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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
IDS(es) submitted on 11/19/2024 and 5/13/2025 has/have been considered.
Oath/Declaration
Oath/Declaration filed on 11/19/2024 has been acknowledged.
Drawings
Drawing(s) submitted on 11/19/2024 have been acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bradley et al. (US 2025/0280045; hereinafter Bradley) in view of Harichandra Babu et al. (US 2022/0327285; hereinafter Harichandra).
Regarding claims 1, 9, and 13, Bradley discloses a server comprising:
communication interface (Figs. 1-3B; [0017]-[0039]; [0042]: application server);
memory storing instructions and comprising one or more storage media (Figs. 1-3B; [0017]-[0039]);
at least one processor operatively connected to the communication interface and the memory (Figs. 1-3B; [0017]-[0039]),
wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor, cause the server to:
receive data related to a group SMS of a group comprising a first electronic device ([0042]: receiving from creator user an ADHOC INVITE signal indicative of a new group chat);
receive a plurality of messages transmitted by the first electronic device from a SMS message center (SMSC) ([0043]: sending invite messages from creator user to all participants);
generate an object corresponding to the group SMS based on address information of forked messages that match the data related to the group SMS received from the first electronic device ([0042]-[0043]: creating metadata of group chat and identifier of the group chat and sending to all participants); and
transmit the object corresponding to the group SMS to a second electronic device ([0042]-[0043]: creating metadata of group chat and identifier of the group chat and sending to all participants).
Bradley discloses forking capability ([0043], [0049]) but is unclear about the limitation to perform forking on the plurality of messages sequentially,
However, Harichandra does disclose the limitation of perform forking on the plurality of messages sequentially ([0014]: perform forking of group chat session; [0031]-[0037]: process of forking in group chat);
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art at the time of invention to incorporate Harichandra’s disclosure to further expand on forking capabilities.
Regarding claims 2 and 14, Bradley discloses wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor, further cause the server to:
transmit another object corresponding to the group SMS to the second electronic device, wherein the another object comprises one or more messages including addresses to which a SMS is transmitted, and wherein the another object has a group ID ([0043]: [0060]: identifier of group chat once migrated to a second network).
Regarding claims 3 and 15, Bradley discloses wherein the data related to the group SMS comprises content of a message input from the first electronic device and information on a plurality of addresses to which the message is to be transmitted ([0042]-[0043]: routing of messages to be sent within the group chat).
Regarding claims 4 and 16, Bradley discloses wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor, further causes the server to:
generate respective objects for each of the plurality of messages transmitted by the first electronic device based on the forked messages that do not match the data related to the group SMS received from the first electronic device ([0014], [0055]-[0056]: when the messages are not received because of migration to a different network, triggering error procedure to re-establish group chat in new network); and
transmit the respective objects to addresses configured in respective messages ([0014], [0055]-[0056]: re-establishing group chat in new network and routing messages to participants accordingly).
Regarding claims 5 and 17, Bradley discloses wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor, further cause the server to:
determine a message which is not forked within a preconfigured time as a message for which transmission has failed ([0014], [0055]-[0056]: when the messages are not received because of migration to a different network, triggering error procedure); and
transmit information corresponding to transmission failure of the message for which transmission has failed to the second electronic device ([0014], [0055]-[0056]: when the messages are not received because of migration to a different network, triggering error procedure).
Regarding claims 6 and 18, Bradley discloses wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by at least one processor, further cause the server to:
determine a message which is not forked within a preconfigured time as a message for which transmission has failed ([0014], [0055]-[0056]: when the messages are not received because of migration to a different network, triggering error procedure);
transmit information corresponding to transmission failure of the message for which transmission has failed to the first electronic device ([0014], [0055]-[0056]: when the messages are not received because of migration to a different network, triggering error procedure);
request retransmission of the message for which transmission has failed ([0014], [0055]-[0056]: when the messages are not received because of migration to a different network, triggering error procedure); and
generating the object corresponding to the group SMS based on messages that are forked and transmitted by the first electronic device ([0014], [0055]-[0056]: when the messages are not received because of migration to a different network, triggering error procedure).
Regarding claims 7 and 19, Bradley discloses the server wherein the object corresponding to the group SMS comprises information on an origination address in an array form and information on a plurality of recipients([0042]-[0043]: INVITE in RCS includes identifier of group chat and routing of messages to be sent within the group chat).
Regarding claims 8 and 20. Bradley discloses the server wherein the object corresponding to the group SMS comprises information on an origination address in an array form, wherein the object corresponding to the group SMS is classified as a type having one group ID, and wherein the object corresponding to the group SMS is stored in the memory ([0042]-[0043]: INVITE in RCS includes identifier of group chat and routing of messages to be sent within the group chat).
Regarding claim 10, Bradley discloses the server of claim 9, wherein the information indicating that the forked messages are included in the group SMS comprises:
an ID of the group SMS, content of messages, and information on a plurality of addresses to which the messages are to be transmitted [0043]: [0060]: identification and information of group chat and messages).
Regarding claim 11, Bradley discloses the server of claim 9, wherein the second notification comprises an object corresponding to the group SMS comprises information on an origination address in an array form and information on a plurality of recipients ([0042]-[0043]: INVITE in RCS includes identifier of group chat and routing of messages to be sent within the group chat).
Regarding claim 12, Bradley discloses the server of claim 9, wherein the second notification comprises an object corresponding to the group SMS comprises information on an origination address in an array form, wherein the object corresponding to the group SMS is classified as a type having one group ID, and wherein the object corresponding to the group SMS is stored in the memory ([0042]-[0043]: INVITE in RCS includes identifier of group chat and routing of messages to be sent within the group chat).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUCK HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)272-7866. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am - 6pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 571-270-5371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CHUCK HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644
Prosecution Insights