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
This office action is in response to the response received on May 28, 2026. Claims 1-6, 13-18, and 20 have been elected. Claims 7-12 and 19 are currently withdrawn.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of invention I in the reply filed on May 28, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that claims 11-12 of invention II are directed to the same core inventive concept as invention I, particularly claim 20. Applicant continues by highlighting how claims 11-12 similarly recite an operating method of a terminal that comprises identical functional steps of “displaying information on a group chatroom linked to a channel through a page of the channel; requesting participation in the group chatroom based on the information…and displaying a page of the group chatroom.” Applicant then contends that the search strategies for claims 11 and 12 will not require search that is materially different than that of claim 20. These arguments are not found persuasive.
While applicant highlights similarities between claim 20 and 11, the problem lies in the invention of claimed set 11-12, not solely claim 11. Claim 12 of the invention set 11-12 explains the invention set is directed towards advertising material. Claims 11-12 are the inventive set defined by the applicant, claim 20 as an inventive set has no support for advertising. The restriction requirement provided is of a combination-subcombination type. So, while claims 11 and 20 are directed towards chatrooms, the subcombination of claim set 11 (via claim 12) is directed towards advertising.
This leads to the second reason applicant’s argument is not persuasive, applicant made the choice to claim advertising in some of the invention sets while clearly omitting it from other invention sets. That is, while claim 1 has dependent claims 2-6 and 13, none of them mention advertising. On the other hand, while claim 11 has only a single dependent claim 12, applicant chose to direct the invention towards advertising. Claim 20 made no attempt to direct its invention set towards advertising, whether via a dependent claim or via an amendment to the limitations within claim 20 itself. Applicant could have amended the claims 20 or 11-12 to make such an alignment between these sets of inventions (perhaps via a rejoinder claim). Applicant chose not to. Claim 20, therefore falls within invention I. Claims 11-12 fall within invention II, just like claims 7-10 which also highlight advertising. The sets of claims are being given their patentable weight and are being treated as inventions, as the applicant wrote them. That is, the examiner is not restricting claim 11 into invention II and claim 20 into invention I but, rather the examiner is restricting the invention of claims 11-12 into invention II and the invention of claim 20 into claim I.
As for the searches between the two groups of inventions allegedly not being materially different, this argument is not persuasive at least for the fact that the two groups of inventions clearly fall within different classifications. The restriction requirement given was of a combination-subcombination type. The inventions are all directed towards chatrooms, that is their commonality. Their subcombinations however are clearly different. Again, applicant chose to direct some sets of claims towards advertising while not directing others towards advertising. The examiner is respecting that choice that the applicant made by interpreting the claimed features with their respective patentable weight. As such, to properly search the claimed inventions, two distinct and disparate searches would need to occur, causing an undue burden on the examiner.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 1-6, and 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zelenka et al (US PGPub No: 2014/0052576) in view of Mikurak (US PGPub No: 2004/0064351), hereafter referred to as Zelenka and Mikurak, respectively.
With regard to claims 1, 13, and 14, Zelenka teaches through Mikurak, an operating method of a server providing an instant messaging service (Zelenka supports IM; see paragraph 65, Zelenka), the operating method comprising: generating an access path to a group chatroom linked to a channel (Zelenka teaches a network that provides electronic commerce platform along with a social networking platform; see abstract, Zelenka. Zelenka teaches the creation of a new session (i.e. generating an access path) upon a user selecting start session tab; see paragraphs 124 and 140 and Figure 13, Zelenka. Each session is represented by a collaborative shopping session page; see paragraph 124 and Figure 15, Zelenka. The collaborative shopping session page contains information about a product and provides a user interface for users to interact with each other via chat (i.e. group chatroom); see paragraph 128 and Figure 15, Zelenka);
providing an access point to the group chatroom through a page of the channel based on the access path (Zelenka teaches the creation of a new session (i.e. generating an access path) upon a user selecting start session tab (i.e. access point); see paragraphs 124 and 140 and Figure 13, Zelenka);
providing information on the channel through the group chatroom (The collaborative shopping session page contains information about a product and provides a user interface for users to interact with each other via chat (i.e. group chatroom); see paragraph 128 and Figure 15, Zelenka);
and posting content based on a message transmitted through the group chatroom on the page of the channel (Zelenka supports users being able to share products in their sessions, via chat; see paragraph 198, Zelenka. See below for posting content)
While Zelenka teaches an electronic commerce network that supports users being able to share products in their session via chat (see paragraph 198, Zelenka), Zelenka does not explicitly cite posting content. In the same field of endeavor, Mikurak also teaches an e-commerce network; see paragraph 2, Mikurak. In particular, Mikurak discusses how cat capabilities can be included in content channels and how chat rooms can be created with restricted access to known users; see paragraph 1225, Mikurak. The invention also allows for moderated sessions and can permit chat members to post; see paragraph 1225, Mikurak. The posting can be related to the content/service (content/service being educational service in this example); see paragraph 1646, Mikuark. Content filtering is provided at the chat server to allow posted content to be filtered based on rules to prohibit inappropriate material; see paragraph 2982, Mikurak. Postings can be used as reviews and recommendations to help consumption; see paragraph 2673, Mikurak.
By allowing content posting, reviews and recommendations can be provided to help consumers in selecting content; see paragraph 2673, Mikurak. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, before the effective filing date, to have combined the teachings of Mikurak with those of Zelenka to allow content posting to help provide consumers reviews and recommendations.
With regard to claims 2 and 15, Zelenka teaches through Mikurak, the operating method wherein the providing the information on the channel through the group chatroom comprises: posting content linked to the information on the channel, provided through the page of the channel, in the group chatroom
Mikurak teaches the posting can be related to the content/service (content/service being educational service in this example); see paragraph 1646, Mikuark. Content filtering is provided at the chat server to allow posted content to be filtered based on rules to prohibit inappropriate material; see paragraph 2982, Mikurak. Postings can be used as reviews and recommendations to help consumpution; see paragraph 2673, Mikurak.
By allowing content posting, reviews and recommendations can be provided to help consumers in selecting content; see paragraph 2673, Mikurak. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, before the effective filing date, to have combined the teachings of Mikurak with those of Zelenka to allow content posting to help provide consumers reviews and recommendations.
With regard to claims 3 and 16, Zelenka teaches through Mikurak, the operating method wherein the posting the information on the channel in the group chatroom comprises at least one of: transmitting a message comprising the information on the channel through the group chatroom; and posting content corresponding to the information on the channel in a predetermined area in the group chatroom
Mikurak teaches the posting can be related to the content/service (content/service being educational service in this example); see paragraph 1646, Mikuark. Content filtering is provided at the chat server to allow posted content to be filtered based on rules to prohibit inappropriate material; see paragraph 2982, Mikurak. Postings can be used as reviews and recommendations to help consumpution; see paragraph 2673, Mikurak. The postings can be to bulletin boards (i.e. predetermined area in the group chatroom); see paragraph 1225, Mikurak.
By allowing content posting, reviews and recommendations can be provided to help consumers in selecting content; see paragraph 2673, Mikurak. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, before the effective filing date, to have combined the teachings of Mikurak with those of Zelenka to allow content posting to help provide consumers reviews and recommendations.
With regard to claims 4 and 17, Zelenka teaches through Mikurak, the operating method wherein the posting the content on the page of the channel comprises: generating content corresponding to the message based on relevance between the message transmitted through the group chatroom and the channel; and posting the generated content on the page of the channel (Zelenka supports users being able to share products in their sessions, via chat; see paragraph 198, Zelenka. Individual pieces of published content, such as conversations (generated) with Loops/sets of connections; see paragraph 243, Zelenka).
With regard to claims 5 and 18, Zelenka teaches through Mikurak, the operating method further comprising: determining a participation condition of a user account having requested participation in the group chatroom through the access point based on a participation condition set for the group chatroom; and comprising the user account as a participant in the group chatroom based on a result of determining the participation condition (Mikurak supports users having availability states with colored dot indicators, during collaborative shopping sessions; see paragraph 135, Mikurak).
With regards to claim 6, Zelenka teaches through Mikurak, the operating method further comprising providing an access point to the channel through the group chatroom (Zelenka teaches the creation of a new session (i.e. generating an access path) upon a user selecting start session tab (i.e. access point); see paragraphs 124 and 140 and Figure 13, Zelenka).
The obviousness motivation applied to claims 1 and 13-14 are applicable to their respective dependent claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zelenka et al (US PGPub No: 2014/0052576), hereafter referred to as Zelenka.
With regards to claim 20, Zelenka teaches a terminal using an instant messaging service (Zelenka supports IM; see paragraph 65, Zelenka), the terminal comprising: one or more processors configured to: display information on a group chatroom linked to a channel through a page of the channel (Zelenka teaches a network that provides electronic commerce platform along with a social networking platform; see abstract, Zelenka. Zelenka teaches the creation of a new session upon a user selecting start session tab; see paragraphs 124 and 140 and Figure 13, Zelenka. Each session is represented by a collaborative shopping session page; see paragraph 124 and Figure 15, Zelenka. The collaborative shopping session page (i.e. page of the channel) contains information about a product and provides a user interface for users to interact with each other via chat (i.e. group chatroom); see paragraph 128 and Figure 15, Zelenka),
request participation in the group chatroom based on the information on the group chatroom (Zelenka teaches user being able to view extended information regarding a corresponding group and being able to join a group; see paragraphs 78 and 82 and Figure 23, Zelenka. The collaborative shopping session page (i.e. page of the channel) contains information about a product and provides a user interface for users to interact with each other via chat (i.e. group chatroom); see paragraph 128 and Figure 15, Zelenka),
and display a page of the group chatroom based on approval of the request (Zelenka teaches users being granted access to view information based on privacy settings and their relationship to a particular user; see claim 5, Zelenka. The collaborative shopping session page contains information about a product and provides a user interface for users to interact with each other via chat (i.e. group chatroom); see paragraph 128 and Figure 15, Zelenka. The view rights granted can be based on the user’s Loop; see paragraph 236, Zelenka. Loops are degrees/closeness of connections; see paragraph 24, Zelenka).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AZIZUL Q CHOUDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-3909. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, EMMANUEL MOISE can be reached at (571) 272-3865. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AZIZUL CHOUDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2455
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