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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The references listed in the Information Disclosure Statement filed on December 26, 2024 have been considered by the examiner (see attached PTO-1449 form).
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.
Claims 1-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1)(a2) as being anticipated by Klappert et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2011/0161999).
Regarding claim 1, Klappert et al. discloses a method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, a content item comprising a video frame (see paragraphs 0025-0026 and fig. 1; media content (including video frames) is received by user equipment and processed by a television widget. System 100 for selectively obscuring portions of media content using a widget);
determining a feature in a portion of the video frame (see paragraphs 0006, 0023, fig. 10 (steps 1040-1060); databases store information about objectionable content, including where and when such content occurs in a video frame); and
obscuring the feature in the portion of the video frame without obscuring another portion of the video frame (see paragraph 0024, fig. 4, fig. 7, fig. 8; overlaying censor objects over objectionable portions of video frames while leaving other portions unobscured. Fig. 4 shows options for “obscure”, “cover”, “completely block”, which apply selectively to portions of the video frame. Fig. 7 illustrates display of media content selectively obscured with obscuring objects).
Regarding claim 7, claim 7 is rejected for the same reason set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 13, claim 13 is rejected for the same reason set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 19, Klappert et al. discloses a system comprising:
a first computing device configured to:
send a content item comprising a video frame (see paragraphs 0025-0026 and fig. 1; service provider systems and outside provider processors that transmit media content (including video frames) to user equipment. Fig. 1 (service provider 102, outside provider processor 113 sending content to user equipment 108); and
a second computing device configured to:
receive the content item comprising the video frame (see paragraph 0025 and fig. 1; user equipment 108 (including entertainment equipment 104 and internet-enabled equipment 106) receiving media content from service provider 102. Fig. 1 shows user equipment receiving content);
determine a feature in a portion of the video frame (see paragraphs 0006, 0023, fig. 10 (steps 1040-1060); databases store information about objectionable content, including where and when such content occurs in a video frame); and
obscure the feature in the portion of the video frame without obscuring another portion of the video frame (see paragraph 0024, fig. 4, fig. 7, fig. 8; overlaying censor objects over objectionable portions of video frames while leaving other portions unobscured. Fig. 4 shows options for “obscure”, “cover”, “completely block”, which apply selectively to portions of the video frame. Fig. 7 illustrates display of media content selectively obscured with obscuring objects).
Regarding claims 2, 8, 14 and 20, Klappert et al. discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claims 1, 7, 13 and 19). Klappert et al. discloses wherein obscuring the feature in the portion of the video frame comprises one or more of: blurring the feature (see paragraph 0023), pixelating the feature, blacking out the feature (see paragraph 0023 and fig. 4), applying a mask to the feature (see paragraph 0024, fig. 7), or reducing brightness of the feature.
Regarding claims 3, 9, 15 and 21, Klappert et al. discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claims 1, 7, 13 and 19). Klappert et al. discloses wherein the feature comprises one or more of: blood, violence (see paragraph 0006 and fig. 3; gun violence, knife violence), a shooting, a stabbing, a fist-fight, sexual content, kissing, nudity (see paragraph 0006 and fig. 3; male nudity, female nudity), sexual activity, a presence of a particular person, or a presence of a particular product.
Regarding claims 4, 10, 16 and 22, Klappert et al. discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claims 1, 7, 13 and 19). Klappert et al. discloses determining a position of the feature in the portion of the video frame (see paragraphs 0006, 0024, fig. 6, fig. 10 (steps 1040-1060); databases may store information pertaining to where and when potentially objectionable visual or audio content occurs within a particular movie, show, song, game, or any other media content).
Regarding claims 5, 11, 17 and 23, Klappert et al. discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claims 1, 7, 13 and 19). Klappert et al. discloses wherein at least a portion of the feature is moving in the content item (see paragraph 0024 and fig. 8), the method further comprising determining a trajectory of the feature (see paragraphs 0009, 0073 and fig. 6; trajectory angle).
Regarding claims 6, 12, 18 and 24, Klappert et al. discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claims 1, 7, 13 and 19). Klappert et al. discloses wherein the content item comprises metadata (see paragraph 0006, fig. 5, fig. 10 (step 1040)), wherein determining the feature in the portion of the video frame comprises determining, based on the metadata, the feature in the portion of the video frame (see paragraph 0007, fig. 10 (steps 1040-1060)).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NNENNA NGOZI EKPO whose telephone number is (571)270-1663. The examiner can normally be reached M-W 10:00am - 6:30pm, TH-F 8:00am - 4:30pm.
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NNENNA EKPO
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2425
/NNENNA N EKPO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2425 January 29, 2026.