DETAILED ACTION
Remarks
Claims 1-14 have been examined and rejected. This Office action is responsive to the amendment filed on 05/13/2026, which has been entered in the above identified application.
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 .
Double Patenting
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 §§ 706.02(l)(1) - 706.02(l)(3) 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 USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The 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/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
Claims 1, 13, and 14 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 6, 13, 14, 19, and 30 of US 10613743 B2 in view of Moore et al. (US 20100125811 A1, published 05/20/2010), hereinafter Moore, in further view of Buxton et al. (US 20140123049 A1, published 05/01/2014), hereinafter Buxton. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because:
19030842 (Instant Application)
US 10613743 B2
Claims 1, 13, 14): An electronic device that is configured to communicate with a display, the electronic device comprising: one or more processors; and a memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
Claims 1, 13, 14) An electronic device, comprising: a display; one or more processors; a memory; and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
and a touch- sensitive surface
receiving a first user input; in response to receiving the first user input, displaying, on the display,
receiving a user input; in response to receiving the user input: identifying a most recently accessed user input technique of a set of user input techniques, wherein the most recently accessed user input technique has a first user input interface; identifying a least recently accessed user input technique of the set of user input techniques, wherein the least recently accessed user input technique has a second user input interface different than the first user input interface; displaying, on the display, the first user input interface of the most recently accessed user input technique;
a dictation user interface that includes an emoji affordance that, when selected via user input, causes the electronic device to replace display of the dictation user interface with display of an emoji user interface
Claims 6, 19, 30) wherein the most recently accessed user input technique, the least recently accessed user input technique, and the second-most recently accessed user input technique are selected from the group comprising a suggested replies functionality, an emoji functionality, and a dictation functionality
Claims 1, 13, 14) and displaying, on the display, a first affordance associated with the second user input interface of the least recently accessed user input technique
receiving a second user input corresponding to selection of the emoji affordance; in response to receiving the second user input corresponding to selection of the emoji affordance, replacing display of the dictation user interface with display of
and displaying, on the display, a first affordance associated with the second user input interface of the least recently accessed user input technique; and while displaying the first user input interface, receiving user input associated with the first affordance; and in response to receiving the user input associated with the first affordance, replacing display of the first user input interface of the most recently accessed user input technique with display of the second user input interface of the least recently accessed user input technique
the emoji user interface, wherein the emoji user interface includes a first emoji graphical object;
Claims 6, 19, 30) wherein the most recently accessed user input technique, the least recently accessed user input technique, and the second-most recently accessed user input technique are selected from the group comprising a suggested replies functionality, an emoji functionality, and a dictation functionality
wherein replacing display of the dictation user interface with display of the emoji user interface includes ceasing display of the emoji affordance
receiving, at a location on the touch-sensitive surface associated with the first emoji graphical object, a first user swipe gesture; in response to receiving the first user swipe gesture input, replacing display of the first emoji graphical object with display of a second emoji graphical object; receiving, at the touch-sensitive surface, a second user swipe gesture input; and in response to receiving the second user swipe gesture input, displaying a set of recently accessed emoji graphical objects
In the same field of endeavor, Moore teaches a touch- sensitive surface; receiving, at a location on the touch-sensitive surface associated with the first emoji graphical object, a first user swipe gesture; in response to receiving the first user swipe gesture input, replacing display of the first emoji graphical object with display of a second emoji graphical object; receiving, at the touch-sensitive surface, a second user swipe gesture input; and in response to receiving the second user swipe gesture input, displaying a set of recently accessed emoji graphical objects (Moore Figs. 1-17; [0181], [0190-0192], [0236]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated a touch- sensitive surface; a dictation interface that includes an emoji affordance that, when selected via user input, causes the electronic device to replace display of the dictation user interface with display of an emoji user interface; receiving, at a location on the touch-sensitive surface associated with the first emoji graphical object, a first user swipe gesture; in response to receiving the first user swipe gesture input, replacing display of the first emoji graphical object with display of a second emoji graphical object; receiving, at the touch-sensitive surface, a second user swipe gesture input; and in response to receiving the second user swipe gesture input, displaying a set of recently accessed emoji graphical objects as suggested in Moore. Doing so would be desirable because as portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number of functions performed by a given device increase, it has become a significant challenge to design a user interface that allows users to easily interact with a multifunction device. This challenge is particularly significant for handheld portable devices with touch-sensitive displays, which have much smaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation is unfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through which users receive not only content, but also responses to user actions or behaviors, including user attempts to access a device's features, tools, and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., mobile telephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellular telephones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons, increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions of pushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access, store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces often result in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must be memorized by the user (see Moore [0004]). Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physical pushbuttons, are also inflexible (see Moore [0005]). Accordingly, there is a need for portable electronic devices with touch screen displays that have more transparent and efficient user interfaces for using emoji characters. Such interfaces allow tasks involving emoji characters to be performed faster and more efficiently by users, thereby conserving power and increasing the time between battery charges in portable electronic devices. In addition, such interfaces increase the effectiveness of and user satisfaction with portable electronic devices (see Moore [0007]).
In the same field of endeavor, Buxton teaches wherein replacing display of the dictation user interface with display of the emoji user interface includes ceasing display of the emoji affordance (Buxton Figs. 1-15; [0056-058]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated wherein replacing display of the dictation user interface with display of the emoji user interface includes ceasing display of the emoji affordance as suggested in Buxton. Doing so would be desirable because because finger or stylus-operated graphical touch-screen keyboards (sometimes referred to as virtual keyboards and digital keyboards) present some challenging design problems, especially on small form-factors such as a mobile phone. The small form factor means that screen real-estate is limited, especially when using a graphical keyboard, because the keyboard and application are competing for screen real-estate (see Buxton [0001]). From the perspective of the keyboard, the designer is confronted by a number of tradeoffs. For a given footprint, the designer has to make a choice between more but smaller keys, or fewer but bigger keys. Having more keys on a keyboard means less expensive hopping/time-consuming navigation from one graphical keyboard (e.g., the primary) to another graphical keyboard (e.g., the secondary or tertiary keyboard character sets and so on). However the potential to reduce the size of the keys in order to present the additional keys from other keyboards is very limited, because the smaller the keys, the harder it is for users to accurately tap the desired key in a timely manner (see Buxton [0002]). Unlike prior keyboards, the otherwise redundant keys are removed from the layout, resulting freed up space (see Buxton [0073]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1 and 4-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Langholz (US 20150312182 A1, published 10/29/2015) in view of Buxton et al. (US 20140123049 A1, published 05/01/2014), hereinafter Buxton, in further view of Moore et al. (US 20100125811 A1, published 05/20/2010), hereinafter Moore.
Regarding claim 1, Langholz teaches the claim comprising:
An electronic device that is configured to communicate with a display and a touch- sensitive surface, the electronic device comprising: one or more processors; and a memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for (Langholz Figs. 1-9; [0028], The components 102-108 can comprise software, hardware, or both. For example, the components 102-108 can comprise one or more instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium and executable by processor of one or more computing devices. When executed by the one or more processors, the computer-executable instructions of the UI organization system 100 can cause a computing device(s) to perform the methods described herein; [0034], In the event a touch screen display is utilized, the user input detector 104 can detect one or more touch gestures that form a user interaction (e.g., tap gestures, swipe gestures, pinch gestures, etc.) provided by a user by way of the touch screen. In some examples, the user input detector 104 can detect touch gestures in relation to and/or directed at one or more display elements displayed as part of the graphical user interface presented on the touch screen display):
receiving a first user input; in response to receiving the first user input, displaying, on the display, a dictation user interface that includes an emoji affordance; receiving a second user input corresponding to selection of the emoji affordance; in response to receiving the second user input corresponding to selection of the emoji affordance, display of the emoji user interface, wherein the emoji user interface includes a first emoji graphical object (Langholz Figs. 1-9; [0053], FIG. 3A, the message input control palette 310 includes a text input control 312a, a photo input control 312b, a file input control 312c, a symbol input control 312d, and a recording input control 312e. In one or more alternative embodiments, the message input control palette 310 may provide the input controls 312a-312e in a different order, or may provide other input controls not displayed in FIG. 3A; [0054], if a user interacts with the symbol input control 312d, the user interface manager 102 may provide a gallery of symbols (e.g., emoticons, stickers, icons) within a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302 from which a user may select a symbol for inclusion in the communication thread 304. Also in one or more embodiments, if a user interacts with the recording input control 312e, the user interface manager 102 may provide a recording control by way of which the user can record a message for inclusion in the communication thread 304; [0061], As illustrated in FIG. 3B, in response to a detected touch gesture, the user interface manager 102 provides a touch screen display keyboard 316 within a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302; [0062], Once the user interface manager 102 updates the messaging graphical user interface 302 to include the touch screen display keyboard 316, the user may begin composing a message input. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3C, the finger 318 of the user's hand may type a message input using the touch screen display keyboard 316. Alternatively, the user can use a voice to text option to begin entering a message; [0072], as shown in FIG. 4B, a finger 318 of a user performs a touch gesture (i.e., a tap touch gesture) in conjunction with the text input control 312a within the message input control palette 310. In one or more embodiments, the user input detector 104 can detect the touch gesture and the user interface manager 102 can provide the touch screen display keyboard 316 in response to the detected touch gesture; [0074], as shown in FIG. 4C, the user input detector 104 detects the finger 318 of the user typing on the touch screen display keyboard 316 and the user interface manager 102 displays the message input element 308 in response to the detected typing. In one or more embodiments, the user interface manager 102 immediately displays every letter of the message input 309 within the message input element 308 as the finger 318 types it. In this way, a user may compose the message input 309 directly within the communication thread 304. As shown in FIG. 4C, the user has typed a partial message input 309, which reads, “That's under.” In one or more alternative embodiments, the user interface organization system 100 may also include voice recognition capabilities. In a particular alternative embodiment, the user interface manager 102 may display words of the message input 309 within the message input element 308 as spoken by a user);
Langholz does not expressly disclose that the emoji affordance, when selected via user input, causes the electronic device to replace display of the dictation user interface with display of an emoji user interface and that in response to receiving the second user input corresponding to selection of the emoji affordance, the display of the dictation user interface is replaced with display of the emoji user interface. However, Langholz does disclose a variety of selectable message input controls that provide a user with various message input options or other options, including includes a text input control 312a, a photo input control 312b, a file input control 312c, a symbol input control 312d, and a recording input control 312e ([0053]). Langholz discloses that if a user interacts with the symbol input control 312d, the user interface manager 102 may provide a gallery of symbols (e.g., emoticons, stickers, icons) within a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302 from which a user may select a symbol for inclusion in the communication thread 304 ([0054]). Langholz further discloses dictation interfaces shown in Figs. 3c and 4c that are displayed in response to a first user input ([0062], [0074]). As shown in Figs. 3c and 4c, the dictation interfaces include the symbol input control 312d that, if selected, provides a gallery of emojis. Thus, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated an emoji affordance that, when selected via user input, causes the electronic device to replace display of the dictation user interface with display of an emoji user interface; in response to receiving the second user input corresponding to selection of the emoji affordance, replacing display of the dictation user interface with display of the emoji user interface as suggested in Langholz (Langholz Figs. 1-9; [0053-0054], [0061-0062], [0072-0074]). Doing so would be desirable because due to the wide variety of ways in which people can communicate using electronic communication systems, user interfaces associated with electronic communication systems tend to become cluttered. For example, a communication user interface may include a keyboard and a communication thread area, in addition to other display elements. When displayed on a smaller screen (i.e., the touch screen display of a handheld device), a user interface including various elements quickly becomes cluttered (see Langholz [0006]). The methods and systems described herein allow users to easily and intuitively send and receive electronic communications. Furthermore, one or more embodiments can provide the foregoing or other benefits without cluttering a user interface of the electronic communication system (see Langholz [0010]). By enabling the user to easily and dynamically switch between desired communications types, such as dictation and emoji, the user would be more able to flexibly create messages of a desired communication type as needed. Providing an uncluttered and intuitive interface that enables replacing a non-desired input type with a desired input type would increase ease of use, improve user satisfaction, and make economic use of limited screen space.
However, Langholz fails to expressly disclose wherein replacing display of the dictation user interface with display of the emoji user interface includes ceasing display of the emoji affordance. In the same field of endeavor, Buxton teaches:
wherein replacing display of the dictation user interface with display of the emoji user interface includes ceasing display of the emoji affordance (Buxton Figs. 1-15; [0056], To accommodate other characters, one way to accomplish this is to add a second graphical keyboard, such as is done in contemporary phone implementations. However, rather than a whole new graphical keyboard, in one implementation only selected keys may change (e.g., FIG. 5B); [0057], FIG. 5B shows one implementation of such a partial secondary graphical keyboard 552; [0058], An emoticon keyboard, such as the example graphical emoticon keyboard 660 of FIG. 6, may be invoked from any suitable key location, such as the lower-case option on the top-left key on the secondary keyboard in FIG. 5B and/or by a dedicated gesture. Once the desired emoticons are entered, the user can return directly to either the primary keyboard (bottom left corner key) or the secondary keyboard (bottom right corner key); )
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated wherein replacing display of the dictation user interface with display of the emoji user interface includes ceasing display of the emoji affordance as suggested in Buxton into Langholz. Doing so would be desirable because finger or stylus-operated graphical touch-screen keyboards (sometimes referred to as virtual keyboards and digital keyboards) present some challenging design problems, especially on small form-factors such as a mobile phone. The small form factor means that screen real-estate is limited, especially when using a graphical keyboard, because the keyboard and application are competing for screen real-estate (see Buxton [0001]). From the perspective of the keyboard, the designer is confronted by a number of tradeoffs. For a given footprint, the designer has to make a choice between more but smaller keys, or fewer but bigger keys. Having more keys on a keyboard means less expensive hopping/time-consuming navigation from one graphical keyboard (e.g., the primary) to another graphical keyboard (e.g., the secondary or tertiary keyboard character sets and so on). However the potential to reduce the size of the keys in order to present the additional keys from other keyboards is very limited, because the smaller the keys, the harder it is for users to accurately tap the desired key in a timely manner (see Buxton [0002]). The system of Buxton would improve the system of Langholz because, unlike prior keyboards, the otherwise redundant keys (such as Langholz emoji input control; see Fig. 3 and [0053-0054]) are removed from the layout, resulting freed up space (see Buxton [0073]).
However, Langholz in view of Buxton fails to expressly disclose receiving, at a location on the touch-sensitive surface associated with the first emoji graphical object, a first user swipe gesture input; in response to receiving the first user swipe gesture input, replacing display of the first emoji graphical object with display of a second emoji graphical object; receiving, at the touch-sensitive surface, a second user swipe gesture input; and in response to receiving the second user swipe gesture input, displaying a set of recently accessed emoji graphical objects. In the same field of endeavor, Moore teaches:
receiving, at a location on the touch-sensitive surface associated with the first emoji graphical object, a first user swipe gesture input; in response to receiving the first user swipe gesture input, replacing display of the first emoji graphical object with display of a second emoji graphical object; receiving, at the touch-sensitive surface, a second user swipe gesture input; and in response to receiving the second user swipe gesture input, displaying a set of recently accessed emoji graphical objects (Moore Figs. 1-17; [0181], emoji category icons 5010 correspond to a plurality of emoji categories, e.g., most recently and frequently used, people, nature, objects, travel, symbols, and/or seasonal categories of emoji. In the exemplary embodiment displayed in UI 500A, emoji category icon 5010-1 corresponds to most recently and frequently used, emoji category icon 5010-2 corresponds to people, emoji category icon 5010-3 corresponds to nature, emoji category icon 5010-4 corresponds to objects, emoji category icon 5010-5 corresponds to travel, and emoji category icon 5010-6 corresponds to symbols; [0236], the device displays the keyboard selection icon 5020 while the text character input keyboard 5055 is displayed in the keyboard display area 5005 (FIG. 5G). Then, after detecting a gesture on the keyboard selection icon 5020, such as a finger tap gesture, the device replaces the display of the text character input keyboard 5055 with a simultaneous display of the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B) in response to detecting a gesture on the keyboard selection icon 5020, the device toggles between displaying a text character input keyboard and the most recently displayed subset of emoji character keys; [0190], upon detecting a gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6010 (FIG. 6A), a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture), the first subset of emoji character keys 6015 is replaced with display of a second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B) in the keyboard display area 5005; [0191], UI 600B (FIG. 6B), already discussed to some extent above, shows detecting another gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6025, a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture). In response to detecting gesture 6025, the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 is replaced with a display of a third subset of emoji character keys 6040 (FIG. 6C); [0192], UI 600C (FIG. 6C) shows detecting another gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6030, a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture that is substantially opposite the direction of gesture 6025). In response to detecting gesture 6030, the third subset of emoji character keys 6040 is replaced with a display of the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B); [0233], the gesture detected while displaying the second subset of emoji character keys is a swipe gesture in a first direction (e.g., right-to-left swipe gesture 6025, FIG. 6B). In response to the device detecting a second swipe gesture on the touch screen display in the keyboard display area in a direction that is substantially opposite the first direction (e.g., left-to-right swipe gesture 6030, FIG. 6C), the device replaces display of the third subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category with display of the second subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category in the keyboard display area and updates the information provided by the subset-sequence-indicia icons to reflect the replacement of the displayed third subset of emoji character keys by the second subset of emoji character keys)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated receiving, at a location on the touch-sensitive surface associated with the first emoji graphical object, a first user swipe gesture input; in response to receiving the first user swipe gesture input, replacing display of the first emoji graphical object with display of a second emoji graphical object; receiving, at the touch-sensitive surface, a second user swipe gesture input; and in response to receiving the second user swipe gesture input, displaying a set of recently accessed emoji graphical objects as suggested in Moore into Langholz in view of Buxton. Doing so would be desirable because as portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number of functions performed by a given device increase, it has become a significant challenge to design a user interface that allows users to easily interact with a multifunction device. This challenge is particularly significant for handheld portable devices with touch-sensitive displays, which have much smaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation is unfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through which users receive not only content, but also responses to user actions or behaviors, including user attempts to access a device's features, tools, and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., mobile telephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellular telephones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons, increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions of pushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access, store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces often result in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must be memorized by the user (see Moore [0004]). Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physical pushbuttons, are also inflexible (see Moore [0005]). Accordingly, there is a need for portable electronic devices with touch screen displays that have more transparent and efficient user interfaces for using emoji characters. Such interfaces allow tasks involving emoji characters to be performed faster and more efficiently by users, thereby conserving power and increasing the time between battery charges in portable electronic devices. In addition, such interfaces increase the effectiveness of and user satisfaction with portable electronic devices (see Moore [0007]).
Regarding claims 13 and 14, claims 13 and 14 contain substantially similar limitations to those found in claim 1. Consequently, claims 13 and 14 are rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 4, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore teaches all the limitations of claim 1, further comprising:
wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: receiving a third user input; in response to receiving the third user input, displaying a suggested replies user interface; and wherein the suggested replies user input interface includes one or more suggested responses (Langholz Figs. 1-9; [0053], FIG. 3A, the message input control palette 310 includes a text input control 312a, a photo input control 312b, a file input control 312c, a symbol input control 312d, and a recording input control 312e. In one or more alternative embodiments, the message input control palette 310 may provide the input controls 312a-312e in a different order, or may provide other input controls not displayed in FIG. 3A; [0054], if a user interacts with the text input control 312a, the user interface manager 102 may provide a touch screen display keyboard in a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302 that the user may utilize to compose a textual message. Similarly, in one or more embodiments, if a user interacts with the photo input control 312b, the user interface manager 102 may provide a digital camera interface within a portion of the massaging graphical user interface 302 that the user may utilize to add a photo to the communication thread 304. Likewise, in one or more embodiments, if a user interacts with the file input control 312c, the user interface manager 102 may provide a gallery of multimedia files (e.g., digital photographs, digital videos) within a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302 from which a user may select a multimedia file for inclusion in the communication thread 304. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, if a user interacts with the symbol input control 312d, the user interface manager 102 may provide a gallery of symbols (e.g., emoticons, stickers, icons) within a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302 from which a user may select a symbol for inclusion in the communication thread 304. Also in one or more embodiments, if a user interacts with the recording input control 312e, the user interface manager 102 may provide a recording control by way of which the user can record a message for inclusion in the communication thread 304; [0062], Once the user interface manager 102 updates the messaging graphical user interface 302 to include the touch screen display keyboard 316, the user may begin composing a message input. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3C, the finger 318 of the user's hand may type a message input using the touch screen display keyboard 316. Alternatively, the user can use a voice to text option to begin entering a message; [0074], As shown in FIG. 4C, the user has typed a partial message input 309, which reads, “That's under.” In one or more alternative embodiments, the user interface organization system 100 may also include voice recognition capabilities. In a particular alternative embodiment, the user interface manager 102 may display words of the message input 309 within the message input element 308 as spoken by a user; see also [0061], [0072])
Regarding claim 5, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore teaches all the limitations of claim 4, further comprising:
wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: receiving user input representing a touch associated with a first suggested response of the one or more suggested responses; and in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the first suggested response, adding the first suggested response as response information to an electronic message (Langholz Figs. 1-9; [0034], In the event a touch screen display is utilized, the user input detector 104 can detect one or more touch gestures that form a user interaction (e.g., tap gestures, swipe gestures, pinch gestures, etc.) provided by a user by way of the touch screen; [0046], As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the computing device 300 includes a touch screen display 301 that can display or provide user interfaces and by way of which user input may be received and/or detected; [0053], FIG. 3A, the message input control palette 310 includes a text input control 312a, a photo input control 312b, a file input control 312c, a symbol input control 312d, and a recording input control 312e. In one or more alternative embodiments, the message input control palette 310 may provide the input controls 312a-312e in a different order, or may provide other input controls not displayed in FIG. 3A; [0054], if a user interacts with the text input control 312a, the user interface manager 102 may provide a touch screen display keyboard in a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302 that the user may utilize to compose a textual message. Similarly, in one or more embodiments, if a user interacts with the photo input control 312b, the user interface manager 102 may provide a digital camera interface within a portion of the massaging graphical user interface 302 that the user may utilize to add a photo to the communication thread 304. Likewise, in one or more embodiments, if a user interacts with the file input control 312c, the user interface manager 102 may provide a gallery of multimedia files (e.g., digital photographs, digital videos) within a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302 from which a user may select a multimedia file for inclusion in the communication thread 304. Additionally, in one or more embodiments, if a user interacts with the symbol input control 312d, the user interface manager 102 may provide a gallery of symbols (e.g., emoticons, stickers, icons) within a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302 from which a user may select a symbol for inclusion in the communication thread 304. Also in one or more embodiments, if a user interacts with the recording input control 312e, the user interface manager 102 may provide a recording control by way of which the user can record a message for inclusion in the communication thread 304; [0062], Once the user interface manager 102 updates the messaging graphical user interface 302 to include the touch screen display keyboard 316, the user may begin composing a message input. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3C, the finger 318 of the user's hand may type a message input using the touch screen display keyboard 316. Alternatively, the user can use a voice to text option to begin entering a message; [0074], As shown in FIG. 4C, the user has typed a partial message input 309, which reads, “That's under.” In one or more alternative embodiments, the user interface organization system 100 may also include voice recognition capabilities. In a particular alternative embodiment, the user interface manager 102 may display words of the message input 309 within the message input element 308 as spoken by a user; see also [0061], [0072])
Regarding claim 6, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore teaches all the limitations of claim 1, further comprising:
wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: receiving a fourth user input; and in response to receiving the fourth user input, displaying the dictation user interface (Langholz Figs. 1-9; [0053], FIG. 3A, the message input control palette 310 includes a text input control 312a, a photo input control 312b, a file input control 312c, a symbol input control 312d, and a recording input control 312e. In one or more alternative embodiments, the message input control palette 310 may provide the input controls 312a-312e in a different order, or may provide other input controls not displayed in FIG. 3A; [0061], As illustrated in FIG. 3B, in response to a detected touch gesture, the user interface manager 102 provides a touch screen display keyboard 316 within a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302; [0062], Once the user interface manager 102 updates the messaging graphical user interface 302 to include the touch screen display keyboard 316, the user may begin composing a message input. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3C, the finger 318 of the user's hand may type a message input using the touch screen display keyboard 316. Alternatively, the user can use a voice to text option to begin entering a message; [0072], as shown in FIG. 4B, a finger 318 of a user performs a touch gesture (i.e., a tap touch gesture) in conjunction with the text input control 312a within the message input control palette 310. In one or more embodiments, the user input detector 104 can detect the touch gesture and the user interface manager 102 can provide the touch screen display keyboard 316 in response to the detected touch gesture; [0074], as shown in FIG. 4C, the user input detector 104 detects the finger 318 of the user typing on the touch screen display keyboard 316 and the user interface manager 102 displays the message input element 308 in response to the detected typing. In one or more embodiments, the user interface manager 102 immediately displays every letter of the message input 309 within the message input element 308 as the finger 318 types it. In this way, a user may compose the message input 309 directly within the communication thread 304. As shown in FIG. 4C, the user has typed a partial message input 309, which reads, “That's under.” In one or more alternative embodiments, the user interface organization system 100 may also include voice recognition capabilities. In a particular alternative embodiment, the user interface manager 102 may display words of the message input 309 within the message input element 308 as spoken by a user)
Regarding claim 7, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore teaches all the limitations of claim 1, further comprising:
wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: receiving user input representing speech; and in response to receiving user input representing speech: transcribing the user input representing speech, and adding transcribed speech to an electronic message, wherein the transcribed speech is based on the user input representing speech (Langholz Figs. 1-9; [0053], FIG. 3A, the message input control palette 310 includes a text input control 312a, a photo input control 312b, a file input control 312c, a symbol input control 312d, and a recording input control 312e. In one or more alternative embodiments, the message input control palette 310 may provide the input controls 312a-312e in a different order, or may provide other input controls not displayed in FIG. 3A; [0061], As illustrated in FIG. 3B, in response to a detected touch gesture, the user interface manager 102 provides a touch screen display keyboard 316 within a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302; [0062], Once the user interface manager 102 updates the messaging graphical user interface 302 to include the touch screen display keyboard 316, the user may begin composing a message input. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3C, the finger 318 of the user's hand may type a message input using the touch screen display keyboard 316. Alternatively, the user can use a voice to text option to begin entering a message; [0072], as shown in FIG. 4B, a finger 318 of a user performs a touch gesture (i.e., a tap touch gesture) in conjunction with the text input control 312a within the message input control palette 310. In one or more embodiments, the user input detector 104 can detect the touch gesture and the user interface manager 102 can provide the touch screen display keyboard 316 in response to the detected touch gesture; [0074], as shown in FIG. 4C, the user input detector 104 detects the finger 318 of the user typing on the touch screen display keyboard 316 and the user interface manager 102 displays the message input element 308 in response to the detected typing. In one or more embodiments, the user interface manager 102 immediately displays every letter of the message input 309 within the message input element 308 as the finger 318 types it. In this way, a user may compose the message input 309 directly within the communication thread 304. As shown in FIG. 4C, the user has typed a partial message input 309, which reads, “That's under.” In one or more alternative embodiments, the user interface organization system 100 may also include voice recognition capabilities. In a particular alternative embodiment, the user interface manager 102 may display words of the message input 309 within the message input element 308 as spoken by a user)
Regarding claim 8, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore teaches all the limitations of claim 1, further comprising:
wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: receiving a fifth user input; and in response to receiving the fifth user input, displaying one or more keys of a keyboard (Langholz Figs. 1-9; [0053], FIG. 3A, the message input control palette 310 includes a text input control 312a, a photo input control 312b, a file input control 312c, a symbol input control 312d, and a recording input control 312e. In one or more alternative embodiments, the message input control palette 310 may provide the input controls 312a-312e in a different order, or may provide other input controls not displayed in FIG. 3A; [0061], As illustrated in FIG. 3B, in response to a detected touch gesture, the user interface manager 102 provides a touch screen display keyboard 316 within a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302; [0062], Once the user interface manager 102 updates the messaging graphical user interface 302 to include the touch screen display keyboard 316, the user may begin composing a message input. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3C, the finger 318 of the user's hand may type a message input using the touch screen display keyboard 316. Alternatively, the user can use a voice to text option to begin entering a message; [0072], as shown in FIG. 4B, a finger 318 of a user performs a touch gesture (i.e., a tap touch gesture) in conjunction with the text input control 312a within the message input control palette 310. In one or more embodiments, the user input detector 104 can detect the touch gesture and the user interface manager 102 can provide the touch screen display keyboard 316 in response to the detected touch gesture; [0074], as shown in FIG. 4C, the user input detector 104 detects the finger 318 of the user typing on the touch screen display keyboard 316 and the user interface manager 102 displays the message input element 308 in response to the detected typing. In one or more embodiments, the user interface manager 102 immediately displays every letter of the message input 309 within the message input element 308 as the finger 318 types it. In this way, a user may compose the message input 309 directly within the communication thread 304. As shown in FIG. 4C, the user has typed a partial message input 309, which reads, “That's under.” In one or more alternative embodiments, the user interface organization system 100 may also include voice recognition capabilities. In a particular alternative embodiment, the user interface manager 102 may display words of the message input 309 within the message input element 308 as spoken by a user)
Regarding claim 9, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Moore further teaches:
receiving a sixth user input, the sixth user input associated with the second emoji graphical object; and in response to receiving the sixth user input, changing a first visual aspect of the second emoji graphical object, wherein the change in the first visual aspect is based on the sixth user input (Moore Figs. 1-17; [0181], emoji category icons 5010 correspond to a plurality of emoji categories, e.g., most recently and frequently used, people, nature, objects, travel, symbols, and/or seasonal categories of emoji. In the exemplary embodiment displayed in UI 500A, emoji category icon 5010-1 corresponds to most recently and frequently used, emoji category icon 5010-2 corresponds to people, emoji category icon 5010-3 corresponds to nature, emoji category icon 5010-4 corresponds to objects, emoji category icon 5010-5 corresponds to travel, and emoji category icon 5010-6 corresponds to symbols; [0190], upon detecting a gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6010 (FIG. 6A), a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture), the first subset of emoji character keys 6015 is replaced with display of a second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B) in the keyboard display area 5005; [0191], UI 600B (FIG. 6B), already discussed to some extent above, shows detecting another gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6025, a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture). In response to detecting gesture 6025, the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 is replaced with a display of a third subset of emoji character keys 6040 (FIG. 6C); [0192], UI 600C (FIG. 6C) shows detecting another gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6030, a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture that is substantially opposite the direction of gesture 6025). In response to detecting gesture 6030, the third subset of emoji character keys 6040 is replaced with a display of the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B); [0193], UI 600C (FIG. 6C) also shows a user gesture 6045 (e.g., a finger tap gesture) on emoji key 6050. UI 600D (FIG. 6D) shows a key selection icon 6060 being displayed while the finger contact in user gesture 6045 is still on emoji key 6050 (which was depicted in FIG. 6C). Key selection icon 6060 shows the key that will be selected if the user's finger lifts off (ceases to contact) the touch screen display at the current position of the finger contact on the touch screen display. In some embodiments, an image 6061 of the selected emoji character, in this case the emoji character that corresponds to emoji key 6050, is displayed within key selection icon 6060; [0200-0201], UI 800B (FIG. 8B) illustrates that in some embodiments, upon detecting the predefined user action 8005, the emoji character keys 8001 within keyboard display area 5005 vibrate (e.g., vibrations 8020-1, 8020-2, 8020-3, etc.) in a region substantially centered on the respective average position of each respective emoji character key. These vibrations provide a simple visual indicator that the device is now in an interface reconfiguration mode and that the vibrating icons may be rearranged; [0233], the gesture detected while displaying the second subset of emoji character keys is a swipe gesture in a first direction (e.g., right-to-left swipe gesture 6025, FIG. 6B). In response to the device detecting a second swipe gesture on the touch screen display in the keyboard display area in a direction that is substantially opposite the first direction (e.g., left-to-right swipe gesture 6030, FIG. 6C), the device replaces display of the third subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category with display of the second subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category in the keyboard display area and updates the information provided by the subset-sequence-indicia icons to reflect the replacement of the displayed third subset of emoji character keys by the second subset of emoji character keys; [0236], the device displays the keyboard selection icon 5020 while the text character input keyboard 5055 is displayed in the keyboard display area 5005 (FIG. 5G). Then, after detecting a gesture on the keyboard selection icon 5020, such as a finger tap gesture, the device replaces the display of the text character input keyboard 5055 with a simultaneous display of the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B) in response to detecting a gesture on the keyboard selection icon 5020, the device toggles between displaying a text character input keyboard and the most recently displayed subset of emoji character keys;)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated receiving a sixth user input, the sixth user input associated with the second emoji graphical object; and in response to receiving the sixth user input, changing a first visual aspect of the second emoji graphical object, wherein the change in the first visual aspect is based on the sixth user input as suggested in Moore into Langholz in view of Buxton. Doing so would be desirable because as portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number of functions performed by a given device increase, it has become a significant challenge to design a user interface that allows users to easily interact with a multifunction device. This challenge is particularly significant for handheld portable devices with touch-sensitive displays, which have much smaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation is unfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through which users receive not only content, but also responses to user actions or behaviors, including user attempts to access a device's features, tools, and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., mobile telephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellular telephones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons, increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions of pushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access, store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces often result in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must be memorized by the user (see Moore [0004]). Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physical pushbuttons, are also inflexible (see Moore [0005]). Accordingly, there is a need for portable electronic devices with touch screen displays that have more transparent and efficient user interfaces for using emoji characters. Such interfaces allow tasks involving emoji characters to be performed faster and more efficiently by users, thereby conserving power and increasing the time between battery charges in portable electronic devices. In addition, such interfaces increase the effectiveness of and user satisfaction with portable electronic devices (see Moore [0007]).
Regarding claim 10, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Moore further teaches:
wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: receiving a third user swipe gesture input; and in response to receiving the third user swipe gesture input, replacing display of the second emoji graphical object with display of a third emoji graphical object (Moore Figs. 1-17; [0181], emoji category icons 5010 correspond to a plurality of emoji categories, e.g., most recently and frequently used, people, nature, objects, travel, symbols, and/or seasonal categories of emoji. In the exemplary embodiment displayed in UI 500A, emoji category icon 5010-1 corresponds to most recently and frequently used, emoji category icon 5010-2 corresponds to people, emoji category icon 5010-3 corresponds to nature, emoji category icon 5010-4 corresponds to objects, emoji category icon 5010-5 corresponds to travel, and emoji category icon 5010-6 corresponds to symbols; [0190], upon detecting a gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6010 (FIG. 6A), a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture), the first subset of emoji character keys 6015 is replaced with display of a second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B) in the keyboard display area 5005; [0191], UI 600B (FIG. 6B), already discussed to some extent above, shows detecting another gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6025, a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture). In response to detecting gesture 6025, the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 is replaced with a display of a third subset of emoji character keys 6040 (FIG. 6C); [0192], UI 600C (FIG. 6C) shows detecting another gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6030, a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture that is substantially opposite the direction of gesture 6025). In response to detecting gesture 6030, the third subset of emoji character keys 6040 is replaced with a display of the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B); [0233], the gesture detected while displaying the second subset of emoji character keys is a swipe gesture in a first direction (e.g., right-to-left swipe gesture 6025, FIG. 6B). In response to the device detecting a second swipe gesture on the touch screen display in the keyboard display area in a direction that is substantially opposite the first direction (e.g., left-to-right swipe gesture 6030, FIG. 6C), the device replaces display of the third subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category with display of the second subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category in the keyboard display area and updates the information provided by the subset-sequence-indicia icons to reflect the replacement of the displayed third subset of emoji character keys by the second subset of emoji character keys; [0236], the device displays the keyboard selection icon 5020 while the text character input keyboard 5055 is displayed in the keyboard display area 5005 (FIG. 5G). Then, after detecting a gesture on the keyboard selection icon 5020, such as a finger tap gesture, the device replaces the display of the text character input keyboard 5055 with a simultaneous display of the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B) in response to detecting a gesture on the keyboard selection icon 5020, the device toggles between displaying a text character input keyboard and the most recently displayed subset of emoji character keys)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: receiving a third user swipe gesture input; and in response to receiving the third user swipe gesture input, replacing display of the second emoji graphical object with display of a third emoji graphical object as suggested in Moore into Langholz in view of Buxton. Doing so would be desirable because as portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number of functions performed by a given device increase, it has become a significant challenge to design a user interface that allows users to easily interact with a multifunction device. This challenge is particularly significant for handheld portable devices with touch-sensitive displays, which have much smaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation is unfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through which users receive not only content, but also responses to user actions or behaviors, including user attempts to access a device's features, tools, and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., mobile telephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellular telephones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons, increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions of pushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access, store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces often result in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must be memorized by the user (see Moore [0004]). Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physical pushbuttons, are also inflexible (see Moore [0005]). Accordingly, there is a need for portable electronic devices with touch screen displays that have more transparent and efficient user interfaces for using emoji characters. Such interfaces allow tasks involving emoji characters to be performed faster and more efficiently by users, thereby conserving power and increasing the time between battery charges in portable electronic devices. In addition, such interfaces increase the effectiveness of and user satisfaction with portable electronic devices (see Moore [0007]).
Regarding claim 11, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore teaches all the limitations of claim 1, further comprising:
wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for: transmitting an electronic message to a recipient, the electronic message including response information (Langholz Figs. 1-9; [0010], allow users to easily and intuitively send and receive electronic communications; [0053], FIG. 3A, the message input control palette 310 includes a text input control 312a, a photo input control 312b, a file input control 312c, a symbol input control 312d, and a recording input control 312e. In one or more alternative embodiments, the message input control palette 310 may provide the input controls 312a-312e in a different order, or may provide other input controls not displayed in FIG. 3A; [0055], The message input control palette 310 may also include a send element 314. For example, in FIG. 3A the message input control palette 310 includes the send element 314 along with the input controls 312a-312e. In one or more embodiments, the communication manager 106 may send an electronic communication to one or more co-users in response to a detected user interaction with the send element 314. Likewise, the user interface manager 102 may add the electronic communication to the communication thread 304 in response to the detected user interaction with the send element 314; [0061], As illustrated in FIG. 3B, in response to a detected touch gesture, the user interface manager 102 provides a touch screen display keyboard 316 within a portion of the messaging graphical user interface 302; [0062], Once the user interface manager 102 updates the messaging graphical user interface 302 to include the touch screen display keyboard 316, the user may begin composing a message input. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3C, the finger 318 of the user's hand may type a message input using the touch screen display keyboard 316. Alternatively, the user can use a voice to text option to begin entering a message; [0066], Once a user is finished composing the message input 309 within the message input element 308, the UI organization system 100 can send the message input 309 to one or more co-users; [0072], as shown in FIG. 4B, a finger 318 of a user performs a touch gesture (i.e., a tap touch gesture) in conjunction with the text input control 312a within the message input control palette 310. In one or more embodiments, the user input detector 104 can detect the touch gesture and the user interface manager 102 can provide the touch screen display keyboard 316 in response to the detected touch gesture; [0074], as shown in FIG. 4C, the user input detector 104 detects the finger 318 of the user typing on the touch screen display keyboard 316 and the user interface manager 102 displays the message input element 308 in response to the detected typing. In one or more embodiments, the user interface manager 102 immediately displays every letter of the message input 309 within the message input element 308 as the finger 318 types it. In this way, a user may compose the message input 309 directly within the communication thread 304. As shown in FIG. 4C, the user has typed a partial message input 309, which reads, “That's under.” In one or more alternative embodiments, the user interface organization system 100 may also include voice recognition capabilities. In a particular alternative embodiment, the user interface manager 102 may display words of the message input 309 within the message input element 308 as spoken by a user)
Regarding claim 12, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Moore further teaches:
wherein: the first emoji graphical object and the second emoji graphical object are different; and the first emoji graphical object and the second emoji graphical object are selected from the group consisting of: a smiley, a heart, and a thumb signal (Moore Figs. 1-17; [0181], emoji category icons 5010 correspond to a plurality of emoji categories, e.g., most recently and frequently used, people, nature, objects, travel, symbols, and/or seasonal categories of emoji. In the exemplary embodiment displayed in UI 500A, emoji category icon 5010-1 corresponds to most recently and frequently used, emoji category icon 5010-2 corresponds to people, emoji category icon 5010-3 corresponds to nature, emoji category icon 5010-4 corresponds to objects, emoji category icon 5010-5 corresponds to travel, and emoji category icon 5010-6 corresponds to symbols; [0185], UI 500B (FIG. 5B) illustrates a keyboard display area 5005 that includes subset-sequence-indicia icons 5040 for the respective emoji category, here people, which is visually indicated as selected by the highlighting of emoji category icon 5010-2. The subset-sequence-indicia icons 5040 provide information about the number of subsets in the emoji category currently being displayed, as well as a position of a displayed subset in the sequence of subsets of emoji character keys in the keyboard display area 5005. Here, the subset-sequence-indicia icons 5040 indicate that there are six subsets of emoji character keys in the people emoji category and that the first subset in the people emoji category is currently being displayed (emojis comprising smileys and hearts within the swipeable smiley category); [0236], the device displays the keyboard selection icon 5020 while the text character input keyboard 5055 is displayed in the keyboard display area 5005 (FIG. 5G). Then, after detecting a gesture on the keyboard selection icon 5020, such as a finger tap gesture, the device replaces the display of the text character input keyboard 5055 with a simultaneous display of the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B) in response to detecting a gesture on the keyboard selection icon 5020, the device toggles between displaying a text character input keyboard and the most recently displayed subset of emoji character keys; [0190], upon detecting a gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6010 (FIG. 6A), a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture), the first subset of emoji character keys 6015 is replaced with display of a second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B) in the keyboard display area 5005; [0191], UI 600B (FIG. 6B), already discussed to some extent above, shows detecting another gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6025, a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture). In response to detecting gesture 6025, the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 is replaced with a display of a third subset of emoji character keys 6040 (FIG. 6C); [0192], UI 600C (FIG. 6C) shows detecting another gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6030, a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture that is substantially opposite the direction of gesture 6025). In response to detecting gesture 6030, the third subset of emoji character keys 6040 is replaced with a display of the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B); [0233], the gesture detected while displaying the second subset of emoji character keys is a swipe gesture in a first direction (e.g., right-to-left swipe gesture 6025, FIG. 6B). In response to the device detecting a second swipe gesture on the touch screen display in the keyboard display area in a direction that is substantially opposite the first direction (e.g., left-to-right swipe gesture 6030, FIG. 6C), the device replaces display of the third subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category with display of the second subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category in the keyboard display area and updates the information provided by the subset-sequence-indicia icons to reflect the replacement of the displayed third subset of emoji character keys by the second subset of emoji character keys)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated wherein: the first emoji graphical object and the second emoji graphical object are different; and the first emoji graphical object and the second emoji graphical object are selected from the group consisting of: a smiley, a heart, and a thumb signal as suggested in Moore into Langholz in view of Buxton. Doing so would be desirable because as portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number of functions performed by a given device increase, it has become a significant challenge to design a user interface that allows users to easily interact with a multifunction device. This challenge is particularly significant for handheld portable devices with touch-sensitive displays, which have much smaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation is unfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through which users receive not only content, but also responses to user actions or behaviors, including user attempts to access a device's features, tools, and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., mobile telephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellular telephones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons, increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions of pushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access, store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces often result in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must be memorized by the user (see Moore [0004]). Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physical pushbuttons, are also inflexible (see Moore [0005]). Accordingly, there is a need for portable electronic devices with touch screen displays that have more transparent and efficient user interfaces for using emoji characters. Such interfaces allow tasks involving emoji characters to be performed faster and more efficiently by users, thereby conserving power and increasing the time between battery charges in portable electronic devices. In addition, such interfaces increase the effectiveness of and user satisfaction with portable electronic devices (see Moore [0007]).
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore in further view of Wu et al. (US 20120019446 A1, published 01/26/2012), hereinafter Wu.
Regarding claim 2, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Moore further teaches:
wherein the set of recently accessed emoji graphical objects comprises: one or more emoji graphical objects, wherein the one or more emoji graphical objects are selected based on emoji graphical objects recently accessed (Moore Figs. 1-17; [0181], emoji category icons 5010 correspond to a plurality of emoji categories, e.g., most recently and frequently used, people, nature, objects, travel, symbols, and/or seasonal categories of emoji. In the exemplary embodiment displayed in UI 500A, emoji category icon 5010-1 corresponds to most recently and frequently used, emoji category icon 5010-2 corresponds to people, emoji category icon 5010-3 corresponds to nature, emoji category icon 5010-4 corresponds to objects, emoji category icon 5010-5 corresponds to travel, and emoji category icon 5010-6 corresponds to symbols; [0236], the device displays the keyboard selection icon 5020 while the text character input keyboard 5055 is displayed in the keyboard display area 5005 (FIG. 5G). Then, after detecting a gesture on the keyboard selection icon 5020, such as a finger tap gesture, the device replaces the display of the text character input keyboard 5055 with a simultaneous display of the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B) in response to detecting a gesture on the keyboard selection icon 5020, the device toggles between displaying a text character input keyboard and the most recently displayed subset of emoji character keys; [0190], upon detecting a gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6010 (FIG. 6A), a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture), the first subset of emoji character keys 6015 is replaced with display of a second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B) in the keyboard display area 5005; [0191], UI 600B (FIG. 6B), already discussed to some extent above, shows detecting another gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6025, a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture). In response to detecting gesture 6025, the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 is replaced with a display of a third subset of emoji character keys 6040 (FIG. 6C); [0192], UI 600C (FIG. 6C) shows detecting another gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6030, a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture that is substantially opposite the direction of gesture 6025). In response to detecting gesture 6030, the third subset of emoji character keys 6040 is replaced with a display of the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B); [0233], the gesture detected while displaying the second subset of emoji character keys is a swipe gesture in a first direction (e.g., right-to-left swipe gesture 6025, FIG. 6B). In response to the device detecting a second swipe gesture on the touch screen display in the keyboard display area in a direction that is substantially opposite the first direction (e.g., left-to-right swipe gesture 6030, FIG. 6C), the device replaces display of the third subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category with display of the second subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category in the keyboard display area and updates the information provided by the subset-sequence-indicia icons to reflect the replacement of the displayed third subset of emoji character keys by the second subset of emoji character keys)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated receiving wherein the set of recently accessed emoji graphical objects comprises: one or more emoji graphical objects, wherein the one or more emoji graphical objects are selected based on emoji graphical objects recently accessed as suggested in Moore into Langholz in view of Buxton. Doing so would be desirable because as portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number of functions performed by a given device increase, it has become a significant challenge to design a user interface that allows users to easily interact with a multifunction device. This challenge is particularly significant for handheld portable devices with touch-sensitive displays, which have much smaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation is unfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through which users receive not only content, but also responses to user actions or behaviors, including user attempts to access a device's features, tools, and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., mobile telephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellular telephones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons, increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions of pushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access, store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces often result in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must be memorized by the user (see Moore [0004]). Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physical pushbuttons, are also inflexible (see Moore [0005]). Accordingly, there is a need for portable electronic devices with touch screen displays that have more transparent and efficient user interfaces for using emoji characters. Such interfaces allow tasks involving emoji characters to be performed faster and more efficiently by users, thereby conserving power and increasing the time between battery charges in portable electronic devices. In addition, such interfaces increase the effectiveness of and user satisfaction with portable electronic devices (see Moore [0007]).
However, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore fails to expressly disclose recently accessed by an external electronic device. In the same field of endeavor, Wu teaches:
recently accessed by an external electronic device (Wu Figs. 1-7; [0045], At shown in example 204, which is designated (b), the keyboard has slid in response to the user's swiping leftward input. Now, a portion of the keyboard that was previously off to the right of the display is shown. This portion of the keyboard includes additional keys that were previously off to the right of the display conceptually. The keys can represent other characters in a character set or, in this example, they represent emoticons that a user can easily enter by pressing the appropriate key; [0050], Example 206 shows a display that may result from a user swiping their finger a second time to the left or swiping their finger a longer distance and/or at a higher speed in the first swiping on example 202, As shown here, all of the original keyboard has been replaced with keys showing emoticons; [0078], Another user input may include a side swipe motion on the keyboard itself. Such an input may result in the soft keyboard sliding in a particular direction, so that portions of a keyboard that are commonly used (but not as commonly as the main, initially displayed keyboard) may be displayed, such as emoticons or other frequently used combinations of one or more key presses; [0081], FIG. 5C is a flow chart of an example process for providing hot terms as candidates on a mobile device. In general, the process involves identifying, at a server system, a plurality of terms that are, or are becoming, popular with a variety of users; [0082], The process begins at box 534, where an IME is initially launched. The IME may include a candidate window, and thus may need to make educated cases about what a user is trying to enter into the system, At box 536, a "hot" list is downloaded, and includes a list of recently popular terms or other items such as emoticon; [0084], FIG. 5D is a flow chart of an example process for providing hot emoticons or other symbols on a soft keyboard. In general, the process involves the loading and presentation of hot emoticons in the context of an IME application; [0085], The process begins at box 550, where the IME application is launched. As with the prior process, the IME process may then download from a server system one or more "hot" emoticons; [0087], At box 554, the emoticons may be used, as instigated by a user swipe on a keyboard (box 554). For example, the emoticons may be placed on the keys of an auxiliary or supplemental portion of the virtual keyboard; [0092], FIG. 6B is a swim lane diagram of an example process for providing popular emoticons to a computing device. In general, the process shows the interaction of a particular client with a server system, as affected by the interaction of other clients with the server system; [0093], The process begins at box 630 where various users submit messages, such as e-mail messages or search queries, to the server system, which in turn identifies emoticons or other objects in the messages (box 632). The server system then ranks particular emoticons according to their frequency of occurrence in the target data set. Such a data set may be permanent and may also be dynamic in that it may react to popularity over a shorter period, such as over a holiday or holiday season; [0094], Later, a user launches an IME application (box 636), which causes the application to contact the server system. The server system then responds by sending emoticon information to the client device (box 638); [0095], at box 642, a user provides a command to the client device to change from a standard alphanumeric keyboard to a supplemental keyboard whose keys represent various additional items such as emoticons. At box 644, the supplemental keyboard is displayed, and the most popular emoticons are displayed in an area on the supplemental portion of the keyboard; [0096], In this manner, the keys of a keyboard can be populated, at least in part, using information received from a plurality of different third parties, so that the keys represent information that has been determined to be popular with those third parties)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated recently accessed by an external electronic device as suggested in Wu into Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore. Doing so would be desirable because many of the functions performed on mobile devices center around communications. For example, users may send and receive text messages or e-mails. Textual entry on mobile devices can be difficult because the small size of the devices prevents the devices from offering fully functional, and full-sized keyboards. Entry of such information can be difficult, for example, when a particular Roman representation entered by a user is ambiguous, in that it has multiple interpretations in the target character set. As a result, an IME may provide a candidate box along with a Roman keyboard (which can be a virtual keyboard on a touch screen device), and the candidate box may present to a user possible solutions for an entry that the user has made. The user may then select the appropriate entry out of the candidate box (see Wu [0004]). Space-saving solutions are also provided. For example, added keys and functionality may be provided on a keyboard that is too large to fit on a screen of a device at one time (see Wu [0006]). Certain keys can show an emoticon, and the emoticon may be an image that has been assigned to the key by a user, or can be an emoticon that has been determined by a system to be a particularly popular emoticon (see Wu [0007]). Such systems and technique may provide one or more advantages. A user may receive candidates that can improve their entry of text on a device, so that they can more effectively and efficiently communicate with other users (see Wu [0009]). The system of Wu would improve the systems of Langholz and Moore by enabling the user to quickly and easily identify the most desireable or appropriate emoticons, thereby saving the user time and increasing ease of use.
Regarding claim 3, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Moore further teaches:
wherein the set of recently accessed emoji graphical objects comprises: one or more visually manipulatable emoji graphical objects, wherein the one or more visually manipulatable emoji graphical objects are selected based on visually manipulatable emoji graphical objects recently accessed (Moore Figs. 1-17; [0181], emoji category icons 5010 correspond to a plurality of emoji categories, e.g., most recently and frequently used, people, nature, objects, travel, symbols, and/or seasonal categories of emoji. In the exemplary embodiment displayed in UI 500A, emoji category icon 5010-1 corresponds to most recently and frequently used, emoji category icon 5010-2 corresponds to people, emoji category icon 5010-3 corresponds to nature, emoji category icon 5010-4 corresponds to objects, emoji category icon 5010-5 corresponds to travel, and emoji category icon 5010-6 corresponds to symbols; [0236], the device displays the keyboard selection icon 5020 while the text character input keyboard 5055 is displayed in the keyboard display area 5005 (FIG. 5G). Then, after detecting a gesture on the keyboard selection icon 5020, such as a finger tap gesture, the device replaces the display of the text character input keyboard 5055 with a simultaneous display of the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B) in response to detecting a gesture on the keyboard selection icon 5020, the device toggles between displaying a text character input keyboard and the most recently displayed subset of emoji character keys; [0190], upon detecting a gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6010 (FIG. 6A), a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture), the first subset of emoji character keys 6015 is replaced with display of a second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B) in the keyboard display area 5005; [0191], UI 600B (FIG. 6B), already discussed to some extent above, shows detecting another gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6025, a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture). In response to detecting gesture 6025, the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 is replaced with a display of a third subset of emoji character keys 6040 (FIG. 6C); [0192], UI 600C (FIG. 6C) shows detecting another gesture in the keyboard display area 5005 (e.g., gesture 6030, a horizontal or substantially horizontal finger swipe gesture that is substantially opposite the direction of gesture 6025). In response to detecting gesture 6030, the third subset of emoji character keys 6040 is replaced with a display of the second subset of emoji character keys 6020 (FIG. 6B); [0193], UI 600C (FIG. 6C) also shows a user gesture 6045 (e.g., a finger tap gesture) on emoji key 6050. UI 600D (FIG. 6D) shows a key selection icon 6060 being displayed while the finger contact in user gesture 6045 is still on emoji key 6050 (which was depicted in FIG. 6C). Key selection icon 6060 shows the key that will be selected if the user's finger lifts off (ceases to contact) the touch screen display at the current position of the finger contact on the touch screen display. In some embodiments, an image 6061 of the selected emoji character, in this case the emoji character that corresponds to emoji key 6050, is displayed within key selection icon 6060; [0200-0201], UI 800B (FIG. 8B) illustrates that in some embodiments, upon detecting the predefined user action 8005, the emoji character keys 8001 within keyboard display area 5005 vibrate (e.g., vibrations 8020-1, 8020-2, 8020-3, etc.) in a region substantially centered on the respective average position of each respective emoji character key. These vibrations provide a simple visual indicator that the device is now in an interface reconfiguration mode and that the vibrating icons may be rearranged; [0233], the gesture detected while displaying the second subset of emoji character keys is a swipe gesture in a first direction (e.g., right-to-left swipe gesture 6025, FIG. 6B). In response to the device detecting a second swipe gesture on the touch screen display in the keyboard display area in a direction that is substantially opposite the first direction (e.g., left-to-right swipe gesture 6030, FIG. 6C), the device replaces display of the third subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category with display of the second subset of emoji character keys for the respective emoji category in the keyboard display area and updates the information provided by the subset-sequence-indicia icons to reflect the replacement of the displayed third subset of emoji character keys by the second subset of emoji character keys)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated wherein the set of recently accessed emoji graphical objects comprises: one or more visually manipulatable emoji graphical objects, wherein the one or more visually manipulatable emoji graphical objects are selected based on visually manipulatable emoji graphical objects recently accessed as suggested in Moore into Langholz in view of Buxton. Doing so would be desirable because as portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number of functions performed by a given device increase, it has become a significant challenge to design a user interface that allows users to easily interact with a multifunction device. This challenge is particularly significant for handheld portable devices with touch-sensitive displays, which have much smaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation is unfortunate because the user interface is the gateway through which users receive not only content, but also responses to user actions or behaviors, including user attempts to access a device's features, tools, and functions. Some portable communication devices (e.g., mobile telephones, sometimes called mobile phones, cell phones, cellular telephones, and the like) have resorted to adding more pushbuttons, increasing the density of push buttons, overloading the functions of pushbuttons, or using complex menu systems to allow a user to access, store and manipulate data. These conventional user interfaces often result in complicated key sequences and menu hierarchies that must be memorized by the user (see Moore [0004]). Many conventional user interfaces, such as those that include physical pushbuttons, are also inflexible (see Moore [0005]). Accordingly, there is a need for portable electronic devices with touch screen displays that have more transparent and efficient user interfaces for using emoji characters. Such interfaces allow tasks involving emoji characters to be performed faster and more efficiently by users, thereby conserving power and increasing the time between battery charges in portable electronic devices. In addition, such interfaces increase the effectiveness of and user satisfaction with portable electronic devices (see Moore [0007]).
However, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore fails to expressly disclose recently accessed by a wirelessly linked external electronic device. In the same field of endeavor, Wu teaches:
recently accessed by a wirelessly linked external electronic device (Wu Figs. 1-7; [0045], At shown in example 204, which is designated (b), the keyboard has slid in response to the user's swiping leftward input. Now, a portion of the keyboard that was previously off to the right of the display is shown. This portion of the keyboard includes additional keys that were previously off to the right of the display conceptually. The keys can represent other characters in a character set or, in this example, they represent emoticons that a user can easily enter by pressing the appropriate key; [0050], Example 206 shows a display that may result from a user swiping their finger a second time to the left or swiping their finger a longer distance and/or at a higher speed in the first swiping on example 202, As shown here, all of the original keyboard has been replaced with keys showing emoticons; [0053], a remote server on a network; [0078], Another user input may include a side swipe motion on the keyboard itself. Such an input may result in the soft keyboard sliding in a particular direction, so that portions of a keyboard that are commonly used (but not as commonly as the main, initially displayed keyboard) may be displayed, such as emoticons or other frequently used combinations of one or more key presses; [0081], FIG. 5C is a flow chart of an example process for providing hot terms as candidates on a mobile device. In general, the process involves identifying, at a server system, a plurality of terms that are, or are becoming, popular with a variety of users; [0064], A wireless interface 408 manages communication with a wireless network; the wireless interface 408 may support downloads and uploads of content; [0082], The process begins at box 534, where an IME is initially launched. The IME may include a candidate window, and thus may need to make educated cases about what a user is trying to enter into the system, At box 536, a "hot" list is downloaded, and includes a list of recently popular terms or other items such as emoticon; [0084], FIG. 5D is a flow chart of an example process for providing hot emoticons or other symbols on a soft keyboard. In general, the process involves the loading and presentation of hot emoticons in the context of an IME application; [0085], The process begins at box 550, where the IME application is launched. As with the prior process, the IME process may then download from a server system one or more "hot" emoticons; [0087], At box 554, the emoticons may be used, as instigated by a user swipe on a keyboard (box 554). For example, the emoticons may be placed on the keys of an auxiliary or supplemental portion of the virtual keyboard; [0092], FIG. 6B is a swim lane diagram of an example process for providing popular emoticons to a computing device. In general, the process shows the interaction of a particular client with a server system, as affected by the interaction of other clients with the server system; [0093], The process begins at box 630 where various users submit messages, such as e-mail messages or search queries, to the server system, which in turn identifies emoticons or other objects in the messages (box 632). The server system then ranks particular emoticons according to their frequency of occurrence in the target data set. Such a data set may be permanent and may also be dynamic in that it may react to popularity over a shorter period, such as over a holiday or holiday season; [0094], Later, a user launches an IME application (box 636), which causes the application to contact the server system. The server system then responds by sending emoticon information to the client device (box 638); [0095], at box 642, a user provides a command to the client device to change from a standard alphanumeric keyboard to a supplemental keyboard whose keys represent various additional items such as emoticons. At box 644, the supplemental keyboard is displayed, and the most popular emoticons are displayed in an area on the supplemental portion of the keyboard; [0096], In this manner, the keys of a keyboard can be populated, at least in part, using information received from a plurality of different third parties, so that the keys represent information that has been determined to be popular with those third parties; [0108], WiFi; [0115], The systems and techniques described here can be implemented in a computing system that includes a back end component (e.g., as a data server), or that includes a middleware component (e.g., an application server), or that includes a front end component (e.g., a client computer having a graphical user interface); The components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communication networks include a local area network ("LAN"), a wide area network ("WAN"), and the Internet)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have incorporated recently accessed by a wirelessly linked external electronic device as suggested in Wu into Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore. Doing so would be desirable because many of the functions performed on mobile devices center around communications. For example, users may send and receive text messages or e-mails. Textual entry on mobile devices can be difficult because the small size of the devices prevents the devices from offering fully functional, and full-sized keyboards. Entry of such information can be difficult, for example, when a particular Roman representation entered by a user is ambiguous, in that it has multiple interpretations in the target character set. As a result, an IME may provide a candidate box along with a Roman keyboard (which can be a virtual keyboard on a touch screen device), and the candidate box may present to a user possible solutions for an entry that the user has made. The user may then select the appropriate entry out of the candidate box (see Wu [0004]). Space-saving solutions are also provided. For example, added keys and functionality may be provided on a keyboard that is too large to fit on a screen of a device at one time (see Wu [0006]). Certain keys can show an emoticon, and the emoticon may be an image that has been assigned to the key by a user, or can be an emoticon that has been determined by a system to be a particularly popular emoticon (see Wu [0007]). Such systems and technique may provide one or more advantages. A user may receive candidates that can improve their entry of text on a device, so that they can more effectively and efficiently communicate with other users (see Wu [0009]). The system of Wu would improve the systems of Langholz and Moore by enabling the user to quickly and easily identify the most desireable or appropriate emoticons, thereby saving the user time and increasing ease of use.
Response to Arguments
The Examiner acknowledges the Applicant’s amendments to claims 1, 7, 9, and 12-14. The previous objections to the claims are respectfully withdrawn. The rejections to the claims under 35 U.S.C § 112(b) are respectfully withdrawn.
Regarding independent claim 1, the Applicant alleges that Langholz in view of Moore as described in the previous Office action, does not explicitly teach receiving the second user input corresponding to selection of the emoji affordance, replacing display of the dictation user interface with display of the emoji user interface, wherein the emoji user interface includes a first emoji graphical object, and wherein replacing display of the dictation user interface with display of the emoji user interface includes ceasing display of the emoji affordance, as has been amended to the claim. Examiner has therefore rejected independent claim 1 under 35 U.S.C § 103 as unpatentable over Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore.
Similar arguments have been presented for claims 13 and 14 and thus, Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive for the same reasons.
Applicant states that the dependent claims recite all the limitations of the independent claims, and thus, are allowable in view of the remarks set forth regarding the independent claims. However, as discussed above, Langholz in view of Buxton in further view of Moore is considered to teach the independent claims, and consequently, the dependent claims are rejected.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hullette (US 20180373683 A1) see Figs. 1-25 and [0045-0046].
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN T REPSHER III whose telephone number is (571)272-7487. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8AM-5PM 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, Jennifer Welch can be reached at (571) 272-7212. 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.
/JOHN T REPSHER III/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2143
Prosecution Insights