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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(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.
Claims 1-4, 8-10, 12-16, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wilkinson et al. U.S. Patent Application publication 2024/0169317.
Claim 1,
Wilkinson discloses
A system, the system comprising:
a workflow management component, implemented on one or more computing devices including a processing component and a memory (para 0056), the workflow management component configured with a set of specification interactions defined according to individual workflows (para 0044-workflow content may include action requests for a user. An action request may include a request for a user to perform a specified action, such as approve or reject deal terms for a contract. A group-based communication system may include numerous action requests for respective users dispersed through various channels. The group-based communication system may generate a workflow ensemble channel for respective ones of the plurality of users, thereby allowing the respective user to access from the workflow ensemble channel, the actions requests and/or other workflow content that is relevant and/or timely to the respective user.);
an interaction component, implemented on one or more computing devices including a processing component and a memory (para 0056), the interaction component defining a messaging viewport and a data viewport for individuation interactions in the set of interactions (Fig. 2B- item 238- message pane Fig. 2D para 0121-The collaborative document-pane 264 may include a collaborative document 230 and a collaborative document toolbar 266. The collaborative document-pane 264 may allow users to create and modify a collaborative document 230 simultaneously or asynchronously. The collaborative document 230 may integrate with the group-based communication system 100 and may both initiate workflows and store the results of workflows., ); and
a customization component, implemented on one or more computing devices including a processing component and a memory (para 0056), the customization component customizing at least one of the messaging viewport or the data viewport (Fig. 8B- discloses user defined message thread relevance parameters).
Claim 2,
The system as recited in Claim 1, wherein the messaging viewport corresponds to a subset of a set of available messages filtered according to at least one of relevancy or priority for individual interactions in the set of interactions.(para 0136- ensemble-relevance parameters used to filter messages. See Fig. 4B)
Claim 3,
The system as recited in Claim 2, wherein the interaction component filters the set of available messages based on programmatic rules. (para 0058- the functions of the system are implemented using software programs)
Claim 4,
The system as recited in Claim 2, wherein the interaction component filters the set of available messages based on role of a user accessing the system. (para 0173-role)
Claim 8,
The system recited in Claim 1, wherein the templates define custom display properties for individual interactions in the set of interactions.(para 0189-0190- discloses thread templates that generates ensemble-relevance parameters that define messages displayed to users)
Claim 9,
Wilkinson discloses
A computer-implemented method, the method comprising:
obtaining a selection of a workflow, the workflow defining a set of interactions (para 0010, 0149- user selects to join a workflow channel);
identifying a set of messages from an available set of messages (para 0043-0044- workflow channel with associated threads and communications), wherein individual messages in the set of messages are associated with metadata; (para 0078- metadata related to communication channels, also see para 0060)
filtering the set of messages based on at least one of relevancy or priority for individual interactions in the set of interactions (para 0136- ensemble-relevance parameters used to filter messages. See Fig. 4B); and
causing the generation of a display including a combination of data viewports and messaging points, the messaging viewports corresponding to the filtered set of messages (Fig. 2B- item 238- message pane Fig. 2D para 0121-The collaborative document-pane 264 may include a collaborative document 230 and a collaborative document toolbar 266. The collaborative document-pane 264 may allow users to create and modify a collaborative document 230 simultaneously or asynchronously. The collaborative document 230 may integrate with the group-based communication system 100 and may both initiate workflows and store the results of workflows., ).
Claim 10,
The method of Claim 9, wherein filtering the set of messages based on at least one of relevancy or priority for individual interactions in the set of interactions includes filtering the set of available messages based on programmatic rules (para 0058- the functions of the system are implemented using software programs)
Claim 12,
The method of Claim 9, wherein filtering the set of messages based on at least one of relevancy or priority for individual interactions in the set of interactions includes filtering the set of available messages based on user access parameters.(para 0173- a role, a team, a territory, a location, a business unit, a project owner, a project contributor, a project supervisor, a project stakeholder are examples of access parameters, also see para 0073-0074 security restrictions on channels based credentials )
Claim 13 is rejected under similar rationale as claim 9. The computer readable media is disclosed in paragraph 0057.
Claim 14,
The computer-readable medium as recited in Claim 13, wherein the computing system identifies the set of available messages based on a specified workflow. (para 0097- a particular workspace 212 may be associated with one or more organizations or other entities associated with the group-based communication system. In one example, a workflow ensemble channel may be allocated to a workspace 212 that is dedicated to the workflow ensemble channel. A workspace 212 that includes a workflow ensemble channel, such as a workspace that is dedicated to a workflow ensemble channel, may sometimes be referred to as a workflow ensemble workspace., Also see para 0134)
Claim 15,
The computer-readable medium as recited in Claim 14, wherein the specified workflow is defined according to a set of interactions. (para 0137- A workflow channel 402 may include workflow content associated with a workflow, such as a process of performing work, providing a service, managing an organization, manufacturing products, processing information, transforming materials, or the like.)
Claim 16,
The computer-readable medium as recited in Claim 13, wherein the computing system filters the set of available messages based on programmatic rules. (para 0058- the functions of the system are implemented using software programs)
Claim 18,
The computer-readable medium as recited in Claim 13, wherein the computer system filters the set of available messages based on user access parameters. (para 0173- a role, a team, a territory, a location, a business unit, a project owner, a project contributor, a project supervisor, a project stakeholder are examples of access parameters, also see para 0073-0074 security restrictions on channels based credentials )
Claim 20,
The computer-readable medium as recited in Claim 13, wherein the computer system identifies progress in a workflow. (para 0173- project status )
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wilkinson et al. U.S. Patent Application publication 2024/0169317 in view of Giovanardi et al. U.S. Patent Application publication 2024/0364653.
Claim 5,
Although Wilkinson discloses substantial limitations of the claimed invention, it fails to disclose
wherein the interaction component filters the set of available messages based on machine learned algorithms.
In an analogous art, Giovanardi discloses
wherein the interaction component filters the set of available messages based on machine learned algorithms. (para 0019-collaborative filtering is applied to message to generate recommendation for unread message)
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would find it obvious to apply the AI based recommendations of Giovanardi to the Wilkinson system to produce the predictable result of generating a list of recommended messages based on AI algorithms.
Claims 6-7, 11 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wilkinson et al. U.S. Patent Application publication 2024/0169317 in view of B.K. et al. U.S. Patent Application publication 2023/0082668.
Claim 6,
Although Wilkinson discloses substantial limitations of the claimed invention, it fails to disclose
The system as recited in Claim 2, wherein individual messages of the set of available messages are associated with metadata, the metadata defining associations with display objects.
In an analogous art, B.K. discloses
The system as recited in Claim 2, wherein individual messages of the set of available messages are associated with metadata, the metadata defining associations with display objects. (para 0033- discloses storing metadata as a remote content as multi-dimensional arrays including video, images and audio. Also see para 0041.)
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would find it obvious to apply the metadata linkage of B.K. to the messages of the Wilkinson system to produce the predictable result of defining message metadata.
Claim 7,
The system as recited in Claim 6, wherein the metadata is defined according to a multi-dimensional array, wherein individual dimensions of the multi-dimensional array corresponds to a display object.( B.K. para 0041)
Claim 11 and 17 are rejected under the same rationale as claim 7.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wilkinson et al. U.S. Patent Application publication 2024/0169317 in view of Pan et al. U.S. Patent Application publication 2024/0236101.
Claim 19,
Although Wilkinson discloses substantial limitations of the claimed invention, it fails to disclose
The computer-readable medium as recited in Claim 13, wherein computer system limits modifications to the set of available messages.
In an analogous art, Pan discloses
The computer-readable medium as recited in Claim 13, wherein computer system limits modifications to the set of available messages. (para 0045- disclose an admin applying read-only permission for data types)
One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would find it obvious to apply the Read-only permission of Pan to the Wilkinson system to produce the predictable result of restricting users from deleting messages from workflow channels. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to make such a combination to preserve workflow communication history for future analysis.
Conclusion
Relevant Prior Art:
Sørensen U.S. Patent Application publication 2020/0004765- disclose an array to store metadata related to processed data.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH M COUSINS whose telephone number is (571)270-7746. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am -5:00pm EST.
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, Tonia Dollinger can be reached at (571) 272-4170. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JMC/Examiner, Art Unit 2459
/TONIA L DOLLINGER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2459
Prosecution Insights