DETAILED ACTION
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 .
This is in response to the Information Disclosure Statement filed 9/12/2025.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement filed 9/12/2025 has been considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted elements are: how the configurations take place and the details that would clarify the elements in Figures 6-9 relative to the claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or (a)(2) as being anticipated by Sol, US Patent 9,577,720 B2.
Regarding claim 1, Sol shows a call support device that supports a moving body call made by a communication terminal that has been brought into a moving body, the moving body call using a moving body microphone provided in the moving body, the call support device comprising: a call control unit configured to transmit a voice input into the moving body microphone to the communication terminal from a moving body communication unit provided in the moving body, and to make the moving body call; a microphone activation control unit configured to switch the moving body microphone between an on state and an off state in response to an operation on a microphone switch provided in the moving body; and a microphone off notification unit configured to cause a moving body notification unit provided in the moving body to output a microphone off state notification, in a case where the moving body microphone is in the off state and when making the moving body call (Fig. 4 and 5; Column 5, line 9-Column 7, line 57).
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b. Regarding claim 2, Sol shows the call support device according to claim 1, wherein the moving body notification unit is a display, and the microphone off notification unit performs processing of causing the display to display a microphone off notification image indicating that it is necessary to turn on the moving body microphone in order to make the moving body call, as an output of the microphone off state notification (Fig. 4 and 5; Column 5, line 9-Column 7, line 57)
c. Regarding claim 3, Sol shows the call support device according to claim 2, wherein in a state in which the microphone off notification image is displayed on the display, when the microphone activation control unit switches the moving body microphone from the off state to the on state in response to an operation on the microphone switch, the call control unit switches to the moving body call (S410-S417 Fig. 4 and 5; Column 5, line 9-Column 7, line 57).
d. Regarding claim 4, Sol shows the call support device according to claim 2, wherein in a case where the communication terminal detects switching a terminal call for making the call on the communication terminal using a terminal microphone provided in the communication terminal to the moving body call, and in a case where the moving body microphone is in the off state and the microphone off notification image is displayed on the display, the call control unit maintains a state in which the terminal call is being made, when an operation of turning off the moving body microphone is performed on the microphone switch (S410-S417 Fig. 4 and 5; Column 5, line 9-Column 7, line 57).
e. Regarding claim 5, Sol shows the call support device according to claim 2, wherein in a state in which communication is established between the communication terminal and the moving body communication unit, when the communication terminal receives an incoming call, the call control unit displays, on the display, an incoming call notification image for notifying the incoming call, and when the incoming call is answered from the incoming call notification image, and while the moving body microphone is in the off state and the microphone off notification image is displayed on the display, the call control unit continuously displays the incoming call notification image on the display, when an operation of turning off the moving body microphone is performed on the microphone switch (520 and S410-S417 Fig. 4 and 5; Column 5, line 9-Column 7, line 57).
f. Regarding claim 6, Sol shows the call support device according to claim 2, wherein in a state in which communication is established between the communication terminal and the moving body communication unit, the call control unit displays, on the display, a call start button for giving an instruction to start the call made by the communication terminal; and when the call start button is operated, and while the moving body microphone is in the off state and the microphone off notification image is displayed on the display, the call control unit continuously displays the call start button on the display, when an operation of turning off the moving body microphone is performed on the microphone switch (520 and S410-S417; Fig. 4 and 5; Column 5, line 9-Column 7, line 57).
g. Regarding claim 7, Sol shows the call support device according to claim 2, wherein while the moving body call is being made, when an operation of turning off the moving body microphone is performed on the microphone switch, the call control unit displays, on the display, a microphone off confirmation image for notifying that the moving body call becomes unavailable, when the moving body microphone is turned off (520 and S410-S417; Fig. 4 and 5; Column 5, line 9-Column 7, line 57).
h. Regarding claim 8, Sol shows the call support device according to claim 7, wherein the display is a touch panel display, and the call control unit causes the display to display the microphone off confirmation image including a microphone off decision button for deciding an instruction to turn off the moving body microphone, and turns off the moving body microphone, when the microphone off decision button is operated (520 and S410-S417; Fig. 4 and 5; Column 5, line 9-Column 7, line 57).
Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or (a)(2) as being anticipated by Pandurangarao, US PGPub 2018/0097928 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Pandurangarao shows a call support device that supports a moving body call made by a communication terminal (120; Fig 1) that has been brought into a moving body (110; Fig. 1), the moving body call using a moving body microphone provided in the moving body, the call support device comprising: a call control unit configured to transmit a voice input into the moving body microphone to the communication terminal from a moving body communication unit provided in the moving body, and to make the moving body call; a microphone activation control unit configured to switch the moving body microphone between an on state and an off state in response to an operation on a microphone switch provided in the moving body; and a microphone off notification unit configured to cause a moving body notification unit provided in the moving body to output a microphone off state notification, in a case where the moving body microphone is in the off state and when making the moving body call (Fig. 1-7; [0027]-[0039] and [0054]-[0055]).
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b. Regarding claim 2, Pandurangarao shows the call support device according to claim 1, wherein the moving body notification unit is a display, and the microphone off notification unit performs processing of causing the display to display a microphone off notification image indicating that it is necessary to turn on the moving body microphone in order to make the moving body call, as an output of the microphone off state notification (Fig. 1-7; [0027]-[0039] and [0054]-[0055]).
c. Regarding claim 3, Pandurangarao shows the call support device according to claim 2, wherein in a state in which the microphone off notification image is displayed on the display, when the microphone activation control unit switches the moving body microphone from the off state to the on state in response to an operation on the microphone switch, the call control unit switches to the moving body call (Fig. 1-7; [0037]-[0039] and [0054]-[0055]).
d. Regarding claim 4, Pandurangarao shows the call support device according to claim 2, wherein in a case where the communication terminal detects switching a terminal call for making the call on the communication terminal using a terminal microphone provided in the communication terminal to the moving body call, and in a case where the moving body microphone is in the off state and the microphone off notification image is displayed on the display, the call control unit maintains a state in which the terminal call is being made, when an operation of turning off the moving body microphone is performed on the microphone switch ((Fig. 1-7; [0039] and [0054]-[0055]).
e. Regarding claim 5, Pandurangarao shows the call support device according to claim 2, wherein in a state in which communication is established between the communication terminal and the moving body communication unit, when the communication terminal receives an incoming call, the call control unit displays, on the display, an incoming call notification image for notifying the incoming call, and when the incoming call is answered from the incoming call notification image, and while the moving body microphone is in the off state and the microphone off notification image is displayed on the display, the call control unit continuously displays the incoming call notification image on the display, when an operation of turning off the moving body microphone is performed on the microphone switch (Fig. 1-7; [0039] and [0054]-[0057]).
f. Regarding claim 6, Pandurangarao shows the call support device according to claim 2, wherein in a state in which communication is established between the communication terminal and the moving body communication unit, the call control unit displays, on the display, a call start button for giving an instruction to start the call made by the communication terminal; and when the call start button is operated, and while the moving body microphone is in the off state and the microphone off notification image is displayed on the display, the call control unit continuously displays the call start button on the display, when an operation of turning off the moving body microphone is performed on the microphone switch (Fig. 1-7; [0037]-[0039] and [0054]-[0057]).
g. Regarding claim 7, Pandurangarao shows the call support device according to claim 2, wherein while the moving body call is being made, when an operation of turning off the moving body microphone is performed on the microphone switch, the call control unit displays, on the display, a microphone off confirmation image for notifying that the moving body call becomes unavailable, when the moving body microphone is turned off (Fig. 1-7; [0037]-[0039] and [0054]-[0057]).
h. Regarding claim 8, Pandurangarao shows the call support device according to claim 7, wherein the display is a touch panel display, and the call control unit causes the display to display the microphone off confirmation image including a microphone off decision button for deciding an instruction to turn off the moving body microphone, and turns off the moving body microphone, when the microphone off decision button is operated (Fig. 1-7; [0037]-[0039] and [0054]-[0057]).
i. Regarding claim 9, Pandurangarao shows the call support device according to claim 1, further comprising a moving state recognition unit configured to recognize that the moving body is in a moving state, and when the moving state recognition unit recognizes that the moving body is in the moving state ([0038] 120 mobile device 110 vehicle 140; Fig. 1), and while the moving body call is being made , the microphone activation control unit prohibits the moving body microphone from being switched to the off state (518 Handsfree device is activated and event is sent to the hands free device Fig. 1-7; [0037]-[0039] and [0054]-[0055]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The ISR provided by the applicant has been considered and should also be considered when amendments are provided.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAHVOSH J NIKMANESH whose telephone number is (571)270-5549. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yuwen Pan can be reached at (571)272-7855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Seahvosh Nikmanesh/Examiner, Art Unit 2649 /YUWEN PAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2649
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