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 .
Claim 16 is newly added.
Claims 1-16 are presented for examination.
The claims and only the claims form the metes and bounds of the invention. “Office personnel are to give claims their broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the supporting disclosure. In re Morris, 127 F.3d 1048, 1054-55, 44 USPQ2d 1023, 1027-28 (Fed. Cir. 1997). Limitations appearing in the specification but not recited in the claim are not read into the claim. In re Prater, 415 F.2d 1393, 1404-05, 162 USPQ 541, 550-551 (CCPA 1969)” (MPEP p 2100-8, c 2, I 45-48; p 2100-9, c 1, l 1-4). The Examiner has full latitude to interpret each claim in the broadest reasonable sense. The Examiner will reference prior art using terminology familiar to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such an approach is broad in concept and can be either explicit or implicit in meaning.
Abstract
According to the MPEP, “the abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet preferably within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, "The disclosure concerns," "The disclosure defined by this invention," "The disclosure describes," etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as "means" and "said," should be avoided." 8. The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it includes “embodiments” at lines 1, 3 and 5 on page 1 of the disclosure. “Embodiments” is a legal phraseology and should be changed/removed.
A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s remarks/amendment was filed on 12 November 2025.
US PGPUB 2023/0205737 by Cundall and US PGPUB 2014/0240440 by Seo et al. are newly introduced for the rejection of the instant amended claims.
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but they are moot in view of new ground(s) of rejection. However, the Examiner welcomes any suggestion(s) Applicants may have on moving prosecution forward. The Examiner’s contact information is in the Conclusion of this office action.
Applicant argues:
The Office Action rejects claim 9 as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter. Specifically, the Office Action claims the recitations of claim 9 appear to contradict one another and render the claim indefinite. Applicant respectfully disagrees.
Claim 9 recites, in part (emphasis added):
while displaying the shared document:
in accordance with a determination that the shared document is shared with the plurality of users in the messaging conversation and a second plurality of users in a second messaging conversation, while displaying the shared document without displaying the messaging option:
displaying, via the display generation component, a respective option; and
receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the respective option; and
in response to receiving the input selecting the respective option, concurrently displaying, via the display generation component, a second messaging option associated with the second messaging conversation and the messaging option with the shared document;
while concurrently displaying the second messaging option, the messaging option, and the shared document, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the second messaging option
Specifically, the Office Action alleges that claim 9 "requires not displaying the
messaging option. At the same time, the claim requires concurrently displaying a second messaging option and the messaging option." 1 However, these requirements of claim 9 are not contradictory, as the claim specifies that "the messaging option" is not displayed before "receiving the input", and "a second messaging option" and "the messaging option" are concurrently displayed "in response to receiving the input". At no point does claim 9 require not displaying the messaging and displaying the messaging option at the same time, and instead delineates "before receiving the input" and "after receiving the input" states, which are different display states. Accordingly, Applicant respectfully requests that the rejection of claim 9 under 35 U.S.C. § 112 be withdrawn.
In response, the Examiner submits:
In Claim 9, the steps of “receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the respective option”, “in response to receiving the input selecting the respective option, concurrently displaying, via the display generation component, a second messaging option associated with the second messaging conversation and the messaging option with the shared document”, “while concurrently displaying the second messaging option, the messaging option, and the shared document, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the second messaging option” are all indented under “while displaying the shared document without displaying the messaging
option:”.
Contrary to Applicant’s assertion that “… the claim specifies that ‘the messaging option’ is not displayed before "receiving the input", the receiving of the input actually occurs while the messaging option is not displayed. The concurrent displaying of “a second messaging option” and “the messaging option” in response to receiving the input also occurs while the messaging option is not displayed.
Claim 9 requires not displaying the messaging option. At the same, the claim requires concurrently displaying a second messaging option and the messaging option.
Therefore, the rejection of Claim 9 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph is maintained.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 9 recites “while displaying the shared document:
in accordance with a determination that the shared document is shared with the plurality of users in the messaging conversation and a second plurality of users in a second messaging conversation, while displaying the shared document without displaying the messaging option:
displaying, via the display generation component, a respective option; and
receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the respective option; and
in response to receiving the input selecting the respective option, concurrently displaying, via the display generation component, a second messaging option associated with the second messaging conversation and the messaging option with the shared document;
while concurrently displaying the second messaging option, the messaging option, and the shared document, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the second messaging option …”.
Claim 9 requires not displaying the messaging option. At the same, the claim requires concurrently displaying a second messaging option and the messaging option.
These limitations recited in claim 9 appear to contradict one another and render the claim indefinite under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph.
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 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US PGPUB 2003/0131062 by Miyashita in view of US PGPUB 2014/0240440 by Seo et al. (“Seo”), and further in view of US PGPUB 2006/0041848 by Lira.
As to Claim 1, Miyashita teaches a method comprising: at an electronic device in communication with a display generation component and one or more input devices: concurrently displaying, via the display generation component, a shared document accessible to a plurality of users (Miyashita: at least ¶0064; “the chat server 13 stores files attached by the group of the client computers 15-1 to 15-n in the chat database 42 so that the files will be shared among the client computers”; ¶0191 further discloses “the user E of the client computer 15-5 attaches a file to a chat text and shares it with other client computers 15-3 and 15-4”; ¶¶0198, 0205 also disclose “the user E first performs a predetermined operation via the input unit 106 to display a file displaying window 521 on the monitor 108 of the client computer 15-5. In the file displaying window 521, a file 522-1 (with a file name of "schedule.txt") and a file 522-2 (with a file name of mno.jpg") are displayed” and “sends the chat log data and the attachment file stored in the chat database 42 in step S302 to the client computers 15-3 to 155”) and a messaging option associated with the shared document (Miyashita: at least ¶0193; “an input area 503 for accepting input of a chat text, a user list display area 504 in which nicknames of users participating in the chat in the same chat room is displayed, and a send key 505 that is operated when sending the chat text input to the input area 503”; ¶0199 further discloses “for example, if the file 522-1 displayed in the file displaying window 521 is dragged and dropped to the input area 503 by an operation of the mouse (the input unit 106), as indicated by a dotted arrow, the CPU 101 of the client computer 15-5 displays the file 522-1 at the end of the chat text that reads "Please refer to", being input to the input area 503, as a link indication 541 that reads "schedule.txt”);
while concurrently displaying the shared document and the messaging option: receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the messaging option (Miyashita: at least ¶0193; “an input area 503 for accepting input of a chat text, a user list display area 504 in which nicknames of users participating in the chat in the same chat room is displayed, and a send key 505 that is operated when sending the chat text input to the input area 503”; ¶0199 further discloses “for example, if the file 522-1 displayed in the file displaying window 521 is dragged and dropped to the input area 503 by an operation of the mouse (the input unit 106), as indicated by a dotted arrow, the CPU 101 of the client computer 15-5 displays the file 522-1 at the end of the chat text …”); and
in response to receiving the input selecting the messaging option: displaying, via the display generation component, a messaging conversation accessible to the plurality of users in the messaging user interface of the messaging application (Miyashita: at least ¶0193; “an input area 503 for accepting input of a chat text, a user list display area 504 in which nicknames of users participating in the chat in the same chat room is displayed, and a send key 505 that is operated when sending the chat text input to the input area 503”; ¶0199 further discloses “for example, if the file 522-1 displayed in the file displaying window 521 is dragged and dropped to the input area 503 by an operation of the mouse (the input unit 106), as indicated by a dotted arrow, the CPU 101 of the client computer 15-5 displays the file 522-1 at the end of the chat text that reads "Please refer to", being input to the input area 503, as a link indication 541 that reads "schedule.txt”; ¶0203 further discloses “… sends the chat text input in the input area 503 shown in FIG. 26”), wherein:
the messaging conversation includes one or more first messages (Miyashita: at least Figs. 26-27 that show, for example, "This is E. Let's decide the date for the next project meeting." and “Please refer to schedule.txt for dates I'm available.”) associated with a selectable option to access the shared document (Miyashita: at least ¶0211; “If the link indication 606 is clicked on by an operation of the mouse (the input unit 106) by the user C while the screen shown in FIG. 27 is in display on the monitor 108 of the client computer 15-3, the CPU 101 of the client computer 15-3 determines that an instruction for displaying the link indication 606 and the linked attachment file has been input, and displays a screen shown in FIG. 28 on the monitor 108”) and one or more second messages not associated with the selectable option to access the shared document (Miyashita: at least Figs. 26-27 that show, for example, "This is E. Let's decide the date for the next project meeting." and “Please refer to schedule.txt for dates I'm available.”).
Miyashita does not explicitly disclose, but Seo discloses while concurrently displaying the shared document and the messaging option (Seo: at least ¶¶0133, 0135; “when a screen of a first terminal is shared with a second terminal based on a screen sharing function, the first terminal may capture the screen of the first terminal for at least 15 frames per minutes, may compress an image of the captured screen as a moving picture, and may transmit the compressed moving picture to the second terminal” and “by outputting the same screen and user input at both terminals, users may edit a document in real-time while sharing various types of documents and the like”; ¶0232 further discloses “whether a terminal is currently sharing a screen in real-time and a counter party terminal sharing the screen may be displayed on the sharing state display areas 912 and 922 using a text, a sharing state icon, and the like. For example, a state in which a counter party terminal, for example, a second terminal or a user B, is sharing a screen of a first terminal may be displayed on the sharing state display area 912 of the first terminal”; ¶0233 further discloses “each of the real-time screen sharing and chatting related icons 913 and 923 may provide a menu (hereinafter, referred to as a "real-time function sharing and chatting menu" for sharing a function excluding a real-time screen sharing and chatting function or a screen sharing function”) and while not displaying a messaging conversation accessible to the plurality of users in a messaging user interface of a messaging application (Seo: at least ¶¶0231, 0239; “each of the chat window control icons 911 and 921 functions to display, hide, remove, or not display a translucent chat window on a corresponding terminal screen. That is, in response to a touch input on the chat window control icon 911 or 921 received from a user in a state in which the translucent chat window is displayed, the translucent chat window may be hidden”):
receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the messaging
option (Seo: at least ¶¶0233, 0239; “each of the real-time screen sharing and chatting related icons 913 and 923 may provide a menu (hereinafter, referred to as a "real-time function sharing and chatting menu" for sharing a function excluding a real-time screen sharing and chatting function or a screen sharing function”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Seo’s feature of while concurrently displaying the shared document and the messaging option (Seo: at least ¶¶0133, 0135, 0232-0233) and while not displaying a messaging conversation accessible to the plurality of users in a messaging user interface of a messaging application (Seo: at least ¶¶0231, 0239):
receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the messaging
option (Seo: at least ¶¶0233, 0239) with the method disclosed by Miyashita.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to enable “a variety of information to be shared between users during communication” (Seo: at least ¶¶0006-0007).
Miyashita and Seo do not explicitly disclose, but Lira discloses the messaging user interface includes first representations of one or more first messages displayed overlaid on representations of one or more second messages (Lira: at least ¶0070; “an overlaid message is a message, e.g. texts, graphics, images, animations, movies, or any combination of them, with or without sounds, delivered from a sender's instant message client to at least one recipient's instant message client. Such message is typically meant to be displayed, e.g. displayed, played, made visible, or otherwise enabled to be perceived, upon recipient's client system input and it often overlays the recipient's session window, or any chosen area of the recipient's client system screen”; at least ¶0209-0210 further disclose “Sandy is editing the overlaid message text using the text composition area 132. In FIG. 37, the overlaid message that Sandy has chosen and edited is being transmitted to Richard's client” and “highlighted to emphasize that the overlaid message is being presented, and the presentation progress notification 161. In FIG. 38, Richard's presentation 830b is playing its introductory-phase in which an animated half-cup of coffee is thrown out of Richard's session window 100b. In FIG. 39, Richard's presentation 830b is playing its main-phase in which animated coffee continues pouring into the half-cup”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Lira’s feature of the messaging user interface includes first representations of one or more first messages displayed overlaid on representations of one or more second messages (Lira: at least ¶¶0070, 0209-0210) with the method disclosed by Miyashita and Seo.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to allow for “magnifying and overlaying messages themselves” where “once a message is magnified, its liveliness can be enhanced by means of colors, styles, animations, and artworks” (Lira: at least ¶0026).
Claim 14 (a device claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 1, and are similarly rejected.
Claim 15 (a transitory computer readable storage medium claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 1, and are similarly rejected.
Claims 1-2, 4-7, 10 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US PGPUB 2003/0131062 by Miyashita in view of US PGPUB 2023/0205737 by Cundall, and further in view of US PGPUB 2006/0041848 by Lira.
As to Claim 1, Miyashita teaches a method comprising: at an electronic device in communication with a display generation component and one or more input devices: concurrently displaying, via the display generation component, a shared document accessible to a plurality of users (Miyashita: at least ¶0064; “the chat server 13 stores files attached by the group of the client computers 15-1 to 15-n in the chat database 42 so that the files will be shared among the client computers”; ¶0191 further discloses “the user E of the client computer 15-5 attaches a file to a chat text and shares it with other client computers 15-3 and 15-4”; ¶¶0198, 0205 also disclose “the user E first performs a predetermined operation via the input unit 106 to display a file displaying window 521 on the monitor 108 of the client computer 15-5. In the file displaying window 521, a file 522-1 (with a file name of "schedule.txt") and a file 522-2 (with a file name of mno.jpg") are displayed” and “sends the chat log data and the attachment file stored in the chat database 42 in step S302 to the client computers 15-3 to 155”) and a messaging option associated with the shared document (Miyashita: at least ¶0193; “an input area 503 for accepting input of a chat text, a user list display area 504 in which nicknames of users participating in the chat in the same chat room is displayed, and a send key 505 that is operated when sending the chat text input to the input area 503”; ¶0199 further discloses “for example, if the file 522-1 displayed in the file displaying window 521 is dragged and dropped to the input area 503 by an operation of the mouse (the input unit 106), as indicated by a dotted arrow, the CPU 101 of the client computer 15-5 displays the file 522-1 at the end of the chat text that reads "Please refer to", being input to the input area 503, as a link indication 541 that reads "schedule.txt”);
while concurrently displaying the shared document and the messaging option: receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the messaging option (Miyashita: at least ¶0193; “an input area 503 for accepting input of a chat text, a user list display area 504 in which nicknames of users participating in the chat in the same chat room is displayed, and a send key 505 that is operated when sending the chat text input to the input area 503”; ¶0199 further discloses “for example, if the file 522-1 displayed in the file displaying window 521 is dragged and dropped to the input area 503 by an operation of the mouse (the input unit 106), as indicated by a dotted arrow, the CPU 101 of the client computer 15-5 displays the file 522-1 at the end of the chat text …”); and
in response to receiving the input selecting the messaging option: displaying, via the display generation component, a messaging conversation accessible to the plurality of users in the messaging user interface of the messaging application (Miyashita: at least ¶0193; “an input area 503 for accepting input of a chat text, a user list display area 504 in which nicknames of users participating in the chat in the same chat room is displayed, and a send key 505 that is operated when sending the chat text input to the input area 503”; ¶0199 further discloses “for example, if the file 522-1 displayed in the file displaying window 521 is dragged and dropped to the input area 503 by an operation of the mouse (the input unit 106), as indicated by a dotted arrow, the CPU 101 of the client computer 15-5 displays the file 522-1 at the end of the chat text that reads "Please refer to", being input to the input area 503, as a link indication 541 that reads "schedule.txt”; ¶0203 further discloses “… sends the chat text input in the input area 503 shown in FIG. 26”), wherein:
the messaging conversation includes one or more first messages (Miyashita: at least Figs. 26-27 that show, for example, "This is E. Let's decide the date for the next project meeting." and “Please refer to schedule.txt for dates I'm available.”) associated with a selectable option to access the shared document (Miyashita: at least ¶0211; “If the link indication 606 is clicked on by an operation of the mouse (the input unit 106) by the user C while the screen shown in FIG. 27 is in display on the monitor 108 of the client computer 15-3, the CPU 101 of the client computer 15-3 determines that an instruction for displaying the link indication 606 and the linked attachment file has been input, and displays a screen shown in FIG. 28 on the monitor 108”) and one or more second messages not associated with the selectable option to access the shared document (Miyashita: at least Figs. 26-27 that show, for example, "This is E. Let's decide the date for the next project meeting." and “Please refer to schedule.txt for dates I'm available.”).
Miyashita does not explicitly disclose, but Cundall discloses while concurrently displaying the shared document and the messaging option and while not displaying a messaging conversation accessible to the plurality of users in a messaging user interface of a messaging application (Cundall: at least ¶0058; “user interface 400 is visually removed from view at computing device 104C and replaced with user interface 416. User interface 416 can be a shared space where user 102A, 102B, and 102C can freely interact via their associated avatars 102B′ and 102C′” and “users 102A, 102B, and 102C can jointly view a file 116 and interact”; ¶¶0060-0061 also disclose “user 102C can select user interface element 418 to hide the chat 402 from view to access a maximized view of the file 116” and “by selecting user interface element 418 user 102C can hide the chat 402 from view to show a maximized view of the shared file 116” and “user 102C can summon various icons that represent actions that can be taken with respect to user 102B who is associated with avatar icon 102B”; ¶0062 further discloses “selecting icon 424A can cause a display of information pertaining to user 102B such as an email address, a phone number, a job title, and so forth. In another example, selecting icon 424B can enable user 102C to chat with user 102B privately (e.g., outside the shared space of user interface 416). Alternatively, selecting icon 424B can cause the system to automatically generate a message that is prepopulated with a mention of user 102B which user 102C can display within the shared space of user interface 416. In this way, user 102C can get the attention of user 102B without leaving the shared view of file 116. In still another example, selecting icon 424C can cause a display of a calendar of user 102B showing their availability if user 102C wishes to schedule a meeting for instance”):
receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the messaging
option (Cundall: at least ¶¶0060-0061; “user 102C can select user user interface element 418 to hide the chat 402 from view to access a maximized view of the file 116” and “by selecting user interface element 418 user 102C can hide the chat 402 from view to show a maximized view of the shared file 116” and “user 102C can summon various icons that represent actions that can be taken with respect to user 102B who is associated with avatar icon 102B”; ¶0062 further discloses “selecting icon 424A can cause a display of information pertaining to user 102B such as an email address, a phone number, a job title, and so forth. In another example, selecting icon 424B can enable user 102C to chat with user 102B privately (e.g., outside the shared space of user interface 416). Alternatively, selecting icon 424B can cause the system to automatically generate a message that is prepopulated with a mention of user 102B which user 102C can display within the shared space of user interface 416. In this way, user 102C can get the attention of user 102B without leaving the shared view of file 116. In still another example, selecting icon 424C can cause a display of a calendar of user 102B showing their availability if user 102C wishes to schedule a meeting for instance”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Cundall’s feature of while concurrently displaying the shared document and the messaging option and while not displaying a messaging conversation accessible to the plurality of users in a messaging user interface of a messaging application (Cundall: at least ¶0058, 0060-0062):
receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the messaging
option (Cundall: at least ¶¶0060-0062) with the method disclosed by Miyashita.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to “access a maximized view” of a shared file (Cundall: at least ¶0060).
Miyashita and Cundall do not explicitly disclose, but Lira discloses the messaging user interface includes first representations of one or more first messages displayed overlaid on representations of one or more second messages (Lira: at least ¶0070; “an overlaid message is a message, e.g. texts, graphics, images, animations, movies, or any combination of them, with or without sounds, delivered from a sender's instant message client to at least one recipient's instant message client. Such message is typically meant to be displayed, e.g. displayed, played, made visible, or otherwise enabled to be perceived, upon recipient's client system input and it often overlays the recipient's session window, or any chosen area of the recipient's client system screen”; at least ¶0209-0210 further disclose “Sandy is editing the overlaid message text using the text composition area 132. In FIG. 37, the overlaid message that Sandy has chosen and edited is being transmitted to Richard's client” and “highlighted to emphasize that the overlaid message is being presented, and the presentation progress notification 161. In FIG. 38, Richard's presentation 830b is playing its introductory-phase in which an animated half-cup of coffee is thrown out of Richard's session window 100b. In FIG. 39, Richard's presentation 830b is playing its main-phase in which animated coffee continues pouring into the half-cup”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Lira’s feature of the messaging user interface includes first representations of one or more first messages displayed overlaid on representations of one or more second messages (Lira: at least ¶¶0070, 0209-0210) with the method disclosed by Miyashita and Cundall.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to allow for “magnifying and overlaying messages themselves” where “once a message is magnified, its liveliness can be enhanced by means of colors, styles, animations, and artworks” (Lira: at least ¶0026).
Claim 14 (a device claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 1, and are similarly rejected.
Claim 15 (a transitory computer readable storage medium claim) corresponds in scope to Claim 1, and are similarly rejected.
As to Claim 2, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1, further comprising: while displaying, via the display generation component, the shared document without displaying the messaging option (Miyashita: at least ¶0122; “In the file display window 321, a file 322 managed in the folder is displayed”): displaying, via the display generation component, a menu option concurrently with the shared document (Miyashita: at least ¶0133; “a send key 302, an address input field 303, a CC input field 304, a BCC input field 305, a subject input field 306, and a text input field 307 in the e-mail creating window 301 have the same functions as those designated by the same numerals in FIG. 8” ); and
receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the menu option (Miyashita: at least ¶0133; “a send key 302, an address input field 303, a CC input field 304, a BCC input field 305, a subject input field 306, and a text input field 307 in the e-mail creating window 301 have the same functions as those designated by the same numerals in FIG. 8” ); and
in response to receiving the input selecting the menu option, displaying a menu that includes the messaging option, an option that, when selected, causes the electronic device to contact the plurality of users via an application other than the messaging application (Miyashita: at least ¶0107; “the e-mail creating window 301 includes a send key 302 that is clicked on to send an e-mail that has been created”), a plurality of indications of users included in the plurality of users (Miyashita: at least ¶0133; “… an address input field 303, a CC input field 304, a BCC input field 305, a subject input field 306, and a text input field 307 in the e-mail creating window 301 have the same functions as those designated by the same numerals in FIG. 8”), and an option that, when selected, causes the electronic device to initiate a process to change a setting associated with sharing the shared document (Miyashita: at least ¶0134; “attach key 371 is shown. When the attach key 371 is clicked on by an operation of the mouse (the input unit 106) by the user A, the CPU 101 determines in step S105 that attachment of a file has been instructed, and in step S106, it displays a new window on the monitor 108 of the client computer 15-1 and displays a list of files managed in the client computer 15-1 in the window to accept designation of files to be attached”).
As to Claim 4, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1, further comprising: while displaying the shared document, displaying, via the display generation component, a visual indication of the messaging conversation accessible to the plurality of users (Miyashita: at least ¶¶0210-0211; “… the chat log data includes a link indication 606, which is underlined and displayed in a color different from that of the other part of the chat log data” and “If the link indication 606 is clicked on by an operation of the mouse (the input unit 106) by the user C while the screen shown in FIG. 27 is in display on the monitor 108 of the client computer 15-3, the CPU 101 of the client computer 15-3 determines that an instruction for displaying the link indication 606 and the linked attachment file has been input, and displays a screen shown in FIG. 28 on the monitor 108”).
As to Claim 5, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1, wherein the selectable option to access the shared document is included in a representation of a message included in the one or more first messages (Miyashita: at least ¶0211; “If the link indication 606 is clicked on by an operation of the mouse (the input unit 106) by the user C while the screen shown in FIG. 27 is in display on the monitor 108 of the client computer 15-3, the CPU 101 of the client computer 15-3 determines that an instruction for displaying the link indication 606 and the linked attachment file has been input, and displays a screen shown in FIG. 28 on the monitor 108”).
As to Claim 6, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1, wherein one or more first messages include a first message sharing the shared document (Miyashita: at least ¶¶0196, 0199; “a screen with a character string that reads "Please refer to" having been input to the input area 503. The user E is allowed to input the character string by placing a cursor in the input area 503 and operating the keyboard (the input unit 106)” and “file 522-1 at the end of the chat text that reads "Please refer to", being input to the input area 503, as a link indication 541 that reads "schedule.txt””).
Miyashita and Cundall do not explicitly disclose, but Lira discloses one or more messages that are replies to the first message (Lira: at least ¶0070, Figs. 6C & 39; “… the recipient, after enjoying the presentation, is ready to send a text reply”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Lira’s feature of one or more messages that are replies to the first message (Lira: at least ¶0070, Figs. 6C & 39) with method disclosed by Miyashita and Cundall.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to allow for “magnifying and overlaying messages themselves” where “once a message is magnified, its liveliness can be enhanced by means of colors, styles, animations, and artworks” (Lira: at least ¶0026).
As to Claim 7, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more first messages include a first message sharing the shared document (Miyashita: at least ¶¶0196, 0199; “a screen with a character string that reads "Please refer to" having been input to the input area 503. The user E is allowed to input the character string by placing a cursor in the input area 503 and operating the keyboard (the input unit 106)” and “file 522-1 at the end of the chat text that reads "Please refer to", being input to the input area 503, as a link indication 541 that reads "schedule.txt"”).
Miyashita and Cundall do not explicitly disclose, but Lira discloses the one or more second messages include one or more messages that are replies to the first message (Lira: at least ¶0070, Figs. 6C & 39).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Lira’s feature of the one or more second messages include one or more messages that are replies to the first message (Lira: at least ¶0070, Figs. 6C & 39) with the method disclosed by Miyashita and Cundall.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to allow for “magnifying and overlaying messages themselves” where “once a message is magnified, its liveliness can be enhanced by means of colors, styles, animations, and artworks” (Lira: at least ¶0026).
As to Claim 10, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1, wherein the shared document is shared with the plurality of users in the messaging conversation and a respective user (Miyashita: at least ¶0064; “the chat server 13 stores files attached by the group of the client computers 15-1 to 15-n in the chat database 42 so that the files will be shared among the client computers”; ¶0191 further discloses “the user E of the client computer 15-5 attaches a file to a chat text and shares it with other client computers 15-3 and 15-4”), and the shared document was shared with the respective user via an application other than the messaging application (Miyashita: at least ¶0092; “the user A creates an e-mail to be sent to the client computer 15-2 of the user B. At this time, the CPU 101 of the client computer 15-1 accepts attachment of a file together with text data of the e-mail”; ¶0173 further discloses “Referring to FIG. 21, a received e-mail displaying window 431 is displayed on the monitor 108 of the client computer 15-2. In the received e-mail displaying window 431, a sender address display field 432 in which an e-mail address of the sender of the e-mail ("user-a@isp1.ne.jp" in FIG. 21) is displayed, a subject display filed 433 in which a title of the received e-mail ("link test mail" in FIG. 21) is displayed, a text display filed 434 in which a body of the received e-mail is displayed, and an attachment file display field 436 in which files attached to the received e-mail (attachment files 437-1 to 437-3 in FIG. 21) are displayed”), and the method further comprises: in response to receiving the input selecting the messaging option, forgoing displaying a user interface of the application other than the messaging application (Miyashita: at least ¶0193; “an input area 503 for accepting input of a chat text, a user list display area 504 in which nicknames of users participating in the chat in the same chat room is displayed, and a send key 505 that is operated when sending the chat text input to the input area 503”; ¶0199 further discloses “for example, if the file 522-1 displayed in the file displaying window 521 is dragged and dropped to the input area 503 by an operation of the mouse (the input unit 106), as indicated by a dotted arrow, the CPU 101 of the client computer 15-5 displays the file 522-1 at the end of the chat text that reads "Please refer to", being input to the input area 503, as a link indication 541 that reads "schedule.txt”; ¶0203 further discloses “… sends the chat text input in the input area 503 shown in FIG. 26”; note: a user interface of application other than the messaging application is not displayed in receiving chat input or displaying chat/messaging conversation).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US PGPUB 2003/0131062 by Miyashita in view of US PGPUB 2023/0205737 by Cundall, and further in view of US PGPUB 2006/0041848 by Lira, and further in view of US PGPUB 2017/0149906 by DeMaris et al. (“DeMaris”).
As to Claim 3, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 2.
Miyashita, Cundall and Lira do not explicitly disclose, but DeMaris discloses, wherein the menu further includes an indication of a previous change made to the shared document by one of the plurality of users (DeMaris: at least ¶0097; “the listing 474 displays various information about the items such as the user who made the personal copy, when the personal copy was created, whether the personal copy has been modified, and when the personal copy was last modified. In other embodiments, the listing 474 may include additional or different information as well”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate DeMaris’ feature of wherein the menu further includes an indication of a previous change made to the shared document by one of the plurality of users (DeMaris: at least ¶0097) with the method disclosed by Miyashita, Cundall and Lira.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to allow for “privately editing” of “shared files in a collaborative space” (DeMaris: at least ¶0003)
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US PGPUB 2003/0131062 by Miyashita in view of US PGPUB 2023/0205737 by Cundall, and further in view of US PGPUB 2006/0041848 by Lira, and further in view of US Patent 11,556,225 by Romagnoli et al. (“Romagnoli”).
As to Claim 8, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1.
Miyashita, Cundall and Lira do not explicitly disclose, but Romagnoli discloses wherein displaying the messaging conversation in response to receiving the input selecting the messaging option includes displaying the messaging conversation overlaid on the shared document (Romagnoli: at least Col. 7 Lines 35-45; “… additional information about the activity update is presented in a pop-up window 214. In this example, the activity update information indicates that the issue includes two new messages and an attachment” and “a user may be able to select or hover over the “2 Messages” text in the pop-up window 214, which in turn may cause a further pop-up window 216 to appear that shows the two new messages and may even allow the user to respond to the messages directly from the pop-up window”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Romagnoli’s feature of wherein displaying the messaging conversation in response to receiving the input selecting the messaging option includes displaying the messaging conversation overlaid on the shared document (Romagnoli: at least Col. 7 Lines 35-45) with the method disclosed by Miyashita, Cundall and Lira.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide “activity update information” that include new messages and attachment (Romagnoli: at least Col. 7 Lines 37-38) in an issue tracking system (ITS) (Romagnoli: at least Col. 1 Lines 39-41).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US PGPUB 2003/0131062 by Miyashita in view of US PGPUB 2023/0205737 by Cundall, and further in view of US PGPUB 2006/0041848 by Lira, and further in view of US PGPUB 2016/0234135 by Kim.
As to Claim 9, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1.
Miyashita, Cundall and Lira do not explicitly disclose, but Kim discloses while displaying the shared document: in accordance with a determination that the shared document is shared with the plurality of users in the messaging conversation and a second plurality of users in a second messaging conversation (Kim: at least ¶0052; “when a document displayed in a chat window of a first chat group is transmitted to a second chat group, a shared status of the document is updated, thereby facilitating a user to further share the document with other chat groups”; ¶¶0121-0122 also disclose “a popular document list 613 is displayed on the user terminal 300, as a first screen 610” and “selects a document transmitting interface 614 displayed together with the popular document 612, a chat group selecting window 621 for selecting a chat group to which the popular document 612 is to be transmitted”), while displaying the shared document without displaying the messaging option:
displaying, via the display generation component, a respective option (Kim: at least ¶0125; “user 417 selects the document transmitting interface 614 regarding the popular document 612”); and receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the respective option (Kim: at least ¶0125; “user 417 selects the document transmitting interface 614 regarding the popular document 612”); and
in response to receiving the input selecting the respective option, concurrently displaying, via the display generation component, a second messaging option associated with the second messaging conversation and the messaging option with the shared document (Kim: at least ¶0122; “a chat group selecting window 621 for selecting a chat group to which the popular document 612 is to be transmitted is displayed as a second screen 620”; ¶0096 also discloses “easily transmitting a popular document to chat groups”);
while concurrently displaying the second messaging option, the messaging option, and the shared document, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the second messaging option (Kim: at least ¶0122; “a chat group selecting window 621 for selecting a chat group to which the popular document 612 is to be transmitted is displayed as a second screen 620”); and
in response to receiving the input selecting the second messaging option, displaying, via the display generation component, the second messaging conversation accessible to the second plurality of users in the messaging user interface of the messaging application (Kim: at least ¶0123; “when the user 417 selects a chat group 626 to which the popular document 612 is to be transmitted from the chat group selecting window 621, a chat window 631 of the chat group 626 is displayed as a third screen 630. The popular document 612 is transmitted to and displayed on the chant window 631 in a chat window format 635”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Kim’s features of while displaying the shared document: in accordance with a determination that the shared document is shared with the plurality of users in the messaging conversation and a second plurality of users in a second messaging conversation (Kim: at least ¶¶0052, 0121-0122), while displaying the shared document without displaying the messaging option:
displaying, via the display generation component, a respective option (Kim: at least ¶0125); and receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the respective option (Kim: at least ¶0125); and
in response to receiving the input selecting the respective option, concurrently displaying, via the display generation component, a second messaging option associated with the second messaging conversation and the messaging option with the shared document (Kim: at least ¶¶0096, 0122);
while concurrently displaying the second messaging option, the messaging option, and the shared document, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the second messaging option (Kim: at least ¶0122); and
in response to receiving the input selecting the second messaging option, displaying, via the display generation component, the second messaging conversation accessible to the second plurality of users in the messaging user interface of the messaging application (Kim: at least ¶0123) with the method disclosed by Miyashita, Cundall and Lira.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide “a document sharing service based on a messaging service” (Kim: at least ¶0132).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US PGPUB 2003/0131062 by Miyashita in view of US PGPUB 2023/0205737 by Cundall, and further in view of US PGPUB 2006/0041848 by Lira, and further in view of US PGPUB 2007/0168444 by Chen et al. (“Chen”).
As to Claim 11, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1, further comprising: concurrently displaying, via the display generation component, a communication option with the shared document and the messaging option (Miyashita: at least Fig. 26 shows buttons as communication options with window 521 and messaging option that displays messaging conversation);
while concurrently displaying the communication option, the shared document, and the messaging option, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the communication option (Miyashita: at least Fig. 26 shows clickable buttons as communication options with window 521 and messaging option that displays messaging conversation).
Miyashita, Cundall and Lira do not explicitly disclose, but Chen discloses in response to receiving the input selecting the communication option, initiating a communication session with the plurality of users that includes a selectable option to view the shared document (Chen: at least ¶0049; “For example, "Open" or "Chat" button 510 may be included that, when selected, would open a chat window for the scheduled session with the appropriate contacts and properties such as notes, formatting, attachments, and the like”; ¶0053 further discloses “text send box 606. When the instant messaging chat window is initiated, text send box 606 may be populated with information stored in or associated with the calendar entry, such as notes or attachments related to the chat session”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Chen’s feature of in response to receiving the input selecting the communication option, initiating a communication session with the plurality of users that includes a selectable option to view the shared document (Chen: at least ¶¶0049, 0053) with the method disclosed by Miyashita, Cundall and Lira.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to provide an interface that “communicates to the user that the user has a scheduled chat at” a certain time with other user(s) (Chen: at least ¶0048).
Claims 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US PGPUB 2003/0131062 by Miyashita in view of US PGPUB 2023/0205737 by Cundall, and further in view of US PGPUB 2006/0041848 by Lira, and further in view of US PGPUB 2006/0036703 by Fulmer et al. (“Fulmer”).
As to Claim 12, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1.
Miyashita, Cundall and Lira do not explicitly disclose, but Fulmer discloses while not displaying the shared document or the messaging option: receiving an indication of an incoming communication session associated with the shared document (Fulmer: at least ¶0058; “a file transfer indicator 82 is provided at the top of the conversation window 60”);
in response to receiving the indication of the incoming communication session and in response to receiving an input to initiate the communication session, initiating the communication session (Fulmer: at least ¶0058; “the user can accept the file transfer by selecting a "yes" selection button 83 or can decline the file transfer by selecting a "no" selection button 84”) and displaying, via the display generation component, a selectable option that, when selected, causes the electronic device to display the shared document (Fulmer: at least ¶0059; “if the user selects the "yes" selection button 83, a message 86 as shown in FIG. 15 indicates that the file is being transferred” and “the file transfer is complete and the user is provided with an option 90 to view the transferred file”); and
receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input corresponding to selection of the selectable option that, when selected, causes the electronic device to display the shared document (Fulmer: at least ¶0059; “if the user selects the "yes" selection button 83, a message 86 as shown in FIG. 15 indicates that the file is being transferred” and “the file transfer is complete and the user is provided with an option 90 to view the transferred file”); and
in response to receiving the input corresponding to selection of the selectable option that, when selected, causes the electronic device to display the shared document, displaying, via the display generation component, the shared document (Fulmer: at least ¶0059; “if the user selects the "yes" selection button 83, a message 86 as shown in FIG. 15 indicates that the file is being transferred” and “the file transfer is complete and the user is provided with an option 90 to view the transferred file”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Fulmer’s features of while not displaying the shared document or the messaging option: receiving an indication of an incoming communication session associated with the shared document (Fulmer: at least ¶0058);
in response to receiving the indication of the incoming communication session and in response to receiving an input to initiate the communication session, initiating the communication session (Fulmer: at least ¶0058) and displaying, via the display generation component, a selectable option that, when selected, causes the electronic device to display the shared document (Fulmer: at least ¶0059, Fig. 15); and
receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input corresponding to selection of the selectable option that, when selected, causes the electronic device to display the shared document (Fulmer: at least ¶0059, FIG. 15); and
in response to receiving the input corresponding to selection of the selectable option that, when selected, causes the electronic device to display the shared document, displaying, via the display generation component, the shared document (Fulmer: at least ¶0059, FIG. 15) with the method disclosed by Miyashita, Cundall and Lira.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to combine “an instant messaging experience with a primary media experience in a multimedia system” (Fulmer: at least ¶0008).
As to Claim 13, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1.
Miyashita, Cundall and Lira do not explicitly disclose, but Fulmer discloses displaying, via the display generation component, an option to initiate a communication session associated with the shared document (Fulmer: at least ¶0058; “the user can accept the file transfer by selecting a "yes" selection button 83 or can decline the file transfer by selecting a "no" selection button 84”);
while displaying the option to initiate the communication session associated with the shared document, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the option to initiate the communication session associated with the shared document (Fulmer: at least ¶0058; “the user can accept the file transfer by selecting a "yes" selection button 83 or can decline the file transfer by selecting a "no" selection button 84”); and
in response to receiving the input selecting the option to initiate the communication session associated with the shared document: initiating the communication session via a first application (Fulmer: at least ¶0058; “the user can accept the file transfer by selecting a "yes" selection button 83 or can decline the file transfer by selecting a "no" selection button 84”), wherein the communication session includes a selectable option that, when selected, causes the electronic device to display the shared document in a user interface of a second application different from the first application (Fulmer: at least ¶0059; “the file transfer is complete and the user is provided with an option 90 to view the transferred file” and “If the viewer selects the "yes" selection button option 90 of FIG. 16, the scene 700 of FIG. 17 appears”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Fulmer’s features of displaying, via the display generation component, an option to initiate a communication session associated with the shared document (Fulmer: at least ¶0058);
while displaying the option to initiate the communication session associated with the shared document, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input selecting the option to initiate the communication session associated with the shared document (Fulmer: at least ¶0058); and
in response to receiving the input selecting the option to initiate the communication session associated with the shared document: initiating the communication session via a first application (Fulmer: at least ¶0058), wherein the communication session includes a selectable option that, when selected, causes the electronic device to display the shared document in a user interface of a second application different from the first application (Fulmer: at least ¶0059) with the method disclosed by Miyashita, Cundall and Lira.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to combine “an instant messaging experience with a primary media experience in a multimedia system” (Fulmer: at least ¶0008).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US PGPUB 2003/0131062 by Miyashita in view of US PGPUB 2023/0205737 by Cundall, and further in view of US PGPUB 2006/0041848 by Lira, and further in view of US PGPUB 2012/0301863 by Bijlani et al. (“Bijlani”).
As to Claim 16, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1.
Miyashita, Cundall and Lira do not explicitly disclose, but Bijlani discloses in response to receiving the input selecting the messaging option: ceasing display of the shared document (Bijlani: at least ¶0045; “live chat window” and “chat session”; ¶0063 further discloses “if the document display is finished at the active server, then the active display of the document on the student machine may end. For example, the presenter may switch content, pointing to a different document or whiteboard, for example”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Bijlani’s feature of in response to receiving the input selecting the messaging option: ceasing display of the shared document (Bijlani: at least ¶¶0045, 0063) with the method disclosed by Miyashita, Cundall and Lira.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to allow for sharing of various contents in an “interactive learning environment” (Bijlani: at least ¶¶0033, 0059, 0063).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US PGPUB 2003/0131062 by Miyashita in view of US PGPUB 2023/0205737 by Cundall, and further in view of US PGPUB 2006/0041848 by Lira, and further in view of US PGPUB 2021/0165859 by Damato.
As to Claim 16, Miyashita, Cundall and Lira teach the method of claim 1.
Miyashita, Cundall and Lira do not explicitly disclose, but Damato discloses in response to receiving the input selecting the messaging option: ceasing display of the shared document (Damato: at least ¶¶0022, 0034; “content may also be “pulled” from the connected device 104 at any time by the host device 102. That is, “pulling” content may refer to ceasing presentation of the content on the connected device (for example a vehicle dealer may be presenting a loan document to a user in control of a connected device, and the dealer may choose to “pull” the loan document from the connected device so that it is no longer being presented to the user)” and “once the user is finished with the content, the user may provide an indication to “push” the document back to the host device included any changes made to the document by the user on the connected device. Similarly, at any time, the user of the host device may provide an indication to “pull” the document from the connected device. That is, the document may cease to be displayed on the connected device”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Damato’s feature of in response to receiving the input selecting the messaging option: ceasing display of the shared document (Damato: at least ¶¶0022, 0034) with the method disclosed by Miyashita, Cundall and Lira.
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to implement temporary digital content sharing where documents can be “pushed” to connected devices for sharing and “pulled” from connected devices to stop sharing (Damato: at least ¶¶0001, 0015).
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to HUEN WONG whose telephone number is (571)270-3426. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday (10:00AM EST -6:30PM EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Charles Rones can be reached on (571) 272-4085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/HW/
Examiner, Art Unit 2168
21 November 2025
/CHARLES RONES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2168
Prosecution Insights