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 .
EXAMINER’S NOTE: The claims have been reviewed and considered under the new guidance pursuant to the 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance (PEG 2019) issued January 7, 2019.
This communication is in response to Applicant’s claims filed on 22 November 2024. Claims 1-20 remain pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The Information Disclosure Statements respectfully submitted on 22 November 2024 and 20 August 2025 (2) have been considered by the Examiner.
Continued Prosecution Application
5. This application is a continuation-in-part of Serial No. 18/676,611 filed on 29 May 2024, which is now, US Patent No. 12,184,658, issued on 31 December 2024.
Double Patenting
6. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Instant Application 18/956,196
Issued Application 12,184,658
1. A computer-implemented method for allowing a custodian to manage a plurality of user accounts on a computing device via a device application, the plurality of user accounts comprising a custodian user account and a shadowed user account connected to the custodian user account in the device application, the shadowed user account belonging to a user other than the custodian and comprising a number of shadowed contacts, the number of shadowed contacts comprising a first contact, the shadowed user account being managed at less than full account control by the custodian, the computing device comprising a graphical user interface, the device application having an operating mode configured to change between a first account context corresponding to full account control, and a second account context corresponding to less than full account control, the computer-implemented method comprising: displaying the custodian user account on the graphical user interface responsive to the device application being accessed on the computing device; managing the custodian user account in the first account context; responsive to an at-mention being sent from the first contact to at least the shadowed user account, receiving an alert at the custodian user account via the device application corresponding to the at-mention; changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application; and changing the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context such that the shadowed user account is shadowed on the computing device by the custodian at less than full account control.
2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising: automatically displaying a hyperlink corresponding to the at-mention in a dashboard page of the custodian user account via the device application.
3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, further comprising: responsive to selecting the hyperlink, simultaneously: a) changing the graphical user interface of the computing device from displaying the dashboard page of the custodian user account to displaying a message between the first contact and the user of the shadowed user account, the message including the at-mention; and b) changing the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context.
4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising: associating a plurality of other custodian user accounts with a plurality of other shadowed user accounts for allowing the other custodian user accounts to manage the other shadowed user accounts on a plurality of other computing devices via the device application; and receiving the alert at each of the other custodian user accounts via the device application corresponding to the at-mention, responsive to the at-mention being sent from the first contact to the at least the shadowed user account.
5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein: a) changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application; and b) changing the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context such that the shadowed user account is shadowed on the computing device by the custodian at less than full account control, are performed simultaneously.
6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account is performed without an alert being sent from the custodian user account to the user of the shadowed user account.
7.The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein the computing device is a first computing device, and wherein the method further comprises displaying a representation of the shadowed user account on the graphical user interface, the representation being the same as a representation of the shadowed user account displayed on a graphical user interface of a second computing device of the user other than the custodian, thereby allowing the custodian to see on the first computing device externally provided data from at least the first contact that the shadowed user account sees on the second computing device.
8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, wherein changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application is performed without a login process being performed on the first computing device.
9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, further comprising: displaying first content on the graphical user interface in a read and write mode responsive to selecting a custodian contact associated with the custodian user account; and displaying second content on the graphical user interface in a read-only mode responsive to selecting the first contact of the number of shadowed contacts, the second content corresponding to at least one of text data, image data, audio data, and video data.
10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the custodian user account is associated with a number of custodian contacts, and wherein the method further comprises: displaying the number of custodian contacts and a number of custodian indicators on the graphical user interface when displaying the custodian user account, the number of custodian indicators being integrated with the first account context, and displaying the number of shadowed contacts and a number of shadow indicators on the graphical user interface responsive to changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account, the number of shadow indicators being integrated with the second account context and being of a different type than the number of custodian indicators.
11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 10, wherein at least one of the number of custodian indicators corresponds to an unread message, wherein displaying the number of shadowed contacts comprises displaying the first contact and a second contact, wherein the number of shadow indicators comprises a first shadow indicator and a second shadow indicator, wherein the first shadow indicator corresponds to first predetermined data associated with the first contact, wherein the second shadow indicator corresponds to second predetermined data associated with the second contact, and wherein the first predetermined data is different than the second predetermined data.
12. The computer-implemented method according to claim 10, further comprising: displaying a number of custodian control options on the graphical user interface responsive to selecting the first contact, wherein the number of custodian control options are each integrated with the second account context.
13. A system for allowing a custodian to manage a plurality of user accounts comprising a custodian user account and a shadowed user account, the shadowed user account belonging to a user other than the custodian and comprising a number of shadowed contacts, the number of shadowed contacts comprising a first contact, the shadowed user account being managed at less than full account control by the custodian, the system comprising: a computing device for running a device application, the computing device comprising a graphical user interface, the device application having an operating mode configured to change between a first account context corresponding to full account control, and a second account context corresponding to less than full account control, the computing device being programmed to: display the custodian user account on the graphical user interface responsive to the device application being accessed, manage the custodian user account in the first account context, responsive to an at-mention being sent from the first contact to at least the shadowed user account, receive an alert at the custodian user account via the device application corresponding to the at-mention, change from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application, and change the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context such that the shadowed user account is shadowed on the computing device by the custodian at less than full account control.
14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the computing device is further programmed to: automatically display a hyperlink corresponding to the at-mention in a dashboard page of the custodian user account via the device application; and responsive to selecting the hyperlink, simultaneously: a) change the graphical user interface from displaying the dashboard page of the custodian user account to displaying a message between the first contact and the user of the shadowed user account, the message including the at-mention; and b) change the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context.
15. A computer-implemented method for allowing a custodian to manage a plurality of user accounts on a computing device via a device application, the plurality of user accounts comprising a custodian user account and a shadowed user account, the shadowed user account belonging to a user other than the custodian and being associated with shadowed content, the computing device comprising a graphical user interface, the device application having an operating mode configured to change between a first account context corresponding to full account control, and a second account context corresponding to less than full account control, the computer-implemented method comprising: displaying the custodian user account on the graphical user interface responsive to the device application being accessed on the computing device; managing the custodian user account in the first account context; simultaneously: a) changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application, and b) changing the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context such that the shadowed user account is shadowed on the computing device by the custodian at less than full account control; dynamically detecting potentially dangerous content in the shadowed content with a machine-learning algorithm, and in response, determining with the machine-learning algorithm that a first contact associated with the shadowed user account is a dangerous actor and/or that the potentially dangerous content is indeed dangerous content; displaying a number of custodian control options on the graphical user interface responsive to selecting the shadowed content, the number of custodian control options being integrated with the second account context; selecting one of the number of custodian control options in order to allow the custodian to oversee and manage the shadowed user account with respect to the shadowed content; and training the machine-learning algorithm based on the selecting one of the number of custodian control options in order to protect a user of the shadowed user account from the dangerous actor and/or the dangerous content.
16.The computer-implemented method according to claim 15, wherein the computing device is a first computing device, and wherein the method further comprises displaying a representation of the shadowed user account on the graphical user interface, the representation being the same as a representation of the shadowed user account displayed on a graphical user interface of a second computing device of the user other than the custodian, thereby allowing the custodian to see on the first computing device externally provided data from a source other than the custodian or the user other than the custodian, that the user other than the custodian sees on the second computing device.
17. The computer-implemented method according to claim 16, wherein changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application is performed without a login process being performed on the first computing device.
18. The computer-implemented method according to claim 17, wherein the device application is a social media application, and wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises: generating a first social media feed and the shadowed content, the shadowed content being a second social media feed, the first and second social media feeds each comprising a corresponding plurality of posts each submitted by one of the custodian, the user of the shadowed user account, and either a number of custodian contacts associated with the custodian user account or a number of shadowed contacts associated with the shadowed user account.
19. The computer-implemented method according to claim 17, wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises: generating a first media library and the shadowed content, the shadowed content being a second media library, the first and second media libraries each being associated with a corresponding one of the custodian user account and the shadowed user account, the first and second media libraries each comprising a plurality of digital contents.
20. The computer-implemented method according to claim 19, wherein the first and second media libraries are at least one of a music library, a video library, a book library, a magazine library, and a video game libraries.
1. A computer-implemented method for allowing a custodian to manage a plurality of user accounts of a device application on a first computing device via [a] the device application, the plurality of user accounts comprising a custodian user account and a shadowed user account belonging to a user other than the custodian, the custodian user account being associated with a number of custodian contacts, the shadowed user account comprising a number of shadowed contacts and a number of shadow indicators, the number of shadowed contacts comprising a first contact and a second contact, the shadowed user account being managed at less than full account control by the custodian, the first computing device comprising a graphical user interface, the device application having an operating mode configured to change between a first account context corresponding to full account control, and a second account context corresponding to less than full account control in which messages are presented in a read-only mode, the computer-implemented method comprising: displaying the custodian user account on the graphical user interface responsive to the device application being accessed on the first computing device; displaying the number of custodian contacts and a number of custodian indicators on the graphical user interface when displaying the custodian user account, the number of custodian indicators being integrated with the first account context; managing the custodian user account in the first account context; and simultaneously: a) changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application without a login process being performed on the first computing device, and b) changing the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context such that the shadowed user account is shadowed on the first computing device by the custodian at less than full account control; displaying a representation of the shadowed user account on the graphical user interface, the representation being the same as a representation of the shadowed user account displayed on a graphical user interface of a second computing device of the user other than the custodian, thereby allowing the custodian to see on the first computing device externally provided data from at least the first contact and the second contact that the shadowed user account sees on the second computing device; dynamically detecting potentially dangerous content associated with the first contact via a machine-learning algorithm, and in response, determining with the machine-learning algorithm that the first contact is a dangerous actor and/or that the potentially dangerous content is indeed dangerous content; completing sentiment analysis with the machine-learning algorithm in response to dynamically detecting in order to assess a mood of the first contact or a mood of the user other than the custodian; displaying the first contact, the second contact, and the number of shadow indicators on the graphical user interface responsive to changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account, the number of shadow indicators being integrated with the second account context and being of a different type than the number of custodian indicators, one of the number of shadow indicators being displayed with respect to the first contact in response to detecting the potentially dangerous content; displaying a plurality of custodian control options on the graphical user interface responsive to selecting the first contact, each of the plurality of custodian control options being integrated with the second account context; selecting one of the plurality of custodian control options in order to allow the custodian to oversee and manage the shadowed user account with respect to the first contact, including deleting content determined to be dangerous; and using the machine-learning algorithm including the sentiment analysis, and the selecting of the one of the plurality of custodian control options, in order to prevent future related dangerous content and content from the dangerous actor from being delivered to the shadowed user, wherein the device application is either a messaging application including sending and receiving of content-based messages, a social media application with messaging capabilities, or a gaming application with messaging capabilities.
2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the number of custodian indicators corresponds to an unread message, wherein the number of shadow indicators comprises a first shadow indicator and a second shadow indicator, wherein the first shadow indicator corresponds to first predetermined data associated with the first contact, wherein the second shadow indicator corresponds to second predetermined data associated with the second contact, and wherein the first predetermined data is different than the second predetermined data.
3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising: detecting predetermined content between the user other than the custodian and the first contact of the number of shadowed contacts, and in response, automatically displaying a hyperlink corresponding to the predetermined content in a dashboard page of the custodian user account via the device application.
4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 3, further comprising: responsive to selecting the hyperlink, simultaneously: a) changing the graphical user interface of the computing device from displaying the dashboard page of the custodian user account to displaying the predetermined content; and b) changing the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context.
5. A computer-implemented method for allowing a custodian to manage a plurality of user accounts of a social media application on a first computing device via the social media application, the plurality of user accounts comprising a custodian user account and a shadowed user account belonging to a user other than the custodian, the custodian user account being associated with a number of custodian contacts, the shadowed user account comprising a number of shadowed contacts and a number of shadow indicators, the shadowed user account being managed at less than full account control by the custodian, the computing device comprising a graphical user interface, the social media application having an operating mode configured to change between a first account context corresponding to full account control, and a second account context corresponding to less than full account control in which content is presented in a read-only mode, the computer-implemented method comprising: displaying the custodian user account on the graphical user interface responsive to the social media application being accessed on the computing device; managing the custodian user account in the first account context; simultaneously: a) changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the social media application, and b) changing the operating mode in the social media application from the first account context to the second account context such that the shadowed user account is shadowed on the computing device by the custodian at less than full account control; generating a first social media feed and a second social media feed, the first and second social media feeds each comprising a corresponding plurality of posts each submitted by one of the custodians, the user other than the custodian, and one of the number of custodian contacts or the number of shadowed contacts; displaying a representation of the shadowed user account on the graphical user interface, the representation being the same as a representation of the shadowed user account displayed on a graphical user interface of a second computing device of the user of the shadowed user account, thereby allowing the custodian to see on the first computing device externally provided data corresponding to the second social media feed that the shadowed user account sees on the second computing device; dynamically detecting potentially dangerous content associated with the second social media feed via a machine-learning algorithm, and in response, determining with the machine-learning algorithm that a dangerous actor is associated with the second social media feed and/or that the potentially dangerous content is indeed dangerous content; displaying the plurality of shadowed posts of the second social media feed, and the number of shadow indicators on the graphical user interface responsive to changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account, the number of shadow indicators being integrated with the second account context, one of the number of shadow indicators being displayed with respect to the plurality of posts of the second social media feed in response to detecting the potentially dangerous content; after changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account, displaying a number of custodian control options on the graphical user interface responsive to selecting the second social media feed; selecting one of the number of custodian control options in order to allow the custodian to oversee and manage the shadowed user account with respect to the second social media feed, including deleting content determined to be dangerous; and using the machine-learning algorithm and the selecting of the one of the plurality of custodian control options, in order to prevent future related dangerous content and content from the dangerous actor from being delivered to the shadowed user.
6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising: displaying first content on the graphical user interface in a read and write mode responsive to selecting a third contact of the number of custodian contacts; and displaying second content on the graphical user interface in the read-only mode responsive to selecting the first contact, the second content corresponding to at least one of text data, image data, audio data, and video data.
7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving an initial request at the first computing device via the device application, the initial request being associated with an attempt to add an additional contact to the number of shadowed contacts by the user other than the custodian, the initial request being independent of a contact-connection status of the custodian user account.
8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, further comprising: declining the initial request at the first computing device of the custodian via the device application in order to prevent the additional contact from being added to the number of shadowed contacts.
9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, further comprising: approving the initial request at the first computing device of the custodian via the device application, thereby causing a second request to be sent from the first computing device of the custodian to a computing device of an additional user, the second request being independent of a contact-connection status of the additional user; and declining the second request at the computing device of the additional user via the device application in order to prevent the additional contact from being added to the number of shadowed contacts.
10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, further comprising: approving the initial request at the first computing device of the custodian via the device application, thereby causing a second request to be sent from the computing device of the custodian to a computing device of an additional user, the second request being independent of a contact-connection status of the additional user; approving the second request at the computing device of the additional user via the device application, thereby causing a third request to be sent from the computing device of the additional user to a computing device of the additional contact; and approving the third request at the computing device of the additional contact via the device application, thereby: a) causing the additional contact to be added to the number of shadowed contacts, and b) allowing the user other than the custodian to communicate with the additional contact.
11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising: manually adjusting settings of the shadowed user account at the first computing device of the custodian via the device application in order to allow the user other than the custodian to automatically add an additional contact to the number of shadowed contacts without a separate request being sent through the device application, wherein manually adjusting settings is performed independent of an age of the user other than the custodian.
12. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the custodian is a first custodian, wherein the method further comprises: associating the custodian user account with a user account of a second custodian in order to allow the shadowed user account and a number of the plurality of user accounts to be shadowed on a computing device of the second custodian in the same manner by which the shadowed user account is shadowed on the first computing device of the first custodian; and receiving an initial request at the first computing device of the first custodian and the computing device of the second custodian via the device application, the initial request being associated with an attempt to add an additional contact to the number of shadowed contacts by the user other than the custodian, the initial request being independent of a contact-connection status of either the custodian user account or the user account of the second custodian.
13. The computer-implemented method according to claim 12, further comprising: declining the initial request at either the first computing device of the first custodian or the computing device of the second custodian via the device application in order to prevent the additional contact from being added to the number of shadowed contacts.
14. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising: providing the shadowed user account with a first application feature and a second application feature each with respect to the first contact of the number of shadowed contacts; and disabling the first application feature with respect to the first contact via the device application while managing the custodian user account.
15. The computer-implemented method according to claim 14, wherein the first application feature comprises at least one of text capabilities in the device application, audio call capabilities in the device application, social media capabilities in the device application, music capabilities, video capabilities in the device application, video game capabilities, movie capabilities in the device application, television show capabilities in the device application, book or magazine reading capabilities in the device application, e-commerce capabilities in the device application, and website management capabilities in the device application, and wherein disabling the first application feature is performed on a dashboard page of the custodian user account.
16. A system for allowing a custodian to manage a plurality of user accounts of a device application, the plurality of user accounts comprising a custodian user account and a shadowed user account belonging to a user other than the custodian, the custodian user account being associated with a number of custodian contacts, the shadowed user account comprising a number of shadowed contacts and a number of shadow indicators, the number of shadowed contacts comprising a first contact and a second contact, the shadowed user account being managed at less than full account control by the custodian, the system comprising: a first computing device for running a device application, the computing device comprising a graphical user interface, the device application having an operating mode configured to change between a first account context corresponding to full account control, and a second account context corresponding to less than full account control in which messages are presented in a read-only mode, the computing device being programmed to: display the custodian user account on the graphical user interface responsive to the device application being accessed, display the number of custodian contacts and a number of custodian indicators on the graphical user interface when displaying the custodian user account, the number of custodian indicators being integrated with the first account context, manage the custodian user account in the first account context, simultaneously: a) change from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application; without a login process being performed on the first computing device, and b) change the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context such that the shadowed user account is shadowed on the computing device by the custodian at less than full account control, display a representation of the shadowed user account on the graphical user interface, the representation being the same as a representation of the shadowed user account displayed on a graphical user interface of a second computing device of the user other than the custodian, thereby allowing the custodian to see on the first computing device externally provided data from at least the first contact and the second contact that the shadowed user account sees on the second computing device; dynamically detect potentially dangerous content associated with the first contact via a machine-learning algorithm, and in response, determining with the machine-learning algorithm that the first contact is a dangerous actor and/or that the potentially dangerous content is indeed dangerous content; complete sentiment analysis with the machine-learning algorithm in response to dynamically detecting in order to assess a mood of the first contact or a mood of the user other than the custodian; display the first contact, the second contact, and the number of shadow indicators on the graphical user interface responsive to changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account, the number of shadow indicators being integrated with the second account context and being of a different type than the number of custodian indicators, one of the number of shadow indicators being displayed with respect to the first contact in response to detecting the potentially dangerous content; display a plurality of custodian control options on the graphical user interface responsive to selecting the first contact, each of the plurality of custodian control options being integrated with the second account context; select one of the plurality of custodian control options in order to allow the custodian to oversee and manage the shadowed user account with respect to the first contact, including deleting content determined to be dangerous; and use the machine-learning algorithm, including the sentiment analysis, and the selecting of the one of the plurality of custodian control options, in order to prevent future related dangerous content and content from the dangerous actor from being delivered to the shadowed user, wherein the device application is either a messaging application including sending and receiving of content-based messages, a social media application with messaging capabilities, or a gaming application with messaging capabilities.
17. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the dangerous content is one of pornographic material, bullying language, language used by terrorist groups for recruitment, stalker language, and child predator language.
18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the dangerous content is one of pornographic material, bullying language, language used by terrorist groups for recruitment, stalker language, and child predator language.
7. Claims 1-20 is rejected on the ground of non-statutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-18 of U.S. Patent No. 12,184,658. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because in both instances, the claims are drawn towards a method and system for allowing a custodian to manage a plurality of user accounts on a computing device via a device application. The omission of “using the machine-learning algorithm including the sentiment analysis, and the selecting of the one of the plurality of custodian control options, in order to prevent future related dangerous content and content from the dangerous actor from being delivered to the shadowed user, wherein the device application is either a messaging application including sending and receiving of content-based messages, a social media application with messaging capabilities, or a gaming application with messaging capabilities” does not change the scope of the claims for the instant application and the issued application. Similarly, in both instances, a similarity measure may be attained wherein custodians monitor online communication of children’s social media messaging pertaining to cyber communication is being performed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
8. 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
9. 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
10. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brown et al. (Pub No. 2023/0239362).
Referring to the rejection of claim 1, Brown et al. discloses a computer-implemented method for allowing a custodian to manage a plurality of user accounts on a computing device via a device application, the plurality of user accounts comprising a custodian user account and a shadowed user account connected to the custodian user account in the device application, the shadowed user account belonging to a user other than the custodian and comprising a number of shadowed contacts, the number of shadowed contacts comprising a first contact, the shadowed user account being managed at less than full account control by the custodian, the computing device comprising a graphical user interface, the device application having an operating mode configured to change between a first account context corresponding to full account control, and a second account context corresponding to less than full account control, the computer-implemented method comprising: displaying the custodian user account on the graphical user interface responsive to the device application being accessed on the computing device; (See Brown et al., para. 29-31 and 41, i.e., This disclosure describes one or more embodiments of an activity dashboard system that can monitor digital activity of dependent client accounts to generate and provide a dynamic activity dashboards for display within a graphical user interface of a managing client device associated with a managing account. In addition, the activity dashboard system can also provider user interfaces for delegating contact-control privileges from managing accounts to trusted contact client devices, allowing trusted contact client devices to manage contacts and online interactive groups corresponding to dependent accounts. Accordingly, the activity dashboard system can provide efficient activity dashboards and user interfaces that improve flexibility and security in managing and monitoring online activity of dependent client devices and corresponding dependent accounts. For example, the activity dashboard system can intelligently monitor digital activity in an application associated with a dependent account linked to a managing account. From the monitored digital activity, the activity dashboard system can selectively surface indicators to the activity dashboard in an efficient manner that allows for the managing client device to review and/or apply actions to control digital content and functionality at the dependent client device. Specifically, the activity dashboard system can generate a managing account (e.g., a parent or guardian account) that is linked to a dependent account (e.g., a child or minor account). The activity dashboard system can provide certain managing privileges to the managing account and restrict/withhold certain activities, information, or privileges from dependent accounts. For example, when a managing account logs into a managing client device, the activity dashboard system can provide access to permissions, contact-control privileges, and one or more activity dashboards corresponding to the dependent account. Similarly, when a dependent account logs into a dependent client device, the activity dashboard system can provide access to digital communications and messaging capabilities but withhold privileges to unilaterally add contacts or access restricted digital content. The present disclosure utilizes a variety of terms to describe features and advantages of the activity dashboard system. Additional detail is now provided regarding the meaning of such terms. For example, as used herein, the term “activity dashboard” refers to one or more graphical user interface elements for presenting digital information regarding a dependent account or dependent client device. In particular, an activity dashboard can include one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements reflecting digital activity of a dependent messaging account. For example, the activity dashboard may include a digital communications field, a digital complaint field, and a digital media item field)
managing the custodian user account in the first account context; (See Brown et al., para. 169, i.e., The accounts manager can generate, store, authorize access, and/or link accounts associated with a networking system (e.g., a digital communication system and/or a social networking system). In particular, the accounts manager can generate a dependent messaging account associated with a dependent client device. Further, the accounts manager can link the dependent messaging account linked to a managing account corresponding to a managing client device. Additionally, the accounts manager can perform various actions (e.g., modifications) to accounts)
responsive to an at-mention being sent from the first contact to at least the shadowed user account, receiving an alert at the custodian user account via the device application corresponding to the at-mention; (See Brown et al., para. 110-111, i.e., Additionally or alternatively, the surfacing model may determine to surface one or more of the notifications in a more selective manner regarding the selectable GUI elements described above. For example, upon identifying a new contact and a subsequent number of communications exceeding a threshold number of digital communications, the surfacing model can determine to send a text alert to the managing client device. The text alert may indicate the heavy communication between the dependent client device and the new contact constitutes a digital activity anomaly. Further, in some embodiments, the notifications may include daily, weekly, and/or monthly summaries of digital activity (as configured according to user settings in the managing client application). Based on one or more of the selectable GUI elements, at the act the surfacing model can provide a GUI (e.g., an activity dashboard, a notification GUI, etc.) to the managing client device via the managing client application. The activity dashboard system can also determine when to surface or update the selectable GUI elements. For example, the activity dashboard system can utilize the surfacing model to select one or more of the selectable GUI elements to surface to the managing client device whenever the dependent client device sends or receives a digital communication, sends or receives a digital complaint, sends or receives a digital media item, or detects digital activity anomalies)
changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application; (See Brown et al., para. 31, i.e., the activity dashboard system can generate a variety of interactive user accounts, including managing accounts and dependent accounts. Specifically, the activity dashboard system can generate a managing account (e.g., a parent or guardian account) that is linked to a dependent account (e.g., a child or minor account). The activity dashboard system can provide certain managing privileges to the managing account and restrict/withhold certain activities, information, or privileges from dependent accounts. For example, when a managing account logs into a managing client device, the activity dashboard system can provide access to permissions, contact-control privileges, and one or more activity dashboards corresponding to the dependent account. Similarly, when a dependent account logs into a dependent client device, the activity dashboard system can provide access to digital communications and messaging capabilities but withhold privileges to unilaterally add contacts or access restricted digital content)
and changing the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context such that the shadowed user account is shadowed on the computing device by the custodian at less than full account control. (See Brown et al., para. 42, i.e., As further used herein, the term “dependent messaging account” refers to a user account linked to (or associated with) a managing account. A dependent messaging account can have limited functionality or privileges relative to the managing account. In particular, a dependent messaging account can include a social networking system (or communication system) user account connected to a managing account (e.g., a user account with privileges to monitor and modify the dependent messaging account). In some embodiments, the dependent messaging account can correspond to a user, such as a child, minor, or other type of dependent. Moreover, a dependent messaging account can be associated with a dependent client device (e.g., a client device of a dependent user). In particular, a dependent client device can include a device that a dependent user has logged into using credentials associated with the dependent messaging account)
Referring to the rejection of claim 2, Brown et al. discloses further comprising: automatically displaying a hyperlink corresponding to the at-mention in a dashboard page of the custodian user account via the device application. (See Brown et al., para. 65 and 143, i.e., Additionally or alternatively, the activity dashboard system 104 may identify a digital media item by detecting links (e.g., hyperlinks), location data (e.g., source data of an object), interactive elements (e.g., games), etc. In turn, the activity dashboard system may complete the extraction process for tracking digital media items by copying (or in some cases reproducing an approximated version of) the identified digital media item for storage and/or transmission to the managing client device 106a. As mentioned above, based on authorization from a managing client device, the activity dashboard system can also share contact-control privileges with a trusted contact client device. With contact-control privileges granted to the trusted contact client device, the managing client device authorizes the trusted contact client device to add and/or remove contacts from a dependent messaging account managed by the managing client device. Moreover, with contact-control privileges, a group-organizer can add and/or remove contacts from a networking group. Thus, according to the authorized sharing of contact-control privileges, the activity dashboard system can add, for example, a teacher or coach as a trusted contact for the dependent messaging account)
Referring to the rejection of claim 3, Brown et al. discloses further comprising: responsive to selecting the hyperlink, simultaneously: a) changing the graphical user interface of the computing device from displaying the dashboard page of the custodian user account to displaying a message between the first contact and the user of the shadowed user account, the message including the at-mention; (See Brown et al., para. 159, i.e., With respect to the trusted contacts field, the activity dashboard system can further allow the computing device to modify the dependent messaging account in relation to trusted contacts. For example, in response to a user interaction with a selectable option tab, the activity dashboard system can update the user interface to surface various options for modifying the trusted contacts of the dependent messaging account. To illustrate, the computing device may select one or more options to add/modify/remove contact-control privileges (e.g., change an expiration date), remove the trusted contact account as a trusted contact, message the trusted contact account, etc.)
and b) changing the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context. (See Brown et al., para. 72, 141, and 228, i.e., For example, the activity dashboard system may update a user interface to indicate that the managing client device has reported and/or removed a third-party dependent messaging account as a contact. Similarly, for example, the activity dashboard system may update a messaging thread interface to show, in place of a removed digital media item, that the managing client device has removed a digital media item from view (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 7A-7B). In response to receiving an indication of a user input at the selectable option, the activity dashboard system can provide contact-control privileges to the dependent client device. With the provided contact-control privileges, the dependent client device can add and remove contacts from the dependent messaging account like the managing client device. In response to such changes to contacts, the activity dashboard system can (as described above in relation to the foregoing figures) monitor and surface such changes in the activity dashboard. For example, as part of or separate from the digital complaint field described above, the activity dashboard system can surface contact changes to the “updates to contacts” section of the activity dashboard (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 5A-5B). In addition, or as an alternative, an advertisement may include social networking system context directed to the user. As an example, an advertisement may display information about a friend of the user within social networking system who has taken an action associated with the subject matter of the advertisement)
Referring to the rejection of claim 4, Brown et al. discloses further comprising: associating a plurality of other custodian user accounts with a plurality of other shadowed user accounts for allowing the other custodian user accounts to manage the other shadowed user accounts on a plurality of other computing devices via the device application; (See Brown et al., para. 61, i.e., Moreover, in some embodiments, the activity dashboard system can associate multiple dependent messaging accounts with one or more managing accounts. Accordingly, the activity dashboard system can intelligently provide digital activity of multiple dependent messaging accounts to one or more managing accounts in a same or similar manner as described in the present disclosure. Likewise, the activity dashboard system can associate multiple managing accounts with one or more dependent messaging accounts. In this manner, the activity dashboard system can flexibly arrange and/or modify a variety of component configurations and relationships to account for myriad different implementations of the computing environment)
and receiving the alert at each of the other custodian user accounts via the device application corresponding to the at-mention, responsive to the at-mention being sent from the first contact to the at least the shadowed user account. (See Brown et al., para. 110-111, i.e., Additionally or alternatively, the surfacing model may determine to surface one or more of the notifications in a more selective manner regarding the selectable GUI elements described above. For example, upon identifying a new contact and a subsequent number of communications exceeding a threshold number of digital communications, the surfacing model can determine to send a text alert to the managing client device. The text alert may indicate the heavy communication between the dependent client device and the new contact constitutes a digital activity anomaly. Further, in some embodiments, the notifications may include daily, weekly, and/or monthly summaries of digital activity (as configured according to user settings in the managing client application). Based on one or more of the selectable GUI elements, at the act the surfacing model can provide a GUI (e.g., an activity dashboard, a notification GUI, etc.) to the managing client device via the managing client application. The activity dashboard system can also determine when to surface or update the selectable GUI elements. For example, the activity dashboard system can utilize the surfacing model to select one or more of the selectable GUI elements to surface to the managing client device whenever the dependent client device sends or receives a digital communication, sends or receives a digital complaint, sends or receives a digital media item, or detects digital activity anomalies)
Referring to the rejection of claim 5, Brown et al. discloses wherein: a) changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application; and b) changing the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context such that the shadowed user account is shadowed on the computing device by the custodian at less than full account control, are performed simultaneously. (See Brown et al., para. 56 and 108, i.e., In particular, the server(s) can maintain a list of contacts for each user account (e.g., friends that a user adds or has previously added). Each contact has certain privileges, rights, and/or access to digital information by virtue of being on a contact list. For example, a contact of a user account can see social media posts of the user account, send/receive instant messages from the user account, share digital media items with the user account, etc. In addition, the server(s) can add and/or remove contacts from a contact list. In addition, the custom features can include various options for granting contact adding/removal privileges to the dependent messaging account (e.g., as part of or separate from an activity dashboard). Similarly, the custom features can include options for granting a third-party device (i.e., a trusted-contact client device) contact-control privileges to add/remove contacts from the dependent messaging account. FIGS. 8, 9, 10A-10B, and 11A-11B and the corresponding description explain supervised friending and trusted contacts in more detail)
Referring to the rejection of claim 6, Brown et al. discloses wherein changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account is performed without an alert being sent from the custodian user account to the user of the shadowed user account. (See Brown et al., para. 72 and 217, i.e., In these or other embodiments, the activity dashboard system may update one or more user interfaces of the dependent client device 110a (via the dependent client application 112a) to indicate that the activity dashboard system has modified the dependent messaging account. For example, the activity dashboard system may update a user interface to indicate that the managing client device 106a has reported and/or removed a third-party dependent messaging account as a contact. Similarly, for example, the activity dashboard system may update a messaging thread interface to show, in place of a removed digital media item, that the managing client device 106a has removed a digital media item from view (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 7A-7B). In some embodiments, the third-party system may include one or more types of servers, one or more data stores, one or more interfaces, including but not limited to APIs, one or more web services, one or more content sources, one or more networks, or any other suitable components. The third-party system may be operated by a different entity from an entity operating the social networking system even if, in some embodiments, the social networking system and the third-party systems operate in conjunction with each other. In this sense, the social networking system may provide a platform, or backbone, which other systems, such as the third-party systems, may use to provide social-networking services and functionality to users across the Internet)
Referring to the rejection of claim 7, Brown et al. discloses wherein the computing device is a first computing device, and wherein the method further comprises displaying a representation of the shadowed user account on the graphical user interface, the representation being the same as a representation of the shadowed user account displayed on a graphical user interface of a second computing device of the user other than the custodian, thereby allowing the custodian to see on the first computing device externally provided data from at least the first contact that the shadowed user account sees on the second computing device. (See Brown et al., para. 53-54, i.e., The managing client applications and the dependent client applications can present or display information to a user respectively associated with the managing client devices and the dependent client devices. For example, the managing client applications can display an activity dashboard. In addition, managing users can interact with the managing client applications to provide user input to, for example, modify a dependent messaging account as displayed according to the dependent client applications on the dependent client devices. As further shown, the trusted contact client device includes a trusted contact client application similar to the managing client applications and the dependent client applications discussed above. In particular, the trusted contact client application can provide information for display on the trusted contact client device regarding contact-control privileges for connecting and managing a group of dependent messaging accounts. Specifically, the trusted contact client device can communicate with the managing client devices to request or otherwise obtain contact-control privileges for adding and/or removing contacts from dependent messaging accounts. For example, the trusted contact client device can create a networking group (e.g., a digital communications group, a social networking group) and add a dependent messaging account to the networking group based on the contact-control privileges)
Referring to the rejection of claim 8, Brown et al. discloses wherein changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application is performed without a login process being performed on the first computing device. (See Brown et al., para. 39, i.e., The activity dashboard system can also improve efficiency relative to conventional systems. In particular, the activity dashboard system can provide a user interface that includes an activity dashboard that decreases user interactions, duplicative user interfaces, and computing resources needed to review digital activity of a dependent messaging account and implement responsive actions. Indeed, the activity dashboard system can provide a single user interface that manages dependent messaging accounts through efficient user interactions. This approach stands in contrast to conventional systems that typically require opening and navigating through multiple applications (e.g., a parent application and child application), duplicative log-in routines, and excessive user inputs with regard to multiple user interfaces (e.g., separate messaging threads, history tabs, etc.). In addition, by providing the above-mentioned visibility of digital activity and improved control/functionality all within a single user interface, the activity dashboard system improves the speed of interface navigation on client device screens (e.g. mobile devices)
Referring to the rejection of claim 9, Brown et al. discloses further comprising: displaying first content on the graphical user interface in a read and write mode responsive to selecting a custodian contact associated with the custodian user account; (See Brown et al., para. 40, i.e., Indeed, the activity dashboard system can allow a trusted contact account to obtain contact-control privileges (based on permission from a managing account) and then efficiently manage contacts of dependent accounts. For example, a trusted contact account of a coach or youth leader can securely and safely add dependent accounts to an online communication group by receiving contract-control privileges from managing accounts corresponding to managing client devices. In contrast to conventional systems (that require a plurality of parent devices to repeatedly search out, identify, and manage contacts for a plurality of dependent accounts), the activity dashboard system allows managing client devices to efficiently delegate contact-control permissions to a common trusted contact account (e.g., corresponding to a trusted contact that knows the dependent users), and the trusted contact account can modify the contacts of the dependent accounts to add them to a common communication group. This approach significantly reduces the user interactions, time, and processing resources required to manage contacts across dependent accounts)
and displaying second content on the graphical user interface in a read-only mode responsive to selecting the first contact of the number of shadowed contacts, the second content corresponding to at least one of text data, image data, audio data, and video data. (See Brown et al., para. 45, 74, and 152, i.e., In particular, digital activity can include acts, events, or occurrences within a communication system and/or social networking system that are associated with a dependent messaging account. Examples of digital activity can include digital communications (e.g., instant messages, video chats, etc.), digital complaints (e.g., requests to block or report content/contacts), and exchanged digital media items (e.g., images, videos, stickers, GIFs, games, augmented reality masks, art, etc.). The activity dashboard system can monitor the digital communications via the digital activity data 302a-302b. For example, as described above in relation to FIG. 2, the digital activity data 302a-302b may include, among other things, the respective number of instant messages and/or video chats between messaging accounts (e.g., corresponding to the dependent client devices). In addition, the activity dashboard system can detect user interactions via the user interaction data 304a-304b regarding digital communications in general, or regarding historical (e.g., prior-surfaced) digital communications between specific dependent messaging accounts and/or dependent client devices. For example, the user interaction data 304a may include a prior reporting action to report the dependent client device 110n for an excessive frequency of instant messages sent from the dependent client device 110n to the dependent client device 110a. As another example of limitations on contact-control privileges, the trusted contact client device may have a limited authorization period in which to execute contact-control privileges. For instance, as a security feature, the managing client devices may provide to the trusted contact client device contact-control privileges that are time-bound and therefore expire after a predetermined amount of time lapses (e.g., after one month). In some cases, the managing client devices may specify and/or modify the expiration time. In other cases, the activity dashboard system may default to a preset expiration time. In either case, when the authorization period expires, the activity dashboard system may revoke trusted contact status from the trusted contact client device (e.g., strip the trusted contact client device of the provided contact-control privileges)
Referring to the rejection of claim 10, Brown et al. discloses wherein the custodian user account is associated with a number of custodian contacts, and wherein the method further comprises: displaying the number of custodian contacts and a number of custodian indicators on the graphical user interface when displaying the custodian user account, the number of custodian indicators being integrated with the first account context, and displaying the number of shadowed contacts and a number of shadow indicators on the graphical user interface responsive to changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account, the number of shadow indicators being integrated with the second account context and being of a different type than the number of custodian indicators. (See Brown et al., para. 36, 67, and 114, i.e., In addition, as briefly discussed above, the activity dashboard system can also provide interfaces and options for delegating contact-control privileges to trusted contact accounts. Indeed, in generating a managing account, the activity dashboard system can provide contract-control privileges for a dependent account to a managing account. The activity dashboard system can provide user interfaces that allow a managing client device to delegate these-contact-control privileges (in whole or in part) to another trusted contact account. Furthermore, the activity dashboard system can provider user interfaces that allow a trusted contact client device to modify contacts for dependent accounts. For example, the activity dashboard system can utilize delegated contact-control privileges at a trusted contact account to add dependent accounts to an online group, modify contact lists of corresponding dependent accounts, and allow dependent accounts within the group to transmit digital communications across dependent client devices. In some embodiments, the digital communications field, the digital complaint field, and the digital media item field are GUI elements configured for populating indicators in accordance with the monitored digital activity. In particular, the digital communications field comprises one or more of the monitored digital communications. For example, the digital communications field may include a listing of monitored digital communications that includes, for a given digital communication, one or more corresponding messaging accounts and a count element reflecting a number and type of digital communications (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 4A-4B). In some embodiments, the activity dashboard system may arrange the digital communications field as comprising monitored digital communications in the order they occurred (e.g., most recent listed at top). However, as described in more detail below in relation to FIG. 3, the activity dashboard system can dynamically alter the digital communications field to show a different arrangement of monitored digital communications. For each listing of the digital communications surfaced in the activity dashboard, the activity dashboard system can provide indicators comprising a count element reflecting a number of digital communications (e.g., for each type of digital communication). For example, based on the monitored digital activity, the activity dashboard system can identify the indicators as including a number of instant messages (e.g., “9 messages”) and/or a number of video chat calls (e.g., “3 calls”). In particular, the indicators reflect a number of digital communications between the dependent messaging account and one or more third-party dependent messaging accounts (e.g., “Steve Wilds”)
Referring to the rejection of claim 11, Brown et al. discloses wherein at least one of the number of custodian indicators corresponds to an unread message, wherein displaying the number of shadowed contacts comprises displaying the first contact and a second contact, wherein the number of shadow indicators comprises a first shadow indicator and a second shadow indicator, wherein the first shadow indicator corresponds to first predetermined data associated with the first contact, wherein the second shadow indicator corresponds to second predetermined data associated with the second contact, and wherein the first predetermined data is different than the second predetermined data. (See Brown et al., para. 52, 66, and 114, i.e., In one example, reporting can include a request to notify others of questionable, offensive, inappropriate, unsafe, or threatening digital activity and/or conduct. In another example, reporting can further include a request to block (e.g., prevent further communication to/from) a particular contact. Based on the monitored digital activity at the act 210, the activity dashboard system can provide a GUI (i.e., that includes the activity dashboard) to the managing client device 106a at the act 212. One or more aspects of the act 212 are described in further detail below (e.g., in relation to FIG. 3). For example, the activity dashboard system can intelligently select and surface indicators of monitored digital activity. In general, however, the activity dashboard system at the act 212 can vary an arrangement of GUI elements and selectively surface the monitored digital activity to the managing client device 106a in the activity dashboard. For each listing of the digital communications surfaced in the activity dashboard, the activity dashboard system can provide indicators comprising a count element reflecting a number of digital communications (e.g., for each type of digital communication). For example, based on the monitored digital activity, the activity dashboard system can identify the indicators as including a number of instant messages (e.g., “9 messages”) and/or a number of video chat calls (e.g., “3 calls”). In particular, the indicators reflect a number of digital communications between the dependent messaging account and one or more third-party dependent messaging accounts (e.g., “Steve Wilds”)
Referring to the rejection of claim 12, Brown et al. discloses further comprising: displaying a number of custodian control options on the graphical user interface responsive to selecting the first contact, wherein the number of custodian control options are each integrated with the second account context. (See Brown et al., para. 106-107, i.e., Further, in some embodiments, the surfacing model can determine to surface one or more custom features to the managing client device 106n (e.g., as part of or separate from an activity dashboard). The custom features may include, for example, remote device logout controls, account visibility controls, supervised friending controls, trusted contact controls, archive surfacing controls, etc. With respect to the remote device logout controls, the surfacing model may determine to surface a selectable option to see a list of all devices on which the managing client device 106n has granted the dependent messaging account access to the dependent client application 112n. In addition, the surfacing model may configure the selectable option adjacent to each client device listing such that, upon selection, the activity dashboard system can ‘log out’ of the dependent client application 112n on the selected client device. The custom features can also include various settings regarding account visibility for the dependent messaging account (e.g., as part of or separate from an activity dashboard). In particular, the custom features may include options to control (e.g., increase) account visibility such that other contacts (beyond the contacts of the dependent client device 110n) can discover the dependent messaging account associated with the dependent client device 110n. For example, the custom features may include an option to allow friends of friends of the dependent client device 110n and/or of the managing client device 106n to discover the dependent messaging account associated with the dependent client device 110n.)
Referring to the rejection of claim 13, Brown et al. discloses a system for allowing a custodian to manage a plurality of user accounts comprising a custodian user account and a shadowed user account, the shadowed user account belonging to a user other than the custodian and comprising a number of shadowed contacts, the number of shadowed contacts comprising a first contact, the shadowed user account being managed at less than full account control by the custodian, the system comprising:
a computing device for running a device application, the computing device comprising a graphical user interface, the device application having an operating mode configured to change between a first account context corresponding to full account control, and a second account context corresponding to less than full account control, the computing device being programmed to: display the custodian user account on the graphical user interface responsive to the device application being accessed, (See Brown et al., para. 29-31 and 41, i.e., This disclosure describes one or more embodiments of an activity dashboard system that can monitor digital activity of dependent client accounts to generate and provide a dynamic activity dashboards for display within a graphical user interface of a managing client device associated with a managing account. In addition, the activity dashboard system can also provider user interfaces for delegating contact-control privileges from managing accounts to trusted contact client devices, allowing trusted contact client devices to manage contacts and online interactive groups corresponding to dependent accounts. Accordingly, the activity dashboard system can provide efficient activity dashboards and user interfaces that improve flexibility and security in managing and monitoring online activity of dependent client devices and corresponding dependent accounts. For example, the activity dashboard system can intelligently monitor digital activity in an application associated with a dependent account linked to a managing account. From the monitored digital activity, the activity dashboard system can selectively surface indicators to the activity dashboard in an efficient manner that allows for the managing client device to review and/or apply actions to control digital content and functionality at the dependent client device. Specifically, the activity dashboard system can generate a managing account (e.g., a parent or guardian account) that is linked to a dependent account (e.g., a child or minor account). The activity dashboard system can provide certain managing privileges to the managing account and restrict/withhold certain activities, information, or privileges from dependent accounts. For example, when a managing account logs into a managing client device, the activity dashboard system can provide access to permissions, contact-control privileges, and one or more activity dashboards corresponding to the dependent account. Similarly, when a dependent account logs into a dependent client device, the activity dashboard system can provide access to digital communications and messaging capabilities but withhold privileges to unilaterally add contacts or access restricted digital content. The present disclosure utilizes a variety of terms to describe features and advantages of the activity dashboard system. Additional detail is now provided regarding the meaning of such terms. For example, as used herein, the term “activity dashboard” refers to one or more graphical user interface elements for presenting digital information regarding a dependent account or dependent client device. In particular, an activity dashboard can include one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements reflecting digital activity of a dependent messaging account. For example, the activity dashboard may include a digital communications field, a digital complaint field, and a digital media item field)
manage the custodian user account in the first account context, (See Brown et al., para. 169, i.e., The accounts manager can generate, store, authorize access, and/or link accounts associated with a networking system (e.g., a digital communication system and/or a social networking system). In particular, the accounts manager can generate a dependent messaging account associated with a dependent client device. Further, the accounts manager can link the dependent messaging account linked to a managing account corresponding to a managing client device. Additionally, the accounts manager can perform various actions (e.g., modifications) to accounts)
responsive to an at-mention being sent from the first contact to at least the shadowed user account, receive an alert at the custodian user account via the device application corresponding to the at-mention, (See Brown et al., para. 110-111, i.e., Additionally or alternatively, the surfacing model may determine to surface one or more of the notifications in a more selective manner regarding the selectable GUI elements described above. For example, upon identifying a new contact and a subsequent number of communications exceeding a threshold number of digital communications, the surfacing model can determine to send a text alert to the managing client device. The text alert may indicate the heavy communication between the dependent client device and the new contact constitutes a digital activity anomaly. Further, in some embodiments, the notifications may include daily, weekly, and/or monthly summaries of digital activity (as configured according to user settings in the managing client application). Based on one or more of the selectable GUI elements, at the act the surfacing model can provide a GUI (e.g., an activity dashboard, a notification GUI, etc.) to the managing client device via the managing client application. The activity dashboard system can also determine when to surface or update the selectable GUI elements. For example, the activity dashboard system can utilize the surfacing model to select one or more of the selectable GUI elements to surface to the managing client device whenever the dependent client device sends or receives a digital communication, sends or receives a digital complaint, sends or receives a digital media item, or detects digital activity anomalies)
change from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application, (See Brown et al., para. 31, i.e., the activity dashboard system can generate a variety of interactive user accounts, including managing accounts and dependent accounts. Specifically, the activity dashboard system can generate a managing account (e.g., a parent or guardian account) that is linked to a dependent account (e.g., a child or minor account). The activity dashboard system can provide certain managing privileges to the managing account and restrict/withhold certain activities, information, or privileges from dependent accounts. For example, when a managing account logs into a managing client device, the activity dashboard system can provide access to permissions, contact-control privileges, and one or more activity dashboards corresponding to the dependent account. Similarly, when a dependent account logs into a dependent client device, the activity dashboard system can provide access to digital communications and messaging capabilities but withhold privileges to unilaterally add contacts or access restricted digital content)
and change the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context such that the shadowed user account is shadowed on the computing device by the custodian at less than full account control. (See Brown et al., para. 42, i.e., As further used herein, the term “dependent messaging account” refers to a user account linked to (or associated with) a managing account. A dependent messaging account can have limited functionality or privileges relative to the managing account. In particular, a dependent messaging account can include a social networking system (or communication system) user account connected to a managing account (e.g., a user account with privileges to monitor and modify the dependent messaging account). In some embodiments, the dependent messaging account can correspond to a user, such as a child, minor, or other type of dependent. Moreover, a dependent messaging account can be associated with a dependent client device (e.g., a client device of a dependent user). In particular, a dependent client device can include a device that a dependent user has logged into using credentials associated with the dependent messaging account)
Referring to the rejection of claim 14, Brown et al. discloses wherein the computing device is further programmed to: automatically display a hyperlink corresponding to the at-mention in a dashboard page of the custodian user account via the device application; (See Brown et al., para. 65 and 143, i.e., Additionally or alternatively, the activity dashboard system 104 may identify a digital media item by detecting links (e.g., hyperlinks), location data (e.g., source data of an object), interactive elements (e.g., games), etc. In turn, the activity dashboard system may complete the extraction process for tracking digital media items by copying (or in some cases reproducing an approximated version of) the identified digital media item for storage and/or transmission to the managing client device 106a. As mentioned above, based on authorization from a managing client device, the activity dashboard system can also share contact-control privileges with a trusted contact client device. With contact-control privileges granted to the trusted contact client device, the managing client device authorizes the trusted contact client device to add and/or remove contacts from a dependent messaging account managed by the managing client device. Moreover, with contact-control privileges, a group-organizer can add and/or remove contacts from a networking group. Thus, according to the authorized sharing of contact-control privileges, the activity dashboard system can add, for example, a teacher or coach as a trusted contact for the dependent messaging account)
and responsive to selecting the hyperlink, simultaneously: a) change the graphical user interface from displaying the dashboard page of the custodian user account to displaying a message between the first contact and the user of the shadowed user account, the message including the at-mention; (See Brown et al., para. 159, i.e., With respect to the trusted contacts field, the activity dashboard system can further allow the computing device to modify the dependent messaging account in relation to trusted contacts. For example, in response to a user interaction with a selectable option tab, the activity dashboard system can update the user interface to surface various options for modifying the trusted contacts of the dependent messaging account. To illustrate, the computing device may select one or more options to add/modify/remove contact-control privileges (e.g., change an expiration date), remove the trusted contact account as a trusted contact, message the trusted contact account, etc.)
and b) change the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context. (See Brown et al., para. 72, 141, and 228, i.e., For example, the activity dashboard system may update a user interface to indicate that the managing client device has reported and/or removed a third-party dependent messaging account as a contact. Similarly, for example, the activity dashboard system may update a messaging thread interface to show, in place of a removed digital media item, that the managing client device has removed a digital media item from view (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 7A-7B). In response to receiving an indication of a user input at the selectable option, the activity dashboard system can provide contact-control privileges to the dependent client device. With the provided contact-control privileges, the dependent client device can add and remove contacts from the dependent messaging account like the managing client device. In response to such changes to contacts, the activity dashboard system can (as described above in relation to the foregoing figures) monitor and surface such changes in the activity dashboard. For example, as part of or separate from the digital complaint field described above, the activity dashboard system can surface contact changes to the “updates to contacts” section of the activity dashboard (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 5A-5B). In addition, or as an alternative, an advertisement may include social networking system context directed to the user. As an example, an advertisement may display information about a friend of the user within social networking system who has taken an action associated with the subject matter of the advertisement)
Referring to the rejection of claim 15, Brown et al. discloses a computer-implemented method for allowing a custodian to manage a plurality of user accounts on a computing device via a device application, the plurality of user accounts comprising a custodian user account and a shadowed user account, the shadowed user account belonging to a user other than the custodian and being associated with shadowed content, the computing device comprising a graphical user interface, the device application having an operating mode configured to change between a first account context corresponding to full account control, and a second account context corresponding to less than full account control, the computer-implemented method comprising: displaying the custodian user account on the graphical user interface responsive to the device application being accessed on the computing device; (See Brown et al., para. 29-31 and 41, i.e., This disclosure describes one or more embodiments of an activity dashboard system that can monitor digital activity of dependent client accounts to generate and provide a dynamic activity dashboards for display within a graphical user interface of a managing client device associated with a managing account. In addition, the activity dashboard system can also provider user interfaces for delegating contact-control privileges from managing accounts to trusted contact client devices, allowing trusted contact client devices to manage contacts and online interactive groups corresponding to dependent accounts. Accordingly, the activity dashboard system can provide efficient activity dashboards and user interfaces that improve flexibility and security in managing and monitoring online activity of dependent client devices and corresponding dependent accounts. For example, the activity dashboard system can intelligently monitor digital activity in an application associated with a dependent account linked to a managing account. From the monitored digital activity, the activity dashboard system can selectively surface indicators to the activity dashboard in an efficient manner that allows for the managing client device to review and/or apply actions to control digital content and functionality at the dependent client device. Specifically, the activity dashboard system can generate a managing account (e.g., a parent or guardian account) that is linked to a dependent account (e.g., a child or minor account). The activity dashboard system can provide certain managing privileges to the managing account and restrict/withhold certain activities, information, or privileges from dependent accounts. For example, when a managing account logs into a managing client device, the activity dashboard system can provide access to permissions, contact-control privileges, and one or more activity dashboards corresponding to the dependent account. Similarly, when a dependent account logs into a dependent client device, the activity dashboard system can provide access to digital communications and messaging capabilities but withhold privileges to unilaterally add contacts or access restricted digital content. The present disclosure utilizes a variety of terms to describe features and advantages of the activity dashboard system. Additional detail is now provided regarding the meaning of such terms. For example, as used herein, the term “activity dashboard” refers to one or more graphical user interface elements for presenting digital information regarding a dependent account or dependent client device. In particular, an activity dashboard can include one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements reflecting digital activity of a dependent messaging account. For example, the activity dashboard may include a digital communications field, a digital complaint field, and a digital media item field)
managing the custodian user account in the first account context; (See Brown et al., para. 169, i.e., The accounts manager can generate, store, authorize access, and/or link accounts associated with a networking system (e.g., a digital communication system and/or a social networking system). In particular, the accounts manager can generate a dependent messaging account associated with a dependent client device. Further, the accounts manager can link the dependent messaging account linked to a managing account corresponding to a managing client device. Additionally, the accounts manager can perform various actions (e.g., modifications) to accounts)
simultaneously: a) changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application, (See Brown et al., para. 31, i.e., the activity dashboard system can generate a variety of interactive user accounts, including managing accounts and dependent accounts. Specifically, the activity dashboard system can generate a managing account (e.g., a parent or guardian account) that is linked to a dependent account (e.g., a child or minor account). The activity dashboard system can provide certain managing privileges to the managing account and restrict/withhold certain activities, information, or privileges from dependent accounts. For example, when a managing account logs into a managing client device, the activity dashboard system can provide access to permissions, contact-control privileges, and one or more activity dashboards corresponding to the dependent account. Similarly, when a dependent account logs into a dependent client device, the activity dashboard system can provide access to digital communications and messaging capabilities but withhold privileges to unilaterally add contacts or access restricted digital content)
and b) changing the operating mode in the device application from the first account context to the second account context such that the shadowed user account is shadowed on the computing device by the custodian at less than full account control; (See Brown et al., para. 42, i.e., As further used herein, the term “dependent messaging account” refers to a user account linked to (or associated with) a managing account. A dependent messaging account can have limited functionality or privileges relative to the managing account. In particular, a dependent messaging account can include a social networking system (or communication system) user account connected to a managing account (e.g., a user account with privileges to monitor and modify the dependent messaging account). In some embodiments, the dependent messaging account can correspond to a user, such as a child, minor, or other type of dependent. Moreover, a dependent messaging account can be associated with a dependent client device (e.g., a client device of a dependent user). In particular, a dependent client device can include a device that a dependent user has logged into using credentials associated with the dependent messaging account)
dynamically detecting potentially dangerous content in the shadowed content with a machine-learning algorithm, and in response, determining with the machine-learning algorithm that a first contact associated with the shadowed user account is a dangerous actor and/or that the potentially dangerous content is indeed dangerous content; (See Brown et al., para. 34 and 38, i.e., To illustrate, the activity dashboard system can monitor digital activity (e.g., content shared, reported, blocked, or removed) across a variety of dependent client devices and monitoring client devices. The activity dashboard system can analyze this activity utilizing a surfacing model (e.g., a machine learning and/or heuristic model) to select what digital communications, digital complaints, and digital media items to surface to an activity dashboard (and in what order). In particular, the activity dashboard system can provide numerous digital activity insights to detect and resolve security threats such as phishing schemes, digital pirates, or online criminals. For example, the activity dashboard can include indicators that reflect digital communications, digital complaints (with regard to other accounts or specific digital communications), or digital media items transmitted to a dependent client device. The activity dashboard system can intelligently present these indicators (and corresponding security notifications, where appropriate) to allow managing client devices to quickly and efficiently identify potential threats. In addition, the activity dashboard system can provide other insights, such as anomaly detection or visualizations. These and other insights allow managing client devices to detect and resolve security threats presented to dependent client devices)
displaying a number of custodian control options on the graphical user interface responsive to selecting the shadowed content, the number of custodian control options being integrated with the second account context; (See Brown et al., para. 106-107, i.e., Further, in some embodiments, the surfacing model can determine to surface one or more custom features to the managing client device 106n (e.g., as part of or separate from an activity dashboard). The custom features may include, for example, remote device logout controls, account visibility controls, supervised friending controls, trusted contact controls, archive surfacing controls, etc. With respect to the remote device logout controls, the surfacing model may determine to surface a selectable option to see a list of all devices on which the managing client device 106n has granted the dependent messaging account access to the dependent client application 112n. In addition, the surfacing model may configure the selectable option adjacent to each client device listing such that, upon selection, the activity dashboard system can ‘log out’ of the dependent client application 112n on the selected client device. The custom features can also include various settings regarding account visibility for the dependent messaging account (e.g., as part of or separate from an activity dashboard). In particular, the custom features may include options to control (e.g., increase) account visibility such that other contacts (beyond the contacts of the dependent client device 110n) can discover the dependent messaging account associated with the dependent client device 110n. For example, the custom features may include an option to allow friends of friends of the dependent client device 110n and/or of the managing client device 106n to discover the dependent messaging account associated with the dependent client device 110n.)
selecting one of the number of custodian control options in order to allow the custodian to oversee and manage the shadowed user account with respect to the shadowed content; (See Brown et al., para. 37, i.e., In particular, by generating and providing an activity dashboard at a managing client device, the activity dashboard system can provide managing devices critical information regarding dependent accounts and allow managing devices to directly take action to modify dependent accounts and dependent client devices. For example, via the activity dashboard, the activity dashboard system can detect user interaction via a managing client device to directly remove thread content (e.g., hide or delete a digital media item) from a messaging thread view of the dependent messaging account. Similarly, based on user interaction with the activity dashboard at a managing client device, the activity dashboard system can report thread content (e.g., a message) and block contacts from the dependent messaging account)
and training the machine-learning algorithm based on the selecting one of the number of custodian control options in order to protect a user of the shadowed user account from the dangerous actor and/or the dangerous content. (See Brown et al., para. 86, 94, and 171, i.e., In these or other embodiments, the activity dashboard system 104 may utilize a machine-learning model trained to predict a response/sentiment level based on textual input from the description or reason associated with a digital complaint. To train the surfacing model 306 as a machine-learning model (e.g., a classification neural network), the activity dashboard system 104 can compare a predicted response level (e.g., on a scale of 1 to 10) taken with ground truth data (e.g., observed data from dependent client devices) to determine a loss using a loss function. Based on this determined loss, the activity dashboard system can adjust various parameters/hyperparameters to improve the quality/accuracy of a predicted level of response/sentiment in subsequent training iterations. For example, utilizing historical user interaction data 304a-304b, the surfacing model can identify patterns (e.g., subject matter patterns) in digital media items that the managing client devices report and/or remove from a messaging thread view (or dependent messaging account) of the dependent client devices 110. Additionally or alternatively, the activity dashboard system may employ a machine-learning model (e.g., a convolutional neural network) for the surfacing model that is trained on observed user interaction data 304a-304b to predict reporting/removal of digital media items. For example, the activity dashboard surfacing engine can implement the surfacing model as a heuristic model and/or one or more trained machine-learning models to select and prioritize certain digital activity ahead of other digital activity in an activity dashboard. In addition, the activity dashboard surfacing engine can identify digital activity anomalies, generate visualizations, and surface various custom features (e.g., remote device logout controls, account visibility controls, supervised friending controls, trusted contact controls, archive surfacing controls, etc.)
Referring to the rejection of claim 16, Brown et al. discloses wherein the computing device is a first computing device, and wherein the method further comprises displaying a representation of the shadowed user account on the graphical user interface, the representation being the same as a representation of the shadowed user account displayed on a graphical user interface of a second computing device of the user other than the custodian, thereby allowing the custodian to see on the first computing device externally provided data from a source other than the custodian or the user other than the custodian, that the user other than the custodian sees on the second computing device. (See Brown et al., para. 53-54, i.e., The managing client applications and the dependent client applications can present or display information to a user respectively associated with the managing client devices and the dependent client devices. For example, the managing client applications can display an activity dashboard. In addition, managing users can interact with the managing client applications to provide user input to, for example, modify a dependent messaging account as displayed according to the dependent client applications on the dependent client devices. As further shown, the trusted contact client device includes a trusted contact client application similar to the managing client applications and the dependent client applications discussed above. In particular, the trusted contact client application can provide information for display on the trusted contact client device regarding contact-control privileges for connecting and managing a group of dependent messaging accounts. Specifically, the trusted contact client device can communicate with the managing client devices to request or otherwise obtain contact-control privileges for adding and/or removing contacts from dependent messaging accounts. For example, the trusted contact client device can create a networking group (e.g., a digital communications group, a social networking group) and add a dependent messaging account to the networking group based on the contact-control privileges)
Referring to the rejection of claim 17, Brown et al. discloses wherein changing from the custodian user account to the shadowed user account via the device application is performed without a login process being performed on the first computing device. (See Brown et al., para. 39, i.e., The activity dashboard system can also improve efficiency relative to conventional systems. In particular, the activity dashboard system can provide a user interface that includes an activity dashboard that decreases user interactions, duplicative user interfaces, and computing resources needed to review digital activity of a dependent messaging account and implement responsive actions. Indeed, the activity dashboard system can provide a single user interface that manages dependent messaging accounts through efficient user interactions. This approach stands in contrast to conventional systems that typically require opening and navigating through multiple applications (e.g., a parent application and child application), duplicative log-in routines, and excessive user inputs with regard to multiple user interfaces (e.g., separate messaging threads, history tabs, etc.). In addition, by providing the above-mentioned visibility of digital activity and improved control/functionality all within a single user interface, the activity dashboard system improves the speed of interface navigation on client device screens (e.g. mobile devices)
Referring to the rejection of claim 18, Brown et al. discloses wherein the device application is a social media application, and wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises: generating a first social media feed and the shadowed content, the shadowed content being a second social media feed, the first and second social media feeds each comprising a corresponding plurality of posts each submitted by one of the custodian, the user of the shadowed user account, and either a number of custodian contacts associated with the custodian user account or a number of shadowed contacts associated with the shadowed user account. (See Brown et al., para. 148, 206, and 227, i.e., Based on the trusted contact client device receiving the provided contact-control privileges from the managing client devices, the trusted contact client device can subsequently, at an act, use the contact-control privileges for connecting a group of dependent messaging accounts. That is, at the act, the trusted contact client device can add the dependent client device 110a and the dependent client device 110n to a networking group (e.g., the Dragon Math Group). In doing so, the activity dashboard system can add the dependent messaging accounts for the dependent client device 110a and the dependent client device 110n as contacts of the trusted contact account. Further, the activity dashboard system can connect, as contacts, each dependent messaging account to each of the other dependent messaging accounts in the networking group (e.g., all members of the Dragon Math Group become contacts). The social networking system may also, with input from a user, create and store a record of relationships of the user with other users of the social networking system, as well as provide services (e.g. wall posts, photo-sharing, online calendars and event organization, messaging, games, or advertisements) to facilitate social interaction between or among users. Also, the social networking system may allow users to post photographs and other multimedia content items to a user's profile page (typically known as “wall posts” or “timeline posts”) or in a photo album, both of which may be accessible to other users of the social networking system depending on the user's configured privacy settings. Herein, the term “friend” may refer to any other user of the social networking system with which a user has formed a connection, association, or relationship via the social networking system. In some embodiments, an advertisement may be text (which may be HTML-linked), one or more images (which may be HTML-linked), one or more videos, audio, one or more ADOBE FLASH files, a suitable combination of these, or any other suitable advertisement in any suitable digital format presented on one or more web pages, in one or more e-mails, or in connection with search results requested by a user. In addition, or as an alternative, an advertisement may be one or more sponsored stories (e.g., a news feed or ticker item on the social networking system)
Referring to the rejection of claim 19, Brown et al. discloses wherein the computer-implemented method further comprises: generating a first media library and the shadowed content, the shadowed content being a second media library, the first and second media libraries each being associated with a corresponding one of the custodian user account and the shadowed user account, the first and second media libraries each comprising a plurality of digital contents. (See Brown et al., para. 45 and 176, i.e., Examples of digital activity can include digital communications (e.g., instant messages, video chats, etc.), digital complaints (e.g., requests to block or report content/contacts), and exchanged digital media items (e.g., images, videos, stickers, GIFs, games, augmented reality masks, art, etc.). Furthermore, the components of the computing device may, for example, be implemented as one or more operating systems, as one or more stand-alone applications, as one or more modules of an application, as one or more plug-ins, as one or more library functions or functions that may be called by other applications, and/or as a cloud-computing model)
Referring to the rejection of claim 20, Brown et al. discloses wherein the first and second media libraries are at least one of a music library, a video library, a book library, a magazine library, and a video game libraries. (See Brown et al., para. 63 and 92, i.e., In more detail, the activity dashboard system at the act can track one or more digital communications, digital complaints, and/or digital media items. For example, the activity dashboard system can track digital communications by tracking the respective number of instant messages or video chats between messaging accounts (e.g., that correspond to the dependent client device and third-party client devices associated with third-party dependent messaging accounts). Additionally, in some embodiments, the activity dashboard system may track attributes and/or statistics associated with the monitored digital communications, such as frequency, average session duration, communication start/end times, etc. Further, in some embodiments, the activity dashboard system may track whether a digital communication has been reported (or was sent by a contact that has previously been reported). In some embodiments, the activity dashboard system can prioritize surfacing the digital media items in the activity dashboard of the managing client device based on user interactions and/or digital activity that are independent of the managing client device and the dependent client device. For example, in a same or similar manner as described above in relation to the message “100 ways to tease your siblings,” the surfacing model may choose to prioritize surfacing a music video that the dependent client device receives. For instance, the surfacing model may prioritize surfacing the music video in the activity dashboard of the managing client device based on the managing client device reporting the same music video received at the dependent client device (e.g., in a separate digital communication that does not include the dependent client device)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COURTNEY D FIELDS whose telephone number is (571)272-3871. The examiner can normally be reached IFP M-F 8am-4:30pm.
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/COURTNEY D FIELDS/Examiner, Art Unit 2436 February 22, 2026
/SHEWAYE GELAGAY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2436