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 .
Detailed Action
Claims 2-21 are pending.
Response to Argument
Applicant's arguments/amendment filed on 05/20/2026 have been fully considered but are moot in view of new ground(s) of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AlA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis 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.
5. 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 of this title, 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.
6. Claims 2-3 ,6-7,14-18 and 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. (CN 111835531 B) hereinafter He in view of Madison et al.(US 20220353569 A1) hereinafter Madison.
Regarding claims 2, 17 and 21, He discloses a method for joining a playback group session (see [AB]), the method comprising:
receiving a request to join the playback group session from a device associated with a user account (page 1, para [7] receiving an application joining request of a terminal, wherein the application joining request carries a first face image acquired by the terminal, a first user account of the terminal and a session identifier of the target session, (page 4, para. [8] when the face image of the user account meets the adding condition of the target session, the user account is allowed to be added into the group session);
storing the user account as a member of the playback group session (page 12, para. [1] the database is used for storing data such as user account numbers, session identifications, face images, joining conditions, group session records);
connecting the device to the playback group session),
connecting the device to the playback group session ( page4 para. [8] …the first user account number and the session identifier of the audio-video session carried in the request for adding. If the joining condition is met, the server joins the first user account into the audio-video session).
He may not explicitly disclose joining a playback group session running on a server; wherein connecting the device to the playback group session comprises controlling, via the server, a playback state of the device, including updating the playback state of the device to match the session state for the playback group session; and transferring a session state for the playback group session to the device.
However, Madison discloses joining a playback group session running on a server (para. [0042]-[0043], media player application (e.g., media player application 210B) sends a request to join the shared playback session (e.g., by sending a JOIN_SESSION message) to the server 202);
wherein connecting the device to the playback group session comprises controlling, via the server, a playback state of the device, including updating the playback state of the device to match the session state for the playback group session ([0033] the video streaming system includes: (a) a set of video segment files hosted on a server and/or CDN (for example, a server and/or CDN of the media delivery system 100); (b) a server that can generate a “manifest” file, which is a playlist that describes the order in which those video segment files are to be played by a client, and which thus defines a video presentation and a shared timeline… (d) server component (e.g., a shared playback session manager 204 of the server 202) that tracks a shared “playback session” (e.g., represented by a shared playback session
state object 206) which a multitude of media player applications can access, and which is used to inform all the media player applications of what the current state (e.g., “playing” or “paused”) and position with a timestamp of where the playback session currently is (e.g. “currently at position 11:23 in the presentation as of 2018-10-17 01:35:12 UTC”); e) modifications to the media player applications that allow them to periodically obtain the “playback session” state from the server, estimate a target position to sync playback to and adjust their own playback positions to match it [0041] the server 202 receives the state update request from the media player application 210A and sets the value of the “play state” field of the corresponding shared playback session state object 206 to “playing” and further sets the “reference time” and “reference position” fields according to the values specified in the state update request. [0043] in response to receiving the request from the media player application 210B to join the shared playback session, the server 202 returns (a) information representing the current shared playback session object (including the current values for the “play state,” “reference position,” and “reference time” fields) and (b) the URL of the shared manifest for the video content being shared. the initiating media player application 210A is able to start playback, the media player application 210A sends a shared playback session state update request (e.g., an UPDATE_SESSION message) to the server 202. The state update request includes the media player application's 210A current position in the video presentation and a current UTC time at which the position was measured); and transferring a session state for the playback group session to the device. [0051] , the server 202 can receive the state update request generated in circle “9,” update its shared playback session state object 206, and disseminate this new information to any other clients that are part of the shared playback session); and
transferring a session state for the playback group session to the device (para. [0051] , the server 202 can receive the state update request generated in circle “9,” update its shared playback session state object 206, and disseminate this new information to any other clients that are part of the shared playback session)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of He and include joining a playback group session running on a server; wherein connecting the device to the playback group session comprises controlling, via the server, a playback state of the device, including updating the playback state of the device to match the session state for the playback group session; and transferring a session state for the playback group session to the device using the teaching of Madison. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve performance and accuracy of stream synchronization among multiple participant media player applications for playing video content item as part of a watch party.
Regarding claims 3, 18, and 22, claim 2 is incorporated. He further discloses wherein the device comprises a media playback device (page 11, para. [4-5] the first terminal 101 and the second terminal 102 are an intelligent terminal, such as a smart phone, a tablet computer, a notebook computer, a desktop computer, a smart speaker, a smart watch, a smart television, and the like. Page 21, para. [12] the terminal 1500 may be a portable mobile terminal, such as: a smart phone, a tablet computer, an MP3 player, a notebook computer, or a desktop computer. Terminal 1500 may also be referred to as user equipment, a portable terminal, a laptop terminal, a desktop terminal, etc.)
Regarding claim 6, claim 2 is incorporated. He further discloses prior to storing the user account as a member of the playback group session, determining whether the user account is able to join the playback group session ( page 4 para. [1] joining conditions of a target session are obtained according to a session identifier carried in the application joining request, whether a first face image carried in the application joining request meets the joining conditions or not is determined, and then a first user account is added into the target session when the joining conditions are met, so that users who do not meet the joining conditions of a group session can be automatically and effectively filtered)
Regarding claim 7, claim 6 is incorporated. He further discloses wherein determining whether the user account is able to join the playback group session comprises checking whether the user account contains a relationship with an administrator member account (page 5, para. [8], receiving a session establishing request, wherein the session establishing request carries a management account and a joining condition of the target session; and creating the target session, and adding the management account into the target session)
Regarding claim 14, claim 1 is incorporated. He may not explicitly disclose wherein the member has a connect state, and for the device to join the playback group session, control of the connect state is transferred to the playback group session. However, Madison discloses (para [0033] ...(d) a server component (e.g., a shared playback session manager 204 of the server 202) that tracks a shared “playback session” (e.g., represented by a shared playback session state object 206) which a multitude of media player applications can access, and which is used to inform all the media player applications of what the current state (e.g., “playing” or “paused”) and position with a timestamp of where the playback session currently is (e.g. “currently at position 11:23 in the presentation as of 2018-10-17 01:35:12 UTC”); e) modifications to the media player applications that allow them to periodically obtain the “playback session” state from the server, estimate a target position to sync playback to and adjust their own playback positions to match it [0041] the server 202 receives the state update request from the media player application 210A and sets the value of the “play state” field of the corresponding shared playback session state object 206 to “playing” and further sets the “reference time” and “reference position” fields according to the values specified in the state update request. [0043] in response to receiving the request from the media player application 210B to join the shared playback session, the server 202 returns (a) information representing the current shared playback session object (including the current values for the “play state,” “reference position,” and “reference time” fields) and (b) the URL of the shared manifest for the video content being shared. the initiating media player application 210A is able to start playback, the media player application 210A sends a shared playback session state update request (e.g., an UPDATE_SESSION message) to the server 202. The state update request includes the media player application's 210A current position in the video presentation and a current UTC time at which the position was measured); and transferring a session state for the playback group session to the device. [0051] , the server 202 can receive the state update request generated in circle “9,” update its shared playback session state object 206, and disseminate this new information to any other clients that are part of the shared playback session.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of He and include wherein the member has a connect state, and for the device to join the playback group session, control of the connect state is transferred to the playback group session using the teaching of Madison. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve performance and accuracy of stream synchronization among multiple participant media player applications for playing video content item as part of a watch party..
Regarding claim 15, claim 2 is incorporated. He may not explicitly disclose wherein transferring the session state to the device comprises modifying a media content of the device and displaying the modified media content to match the session state for the playback group session. However, Madison discloses wherein transferring the session state to the device comprises modifying a media content of the device, and displaying the modified media content to match the session state for the playback group session (para.[0050] If a user of one of the participating media player applications (e.g., media player application 210B) in the synchronized session wishes to seek to a different position in the content (e.g., changing the playback position by fast forwarding 60 seconds in the content), the media player application can send a message to the server to mutate the “reference position” and “timestamp” values for the corresponding shared playback session object 206. For example, at circle “9” in FIG. 2, if a user of the media player application 210B seeks to a different position in the content or otherwise causes a playback position change, the media player application 210B sends a state update request to indicate the change. For example, the state update request can indicate a playback state (e.g., “playing,” “paused,” etc.), a new position in the content, and a reference time at which the new position was measured).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of He and wherein transferring the session state to the device comprises modifying a media content of the device and displaying the modified media content to match the session state for the playback group session using the teaching of Madison. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve performance and accuracy of stream synchronization among multiple participant media player applications for playing video content item as part of a watch party.
Regarding claim 16, claim 15 is incorporated. Madison further discloses wherein displaying the modified media content to match the session state for the playback group session comprises displaying one or more user- selectable options that enable a user associated with the user account to provide commands to control the playback group session (9ara. [0033]-[0034] … modifications to the media player applications that allow them to periodically obtain the “playback session” state from the server, estimate a target position to sync playback to and adjust their own playback positions to match it, and potentially send a message to modify the state on the server if a user using a media player application pauses playback or “seeks” (changes the playback position within the presentation). [0050] the set of participants that can modify the playback can be selected by the user initiating the shared playback session, limited to a total number of player applications, or based on any other types of access controls [0051] the server 202 can receive the state update request generated in circle “9,” update its shared playback session state object 206, and disseminate this new information to any other clients that are part of the shared playback session).
7. Claims 4 ,19 and 21 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. in view of Madison et al. and further in view of Krasadakis et al.(US 20170289202 A1) hereinafter Krasadakis.
Regarding claims 4 and 19, claim 2 is incorporated. He in view of Madison may not explicitly disclose wherein receiving the request to join the playback group session comprises receiving an indication that the playback group session is listened to on one or more devices of the member. However, Krasadakis discloses wherein receiving the request to join the playback group session comprises receiving an indication that the playback group session is listened to on one or more devices of the member (para. [0030] creating and facilitating a shared playback session between playback devices in separate media playback systems. A first playback device or group of playback devices) that is playing back media items from a playback queue may initiate sharing of a playback session, which may cause indications of the one or more media items and a playback position within the one or more media items to be sent to a computing device. A second playback device (or one or more groups of playback devices) may join the playback session by requesting and then receiving from the computing device, an indication of the one or more media items and the playback
position. In some cases, the shared playback session may facilitate additional interactions between users of the participating playback devices [0053] the first playback device may be a portable playback device, such as a pair of headphones or a car speaker, among other possibilities. This may allow for the sharing of a “portable” playback session that is associated with an activity such as walking through a park or driving through a scenic landscape, among numerous other possibilities. Further, the playback session might be associated with a particular location where the playback session occurs. For instance, the first listener may share a playback session while walking through Central Park in New York. While other listeners of other portable playback devices might join the shared playback session)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of He in view of Wooldridge and include wherein receiving the request to join the playback group session comprises receiving an indication that the playback group session is listened to on one or more devices of the member using the teaching of Krasadakis. One would have been motivated to do so in order to control selection of music which is played locally and on the guest computing device at the same time.
8. Claims 5 and 20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. in view of Madison et al and further in view of Jung et al.( US 20140143338 A1) hereinafter Jung.
Regarding claims 5 and 20, claim 2 is incorporated. He in view of Madison may not explicitly disclose providing one or more options to a user associated with the user account of different playback group session experiences. However, Jung discloses providing one or more options to a user associated with the user account of different playback group session experiences (para. [0161] it may be desired to allow a certain shared audio device 101 to join a plurality of concurrent sharing sessions. A user would then be able to determine which one of multiple sharing sessions they wished to be a member. As such, such a shared audio device 101 could obtain or retain information from at least certain other shared audio devices from both/all of the concurrent sharing sessions)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of He in view of Madison and include providing one or more options to a user associated with the user account of different playback group session experiences using the teaching of Jung. One would have been motivated to do so in order to efficiently control the shared audio and/or the temporally associated dissimilar-media information that is being provided by the shared audio device.
9. Claims 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. in view of Madison et al and further in view of Wooldridge et al. (US 20090094369 A1) hereinafter Wooldridge.
Regarding claim 8, claim 6 is incorporated. He in view of Madison may not explicitly disclose wherein determining whether the user account is able to join the playback group session comprises determining that the user account has access to an ID of the playback group session. However, Wooldridge discloses wherein determining whether the user account is able to join the playback group session comprises determining that the user account has access to an ID of the playback group session (para. [0024] The core application preferably associates with each user identifier a set of subscriptions to shared applications. The core application preferably allows the terminal user to access any shared application to which they have subscribed. [0072] The unique identifier for the user of the terminal identifies a user profile 8 that includes a set of subscriptions 9 to shared applications. [0034] Each shared application preferably included in a session provides a temporary secure key by which session participants may gain access to the shared application).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of He in view of Madison and include wherein determining whether the user account is able to join the playback group session comprises determining that the user account has access to an ID of the playback group session using the teaching of Woodbridge. One would have been motivated to do so in order to enable efficient sharing of media applications among all participants.
10. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. in view of Madison et al and further in view of Talukder et al.( US 20170134831 A1) hereinafter Talukder.
Regarding claim 9, claim 2 is incorporated. He in view of Madison may not explicitly disclose wherein storing the user account as a member of the playback group session comprises storing the user account with a list of members in a session data store. However, Talukder discloses wherein storing the user account as a member of the playback group session comprises storing the user account with a list of members in a session data store (para. [0044] the application server 202 is responsible for initiating sessions, holding the state information of all active sessions, maintaining communications with each participants on one-to-one group chat sessions [0081] Once the application server 202 receives the request to start the SGVC session with the list of participants of Group 1 from the initiator's FC client application (402), the application server 202 establishes the session ID for the SGVC session, and verifies that the participants in Group 1 are valid (403). The application server 202 instructs the notification manager 203 to send the Group 1 participants requests to join the SGVC session initiated by the initiator (404). [0091] The iBM can decide to select one or several chat/text participant from the area C1 704. iBM also has a list of participants who have joined the session and can decide to select anyone from this list to place on the iBroadcast session)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of He in view of Madison and include wherein storing the user account as a member of the playback group session comprises storing the user account with a list of members in a session data store using the teaching of Talukder. One would have been motivated to do so in order to dynamically morphing a management infrastructure to handle the sessions for providing real-time interactive broadcast stream to reach out a global community with an independent mechanism, while maintaining the active session with no interruption.
11. Claim 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. in view of Madison et al. and further in view of Marchuk (US 20220377409 A1) hereinafter Marchuk.
Regarding claim 10, claim 2 is incorporated. He in view of Madison may not explicitly disclose wherein storing the user account as member of the playback group session comprises storing the user account in one or more of a host role, a guest role, and an administrator role, each of the host role, the guest role and the administrator role having a given level of permission. However, Marchuk discloses wherein storing the user account as member of the playback group session comprises storing the user account in one or more of a host role, a guest role, and an administrator role, each of the host role, the guest role and the administrator role having a given level of permission (para. [0044] access permissions of each user device may vary based on the implementation and user roles or types involved in the recording session. [0032] each user device may be associated with a user type, where each user type has differing permissions with respect to the master session 218. For example, the first user device is configured as the controller user device 208, such that the local session user interface 238 may provide updates to the master session 218. The second user device is configured as the contributing user device 210, which does not provide updates to the master session 218, but provides updates (e.g., audio recordings) to audio storage 228 utilized by the master session 218. The contributing user device type may be further divided into other user types, such as an actor user device, an editor user device, and a director user device, each having different permissions to the master session 218 based on the role played in the recording session by an actor, editor, or director).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of He in view of Madison and include wherein storing the user account as member of the playback group session comprises storing the user account in one or more of a host role, a guest role, and an administrator role, each of the host role, the guest role and the administrator role having a given level of permission using the teaching of Marchuk. One would have been motivated to do so in order to provide updates to the web interface, which updates the master session to be a unique to a local application rendered at the user device associated with the controller role.
Regarding claim 11, claim 10 is incorporated. Marchuk further discloses wherein storing the user account as a member of the playback group session comprises allowing an administrator role to modify media content items (para. [0051] At step 406, the master session 218 receives a playback timestamp and audio input settings for the actor from the controller. The playback timestamp generally reflects a location of a play head when the controller user initiates playback of the video content at the controller user device 208. The timestamp may reference a time code with respect to the master timeline, reference a particular frame of the video content, or use other references to reflect playback location of the video content. For example, the user of the controller device 208 may press a “play” button the user interface 200, which may then transmit a command to the server 202 hosting the master recording session. The command may, in some implementations, update the local session state 236 of the local application 232 and may be provided to the server 202 by a communication from the local interface 234 to the web interface 222 of the master session 218. The master session state 224 may then be updated to reflect the play command).
Conclusion
12. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
13. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kidest Mendaye whose telephone number is (571)272-2603. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday 7:00 am-5:00pm EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ario Etienne can be reached on (571) 272-4001. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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08/26/2026
/KIDEST MENDAYE/
Examiner, Art Unit 2457
/MOUSTAFA M MEKY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2457
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