DETAILED ACTION
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 8/28/2026 has been entered.
Claims 1-3, 5-10, 12-17 and 19-20 are pending.
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 .
Allowable subject matter
Claims 1-3, 5-10, 12-17 and 19-20 would be allowable if the 112(b) rejections below are overcome. The IDS filed on 8/28/2026 had been considered and the references therein, alone or in combination with the existing prior art, do not teach or suggest the features of the independent claims. Therefore, the reasons for allowance are the same as in notice of allowance mailed on 7/22/2026.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-10, 12-17 and 19-20 are 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. Based on the previously entered allowed claims, additional 112(b) issues were identified as follows:
-Claims 1, 8 and 15 recite “content associated with the first user” and further recite “one or more access permission levels to content that are less restrictive” and it is not clear whether the two limitations are referring to the same content or to different contents. The dependent claims inherit this rejection. Amending as suggested in the proposed amendment below would resolve this issue.
-Claims 3, 5, 10 and 12 recite “wherein the instruction code that causes the computing system to perform operations comprising” which lack antecedent basis. Amending as suggested in the proposed amendment below would resolve this issue.
-Claims 6, 13 and 20 recite “for which a user has defined specific predefined access permission levels” and subsequently recite “suggest predefined access permission levels based on demographic analysis”. It is not clear if the two recitations of predefined access permission levels refer to the same or different permission levels. Amending as suggested in the proposed amendment below would resolve this issue.
-Claims 7 and 14 recite “benefits associated with the predefined access permission levels” and subsequently recite “if associated benefits remain unused”. It is not clear if the two recitations of associated benefits refer to the same or different benefits. Amending as suggested in the proposed amendment below would resolve this issue.
Proposed Amendments:
1. (Currently Amended) A computing system comprising:
a first privacy vault associated with a first user that stores:
content associated with the first user;
data that specifies one or more predefined access permission levels associated respectively with one or more third-parties, wherein the one or more predefined access permission levels specify respective levels of access that respective third parties have to the content; and
data that specifies default access permission levels to be applied to new third-parties; and
one or more processors; and
one or more instruction storage devices that comprise instruction code, which when executed by the one or more processors, causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
receiving identification of a new third-party;
after receiving an indication that the new third-party has a prior agreement with the first user and that specifies one or more access permission levels to the content that are less restrictive than corresponding access permission levels granted by the default access permissions levels, associating with the new third-party, and in the first privacy vault, predefined access permissions that specify the one or more less restrictive access permission levels, rather than the default access permissions levels;
after receiving an indication that a second privacy vault, associated with a second user that uses similar services from the new third-party as the first user, stores data that specifies predefined access permission levels associated with the new third-party that are more restrictive than the one or more less restrictive access permission levels, automatically changing the predefined access permission levels stored in the second privacy vault to match the one or more less restrictive access permission levels;
determining that at least one type of content covered by the prior agreement is predefined as sensitive data;
communicating to a first user device associated with the first user, an alert notification that indicates that sharing of the at least one type of content could result in sharing of sensitive data; and
delaying the association of the one or more less restrictive access permission levels until receipt of a response indication from the first user device that indicates consent to share the at least one type of content.
2. (Previously Presented) The computing system of claim 1, wherein the instruction code that causes the computing system to receiving identification of a new third-party comprises instruction code that causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
receiving, with the identification of the new third-party, the prior agreement between the first user and the new third-party.
3. (Currently Amended) The computing system of claim 1, wherein the instruction code [[that]] causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
communicating to the first user device associated with the first user, an alert notification that indicates that the new third-party has accessed content in violation of a policy; and
after receiving a response indication from the first user device, associate with the new third-party, and in the first privacy vault, predefined access permissions that specify the default access permission levels rather than the one or more less restrictive access permission levels.
4. (Canceled)
5. (Currently Amended) The computing system of claim 1, wherein the instruction code [[that]] causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
receiving a request indication from the first user device associated with the first user that indicates a request to delete at least a portion of the content accessible by the new third-party via the first privacy vault;
determining that at least one term of service for the new third-party indicates a loss of one or more services of the new third-party responsive to the requested deletion; and
communicating an indication to the first user device informing the first user of a potential loss of the one or more services.
6. (Currently Amended) The computing system of claim 1, wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
determining that the new third-party fits within a demographic group for which the first user has defined specific predefined access permission levels;
evaluating existing relationships between the new third-party and other users of similar demographics; and
suggesting the specific
7. (Currently Amended) The computing system of claim 1, wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
monitoring a frequency of interaction between the first user and the new third-party;
determining whether benefits associated with the predefined access permission levels are being utilized; and
automaticallysuggesting reverting to the default access permission levels if the associated benefits remain unused for a specified timespan.
8. (Currently Amended) A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instruction code, which when executed by one or processors of a computing system cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:
implementing a first privacy vault associated with a first user that stores:
content associated with the first user;
data that specifies one or more predefined access permission levels associated respectively with one or more third-parties, wherein the one or more predefined access permission levels specify respective levels of access that respective third parties have to the content; and
data that specifies default access permission levels to be applied to new third-parties;
receiving identification of a new third-party;
after receiving an indication that the new third-party has a prior agreement with the first user and that specifies one or more access permission levels to the content that are less restrictive than corresponding access permission levels granted by the default access permissions levels, associating with the new third-party, and in the first privacy vault, predefined access permissions that specify the one or more less restrictive access permission levels, rather than the default access permissions levels;
after receiving an indication that a second privacy vault, associated with a second user that uses similar services from the new third-party as the first user, stores data that specifies predefined access permission levels associated with the new third-party that are more restrictive than the one or more less restrictive access permission levels, automatically changing the predefined access permission levels stored in the second privacy vault to match the one or more less restrictive access permission levels;
determining that at least one type of content covered by the prior agreement is predefined as sensitive data;
communicating to a first user device associated with the first user, an alert notification that indicates that sharing of the at least one type of content could result in sharing of sensitive data; and
delaying the association of the one or more less restrictive access permission levels until receipt of a response indication from the first user device that indicates consent to share the at least one type of content.
9. (Previously Presented) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instruction code that causes the computing system to receiving identification of a new third-party comprises instruction code that causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
receiving, with the identification of the new third-party, the prior agreement between the first user and the new third-party.
10. (Currently Amended) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instruction code[[that]] causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
communicating to the first user device associated with the first user, an alert notification that indicates that the new third-party has accessed content in violation of a policy; and
after receiving a response indication from the first user device, associating with the new third-party, and in the first privacy vault, predefined access permissions that specify the default access permission levels rather than the one or more less restrictive access permission levels.
11. (Canceled)
12. (Currently Amended) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instruction code[[that]] causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
receiving a request indication from the first user device associated with the first user that indicates a request to delete at least a portion of the content accessible by the new third-party via the first privacy vault;
determining that at least one term of service for the new third-party indicates a loss of one or more services of the new third-party responsive to the requested deletion; and
communicating an indication to the first user device informing the first user of a potential loss of the one or more services.
13. (Currently Amended) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
determining that the new third-party fits within a demographic group for which the first user has defined specific predefined access permission levels;
evaluating existing relationships between the new third-party and other users of similar demographics; and
suggesting the specific predefined access permission levels based on a demographic analysis.
14. (Currently Amended) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to perform operations comprising:
monitoring a frequency of interaction between the first user and the new third-party;
determining whether benefits associated with the predefined access permission levels are being utilized; and
automatically suggesting reverting to the default access permission levels if the associated benefits remain unused for a specified timespan.
15. (Currently Amended) A computer-implemented method comprising:
implementing a first privacy vault associated with a first user that stores:
content associated with the first user;
data that specifies one or more predefined access permission levels associated respectively with one or more third-parties, wherein the one or more predefined access permission levels specify respective levels of access that respective third parties have to the content; and
data that specifies default access permission levels to be applied to new third-parties;
receiving identification of a new third-party;
after receiving an indication that the new third-party has a prior agreement with the first user and that specifies one or more access permission levels to the content that are less restrictive than corresponding access permission levels granted by the default access permissions levels, associating with the new third-party, and in the first privacy vault, predefined access permissions that specify the one or more less restrictive access permission levels, rather than the default access permissions levels;
after receiving an indication that a second privacy vault, associated with a second user that uses similar services from the new third-party as the first user, stores data that specifies predefined access permission levels associated with the new third-party that are more restrictive than the one or more less restrictive access permission levels, automatically changing the predefined access permission levels stored in the second privacy vault to match the one or more less restrictive access permission levels;
determining that at least one type of content covered by the prior agreement is predefined as sensitive data;
communicating to a first user device associated with the first user, an alert notification that indicates that sharing of the at least one type of content could result in sharing of sensitive data; and
delaying the association of the one or more less restrictive access permission levels until receipt of a response indication from the first user device that indicates consent to share the at least one type of content.
16. (Previously Presented) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein receiving identification of a new third-party further comprises:
receiving, with the identification of the new third-party, the prior agreement between the first user and the new third-party.
17. (Currently Amended) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:
communicating to the first user device associated with the first user, an alert notification that indicates that the new third-party has accessed content in violation of a policy; and
after receiving a response indication from the first user device, associating with the new third-party, and in the first privacy vault, predefined access permissions that specify the default access permission levels rather than the one or more less restrictive access permission levels.
18. (Canceled)
19. (Previously Presented) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:
receiving a request indication from the first user device associated with the first user that indicates a request to delete at least a portion of the content accessible by the new third-party via the first privacy vault;
determining that at least one term of service for the new third-party indicates a loss of one or more services of the new third-party responsive to the requested deletion; and
communicating an indication to the first user device informing the first user of a potential loss of the one or more services.
20. (Currently Amended) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:
determining that the new third-party fits within a demographic group for which the first user has defined specific predefined access permission levels;
evaluating existing relationships between the new third-party and other users of similar demographics; and
suggesting the specific predefined access permission levels based on a demographic analysis.
Conclusion
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/NOURA ZOUBAIR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2434
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