DETAILED ACTION
Remarks
This communication is in response to the amendment/arguments filed on September 16, 2025 has been fully considered. The rejection is made final. Claim 17 has been added. Therefore claims 1-17 are pending for examination.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
The examiner requests, in response to this Office action, support is shown for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line no(s) in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist the examiner in prosecuting the application.
When responding to this office action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections See 37 CFR 1.111(c).
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s arguments filed on September 16, 2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-16 under 35 U.S.C. § 101 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed September 16, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant’s argument on pages 10-11 that Rivoalen does not teach “receiving, following a request for access to a given content, both a description file of the second type relating to the given content and a successive series of description files of the first type relating to the given content” as required by claim 1, is acknowledged but not deemed to be persuasive.
Rivoalen, Abstract discloses that the first and second digital contents are obtained by HTTP adaptive streaming by a multimedia stream reader terminal and are each associated with a description file comprising a list of time segments of the content, each time segment being associated with multiple encoding rates of the content (i.e., the first and second digital contents are description files). Rivoalen [0016], [0037-0038] discloses receiving a request to zap from the first digital content to the second digital content, … obtaining the description file of said second digital content (i.e., receiving, following a request for access to a given content description file). Rivoalen [0022] discloses that the term “zapping” is extended to any change from digital multimedia content obtained by HAS to another. In a first example, this can be from a digital multimedia content broadcast LIVE (in real time) to another … such as from one television channel to another … this can be from one digital multimedia content of the VOD type to another, for example such as from one episode of a series to another episode of this same series (i.e., successive series of description files of the first type relating to the given content). Therefore, Rivoalen discloses above argued limitations of claim 1.
Applicant’s arguments on pages 11-12 that Madany failed to disclose “supplementing the received description file of the second type over time by at least some of the received description files of the first type” have been considered but are moot in view of Li, Tie-zhu (Chinese Patent No. CN 104484240 A).
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 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rivoalen et al. (US Patent Publication No. 2022/0377396 A1, ‘Rivoalen’, hereafter) in view of Li, Tie-zhu (Chinese Patent No. CN 104484240 A, ‘Li’, hereafter).
Regarding claim 1. Rivoalen teaches a management method implemented by a management entity device and comprising:
managing access to description files associated with a content broadcast in real time, wherein reading the content requires reception, from a communication network, of description files of a first type or description files of a second type (managing zapping from a first digital content to a second digital content is disclosed. The first and second digital contents are obtained by HTTP adaptive streaming by a multimedia stream reader terminal and are each associated with a description file comprising a list of time segments of the content, each time segment being associated with multiple encoding rates of the content. The zapping management method involves: receiving a request to zap from the first digital content to the second digital content; obtaining the description file of the second digital content, Rivoalen, Abstract), wherein the managing comprises:
receiving, following a request for access to a given content, both a description file of the second type relating to the given content and a successive series of description files of the first type relating to the given content (Rivoalen, Abstract discloses that the first and second digital contents are obtained by HTTP adaptive streaming by a multimedia stream reader terminal and are each associated with a description file comprising a list of time segments of the content, each time segment being associated with multiple encoding rates of the content (i.e., the first and second digital contents are description files). Rivoalen [0016], [0037-0038] discloses receiving a request to zap from the first digital content to the second digital content, … obtaining the description file of said second digital content (i.e., receiving, following a request for access to a given content description file). Rivoalen [0022] discloses that the term “zapping” is extended to any change from digital multimedia content obtained by HAS to another. In a first example, this can be from a digital multimedia content broadcast LIVE (in real time) to another … such as from one television channel to another … this can be from one digital multimedia content of the VOD type to another, for example such as from one episode of a series to another episode of this same series (i.e., successive series of description files of the first type relating to the given content)); and
Rivoalen does not teach
supplementing the received description file of the second type over time by at least some of the received description files of the first type.
However, Li teaches
supplementing the received description file of the second type over time by at least some of the received description files of the first type (the updated file system is provided with a second description file by judging whether the second description file is same with the first description file can be known previous system whether updated with changes to system layout. if the second description file different from the first description file and the representative terminal system last time update, modify the layout of system data files, then easily understood, source path of corresponding target object to be backed up may be changed, it is necessary to replace the second description file with the first description file (i.e., updating or supplementing second description file with first description file over time), Li [0020]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made having the teachings of Rivoalen and Li before him/her, to modify Rivoalen with the teaching of Li’s a terminal data storage method and device. One would have been motivated to do so for the benefit of storing critical information of digital devices (such as television set-top box, stores the data information of the user, such as network configuration, user account information, receiving the program recording) so that if erasing or losing some of these data, will not affect the user experience and cause system be operated normally (Li, Abstract, [0002]).
Regarding claim 2. Rivoalen as modified teaches, wherein, if the received description files of the first type and the description file of the second type describe same segments of the given content, the managing comprises reading the same segments of the given content on the basis of the received description files of the first type corresponding to the same segment (Rivoalen [0014]).
Regarding claim 3. Rivoalen as modified teaches, wherein managing comprises: successively receiving a plurality of description files of the second type successively at regular intervals; and deleting the previously received description file of the second type in response to each reception of the description file of the second type (Li [0035-0036]).
Regarding claim 4. Rivoalen as modified teaches, wherein the managing comprises performing an update on the basis of all the received description files of the first type (Rivoalen [0063-0068]).
Regarding claim 5. Rivoalen as modified teaches, wherein the managing comprises performing an update on the basis of some of the received description files of the first type (Rivoalen [0063-0068]).
Regarding claim 6. Rivoalen as modified teaches, wherein the description file of the second type describes a number of segments that is constant over a given time range, and wherein an update of a given number of descriptions of segments via a description file of the first type results in a deletion in the description file of the second type of the same number of descriptions of segments among the first segments of the time range (Rivoalen [0014]).
Regarding claim 7. Rivoalen as modified teaches, wherein the received description file of the second type describes a number of segments of the given content over a given time range, and wherein the time range increases over time. (Rivoalen [0014]).
Regarding claim 8, although claim 8 directed to a management entity, it is similar in scope to claim 1. The method steps of claim 1 substantially encompass the management entity recited in claim 8. Therefore; claim 8 is rejected for at least the same reason as claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 9. Rivoalen as modified teaches reading device (multimedia stream reader apparatuses in real time also access digital contents, Rivoalen [0018-0019], [0035-0039]) comprising the management entity as defined in claim 8.
Regarding claim 10. Rivoalen teaches a non-transitory computer readable data medium on which has been stored at least one set of program code instructions for (recording support readable by a computer, Rivoalen [0070-0072]) execution of the management method as claimed in claim 1.
although claim 10 directed to a medium, it is similar in scope to claim 1. The method steps of claim 1 substantially encompass the medium recited in claim 10. Therefore; claim 10 is rejected for at least the same reason as claim 1 above.
Regarding claims 11-13, the method steps of claims 1 and 6-7 substantially encompass the method recited in claims 11-13. Therefore, claims 11-13 are rejected for at least the same reason as claims 1 and 6-7 above.
Regarding claim 14. Regarding claim 14, although claim 14 directed to a management entity, it is similar in scope to claim 1. The method steps of claim 1 substantially encompass the management entity recited in claim 14. Therefore; claim 14 is rejected for at least the same reason as claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 15. Rivoalen teaches a content server (content server, Rivoalen [0008], [0020], etc.), wherein the content server comprises the management entity as claimed in claim 14.
Regarding claim 16. Rivoalen teaches non-transitory computer readable data medium on which has been stored at least one set of program code instructions which when executed by one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to perform (recording support readable by a computer, Rivoalen [0070-0072]) the management method as claimed in claim 12.
Regarding claim 17. Rivoalen as modified teaches, wherein:
the given content comprises a series of segments (Rivoalen [0022-0023]);
each description file of the first type describes one of the segments of the given content (Rivoalen [0022-0023]); and
the description file of the second type describes a successive group of the series of segments of the given content (Rivoalen [0022-0023]).
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 HASANUL MOBIN whose telephone number is (571)270-1289. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:30AM to 6:00PM EST M-F.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles Rones can be reached at 571-272-4085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/HASANUL MOBIN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2168