Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-21 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/10/2024, 10/10/2024, 10/10/2024, 10/10/2024, 01/10/2025, 01/08/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
Claims 1 and 12 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 82 and 93 of U.S. Patent Application 17/698860. The following table demonstrates the claims are not patentably distinct from each other:
Instant Application (#18/911814)
1. An electronic meeting tool for communicating at least data selected from audio data and display data from users at a meeting comprising:
a base node of a wireless communications network, the base node being coupled to a first display, the base node being adapted to receive at least the data selected from the audio data and the display data from a user processing device via the wireless communications network, and to control display of at least the data selected from the audio data and the display data on the first display; and
the user processing device being adapted to communicate at least the data selected from the audio and the display data from the user processing device to the wireless communications network through a port of the user processing device, the user processing device having a second display and a memory, and
the electronic meeting tool further comprising:
a peripheral device coupled to the port, the peripheral device including an input device integrated therewith, the input device being configured to allow the user to carry out a user action on the input device that triggers transfer of at least the data selected from the audio and the display data of said user processing device through said port and through said peripheral device, to the wireless communications network and to the base node of the wireless communications network for display on the first display.
Claim 82, (US App. #17/698860)
82. An electronic meeting tool for communicating at least data selected from audio data and display data from users at a meeting comprising:
a base node of a wireless communications network, the base node being coupled to a first display, the base node being adapted to receive at least the data selected from the audio data and the display data from a user processing device via the wireless communications network, and to control display of at least the data selected from the audio data and the display data on the first display; and
the user processing device being adapted to communicate at least the data selected from the audio and the display data from the user processing device to the wireless communications network through a port of the user processing device, the user processing device having a second display and a memory, and
the electronic meeting tool further comprising:
a peripheral device coupled to the port, the peripheral device including an input device integrated therewith, the input device being configured to allow the user to carry out a user action on the input device that triggers transfer of at least the data selected from the audio and the display data of said user processing device through said port and through said peripheral device, to the wireless communications network and to the base node of the wireless communications network for display on the first display.
Claim 12 recite similar issues/limitations to the features of Patent Application 17/698860’s claim 93, respectively, thereby rejected under the same rationale above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-5, 7-15, and 17-21 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Nuyttens et al. (USPGPUB No. 2007/0033289 A1, hereinafter referred to as Nuyttens) in view of Non-Patent Literature entitled: “Wireless Presentation Adaptor: User’s Manual”, Model Name WP-920 presented via Information Disclosure Statement, hereinafter referred to as Adaptor) and further in Grimshaw (USPGPUB No. 2011/0096138 A1).
Referring to claim 1, Nuyttens discloses an electronic meeting tool {“during in-sports events phases”, see Fig. 6, [0109]} for communicating at least data selected from audio data and display data from users at a meeting comprising {“broadcast monitoring purposes” including “JPEG2000 compression technology or similar codec 26”, see Fig. 6, [0109]}:
a base node {“sent by the synchronization master within the system”, [0186], see Fig. 12} of a wireless communications network {“the network may be wired, wireless”, [0027]}, the base node being coupled to a first display {base node “synchronization master” sends a packet to “encoder 12” or “DGU 14”, both of which couples a display “DGUs 14 display” ([0190])}, the base node being adapted to receive at least the data selected from the audio data and the display data from a user processing device {“different DGUs 14 driving display units” ([0190]) that including audio and display data claimed (“video streams… audio and data streams sent” ([0245])} via the wireless communications network {“data streams sent from encoders” in response to user processing device ([0245])}, and to control display of at least the data selected from the audio data and the display data on the first display {“each proxy server allows [controls] an application to perform X.11 calls dedicated to a certain number of DGUs 14”, [0229]};
and the user processing device being adapted to communicate at least the data selected from the audio and the display data {“different DGUs 14 driving display units” ([0190]) that including audio and display data claimed (“video streams… audio and data streams sent” ([0245])} from the user processing device to the wireless communications network through a port of the user processing device {“active and redundant Ethernet ports”, see Fig. 6 [0117]}, the user processing device having a second display and a memory {“display wall 54 in interactive mode”, [0228}}, and an input device configured to allow the user to carry out a user action {“interactively using the mouse pointer”, [0227]} on the input device that triggers transfer of at least the data selected from the audio and the display data {“who allows to move these ‘exclusive display areas’" [0227]};
Nuyttens does not appear to explicitly disclose data selected from the audio and the display data of said user processing device through said port, to the wireless communications network and to the base node of the wireless communications network for display on the first display.
Furthermore, Adaptor discloses data selected from the audio and the display data of said user processing device through said port {“accompanied token to a USB port”, page 5}, to the wireless communications network and to the base node of the wireless communications network for display on the first display {“the USB port in front panel of wePresent device, you can control your PC remotely”, page 5 last 4 lines, as well as “your screen will be wireless projected to the connected projector”, page 4, “Plug & Show” section}.
Nuyttens and Adaptor are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor, peripherals communicating via wireless networks.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Nuyttens and Adaptor before him or her, to modify Nuyttens’ base node “synchronization master” incorporating Adaptor’s “MobiShow” device (Adaptor pages 5 and 23).
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to implement revolutionary high performance wireless projection with audio thereby making every presentation and meeting efficient and successful (Adaptor page 4, lines 1-8 in “Overview” section).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Adaptor with Nuyttens to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim(s).
However, neither Nuyttens or Adaptor appear to explicitly disclose wherein the electronic meeting tool further comprising: a peripheral device coupled to the port; and the input device configured to allow the user to carry out a user action on the input device that triggers transfer of at least the data selected from the audio and the display data of said user processing device through said port and through said peripheral device to the wireless communications network.
Furthermore, Grimshaw discloses wherein the electronic meeting tool further comprising {electronic meeting tool “exemplary communication system 10… conferencing functions”, see Fig. 1 [0012]}:
a peripheral device coupled to the port {peripheral device “remote person via a speaker, a microphone, a webcam, etc.” to the “controller 324” via the claimed port (see Fig. 1 [0020])};
and the input device configured to allow the user to carry out a user action {input device “buttons 344, 354, 364, 374” per “user module”, see Figs. 1 and 3 [0027]} on the input device that triggers transfer of at least the data selected from the audio {“see what [video/audio] is on that particular computer. Likewise, audio, video and/or data signals”, see Fig. 3 [0027]} and the display data {“by giving the corresponding user module control over devices like the display module 22”, see Fig. 3, [0027]} of said user processing device {user processing device “separate laptop computers are connected”, see Fig. 1 [0019]} through said port {“ video and/or data signals from that computer are sent to display module 22”, see Fig. 3 [0027]} and through said peripheral device to the wireless communications network {“data connection between the user module and the communication system may be a wireless port”, see Fig. 3, [0026] last 3 lines}.
Nuyttens/Adaptor and Grimshaw are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor, peripherals communicating via wireless networks.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Nuyttens/Adaptor and Grimshaw before him or her, to modify Nuyttens/Adaptor device incorporating Grimshaw’s “communication system 10” (see Fig. 3 [0027]).
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to implement various types of communication systems have been used for tele-conferencing and video-conferencing purposes with the intent of communication system that is fully integrated into a piece of furniture, like a conference table or credenza for a more streamlined functional experience among remote and local users (Grimshaw [0003]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Grimshaw with Nuyttens/Adaptor to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim(s).
As per claim 2, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated and Adaptor discloses wherein the input device is displayed on the second display {“If more than one MobiShow devices are found, the following list will be displayed for you to select the one to use”, first 2 lines of page 23, with the screen shown in Figure directly after the two lines}.
As per claim 3, the rejection of claim 2 is incorporated and Nuyttens discloses wherein the input device displayed on the second display is displayed on a second layer {“gated upwards to the wall management layer” [0242]} such that during the transfer of at least the data selected from the audio and the display data (“video streams… audio and data streams sent” ([0245])} from the user processing device to the wireless communications network {“the network may be wired, wireless”, [0027]}, the input device displayed on the second display is not transferred {“subscription to multiple parts of a video stream has to be handled dynamically” [0164]} with at least the data selected from the audio data and the display data {“to prevent exceeding available bandwidth” with respect to the claimed audio and display data, [0169]}.
As per claim 4, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated and Nuyttens discloses wherein the input device is on a keyboard connected to the user processing device {“has its proper mouse and keyboard” [0006] as well as further cited “keyboard, and a pointing device may be included as part of a user interface subsystem”, [0251]}.
As per claim 5, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated and Nuyttens discloses wherein the input device displayed on the second display is able to be activated {“allows to move these ‘exclusive display areas’" interactively” [0227]} with a mouse pointer connected to the processing device {“using the mouse pointer” [0227]}.
As per claim 7, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated and Adaptor discloses further comprising an optical indicator for providing a visual indication of changes in state {“may blink from time to time”, page 19, Section 3.7.10, lines 1-4} when at least the data selected from the audio data and the display data is being transmitted by the at least one peripheral device {“when you are projecting your PC screen [audio data and the display data]” as claimed page 19, Section 3.7.10, lines 1-4}.
As per claim 8, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated and Nuyttens discloses further comprising a program adapted to be loaded onto the user processing device {“X.11 window is defined via a Streams HAL”, [0171].} and to run on an operating system {“run an off-the-shelf operating system such as e.g. Windows or Linux”, [0117]} of the user processing device {“This hardware access layer (HAL) is an API (application programming interface) providing access to the Hydra hardware” [0171]}, said program being adapted to obtain at least the data selected from the audio and the display data from the user processing device {“allows X11 applications to be used multi-screen” [0222]}.
As per claim 9, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated and Nuyttens discloses wherein at least one channel is formed for transmitting over the wireless communications network {“ rendering information can be distributed using multiple logical channels” including the wireless network as claimed [0275]} to the base node that is independent from the networking capability {“able to arrange the data in multiple multicast streams in such a way that bandwidth usage is optimal [to the users]” [0283]} of the user processing device {“avoiding clogging of the output units and exploiting the multicast capabilities of the network” [0283]}.
As per claim 10, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated and Nuyttens discloses configured to encode, compress, and/or encrypt {“encoders… codec logic can be JPEG2000 logic” [0036]} at least the data selected from the audio data and the display data for transmitting at least the data selected from the audio data and the display data {“each display generator unit is adapted to selectively subscribe to one or more input sources and to scale the images locally”, [0049]} to the base node of the wireless communications network {“able to arrange the data in multiple multicast streams in such a way that bandwidth usage is optimal [to the users]” [0283]}.
Referring to claim 11 is an apparatus claim reciting claim functionality corresponding to the apparatus claim of claim 1, thereby rejected under the same rationale as claims 1 recited above, inter alia, and to control display of the audio data and the display data on the first display {“each proxy server allows [controls] an application to perform X.11 calls dedicated to a certain number of DGUs 14”, [0229]}; and the user processing device being adapted to communicate the audio data and the display data {“different DGUs 14 driving display units” ([0190]) that including audio and display data claimed (“video streams… audio and data streams sent” ([0245])} from the user processing device to the wireless communications network through a port of the user processing device {“active and redundant Ethernet ports”, see Fig. 6 [0117]}, and the input device is configured to allow the user to carry out the user action on the input device {“interactively using the mouse pointer”, [0227]};
Nuyttens does not appear to explicitly disclose Adaptor discloses input device that triggers transfer of the audio data and the display data of said user processing device through said port {“accompanied token to a USB port”, page 5}, to the wireless communications network and to the base node of the wireless communications network for display on the first display.
and Adaptor discloses input device that triggers transfer of the audio data and the display data of said user processing device through said port {“accompanied token to a USB port”, page 5}, to the wireless communications network and to the base node of the wireless communications network for display on the first display {“the USB port in front panel of wePresent device, you can control your PC remotely”, page 5 last 4 lines, as well as “your screen will be wireless projected to the connected projector”, page 4, “Plug & Show” section}.
Nuyttens and Adaptor are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor, peripherals communicating via wireless networks.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Nuyttens and Adaptor before him or her, to modify Nuyttens’ base node “synchronization master” incorporating Adaptor’s “MobiShow” device (Adaptor pages 5 and 23).
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to implement revolutionary high performance wireless projection with audio thereby making every presentation and meeting efficient and successful (Adaptor page 4, lines 1-8 in “Overview” section).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Adaptor with Nuyttens to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim(s).
The 103 motivation for this independent claim relied upon as recited in Grimshaw as part of claim 1 recited above.
Referring to claims 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, and 20 are method claim reciting claim functionality corresponding to the apparatus claim of claims 1-5, and 7-11, thereby rejected under the same rationale as claims 1-5, and 7-11 recited above.
As per claim 21, the rejection of claim 1 is incorporated and Grimshaw discloses wherein the peripheral device comprises a wireless transceiver {“data connection [transceiver] between the user module and the communication system may be a wireless port.”, see Fig. 3 [0026]} and is configured to connect the user processing device {user processing device “separate laptop computers are connected”, see Fig. 1 [0019]} to the wireless communications network via said transceiver {“data connection between the user module and the communication system may be a wireless port”, see Fig. 3, [0026] last 3 lines}.
Claim 6 and 16 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Nuyttens in view of Adaptor in view of Grimshaw and further in view of Yue et al. (US Pat No. 8601470 B2, hereinafter referred to as Yue).
As per claim 6, the rejection of claim 2 is incorporated however neither one of the group consisting of Nuyttens, Adaptor, and Grimshaw does not explicitly disclose any limitation in this dependent claim.
Furthermore, Yue discloses wherein the input device displayed on the second display is a touch screen {“touchpad” Col 4, lines 52-54} and is able to be activated by the user action of touching the input device {“perform functions by operating on input data and generating output.” Col 17, lines 5-10}.
Nuyttens/Adaptor/Grimshaw and Yue are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor, peripherals communicating via wireless networks.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Nuyttens/Adaptor/Grimshaw and Yue before him or her, to modify Nuyttens/Adaptor/Grimshaw’s device incorporating Yue’s “input devices” (Yue Col 4, lines 52-55).
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to implement input devices coordinating via machine-level or full virtualization, the virtual machine allows a guest operating system that is implemented for the underlying host processor to be run without modification (Yue Col 1 lines, 23-26).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Yue with Nuyttens/Adaptor/Grimshaw to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim(s).
As per claim 16, the rejection of claim 13 is incorporated and Nuyttens discloses wherein the input device displayed on the second display is activated {“allows to move these ‘exclusive display areas’" interactively” [0227]} with a mouse pointer connected to the processing device {“using the mouse pointer” [0227]};
However neither one of the group consisting of Nuyttens, Adaptor, and Grimshaw does not explicitly disclose the input device displayed on the second display is a touch screen and is able to be activated by the user action of touching the input device.
Furthermore, Yue discloses wherein the input device displayed on the second display is a touch screen {“touchpad” Col 4, lines 52-54} and is able to be activated by the user action of touching the input device {“perform functions by operating on input data and generating output.” Col 17, lines 5-10}.
Nuyttens/Adaptor/Grimshaw and Yue are analogous because they are from the same field of endeavor, peripherals communicating via wireless networks.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Nuyttens/Adaptor/Grimshaw and Yue before him or her, to modify Nuyttens/Adaptor/Grimshaw’s device incorporating Yue’s “input devices” (Yue Col 4, lines 52-55).
The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to implement input devices coordinating via machine-level or full virtualization, the virtual machine allows a guest operating system that is implemented for the underlying host processor to be run without modification (Yue Col 1 lines, 23-26).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Yue with Nuyttens/Adaptor/Grimshaw to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim(s).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The following references indicative of the current state of the art regarding claim 1’s “meeting tool”, “audio data”, or “user processing device”: US 20130314421 A1, US 20140142951 A1, US 20210336859 A1, US 8370605 B2, US 9083769 B2, and US 9722986 B2.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER A. BARTELS whose telephone number is (571)270-3182. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9:00a-5:30pm EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dr. Henry Tsai can be reached on 571-272-4176. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/C.A.B./
Examiner
Art Unit 2184
/HENRY TSAI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2184