DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined in this application. This communication is the first action on the merits.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 2/13/25 & 8/5/25 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
The claims are either directed to a system or method, which is one of the statutory categories of invention. (Step 1: YES).
The Examiner has identified method Claim 1 as the claim that represents the claimed invention for analysis and is similar to system Claims 9 & 17. Claim 1 recites the limitations of (additional elements emphasized in bold and are considered to be parsed from the remaining abstract idea):
A method comprising: receiving, at a client device, an activity invitation; generating a communication interface associated with the activity invitation; storing the communication interface at an indexed location in memory; receiving communications associated with the activity invitation; updating the communication interface with the received communications; and causing display of the updated communication interface within a graphical user interface of the client device.
which is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation(s) as a Certain method of organizing human activity (managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people), or a Mental process (concept performed in the human mind) of causing a display of an interface based on received data.
If a claim limitation, under its broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI), covers performance of the limitation as a certain method of a managing personal behavior or relationships or interactions between people, then it falls within the “Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity” grouping of abstract ideas.
Accordingly, the claim recites an abstract idea. (Step 2A-Prong 1: YES. The claims are abstract)
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. Limitations that are not indicative of integration into a practical application include: (1) Adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception, or mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea (MPEP 2106.05.f), (2) Adding insignificant extra-solution activity to the judicial exception (MPEP 2106.05.g), (3) Generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use (MPEP 2106.05.h). The device, interface GUI and memory in Claim 1 (in addition to the non-transitory CRM and processor of Claim 9, and processor of claim 17) are just using generic computer components. The computer hardware is recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., as a generic processor performing a generic computer function) such that it amounts to no more than mere instructions to implement an abstract idea by adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception. Accordingly, these additional elements, when considered separately and as an ordered combination, do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. Therefore claim 1 is directed to an abstract idea without a practical application. (Step 2A-Prong 2: NO. The additional claimed elements are not integrated into a practical application)
The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because, when considered separately and as an ordered combination, they do not add significantly more (also known as an “inventive concept”) to the exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of using computer hardware amounts to no more than mere instructions to implement an abstract idea by adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception. Mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on or with the use of generic computer components, cannot provide an inventive concept - rendering the claim patent ineligible. Thus claim 1 is not patent eligible. (Step 2B: NO. The claims do not provide significantly more)
The dependent claims further define the abstract idea that is present in their respective independent claims and hence are abstract for at least the reasons presented above. The dependent claims do not include any additional elements that integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception when considered both individually and as an ordered combination. Therefore, the dependent claims are directed to an abstract idea. Thus, the aforementioned claims are not patent-eligible.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6, 9-11, 14, 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Champy (US 20200001177) in view of Hewu (US 20160121221).
Claim 1.
Champy teaches the following limitations:
receiving, at a client device, an activity invitation;
([0027] The host user can invite additional players to join the game. An identifier of the session 116 may be presented to users (hereinafter “player user(s)”) of one or more client devices 104 (hereinafter “player client(s)”).
generating a communication interface associated with the activity invitation;
([0027] the session identifier is presented on player clients 104 in a notification message (e.g., a smartphone notification). For example, when one or more player clients 104 are determined to be in the local area (e.g., in the same room) of the host client 102, the session identifier may be transmitted to these player clients 104. The player clients 104 display a notification that informs the player users of an invitation to join the session. If the player user opens the notification, the player user may access the session identifier directly from the notification or activate an affordance to display the session identifier (e.g., in another application). [0034, 0040-0041, 0103, 0107]
receiving communications associated with the activity invitation; updating the communication interface with the received communications; and
([0028] The session identifier may be used at a player client 104 to join the session 116. In some implementations, the session identifier is a link (e.g., a Universal Resource Locator (“URL”)) of the session 116. The link or an encoding of the link (e.g., a QR code) may be displayed by the output device 108 or sent to player devices 104 in messages. [0029] When the session identifier is used at a player client 104 (e.g., the session identifier link is activated), the player client 104 communicates with the server 114 in order to join the session 116. After the player client 104 joins the session 116, player users can play the game along with the host user, i.e., make inputs that affect the output of the session 116. [0034] As part of the player client 104 joining the session 116, the server 114 communicates with the player client 104 to set up a controller on the player client 104. In some implementations, this includes the server 114 assessing whether the player client 104 has the needed resources for the controller, including whether the player client 104 has an application needed to implement the virtual controller and/or whether the communicative connection between the player client 104 and the server 114 has a latency that is appropriate for the game session (e.g., as part of the capabilities and connection quality assessment described above). Depending on the available resources at the player client 104, the connection quality, and the requirements for the game, the controller may be implemented differently at the player client 104. [0040] In some implementations, a game can be played with a webpage-based controller interface. For example, a controller interface for the game may be embedded in a webpage, and the webpage is rendered in a web browser on the player client 104 (and/or the host client 102 as well). The player user then can interact with the controller interface in the webpage. If the webpage-based control interface is the controller of choice for the session 116, the server 114 transmits the control interface webpage to the player client 104 when the player client 104 joins the session.
[0041] In some implementations, which controller is used for a game session 116 is based on the game's specifications and/or the resources available at the client 102/104. For example, if the game requires a game-specific application to be downloaded, the player client 104 is checked for the presence of the application and a prompt to download sent if the application is not present. If the game does not require a game-specific application but instead utilizes a standardized controller configuration or a controller template for a controller sub-module, the player client 104 is checked for the presence of the controller sub-module and a prompt to download sent if the controller sub-module (e.g., in an application or an operating system update) is not present. If the controller sub-module is present, the controller configuration or template (e.g., the game-specific custom template, an indication of which standardized configuration to use) is transmitted to the player client 104. As a further example, if the game can use either a standardized controller configuration or a webpage-based interface, and the game does not require low-latency control, then a webpage-based interface may be used if the controller sub-module is not present, to avoid additional downloading.
causing display of the updated communication interface within a graphical user interface of the client device.
([0040] a game can be played with a webpage-based controller interface. For example, a controller interface for the game may be embedded in a webpage, and the webpage is rendered in a web browser on the player client 104 (and/or the host client 102 as well). The player user then can interact with the controller interface in the webpage. If the webpage-based control interface is the controller of choice for the session 116, the server 114 transmits the control interface webpage to the player client 104 when the player client 104 joins the session. [0103] The device presents (606) to users of one or more second electronic devices on which the application is not executing and/or installed a session identifier associated with the session, wherein the session identifier facilitates joining of the session by the second electronic devices and identifies a controller configuration implementable on each of the one or more second electronic devices for enabling the users of the one or more second electronic devices to interact with the session. For example, the host client 102/132 transmits, or causes to be transmitted, to one or more player clients 104/134 on which the application is not installed at all or is installed but not executing a session identifier of the session. The session identifier facilitates joining of the session by the player clients 104/134, including facilitating installation of the application on a player client if not already installed. The session identifier also includes or references a controller configuration for the player clients 104/134 to implement in order to facilitate interaction by player users with the session. For example, the host client 102/132 obtains a session identifier of a game session from the server 114/144, and causes the session identifier to be transmitted to player clients 104/134 and/or to be output at output device 108/138 (e.g., in user interface 510, FIG. 5B) via media device 106/136. The host user may direct (e.g., via user interface 500, FIG. 5A), the host client 102/132 to transmit or cause to be transmitted the session identifier. The session identifier may be opened on-device at a player client 104/134, or input into an application at the player client 104/134 in accordance with the outputted session identifier (e.g., the user types the session identifier into the application or scans the session identifier barcode with the player client 104/134). In this manner, the player client 104/134 may join the game session. Furthermore, in accordance with a controller configuration specified by the session identifier and/or the game session, the player client(s) 104/134 implement a controller interface for the game session. With the player client(s) 104/134 joined in the game session and a controller interface implemented at the player clients, player users at the player clients may play the game along with a host user at the host client.
Champy does not explicitly teach the following limitation, however Hewu teaches:
storing the communication interface at an indexed location in memory;
([0032] What follows is a description of the information about the session registered in step S7 and managed by the session managing server 4. With regard to each session generated by the service offering server 3, the session managing server 4 stores as session-related information such related items of information as a session ID, session reference destination information, a session name, a session image, accessory information, device type information, a public flag, a game title name, a participant list, a host user ID, a session generation time, and a validity flag. [0053] In this embodiment, the client device 2b displays a list of invitations in a manner reflecting the content of the session validity flag. The client device 2b may also display the information about invitations in a manner reflecting the content of the read flag and the participation flag. For example, the client device 2b may display individual invitations in a manner determined by each of the values of the session validity flag and the read flag. In FIG. 5, a mark “New” is attached to each invitation for which the read flag is set to “unread” (i.e., the invitation has yet to be viewed by the invited user). The invitation for which the session validity flag is set to “invalid” (i.e., the session targeted by the invitation has already ended) may be displayed in a manner not attracting much attention of the user, such as a low-tone image obtained by suitable image processing. In FIG. 5, the invitations enclosed by not a solid-line rectangle but a broken-line rectangle each are shown as the invitations of which the sessions have already ended. As another alternative, the client device 2b may display each invitation in a manner reflecting the participation flag. [Fig. 5])
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to be motivated to modify Champy with Hewu in order to provide invitation detail for the user to make an informed decision on which invitations are valid or not (Hewu – 0053).
Claim 2.
Champy in combination with the references taught in Claim 1 teach those respective limitations. Champy further teaches:
wherein the activity invitation comprises a game session invitation, and
(Champy – [0026-0027])
Champy does not explicitly teach the following limitation, however Hewu teaches:
wherein the communication interface includes a display of a game title associated with the game session.
(Fig. 5; [0052] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an exemplary screen displaying a list of invitation information. In FIG. 5, each item of invitation information includes the game title name of the session targeted by the invitation, a session image, the name of the inviting user, and the device type of the client device 2 that can participate in the session. These items of invitation information are acquired from the session managing server 4.)
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to be motivated to modify Champy with Hewu in order to provide invitation detail for the user to make an informed decision on which invitations are valid or not (Hewu – 0053).
Claim 3.
Champy in combination with the references taught in Claim 1 teach those respective limitations. Champy further teaches:
wherein the method further comprises: receiving an input that selects the activity invitation; and
(Champy – [0103] The session identifier may be opened on-device at a player client 104/134, or input into an application at the player client 104/134 in accordance with the outputted session identifier (e.g., the user types the session identifier into the application or scans the session identifier barcode with the player client 104/134))
launching an activity session associated with the activity invitation in response to the input.
([0029] When the session identifier is used at a player client 104 (e.g., the session identifier link is activated), the player client 104 communicates with the server 114 in order to join the session 116. After the player client 104 joins the session 116, player users can play the game along with the host user, i.e., make inputs that affect the output of the session 116. [0103] The device presents (606) to users of one or more second electronic devices on which the application is not executing and/or installed a session identifier associated with the session, wherein the session identifier facilitates joining of the session by the second electronic devices and identifies a controller configuration implementable on each of the one or more second electronic devices for enabling the users of the one or more second electronic devices to interact with the session.)
Claim 6.
Champy in combination with the references taught in Claim 1 teach those respective limitations. Champy does not explicitly teach the following limitations, however Miller teaches:
wherein the activity invitation includes a display of a user identifier that comprises a graphical avatar.
(“Another example is provided in connection with the use of an indicator directly displayed on one or more users illustrated with a “neighbor bar”, iconic representation, or other listing of in-game neighbors, friends, or other gaming social connections provided by the gaming environment. For example, the message center may be indicated and launched through use of a small graphical indicator that appears on top of a specific friend icon or avatar. The graphical indicator may be used to indicate that the specific friend has an interaction message waiting (for example, for an action event interaction message to interact in a game with the specific friend).”)
Claim 9.
Champy teaches the following limitations:
A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:
([0110] a non-transitory computer readable storage medium stores one or more programs, the one or more programs including instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device with one or more processors, causes the electronic device to perform the method 700.)
The remainder of this claim is rejected using the same rationale as Claim 1.
Claim 10.
Rejected using the same rationale as Claim 2.
Claim 11.
Rejected using the same rationale as Claim 3.
Claim 14.
Rejected using the same rationale as Claim 6.
Claim 17.
Champy teaches the following limitations:
A system comprising: a memory; and at least one hardware processor coupled to the memory and comprising instructions that causes the system to perform operations comprising:
([0010] an electronic device includes one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs to be executed by the one or more processors. The one or more programs include instructions for performing any of the methods described above.)
The remainder of this claim is rejected using the same rationale as Claim 1.
Claim 18.
Rejected using the same rationale as Claim 2.
Claim 19.
Rejected using the same rationale as Claim 3.
Claim(s) 4, 12 & 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Champy (US 20200001177) in view of Hewu (US 20160121221), and further in view of Miller (US 9682315).
Claim 4.
Champy in combination with the references taught in Claim 3 teach those respective limitations. Champy further teaches:
wherein launching the activity session includes: causing a user account associated with the client device to join an [ongoing] session associated with the activity invitation.
([0027] the session identifier is presented on player clients 104 in a notification message (e.g., a smartphone notification). For example, when one or more player clients 104 are determined to be in the local area (e.g., in the same room) of the host client 102, the session identifier may be transmitted to these player clients 104. The player clients 104 display a notification that informs the player users of an invitation to join the session. If the player user opens the notification, the player user may access the session identifier directly from the notification or activate an affordance to display the session identifier (e.g., in another application). [0034, 0040-0041, 0103, 0107]
Champy does not explicitly teach the following limitation, however Miller teaches:
ongoing session
([col 11 ln 53-57])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to be motivated to modify Champy with Miller in order to allow a user to join an ongoing game session of the user to allow users to take immediate actions on particular game events in real-time or near real-time (Miller – [col 2 ln 22-24]).
Claim 12.
Rejected using the same rationale as Claim 4.
Claim 20.
Rejected using the same rationale as Claim 4.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 7, 8, 13 & 15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be potentially allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims (as well as overcoming any other outstanding rejections).
Claim 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: accessing a user preference associated with a sender of the activity invitation; and presenting the activity invitation based on the user preference.
Claim 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises: generating icon based on the graphical avatar and an attribute of the activity invitation; and presenting the activity invitation with the generated icon.
Claim 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication interface comprises a conversation feed indexed in the memory location.
Claim 13. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, further comprising: accessing a user preference associated with a sender of the activity invitation; and presenting the activity invitation based on the user preference.
Claim 15. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises: generating an icon based on the graphical avatar and an attribute of the activity invitation; and presenting the activity invitation with the generated icon.
Claim 16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the communication interface comprises a conversation feed indexed in the memory location.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABDULMAJEED AZIZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5046. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7-3:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ALLANA LEWIN BIDDER can be reached at (571) 272-5560. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ABDULMAJEED AZIZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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