identified recording data," Choi para [0042]).
Regarding claim 6, Choi, in view of Koo, discloses all of the limitations of claim 3. Choi further discloses wherein when the first identifier is displayed at the first location in the progress bar, the method further comprises: displaying, by the electronic device, third information in the second area in a fifth state in response to a first operation performed at a second location in the progress bar, wherein an input time of the third information is a third moment, and a voice recorded by the electronic device at the third moment is indicated at the second location (Choi Fig. 3C reference characters 13 and 20 and Choi para [0045]).
Regarding claim 7, Choi, in view of Koo, discloses all of the limitations of claim 2. Choi further discloses wherein the method further comprises: displaying, by the electronic device, Q-1 nodes in the progress bar when Q segments of voices are recorded after the first file is created, wherein the Q-1 nodes divide the progress bar into Q subprogress bars, an ith subprogress bar in the Q subprogress bars is used to indicate an ith segment of voice in the Q segments of voices, and Q is an integer greater than or equal to 2 (Choi para [0045]);
and playing back, by the electronic device, the ith segment of voice when the first identifier is displayed in the ith subprogress bar after an operation performed on a fifth control is detected (Choi para [0045]).
Regarding claim 8, Choi, in view of Koo, discloses all of the limitations of claim 7. Choi further discloses wherein the method further comprises: selecting, by the electronic device, L segments of voices in the Q segments of voices, wherein L is an integer less than or equal to Q ("For example, in response to a user input for requesting or selecting specific data, concurrently with processing the request or selection, the processor 150 may visually specify or audibly provide data mapped to the specific data," Choi para [0036] lines 42-46).
However, Choi fails to disclose and when a sixth control is in a sixth state, in response to an operation performed on a seventh control, deleting, by the electronic device, the L segments of voices, and deleting a text converted from the L segments of voices; or when the sixth control is not in a sixth state, in response to an operation performed on the seventh control, deleting, by the electronic device, the L segments of voices, and reserving a text converted from the L segments of voices.
Koo teaches and when a sixth control is in a sixth state, in response to an operation performed on a seventh control, deleting, by the electronic device, the L segments of voices (Koo Fig. 9B reference character S3014), and deleting a text converted from the L segments of voices (Koo Fig. 9B reference character S3013);
or when the sixth control is not in a sixth state, in response to an operation performed on the seventh control, deleting, by the electronic device, the L segments of voices, and reserving a text converted from the L segments of voices (Koo Fig. 9D reference character S3033 and Koo para [0288]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Choi’s teaching of recording a voice and converting the voice to text as well as accepting input of information relating to the voice by incorporating Koo’s teaching of deleting voice segments, deleting text segments converted from voices, or deleting voice segments while keeping text converted from voices. Deleting any data helps to save memory space, and it is well-known within the art that audio files take up more memory than text files. Therefore, one skilled in the art would be able to conceive deleting audio files and saving text files related to those audio files.
Regarding claim 9, Choi, in view of Koo, discloses all of the limitations of claim 8. Choi further discloses wherein the method further comprises: when the eighth control is in an eighth state, in response to an operation performed on a ninth control, transmitting, by the electronic device to another device, content in the second area and a text converted from the Q segments of voices (Choi para [0031]);
or when the eighth control is not in an eighth state, in response to an operation performed on the ninth control, transmitting, by the electronic device, content in the second area to another device (Choi para [0031]).
Regarding claim 10, Choi, in view of Koo, discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. Choi further discloses wherein the receiving entered first information comprises: displaying, by the electronic device, a first input tool in the first interface (Choi Fig. 1 reference characters 134 and 136);
and receiving, by the electronic device, the entered first information through the first input tool (Choi Fig. 1 reference character 20);
and the method further comprises: further displaying a tenth control when the first input tool is displayed (Choi Fig. 1 reference character 133);
switching, by the electronic device, the first input tool to a second input tool in response to an operation performed on the tenth control (Choi Fig. 1 reference characters 134 and 136);
and further displaying an eleventh control when the second input tool is displayed, wherein the eleventh control is used to trigger a switch from the second input tool to the first input tool (Choi Fig. 1 reference character 133).
Regarding claim 11, Choi, in view of Koo, discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. Choi further discloses wherein the method further comprises: changing, by the electronic device, a size of the second subarea from a first size to a second size in response to an operation performed on a twelfth control ("According to an embodiment, the second interface 20 may be expanded in vertical or horizontal scrolling form according to an amount, size, location, or the like of the input content," Choi para [0025] lines 4-7).
As to claim 12, computer storage medium claim 12 and method claim 1 are related as method and computer storage medium of using same, with each claimed element’s function corresponding to the method step. Accordingly, claim 12 is similarly rejected under the same rationale as applied above with respect to the method claim.
As to claims 13-17, system claims 13-17 and method claims 1-3 and 5-6 are related as method and system of using same, with each claimed element’s function corresponding to the method step, respectively. Accordingly, claims 13-17 are similarly rejected under the same rationale as applied above with respect to the method claims.
As to claims 18-20, system claims 18-20 and method claims 10-11 (with claim 10 containing the limitations of both claims 18 and 19) are related as method and system of using same, with each claimed element’s function corresponding to the method step, respectively. Accordingly, claims 18-20 are similarly rejected under the same rationale as applied above with respect to the method claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0311178
US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0100877
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/ADAM MICHAEL WEAVER/Examiner, Art Unit 2658
/RICHEMOND DORVIL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2658
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