DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to original application filed on 11/11/2024.
Claims 1-10 are pending. Claims 1-10 are rejected.
Notice of 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 .
Examiner Notes/Objections
¶ 0056 of the specification is objected to for reciting “blood relationship.” While the merit of the phrase can be seen, It is unclear if this was the intended term or if there is a desired alternative translation for this portion of the specification.
Appropriate correction may be required.
Statutory Review under 35 USC § 101
Claims 1-5 initially appear to be statutory under 35 USC § 101, as it invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f). A claim that properly recites a means-type limitation cannot be software per se because it necessarily includes the processor along with the special programming that accomplishes the function.
Claims 1-5 also appear to be patent-eligible as the claims are not directed to judicial exceptions as per Step 2A, Prong One of the patent subject matter eligibility determination.
Claims 6-10 are directed towards a method and have been reviewed.
Claims 6-10 appear to be patent-eligible as the claims are not directed to judicial exceptions as per Step 2A, Prong One of the patent subject matter eligibility determination.
Claim Interpretation - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
Claims 1-5 have been interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), because they use a generic placeholder “[intelligent] terminal” and “[management] terminal,” coupled with functional language “adding” and “sending” without reciting sufficient structure to achieve the function. Furthermore, the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier.
Since the claim limitation(s) invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f), claim(s) 1-5 have been interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification that achieves the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
A review of the specification shows that the following appears to be the corresponding structure described in the specification for the 35 U.S.C. 112(f) limitation:
¶ 0058: The skilled in the art may further appreciate that the elements and algorithmic steps of the examples described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both, and in order to clearly illustrate the interchangeability of hardware and software, the components and steps of the examples have been described generally in terms of functionality in the foregoing description.
If applicant wishes to provide further explanation or dispute the examiner’s interpretation of the corresponding structure, applicant must identify the corresponding structure with reference to the specification by page and line number, and to the drawing, if any, by reference characters in response to this Office action.
If applicant does not intend to have the claim limitation(s) treated under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), applicant may amend the claim(s) so that they will clearly not invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f), or present a sufficient showing that the claim recites/recite sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function to preclude application of 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
For more information, see MPEP § 2173 et seq. and Supplementary Examination Guidelines for Determining Compliance With 35 U.S.C. 112 and for Treatment of Related Issues in Patent Applications, 76 FR 7162, 7167 (Feb. 9, 2011).
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, 3, 5; 6, 8, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0347452 (hereinafter Cho) in view of Kulathumani et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2025/0005145 (PCT filed October 26, 2022; hereinafter Kulathumani).
Regarding claim 1, Cho teaches:
A file operation record traceability system, comprising an intelligent terminal, a … server, and a management terminal, (Cho FIG. 1, ¶ 0043: a file management system 100 may include a first user terminal 102-1 [intelligent terminal], a second user terminal 102-2 [management terminal], and a file management server 104 [server]. Each of the first user terminal 102-1 and the second user terminal 102-2 may connect to the file management server 104 through a network (e.g., a wireless network, a wired network, a wired/wireless network, an intranet, the Internet))
the intelligent terminal is used for adding a preset file header to an original file to generate a target file, and the preset file header contains file mark information for marking the uniqueness of the file… (Cho ¶ 0044: When the predetermined file is generated, the first user terminal 102-1 [intelligent terminal] may request a unique file number for the file from the file management server 104. When a unique file number for the file is received from the file management server 104, the first user terminal 102-1 may store the unique file number together with the file. For example, the first user terminal 102-1 may encrypt the unique file number and store the encrypted unique file number in a header of the file [shows header; shows file mark information for marking uniqueness])
the operating system of the intelligent terminal records operation record information of the target file in the process of using the target file; and (Cho ¶ 0059: When file-use-history information of the file is received from at least one of the first user terminal 102-1 and the second user terminal 102-2, the file management server 104 may match the file-use-history information to the unique file number and store the file-use-history information in combination with the unique file number. Through the file-use-history information, the file management server 104 may monitor the usage history of the file. For example, the file management server 104 may monitor the reading history of the file, the editing history of the file, the sharing history of the file, etc. through the file-use-history information)
uploading the operation record information, the file mark information, and current user information in the file flow information to the … server; (Cho FIG. 4, ¶ 0078-0083, see first Cho ¶ 0078: the file management server 104 may include ... a database 119; see then Cho ¶ 0083: The database 119 may store unique file numbers according to files [relevant to file mark information]. The database 119 may match the file generation information of each file to the unique file number of the file and store the file generation information in combination with the unique file number. The database 119 may match the file-use-history information of each file to the unique file number of the file and store the file-use-history information in combination with the unique file number of the file [relevant to operation record information]. The database 119 may match the file-use-limitation information of each file to the unique file number of the file and store the file-use-limitation information in combination with the unique file number of the file. The database 119 may store the user information of users registered with the file management server 104 [relevant to current user information])
the management terminal is used for sending a viewing request with the file mark information to the … server; (Cho ¶ 0067: When a file editing command [interpreted as a viewing request] is generated in the second user terminal 102-2 [management terminal] (i.e., when the second user inputs a file editing command to edit the file) (S121), the second user terminal 102-2 may inquire of the file management server 104 about whether or not it is possible to edit the file (S123). At this time, the second user terminal 102-2 may transmit at least one of the identification information of the second user terminal 102-2 and the second user information to the file management server 104 together with the unique file number of the file; see also Cho ¶ 0074: a file use command, such as file reading [also relevant to viewing request], file editing, or file copy, for a predetermined file)
the … server is used for storing the operation record information, the file mark information, and the user information, and (Cho FIG. 4, ¶ 0078: the file management server 104 may include ... a database 119; Cho ¶ 0083: The database 119 may store unique file numbers according to files [relevant to file mark information]. The database 119 may match the file generation information of each file to the unique file number of the file and store the file generation information in combination with the unique file number. The database 119 may match the file-use-history information of each file to the unique file number of the file and store the file-use-history information in combination with the unique file number of the file [relevant to operation record information]. The database 119 may match the file-use-limitation information of each file to the unique file number of the file and store the file-use-limitation information in combination with the unique file number of the file. The database 119 may store the user information of users registered with the file management server 104 [relevant to current user information])
sending the operation record information … corresponding to the file mark information in the viewing request to the management terminal. (Cho shows 'operation record information' in at least ¶ 0059: The file management server 104 may visualize the usage history of the file and provide the visualized usage history to at least one of the first user terminal 102-1 and the second user terminal 102-2 [management terminal]; Cho ¶ 0060-0061: by collecting file-use-history information about file reading, file editing, file sharing, etc. from user terminals, the document management server can monitor the usage history of each file, and visualize and transmit the usage history of each file to a user terminal; Cho ¶ 0081: The file-use-history monitoring unit 115 may visualize the usage history of a file using the corresponding file-use-history information and transmit the visualized usage history of the file to the user terminal 102)
This embodiment of Cho does not expressly disclose:
and the preset file header contains … file flow information for recording the file user;
This embodiment of Cho further does not expressly disclose:
sending the operation record information and the user information corresponding to the file mark information in the viewing request to the management terminal.
This embodiment of Cho further does not expressly disclose a cloud server.
However, another embodiment of Cho teaches contain[ing] file mark information for marking the uniqueness of the file and file flow information for recording the file user; and (Cho ¶ 0045-0051, see ¶ 0045: The file generation information may include at least one of, for example, the kind of the file, the generation time of the file, the identification information of the first user terminal 102-1, and first user information (e.g., a first user identifier (ID) or the name of the first user) (i.e., the originator information of the file) [relevant to file flow information for recording the file user]; see then Cho ¶ 0051: The first user terminal 102-1 may transmit at least one of the identification information of the first user terminal 102-1 and the first user information to the file management server 104 together with the unique file number of the file)
This embodiment of Cho also teaches sending the operation record information and the user information corresponding to the file mark information… (Cho ¶ 0066: the first user terminal 102-1 may transmit file-sharing-history information [relevant to operation record information] to the file management server 104 in connection with sharing of the file (S119). For example, the first user terminal 102-1 may transmit file-sharing-history information including a sharing time of the file, the identification information of the other sharing user terminal, the user information of the other sharing user, [relevant to user information] etc. to the file management server 104)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the file metadata header of Cho with its file metadata.
Motivation to do so would be to improve the functioning of Cho involving storing file metadata with the functioning in this embodiment of Cho involving tracking additional metadata.
Cho as modified does not expressly disclose a cloud server.
However, Kulathumani addresses this by teaching a cloud server. (Kulathumani ¶ 0030-0031: Data stores can be implemented in a cloud storage environment as a “cloud data store.” “Cloud storage” refers to a model of computer data storage in which digital data may be stored in logical pools, for example, said to be on “the cloud”. The physical storage devices, implemented as computer memory, may span multiple servers (sometimes in multiple different locations) and the physical environment of the servers is typically owned and managed by a cloud storage hosting company that is separate from the user of the cloud storage)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the functioning of the networked data elements of Cho as modified with the networked data elements of Kulathumani.
In addition, both of the references (Cho as modified and Kulathumani) disclose features that are directed to analogous art, and they are directed to the same field of endeavor, such as tracking user activities.
Motivation to do so would be to improve the functioning of Cho as modified tracking user operations over files with the functioning of similar reference Kulathumani also performing tracking of user operations over files but with the added functionality of ensured availability and accessibility of data as seen in Kulathumani ¶ 0030-0031.
Motivation to do so would also be the teaching, suggestion, or motivation for a person of ordinary skill in the art to implement improved techniques for transmitting, storing, and processing large amounts of data as seen in Kulathumani ¶ 0003.
Regarding claim 6, Cho teaches:
A file operation record traceability method, comprising the following steps: adding a preset file header to an original file to generate a target file, wherein the preset file header contains file mark information for marking file uniqueness… (Cho ¶ 0044: When the predetermined file is generated, the first user terminal 102-1 [intelligent terminal] may request a unique file number for the file from the file management server 104. When a unique file number for the file is received from the file management server 104, the first user terminal 102-1 may store the unique file number together with the file. For example, the first user terminal 102-1 may encrypt the unique file number and store the encrypted unique file number in a header of the file [shows header; shows file mark information for marking uniqueness])
the operating system of the intelligent terminal records operation record information of the target file in the process of using the target file by the intelligent terminal; (Cho ¶ 0059: When file-use-history information of the file is received from at least one of the first user terminal 102-1 and the second user terminal 102-2, the file management server 104 may match the file-use-history information to the unique file number and store the file-use-history information in combination with the unique file number. Through the file-use-history information, the file management server 104 may monitor the usage history of the file. For example, the file management server 104 may monitor the reading history of the file, the editing history of the file, the sharing history of the file, etc. through the file-use-history information)
the intelligent terminal uploads current user information in the operation record information, the file mark information, and user information in the file flow information to a … server for storage; (Cho FIG. 4, ¶ 0078-0083, see first Cho ¶ 0078: the file management server 104 may include ... a database 119; see then Cho ¶ 0083: The database 119 may store unique file numbers according to files [relevant to file mark information]. The database 119 may match the file generation information of each file to the unique file number of the file and store the file generation information in combination with the unique file number. The database 119 may match the file-use-history information of each file to the unique file number of the file and store the file-use-history information in combination with the unique file number of the file [relevant to operation record information]. The database 119 may match the file-use-limitation information of each file to the unique file number of the file and store the file-use-limitation information in combination with the unique file number of the file. The database 119 may store the user information of users registered with the file management server 104 [relevant to current user information])
the management terminal sends a viewing request with the file mark information to the … server, (Cho ¶ 0067: When a file editing command [interpreted as a viewing request] is generated in the second user terminal 102-2 [management terminal] (i.e., when the second user inputs a file editing command to edit the file) (S121), the second user terminal 102-2 may inquire of the file management server 104 about whether or not it is possible to edit the file (S123). At this time, the second user terminal 102-2 may transmit at least one of the identification information of the second user terminal 102-2 and the second user information to the file management server 104 together with the unique file number of the file; see also Cho ¶ 0074: a file use command, such as file reading [also relevant to viewing request], file editing, or file copy, for a predetermined file)
and the … server sends the operation record information and user information corresponding to the file mark information to the management terminal. (Cho shows 'operation record information' in at least ¶ 0059: The file management server 104 may visualize the usage history of the file and provide the visualized usage history to at least one of the first user terminal 102-1 and the second user terminal 102-2 [management terminal]; Cho ¶ 0060-0061: by collecting file-use-history information about file reading, file editing, file sharing, etc. from user terminals, the document management server can monitor the usage history of each file, and visualize and transmit the usage history of each file to a user terminal; Cho ¶ 0081: The file-use-history monitoring unit 115 may visualize the usage history of a file using the corresponding file-use-history information and transmit the visualized usage history of the file to the user terminal 102)
This embodiment of Cho does not expressly disclose:
wherein the preset file header contains … file flow information for recording file users;
This embodiment of Cho further does not expressly disclose a cloud server.
However, another embodiment of Cho teaches contain[ing] file mark information for marking file uniqueness and file flow information for recording file users; (Cho ¶ 0045-0051, see ¶ 0045: The file generation information may include at least one of, for example, the kind of the file, the generation time of the file, the identification information of the first user terminal 102-1, and first user information (e.g., a first user identifier (ID) or the name of the first user) (i.e., the originator information of the file) [relevant to file flow information for recording the file user]; see then Cho ¶ 0051: The first user terminal 102-1 may transmit at least one of the identification information of the first user terminal 102-1 and the first user information to the file management server 104 together with the unique file number of the file)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the file metadata header of Cho with its file metadata.
Motivation to do so would be to improve the functioning of Cho involving storing file metadata with the functioning in this embodiment of Cho involving tracking additional metadata.
Cho as modified does not expressly disclose a cloud server.
However, Kulathumani addresses this by teaching a cloud server. (Kulathumani ¶ 0030-0031: Data stores can be implemented in a cloud storage environment as a “cloud data store.” “Cloud storage” refers to a model of computer data storage in which digital data may be stored in logical pools, for example, said to be on “the cloud”. The physical storage devices, implemented as computer memory, may span multiple servers (sometimes in multiple different locations) and the physical environment of the servers is typically owned and managed by a cloud storage hosting company that is separate from the user of the cloud storage)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the functioning of the networked data elements of Cho as modified with the networked data elements of Kulathumani.
In addition, both of the references (Cho as modified and Kulathumani) disclose features that are directed to analogous art, and they are directed to the same field of endeavor, such as tracking user activities.
Motivation to do so would be to improve the functioning of Cho as modified tracking user operations over files with the functioning of similar reference Kulathumani also performing tracking of user operations over files but with the added functionality of ensured availability and accessibility of data as seen in Kulathumani ¶ 0030-0031.
Motivation to do so would also be the teaching, suggestion, or motivation for a person of ordinary skill in the art to implement improved techniques for transmitting, storing, and processing large amounts of data as seen in Kulathumani ¶ 0003.
Regarding claim 3, Cho in view of Kulathumani teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 above.
Cho teaches:
wherein the intelligent terminal calls an … program corresponding to the target file to use the target file. (Cho ¶ 0051: When a file use event (e.g., file reading, file editing, or file sharing) of the file occurs in the first user terminal 102-1, the first user terminal 102-1 [intelligent terminal] may inquire of the file management server 104 about whether or not it is possible to use the file according to the event; Cho ¶ 0060-0061: the file management server 104 may determine whether or not it is possible to use the file according to the file-use-limitation information of the file, and transmit a determination result of whether or not it is possible to use the file to the first user terminal 102-1 [intelligent terminal] or the second user terminal 102-2; see also relevant Cho ¶ 0047-0049 describing allowing users to read/edit/share a file)
Kulathumani teaches an application program. (Kulathumani ¶ 0031: Cloud storage services may be accessed, for example, through a co-located cloud computing service, a web service application programming interface (API), or by one or more applications that use the API, such as a cloud desktop storage application, a cloud storage gateway, or a Web-based content management system; Kulathumani ¶ 0057: The data collected can be from any one or more of a variety of different sources and/or channels on the computer network 100 including, for example, operating systems (e.g., at endpoint 102a), applications (e.g., at the endpoint 354))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the user tracking techniques of Cho as modified with the user tracking techniques of Kulathumani.
Motivation to do so would be to improve the functioning of Cho as modified tracking user operations over files with the functioning of similar reference Kulathumani also performing tracking of user operations over files but with the added functionality of ensured availability, accessibility, security, and protection of data as seen in Kulathumani ¶ 0030-0031.
Regarding claim 8, Cho in view of Kulathumani teaches all the features with respect to claim 6 above:
wherein the intelligent terminal uses the target file comprises: the intelligent terminal calls an … program corresponding to the target file for using the target file. (Cho ¶ 0051: When a file use event (e.g., file reading, file editing, or file sharing) of the file occurs in the first user terminal 102-1, the first user terminal 102-1 [intelligent terminal] may inquire of the file management server 104 about whether or not it is possible to use the file according to the event; Cho ¶ 0060-0061: the file management server 104 may determine whether or not it is possible to use the file according to the file-use-limitation information of the file, and transmit a determination result of whether or not it is possible to use the file to the first user terminal 102-1 [intelligent terminal] or the second user terminal 102-2; see also relevant Cho ¶ 0047-0049 describing allowing users to read/edit/share a file)
Kulathumani teaches an application program. (Kulathumani ¶ 0031: Cloud storage services may be accessed, for example, through a co-located cloud computing service, a web service application programming interface (API), or by one or more applications that use the API, such as a cloud desktop storage application, a cloud storage gateway, or a Web-based content management system; Kulathumani ¶ 0057: The data collected can be from any one or more of a variety of different sources and/or channels on the computer network 100 including, for example, operating systems (e.g., at endpoint 102a), applications (e.g., at the endpoint 354))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the user tracking techniques of Cho as modified with the user tracking techniques of Kulathumani.
Motivation to do so would be to improve the functioning of Cho as modified tracking user operations over files with the functioning of similar reference Kulathumani also performing tracking of user operations over files but with the added functionality of ensured availability, accessibility, security, and protection of data as seen in Kulathumani ¶ 0030-0031.
Regarding claims 5 and 10, Cho in view of Kulathumani teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 above.
Cho teaches:
wherein the operation record information comprises at least one of a file usage time, a file editing operation, a file copying operation, a file transfer operation… (Cho ¶ 0059: Through the file-use-history information, the file management server 104 may monitor the usage history of the file. For example, the file management server 104 may monitor the reading history of the file, the editing history of the file [relevant to file editing operation], the sharing history of the file [relevant to file transfer operation], etc. through the file-use-history information. In particular, the sharing history of the file can be monitored, and thus it is possible to track the sharing path (or copy path) [relevant to file copying operation] of the file; Cho ¶ 0066: the first user terminal 102-1 may transmit file-sharing-history information including a sharing time of the file [relevant to file usage time])
Kulathumani teaches:
wherein the operation record information comprises at least one of … a file printing operation, and a file screenshot operation. (Kulathumani ¶ 0058: The collected data (e.g., user activity data and metadata) can include, for each respective one of the user activities that happen at an endpoint, one or more of the following (as applicable): … visual records data (e.g., screenshots and/or screencasts) showing on-screen views of exactly what a user has done at a particular endpoint device ... print jobs, etc. In a typical implementation, the collected data (e.g., user activity data and metadata) includes timestamps)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the user tracking techniques of Cho as modified with the user tracking techniques of Kulathumani.
Motivation to do so would be to improve the functioning of Cho as modified tracking user operations over files with the functioning of similar reference Kulathumani also performing tracking of user operations over files but with its added file operation functionality.
Claims 2 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho in view of Kulathumani in further view of Miloushev et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0292734 (hereinafter Miloushev).
Regarding claim 2, Cho in view of Kulathumani does not expressly disclose:
wherein the intelligent terminal is further used for recording current user information into the file flow information when the target file changes a user.
However, Miloushev addresses this by teaching:
wherein the intelligent terminal is further used for recording current user information into the file flow information when the target file changes a user. (Miloushev ¶ 0069: an oplock does not actually provide exclusive access to a file; rather it provides a mechanism for detecting when access to a file changes from exclusive to shared; see Miloushev ¶ 0149 relevant to 'file flow information': There are two classes of properties of an aggregated file: state and metadata. The state properties are managed internally by the file switch in memory. These properties are used to describe the current state of a file such as current oplock level, access mode, and cache mode; see also Miloushev FIG. 23c, ¶ 0340: an "exclusive" oplock allows the client 2330 to cache a data file "myFile.doc" 2331 locally ... A "level 2" oplock allows the data file "myFile.doc" 2333 to be cached in the file switch 2332 or in the client. A level 2 oplock allows all clients given this level of oplock to cache read data locally ... This file is shared among clients supported by the file switch 2332)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the user tracking techniques of Cho as modified with the user tracking techniques of Miloushev.
In addition, both of the references (Cho as modified and Miloushev) disclose features that are directed to analogous art, and they are directed to the same field of endeavor, such as user activities.
Motivation to do so would be to improve the functioning of Cho as modified involving user permissions to access files with the functioning of similar reference Miloushev also involving user permissions to access files but with the added functionality of various permission levels.
Motivation to do so would also be the teaching, suggestion, or motivation for a person of ordinary skill in the art to improve performance of a networked file system involving multiple networked data elements (Miloushev ¶ 0028).
Regarding claim 7, Cho in view of Kulathumani does not expressly disclose:
recording current user information into the file flow information when the user of the target file is changed.
However, Miloushev addresses this by teaching:
recording current user information into the file flow information when the user of the target file is changed. (Miloushev ¶ 0069: an oplock does not actually provide exclusive access to a file; rather it provides a mechanism for detecting when access to a file changes from exclusive to shared; see Miloushev ¶ 0149 relevant to 'file flow information': There are two classes of properties of an aggregated file: state and metadata. The state properties are managed internally by the file switch in memory. These properties are used to describe the current state of a file such as current oplock level, access mode, and cache mode; see also Miloushev FIG. 23c, ¶ 0340: an "exclusive" oplock allows the client 2330 to cache a data file "myFile.doc" 2331 locally ... A "level 2" oplock allows the data file "myFile.doc" 2333 to be cached in the file switch 2332 or in the client. A level 2 oplock allows all clients given this level of oplock to cache read data locally ... This file is shared among clients supported by the file switch 2332)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the user tracking techniques of Cho as modified with the user tracking techniques of Miloushev.
In addition, both of the references (Cho as modified and Miloushev) disclose features that are directed to analogous art, and they are directed to the same field of endeavor, such as user activities.
Motivation to do so would be to improve the functioning of Cho as modified involving user permissions to access files with the functioning of similar reference Miloushev also involving user permissions to access files but with the added functionality of various permission levels.
Motivation to do so would also be the teaching, suggestion, or motivation for a person of ordinary skill in the art to improve performance of a networked file system involving multiple networked data elements (Miloushev ¶ 0028).
Claims 4 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho in view of Kulathumani in further view of Bartholomew, U.S. Patent No. 7,069,310 (published June 27, 2006; hereinafter Bartholomew).
Regarding claim 4, Cho in view of Kulathumani teaches:
wherein the operating system of the intelligent terminal is … for recording the operation record information of the user using the target file; (Cho ¶ 0053: The first user terminal 102-1 may transmit file-use-history information of the file to the file management server 104; ¶ 0059: ...file-use-history information of the file is received from at least one of the first user terminal 102-1 and the second user terminal 102-2)
when the intelligent terminal derives a new target file from the target file, the new target file inherits file mark information and file flow information of the target file, (Cho ¶ 0066: Then, the first user terminal 102-1 may copy the file to the second user terminal 102-2 (S117) [shows deriving new target file]. Next, the first user terminal 102-1 may transmit file-sharing-history information to the file management server 104 in connection with sharing of the file (S119). For example, the first user terminal 102-1 may transmit file-sharing-history information including a sharing time of the file, the identification information of the other sharing user terminal, the user information of the other sharing user, etc. to the file management server 104 [shows inheriting file mark information and file flow information])
and generates new file mark information. (Cho ¶ 0061: a document management server gives a unique file number to a file generated by each user terminal, and thus can integratively manage use of respective files; Cho ¶ 0075-0076: the user terminal 102 may give a temporary unique file number to a file generated by the user terminal 102 ... The user terminal 102 may use the file using the temporary unique file number, match a file use history to the temporary unique file number, and store the file use history in combination with the temporary unique file number [shows generating new file mark information])
Cho in view of Kulathumani does not expressly disclose wherein the operating system of the intelligent terminal is installed with an operating system extension module.
However, Bartholomew addresses this by teaching:
wherein the operating system of the intelligent terminal is installed with an operating system extension module for recording the operation record information of the user using the target file; (Bartholomew col. 6, lines 16-49: in current distributed server systems, client applications or plug-ins [extension module] are able to communicate with server applications executing on the same computer system or on another computer system accessible via a network, for instance via the Internet ... Each of these steps may involve a separate application and access to multiple, dissimilar computer systems (e.g. computer systems having operating different systems) [shows this can be an operating system extension module]; see Bartholomew FIG. 3, col. 8, lines 19-34: creating and posting media system [relevant to using a target file] implemented in an Internet or client/server environment; see Bartholomew col. 20, lines 46-57: At step 1065, the system ranks the popularity or usage of the entry (e.g. rating, ranking, and/or popularity data) and stores this information in a database for access by the user at step 1055 or by others [relevant to operation record information])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the functioning of the data headers and unique identifiers of Cho as modified with the data headers and unique identifiers of Bartholomew.
In addition, both of the references (Cho as modified and Bartholomew) disclose features that are directed to analogous art, and they are directed to the same field of endeavor, such as transferring and uniquely identifying data .
Motivation to do so would also be the teaching, suggestion, or motivation for a person of ordinary skill in the art to implement improved communication techniques as seen in Bartholomew col. 6, lines 16-49.
Regarding claim 9, Cho in view of Kulathumani teaches:
wherein … the operating system of the intelligent terminal records the operation record information of the target file in the process of using the target file by the intelligent terminal, (Cho ¶ 0059: When file-use-history information of the file is received from at least one of the first user terminal 102-1 and the second user terminal 102-2, the file management server 104 may match the file-use-history information to the unique file number and store the file-use-history information in combination with the unique file number. Through the file-use-history information, the file management server 104 may monitor the usage history of the file. For example, the file management server 104 may monitor the reading history of the file, the editing history of the file, the sharing history of the file, etc. through the file-use-history information)
…recording the operation record information of the user using the file… (Cho ¶ 0053: The first user terminal 102-1 may transmit file-use-history information of the file to the file management server 104; ¶ 0059: ...file-use-history information of the file is received from at least one of the first user terminal 102-1 and the second user terminal 102-2)
after adding a preset file header to an original file to generate a target file, further comprises: (Cho ¶ 0044: When the predetermined file is generated, the first user terminal 102-1 may request a unique file number for the file from the file management server 104. When a unique file number for the file is received from the file management server 104, the first user terminal 102-1 may store the unique file number together with the file. For example, the first user terminal 102-1 may encrypt the unique file number and store the encrypted unique file number in a header of the file; see also Cho ¶ 0061: a document management server gives a unique file number to a file generated by each user terminal, and thus can integratively manage use of respective files)
the new target file inherits file mark information and file flow information of the target file… (Cho ¶ 0066: Then, the first user terminal 102-1 may copy the file to the second user terminal 102-2 (S117) [shows deriving new target file]. Next, the first user terminal 102-1 may transmit file-sharing-history information to the file management server 104 in connection with sharing of the file (S119). For example, the first user terminal 102-1 may transmit file-sharing-history information including a sharing time of the file, the identification information of the other sharing user terminal, the user information of the other sharing user, etc. to the file management server 104 [shows inheriting file mark information and file flow information])
and generates new file mark information. (Cho ¶ 0061: a document management server gives a unique file number to a file generated by each user terminal, and thus can integratively manage use of respective files; Cho ¶ 0075-0076: the user terminal 102 may give a temporary unique file number to a file generated by the user terminal 102 ... The user terminal 102 may use the file using the temporary unique file number, match a file use history to the temporary unique file number, and store the file use history in combination with the temporary unique file number [shows generating new file mark information])
Cho in view of Kulathumani does not expressly disclose:
wherein before the operating system of the intelligent terminal records the operation record information of the target file in the process of using the target file by the intelligent terminal, the operating system extension module for recording the operation record information of the user using the file is added to the operating system of the intelligent terminal;
However, Bartholomew addresses this by teaching:
wherein before the operating system of the intelligent terminal records the operation record information of the target file in the process of using the target file by the intelligent terminal, the operating system extension module for recording the operation record information of the user using the file is added to the operating system of the intelligent terminal; (Bartholomew col. 6, lines 16-49: in current distributed server systems, client applications or plug-ins [extension module] are able to communicate with server applications executing on the same computer system or on another computer system accessible via a network, for instance via the Internet ... Each of these steps may involve a separate application and access to multiple, dissimilar computer systems (e.g. computer systems having operating different systems) [shows this can be an operating system extension module]; see Bartholomew FIG. 3, col. 8, lines 19-34: creating and posting media system [relevant to using a target file] implemented in an Internet or client/server environment; see Bartholomew col. 20, lines 46-57: At step 1065, the system ranks the popularity or usage of the entry (e.g. rating, ranking, and/or popularity data) and stores this information in a database for access by the user at step 1055 or by others [relevant to operation record information])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the functioning of the data headers and unique identifiers of Cho as modified with the data headers and unique identifiers of Bartholomew.
In addition, both of the references (Cho as modified and Bartholomew) disclose features that are directed to analogous art, and they are directed to the same field of endeavor, such as transferring and uniquely identifying data .
Motivation to do so would also be the teaching, suggestion, or motivation for a person of ordinary skill in the art to implement improved communication techniques as seen in Bartholomew col. 6, lines 16-49.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Vadaparty et al., U.S. Patent No. 10,635,513 (published April 28, 2020), "System For Tracking Transaction Data Across Applications"; see Vadaparty FIGs. 3, 5, col. 5, line 43-col. 6, line 18, "The data recorded in the application log files 111 serves as a detailed history of the events that occurred during the execution of the application 110," "each of the applications 110 can be programmed to include or append a header having a common data structure or set of data fields, which is discussed in greater detail below, to each application log file 111 that is uploaded to the transaction logging system 200," relevant to at least the independent claim limitations involving a header associated with file flow information for recording a file user
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/J.P.F/Examiner, Art Unit 2153 December 12, 2025
/KAVITA STANLEY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2153